Spoilerphobes beware: New The Force Awakens summary on the scene

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For those going full spoiler, here’s a new wrinkle: TheForce.Net has a new summary of The Force Awakens, which seemingly claims to be from someone who’s read the novelization. (Seemingly.) It overlaps with some of what we’ve heard from the Making Star Wars camp, but there are some pretty key differences. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? I don’t know, and I’m not fully buying into anything, but there’s certainly a part of me side-eyeing this new entry into the game. (And, shocker, apparently it’s something that’s been floating around Reddit, always a sign of quality.)

It does reference some new thinking on the lightsaber we see in the second trailer that’s been kicking around lately… I think that bit may have some merit, but it’s neither here nor there at this point.

→ Speaking of MSW, they have a more complete description of the film’s last act, prompted by a new report on a major character death from some site called Epicstream.

→ For those who don’t want to delve into something lighter, Mythbuster Adam Savage revealed a new old effect that he actually saw being filmed.

→ And a little behind-the-scenes of scooping with Grantland’s profile of Umberto Gonzalez, aka El Mayimbe of Heroic Hollywood, late of Latino Review. (His last Star Wars scoop, concerning Colin Trevorrow and Episode IX, features heavily. It has yet to be confirmed.)

Rumor: Benicio del Toro for Episode VIII?

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The Wrap is reporting that Benicio del Toro “has the offer” to play the villain in Episode VIII. You may recognize del Toro as The Collector from Guardians of the Galaxy, and (more interestingly, perhaps) he was at one point in talks to play J.J. Abrams’ Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness.

Variety is doubling down with their own sources. They say Lucasfilm really wants an A-list talent in the part – and that they also met with Joaquin Phoenix. (And The Hollywood Reporter makes three.)

del Toro would be a nice get for Star Wars, so it’ll be interesting to see if this goes through. Episode VIII, which is being directed by Rian Johnson, is currently set for a May 26, 2017 release.

The catchup: Guillermo del Toro’s Star Wars idea and more from SDCC

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Guillermo del Toro would pitch Lucasfilm a Jabba the Hutt film in the style of The Godfather. I would have expected something a little more out-of-the-stock-fanboy-box from del Toro, but I’m sure he could knock it out of the park if it ever happens.

→ Also from SDCC: Gary Whitta on the Star Wars symphony performance; Where the behind-the-scenes reel music came from; How Mark Hamill walked the con floor; How is it that Star Wars only got a #3 in buzz?

→ BB-8 is on the cover of the latest issue of Make.

Daniel Craig says he doesn’t have a role in The Force Awakens, and also apparently takes the piss out of Simon Pegg, because why not?

→ In the wake of SDCC, Making Star Wars dropped a few new rumor/spoilers, as they are wont to do. First up, what happens directly after Return of the Jedi and more on Jakku; Some stuff on where Han is as The Force Awakens begins. And who is playing that new X-wing pilot we heard about last week?

Rumor: Colin Trevorrow to direct Episode IX?

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Director Colin Trevorrow, whose Jurassic World is the highest grossing film of 2015 so far, has been tapped to direct Episode IX, Umberto Gonzalez of Heroic Hollywood reports. With Star Wars in SDCC’s Hall H coming up this evening, and IX the only announced film that doesn’t have a director yet, this may very well turn out to be true.

Trevorrow’s name came up for Episode VII in the early days, and of course Jurassic World‘s sucess is a very large point in his favor.

Rumor roundup #2: Snoke concept art, more familiar faces for Rogue One?

snokeWe’re not done yet with the random rumors today, apparently…

Making Star Wars (of course) has a description of some Supreme Leader Snoke concept art for The Force Awakens. Jason suspects it wasn’t the final version, and it does sound a little too reminiscent of another recent high-profile baddie…

→ And on the Rogue One front, Bloody Disgusting claims there are a few more familiar faces in the mix, something we’ve heard before.

Rumor roundup: The ‘full slate’ and who might we see in Rogue One?

rumors-swirl-sw-probeYesterday we had a big chunk of news that pretty much blew everything else away, and with SDCC officially beginning tonight we’ll likely get even more, so let’s clear the boards with a few things that have been floating around regarding Episode VII, Rogue One and (maybe) even Episode VIII.

→ Before we break for possible spoilers and casting rumors, A ‘full slate” of Star Wars films has ‘leaked,’ but it directly contradicts yesterday’s Han Solo news, with a Kenobi film after Episode VIII and “Fett/Solo” in 2020. Okay! (UPDATE: It’s fake. I’m shocked.)

Continue reading “Rumor roundup: The ‘full slate’ and who might we see in Rogue One?”

No new trailer, clips for The Force Awakens at SDCC

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Entertainment Weekly says the The Force Awakens panel at San Diego Comic-Con will have a behind-the-scenes focus, but not a new trailer or clips as we hoped. Still, that doesn’t mean we won’t learn anything – they claim “several actors who haven’t yet spoken publicly about their roles” will be on hand on Hall H.

Actors scheduled to be at the con for other projects include Oscar Isaac – who did show up at Celebration with John Boyega and Daisy Ridley – and Gwendoline Christie, who we’ve heard very little from. Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis and Domhnall Gleeson are also possible, but we’ll just have to wait and see… (As always, I never count on Harrison Ford… Stranger things have happened, but given how much we already know the character there’s probably not much that can be said.) The only confirmed panel members remain Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Lawrence Kasdan.

Don’t count on a new trailer at D23, either – EW says the next one won’t be out until fall. My bet is just before or soon after Force Friday on September 4…