Goodbye Princess, Hello General: Carrie Fisher, J.J. Abrams on Leia

carrie-fisherCarrie Fisher and J.J. Abrams talk Leia in The Force Awakens in the latest from Entertainment Weekly. On what she is now:

“She’s referred to as General,” says director and co-writer J.J. Abrams. “But … there’s a moment in the movie where a character sort of slips and calls her ‘Princess.’”

It’s pretty heavily implied that the slipee is Han, naturally.

Meanwhile, Fisher describes Leia as “solitary. Under a lot of pressure. Committed as ever to her cause, but I would imagine feeling somewhat defeated, tired, and pissed.”

We first learned Leia’s new title in the prologue of the book Moving Target, but this is the first time it’s been explicitly mentioned to the wider audience.

How long has Rey been on Jakku, anyway? More The Force Awakens photos, details

There’s a huge gallery of new The Force Awakens images at Entertainment Weekly, and although you’ll recognize many of the shots, we do learn a few things. For instance, how long Rey has been on Jakku…

Rey was ditched on Jakku by her family when she was a child and has no idea why — or why they never returned. “She’s been alone for a long time,” Ridley says. “When something occurs when you’re 5, you know what went on but you don’t understand the reasoning. She’s hopeful for what lies ahead, whether that involves the past or not.” So why hasn’t abandonment made her bitter, angry, and… prone to the Dark Side? “Hope makes people good, a lot of the time,” Ridley says. “You hope for a brighter future, and resentment is outweighed.”

Plus Finn with Poe as prisoner of The First Order. (And Rey’s staff is just a staff, but we knew that already.) Check ’em out!

Harrison Ford: Han Solo’s “development is consistent with the character”

tfa-ew-han-solo-harrison-ford

First up in the glur of articles sure to come out of the Entertainment Weekly feature, Harrison Ford on Han Solo. On the evolution of Han:

“No, there’s not an abandoning of the character,” Ford says, more earnestly than you’d expect from Mr. I-Guess-We-Watched-The-Trailer. “He does not aspire to the position of Obi-‘Ben’ Kenobi, nor do I aspire to be some New Age Alec Guinness. His development is consistent with the character, and there are emotional elements which have occasioned his growth.”

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X-Men: Apocalypse trailer will be on The Force Awakens

X-Men: Apocalypse

The first trailer for X-Men: Apocalypse will debut on The Force Awakens, co-writer/producer Simon Kinberg told Collider. ” It’s our first thing out there so it is somewhat of a teaser but it’s certainly longer than a minute and it has a ton of cool stuff in it,” he told them.

In addition to Kinberg and his Star Wars connections, Apocalypse also stars TFA’s Oscar Isaac in the title role.

Rumor – and basic common sense – has it that Captain America: Civil War will also debut on Star Wars, but that has yet to be confirmed. Although the X-Men movies are based on Marvel comics, the films are produced by 20th Century Fox, in a deal that long predates both Marvel Studios and Disney’s 2009 acquisition of the company.

X-Men: Apocalypse takes place 10 years after the timeline-resetting X-Men: Days of Future Past, in the prime X-Men era of the ’80s. It’s again directed by Bryan Singer and also stars Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender and Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner.

#ForceforDaniel’s Daniel Fleetwood has passed away

forcefordanielDaniel Fleetwood, the ill Star Wars fan who got to see The Force Awakens a last week, has passed away. Per his wife Ashley on Facebook:

Daniel put up an amazing fight to the very end. He is now one with God and with the force. He passed in his sleep and in peace. He will always be my idol and my hero. Please hug uncle Marc for me and give Lucy lots of kisses. Rest in peace my love.

Ashley is still raising money for Daniel’s medical bills on GoFundMe. The fund is now up to $57K – more than half of what’s needed.