Tag: the force awakens

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The Force Awakens: Details on Rey’s staff, what will the film be rated?

reyJason at Making Star Wars discusses Rey’s staff. There are some spoilers in the piece, but since there is no way this is the case anyway, let’s put this out: It’s not Darth Plagueis’ staff. It was never going to be Darth Plagueis’ staff. I don’t know where this speculation originated, and I don’t really care, but save it for your fanfics.

→ Scott Mendelson at Forbes considers possible ratings for The Force Awakens.

→ At Yahoo, Domhnall Gleeson talks about how Harry Potter prepped him for Star Wars, and reveals that the ‘Starkiller Base’ slip up… Wasn’t actually a slip.

→ Looking ahead: Director Rian Johnson actually tweeted a photo of his Episode VIII script last night. (Just a cover page, spoilerphobes.) Here’s the story of how it happened.

→ Also, will Star Wars return to Skellig Michael for a third round of filming in 2016?

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Kathleen Kennedy: Saga focuses on Skywalkers, spinoffs to explore “a variety of genres”

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In an article in, of all things, The CostCo Connection, Kathleen Kennedy maintains that “the saga films focus on the Skywalker family saga,” while the Anthology spin-offs “offer opportunities to explore fresh characters, new storylines and a variety of genres inside the Star Wars universe.”

None of that is exactly new, but it’s certainly nice to have some clear lines drawn in the sand.

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Business Insider reporter is very confused

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Who is that? Is it Pip Andersen? Why is he hanging out with Rey and Finn in another sticker?

Hmm.

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Much confuse.

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(Adding to the hilarity: That’s not even the worst Poe Dameron representation we’ve seen.)

Side theory: Does the First Order logo looking a bit like the Sarlacc mean that Supreme Leader Snoke could actually be none other than Boba Fett? Next time, on Theories of the Unreleased Star Wars Movie.

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Hope springs eternal for Star Wars fans

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Per a new survey, 63% of Star Wars fans expect The Force Awakens to be the franchise’s best movie yet. Oh, but wait – it gets better:

Just 15% of fans surveyed cited director J.J. Abrams as fueling their high hopes for “Force Awakens.” Most of the excitement surrounds VFX: 36% of respondents said “more advanced CGI” technology is a reason it will be the best “Star Wars” movie yet. Meanwhile, 25% cited a “more interesting story”; another 25% expect the movie to be “more true to the ‘Star Wars’ series”; and 14% pointed to a better cast.

Now, I’m cautiously optimistic about the new film, but it’s hard to side-eye this. I mean, it’s not like sky-high expectations have ever come to bite us in the ass before, right?

Right?

Oh, fandom. Never change.

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Rumor: Next The Force Awakens trailer to drop on or around October 16?

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Furious Fanboys is reporting signs that the new trailer for The Force Awakens could be coming on or around October 16 – roughly two weeks away. Namely, that theaters are being told to “reserve” spots for Star Wars promotional items. (So we’ll likely see a full poster then as well.)

If so, signs point to the trailer being attached to Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies, which is being released that week by Walt Disney Pictures. Ridley Scott’s The Martian, which comes out later this week, has also been named as a contender for the trailer, but I have yet to see any compelling evidence for that claim. (And while it may be more suited as a genre match – I too would rather go see Matt Damon stranded on Mars than a Tom Hanks Cold War drama – it lacks the double punch of Disney/Spielberg ties.) And how moot is all of this, anyway? Never again the Meet Joe Black times!

In any case, the later timing does line up nicely with the previous report that tickets for the film will go on sale October 19th.

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Hasbro design director on The Force Awakens, embracing female fandom

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Fast Company has a profile of Hasbro Star Wars design director Steve Evans, focusing on The Force Awakens rollout. Of special interest to us, some words on the changing market:

“I’m actually very, very fond of the three-and-three-quarter inch Rey figure,” Evans says. It’s an appropriate choice, and not just for the fact that Rey is one of the main characters in the next Star Wars chapter. That figure symbolizes a radical shift in the action figure market—and the Star Wars toys market in particular.

“It’s because of what it stands for,” says Evans. “Just because of the way it’s embracing girls into the brand more. I have a son and two twin daughters and my girls are infatuated with Rey. They think she’s brilliant.”

Back in the ’70s and ’80s Star Wars action figures were thought of as something to be made just for boys. But Evans says that’s all changed now. And not only are the artificial gender action figure barriers are coming down, now they’re designed to appeal to people of all ages.

As for The Force Awakens, “as we lead up to December 18, there’s a certain amount that gets released,” says Evans. “There are certain surprises from our product line that no one knows about, that we’ll release leading up to the movie, at the movie, and beyond the movie.”