Tag: the force awakens

What has the Jesse Plemons rumor wrought? The Hollywood Reporter is weighing in today with a triptych of new (or, well, ‘new’) names: Michael Fassbender, Hugo Weaving and Adam Driver. I’m sure you’re already familiar with Fassbender and Weaving; Driver is the dude from HBO’s Girls who can’t keep his shirt on.

But wait: That’s not the real meat of the article. THR also claims to know why Micheal Arndt split:

According to multiple insiders, the reason for the parting of ways was not due to a timeframe issue, as has been reported, but rather due to a difference in opinion of which characters to emphasize.

Arndt is said to have focused on the offspring of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), with the original trilogy heroes taking on supporting roles. Abrams, however, wanted Episode VII to focus on the classic trio of characters, so audiences could have one more chance to enjoy them before a fitting send-off. The new characters, the offspring, will now be in supporting roles, according to these sources, and take center stage in Episode VIII and IX. Some characters have disappeared from the Arndt script and new ones are being drafted.

George Lucas was involved in the debate, but “acquiesced to Abrams and producer Kathleen Kennedy.” Several parts have been rewritten; one 20-year old character is now 40, and Weaving is supposedly being eyed to play a “an Imperial commander.” (Of course.)

And finally:

The latest bit to surface this week is that Abrams and Lucasfilm are now searching for a 20-something female actress who is either of mixed race or black. The rumor is that Obi-Wan Kenobi had a daughter or granddaughter.

I’m not going to knock a POC casting choice, but the idea of there being Kenobi spawn at all strikes me as disingenuous.

But remember: There’s a lot going on here, and who knows what’s going to end up as truth…

The Wrap is reporting today that “multiple individuals with knowledge of the top-secret casting process” have told them that Jesse Plemons “is in contention for a lead role” in Episode VII. He’s supposedly flying into L.A. for an audition with J.J. Abrams.

Plemons is best known for roles on Breaking Bad and Friday Night Lights; He also appeared in 2012′s The Master and Battleship.

Bleeding Cool reports today that Jack O’Connell is a “real contender” for a role in Episode VII – close enough that he’s met with J.J. Abrams and the “meeting went very well.” They’re not sure which role he’s up for, though.

O’Connell is new to me, but he’ll be in next year’s 300: Rise of an Empire and has built up quite a resume over in the U.K., including a stint on Skins.