Tag: the force awakens

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Roundup: Episode VII rumor debunkings, Harrison Ford and Episode I memories

SEQUEL TRILOGY RUMORS: Take seriously at your own risk.Rumors. Bryan over at Big Shiny Robot has a non-Star Wars theory for the Kennedy/Lucas/Daniel Day Lewis lunch thing, and he says that the Ben Kingsley‘s name was out there a month ago, along with several other folks (including rumor all-star Benedict Cumberbatch) as what’s likely a bit of a red herring.

Meanwhile, Jedi News’ Jedi Master SQL has been poking around Pinewood again. You know the drill…

Shocking. In France, someone asked Harrison Ford about Episode VII again – the most revealing thing he said was “We’ll see.” You can see video of the interview at TéléStar.

Lest we forget… The Bearded Trio points out what we knew 18 months before Episode I. It’s not that much, and remember that 1997 was two years after the movie was actually announced. Patience, grasshopper.

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Rumor: Sullivan Stapleton reads for Episode VII, Saoirse Ronan admits to audition

Sullivan StapletonToday, Latino Review is reporting that Sullivan Stapleton (Strike Back, the upcoming 300: Rise of an Empire) has read for a part in Episode VII. Their source is also telling them that New Mexico is still in play.

Meanwhile, Saoirse Ronan told Sky News that she has auditioned for Star Wars – but “so has everyone.” Latino Review first reported that she had read for a part two weeks ago.

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Roundup: Disney and Lucasfilm still brainstorming live-action series possibilities

STAR WARS RUMORS: Take seriously at your own risk.Live-action series. There’ s been at least one sign of hope that Disney may let the Star Wars live-action series see the light of day. Now Blue Sky Disney’s Honor Hunter reports that the success of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot may lead to more internal development (see also: Peggy Carter,) and that the Star Wars show may get retooled – not only to bring the ratings to a more ABC-friendly level, but perhaps to shift the time period of the show may shift as well – from the current intertrilogy era to between Return of the Jedi and the new films.

Time will tell – Hunter suspects we won’t even hear anything official until 2014 at the earliest, and I myself wouldn’t be shocked if such a thing doesn’t go into production until we’re looking at a mostly-completed sequel trilogy, for much the same reasons we’re getting Rebels as opposed to a post-ROTJ show. But in any case – no one’s forgetting about a live-action show, and we may see some version of Underworld after all. Of course, it’s all rumor – but it’s something.

Meanwhile, in Britain… Jedi News’ Episode VII spy says that the Pinewood stages currently being used for Cinderella will be handed over to Lucasfilm in November, with principal photography to start on February 24.

Your moment of zen. And here’s something totally solid: ThinkGeek is selling some of the Celebration Europe exclusives, so if you’re yearning for a Darth Vader beer stein, Death Star Soccer Ball, talking tauntaun or futball scarf, it’s your lucky day.

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Roundup: Bind matter, create lightsabers? Science!

ESB: Bespin duel

SCIENCE! Physicists have discovered “photonic molecules,” which could allow something like a lightsaber to really exist. “When these photons interact with each other, they’re pushing against and deflect each other,” Harvard Professor of Physics Mikhail Lukin says. “The physics of what’s happening in these molecules is similar to what we see in the movies.” Lukin and his colleague, MIT Professor of Physics Vladan Vuletic, have published their findings in the scientific journal Nature.

Episode VII. IMAX CEO tells IMAX investors that they’re “talking to J.J. Abrams” about filming the new Star Wars in IMAX. Alrighty then.

Whedon. Entertainment Weekly asks Joss Whedon if he’d turn down a Boba Fett movie if offered. “I can’t say for sure, because that’s a tasty morsel,” he answered. “But right now my heart doesn’t go that way.” Ugh. Lucasfilm, if you ever do decide to call up Joss Whedon, please don’t waste him on a Boba Fett movie.

Video. This “open letter” to J.J. Abrams is gorgeous and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

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Roundup: No New Mexico for Episode VII; 1313 might still rise from the ashes of LucasArts

Las CrucesReport. The Albuquerque Journal’s ReelNM blog says the the reports of Episode VII filming in Mexico are false. “New Mexico was never on the list for the film,” their source says. The New Mexico rumor started by a local film blog, with Latino Review narrowing the location down to Las Cruces.

Gaming. IGN unleashed a bunch of stuff on 1313, the video game that may or may not have been canceled in the post-Disney shakeup. A source tells TFN to lean heavily on the ‘may not.’

Alumni. “I intend to pursue the role of Chewbacca for Episode VII,” Peter Mayhew says in relation to the Wookiee casting.

Hints This isn’t the first we’ve heard about October being the month that Lucasfilm will finally start announcing things, but, y’know, pencil it in. Meanwhile, Bob Iger is hinting that Disney could create specialized content for “new platforms.” Sound familiar?

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Rumor: David Oyelowo cast in Episode VII?

David Oyelowo

Hot on the heels of the news that David Oyelowo might have a part in Rebels, Jedi News’ spy is saying that Oyelowo has actually been cast in Episode VII. His Rebels character will be part of the setup for his character in the movie: “All part of the major EpVII co-ordinated push being pulled together by Simon Kinberg and the first major sign that Rebels will be the vehicle to setup the masses for EpVII fever!!”

Likely? Maybe. Official? Not by a long shot. As always, we wait on word from Lucasfilm before we really believe anything.

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Rumor: David Oyelowo, Freddie Prinze Jr. in talks for Rebels voice cast

rebels logoThe Hollywood Reporter this afternoon brings us what may be the cast of Rebels! David Oyelowo, Freddie Prinze Jr., Vanessa Marshall, Taylor Gray and Steven Jay Blum “are in the process of being cast as the voice leads for the series,” they say.

You’ll recognize Oyelowo from the other day’s Latino Review rumor, which had him auditioning for Episode VII. (Which he still could be!) Prinze will be familiar to anyone who grew up in the ’90s – he’s perhaps best known for starring in I Know What You Did Last Summer, She’s All That and 2002’s Scooby-Doo. Blum and Marshall are both voice acting vets who made their Star Wars debuts in The Old Republic. And it looks like Gray has some Nickelodeon cred.

We’ll be hearing more about Rebels at NYCC next month – can we expect some official casting news before that? Let’s hope so, for Pablo’s sake.

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Rumors: Lucasfilm casting for a Wookiee?

SEQUEL TRILOGY RUMORS: Take seriously at your own risk.Did no one tell the guys over in the U.K. that we had a major awards show here in the states last night? Have mercy, dudes. Post-Emmy mornings are for reading dress snark and bitching about Modern Family stealing 30 Rock’s (or Veep’s, whatever) milkshake.

In any case, there was quite a spread of rumors coming out last night… Bleeding Cool reports another casting, which sounds a lot like it’s for a Wookiee – though I’d hesitate to say it’s for Chewbacca specifically:

Tall Man (Male, 21 – 60) Male, 7 ft to 7.3 ft tall with a slim/thin build and upright posture. Not too worked out or too ‘thick set’ especially in the shoulders. Broad facial features would be a bonus.

But it could be for Chewbacca, and that’s rumorland for you. How tall is Benedict Cumberbatch, again? (Bryan Young has a theory.) Maybe that’s why Daniel Day Lewis was having lunch with George and Kathleen? Everyone wants to be a Wookiee!

Meanwhile, Jedi News’ Bothan spy Jedi Master SQL reports that Lucasfilm will be handed the keys to Pinewood in November, with filming expected to begin in February or March. (An earlier report said January 21.) Ksenia Solo may still be in play for a role, and that the official announcements will be coming soon and continue for the rest of the year.

Don’t forget, we’re not too far away from the one-year anniversary (October 30) of the Lucasfilm sale and initial sequel trilogy announcement…