Tag: the force awakens

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Rumor: A Solo for Episode VII?

Ksenia SoloJedi News is going old school, giving (one of?) their Episode VII source(s) a nickname: Jedi Master SQL. Today, SQL tells them that actress Ksenia Solo is being considered for a role, “potentially Solo playing the daughter of Han Solo.” Potentially: I don’t think they’re actually saying that that’s the specific role she’s up for.

Aside from a regular role as Kenzi on the Canadian supernatural drama Lost Girl, Solo has appeared on the TV show Life Unexpected and in the film Black Swan.

As always, remember: A rumor is just that! Nothing is official until Lucasfilm says so.

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Totally not our new revenue stream: Last week’s best #StarWars and #EpisodeVII tweets

@missingwords: Brilliant money making scheme: 3 pop culture news sites partner to take turns making up, confirming & debunking each others scoops.

Last week, the Episode VII casting rumors ran wild and free, and also there was DragonCon. A magical time, presided over by the mighty Cumberbatch of Labor, with an assist from a bloodthirsty John Williams and various costumers. Or something like that. With a bonus round of #LessEpicStarWars!

Continue reading “Totally not our new revenue stream: Last week’s best #StarWars and #EpisodeVII tweets”

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Cumberbatch’s rep denies Episode VII casting

CumberbatchA spokesman for Benedict Cumberbatch told The New York Daily News that there’s “no truth” to the rumors that he’s been cast in Episode VII. “I think the rumors are circling because JJ and Benedict have just recently had a wonderful time working together on Star Trek.” If you want more reasoning, Bryan Young and our other pals at Full of Sith discussed the Cumberrumor on their latest podcast.

Take the denial as you will, but please feel free to quit it with the faux-castings of Thrawn and the tired “recasting” jokes at any point.

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Rumor: Benedict Cumberbatch in Episode VII?

Benedict Cumberbatch in Star Trek Into DarknessI’ve never heard of the site Film Chronicles, which is reporting that Benedict Cumberbatch has been cast in Episode VII, but Bleeding Cool says they are a “typically reserved” site generally not given to speculation and rumors, which leads BC to believe they must have a fairly solid source on this.

Casting Cumberbatch in Star Wars right on the heels of Star Trek Into Darkness seems just a tad too pat to me, even for J.J Abrams, but it’s true there’s been plenty of buzz about some sort of extremely imminent casting announcement. Could this turn out to be it? As always, we’ll just have to wait and see… And grit our teeth for the inevitable and obvious set of jokes regardless.

Aside from Trek, Cumberbatch is best known playing the title character in the BBC’s Sherlock. His upcoming slate of films includes The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Fifth Estate and 12 Years a Slave.

Totalfilm points out that both Cumberbatch and Kathleen Kennedy will be making appearances at the Telluride Film Festival tomorrow, so take that as you will.

UPDATE: Variety’s Marc Graser is saying this is nothing more than a “fun rumor.” The plot thickens!

UPDATE #2: Badass Digest is discounting the denials, saying that Cumberbatch is not yet a done deal, but that the role is that of a major villain expected to reoccur throughout the new trilogy.

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Rumor: Peter Pan actress, Magic Mike actor up for Episode VII roles

Latino Review is saying today that Rachel Hurd-Wood (Wendy in 2003’s Peter Pan) has read for the role of “the daughter of Princess Leia (and presumably Han Solo.)” They also say that Ryan Gosling has declined the role they reported earlier… But that Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike, I Am Number Four) is also “meeting,” possibly for the same role, which LR previously identified as Luke Skywalker’s son.

I have nothing against Hurd-Wood – she has the look, at least – but Pettyfer? Pass. Of course, even LR is hedging their bets on this one, so I wouldn’t go counting them in just yet.

They do, however, say that “major casting news” is coming very soon from Lucasfilm… Will we finally get some confirmation of Hamill, Ford and Fisher? Other returning actors? Or someone totally new?

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Report: Distribution via Apple TV for cartoons, Episode VII production news?

apple tvJedi News has a doozie for us today: There’s an app in development that Disney and Lucasfilm for Apple TV devices… And that venue will be where they distribute the “the final Clone Wars episodes exclusively” – and it’s going to happen in the upcoming holiday season. But that’s not all, their source said:

“Distribution will only be on Apple TV devices capable of running iOS7 and there has been no confirmation if the same app will be available to other iOS devices such as iPad or iPhone.”

Now THAT is where I start to get excited… As much as I’d rather have set information coming in from less restrictive environment… Well, I am an Apple fan. (Please come to iOS. Just the Episode VII stuff.) Plus, Apple announced that they’re adding some Disney content to Apple TV today, so this concept is anything but far-fetched.

And… I have heard independently of this that there is a big multi-media/app project in the works which could fit right in the the same wheelhouse as what we’re hearing here. Certainly there are far, far more details to come if this ends up being true, but I am definitely leaning in the direction of ‘plausible’ here. At least for today.

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Ian McDiarmid: “No conversations have been had” on Palpatine in Episode VII

PalpatineIan McDiarmid addressed the rumors that Palpatine would return in Episode VII at Fan Expo Canada over the weekend. As reported by ComicBook.com:

“There’s been all sorts of rumors. No conversations have been had, and no deals have been struck. And anyway, I’m dead… but I could be resurrected. Yes, I’ve heard of ghosts, I’ve heard of clones. There’s all sorts of possibilities. But until I get that phone call, like the one I had before, I won’t believe I’m in it.”

The all-but-confirmed to return Carrie Fisher was also at the con, where she hinted about getting in trouble over some of her previous comments… And talking to J.J. Abrams!

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Report: Episode VII will be shot on analog film

AbramsThe Boba Fett Fan Club reports from a film industry event in Los Angeles today that cinematographer Daniel Mindel – a regular collaborator with Bad Robot – announced that Episode VII will be shot on 35mm film. (via)

The Phantom Menace was the last Star Wars movie to be primarily shot on film, though George Lucas was already experimenting with digital formats. Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith were both shot digitally. However, J.J. Abrams is a devotee of traditional film, and it’s his call on this round, so it’s not a big surprise.

Mindel is has worked on both J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek films as well as Mission: Impossible III and Andrew Stanton’s John Carter.

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Episode VII: Release dates, fan speculation, and other horrors of the news void

Stay on target!Release date hijinks. Bryan Young at Big Shiny Robot – with an assist from Variety – writes on why Episode VII probably isn’t getting pushed back to December. And Jeremy Conrad at Furious Fanboys points out that the shooting schedule for Episode VII actually mirrors the one from Star Trek Into Darkness.

And, for the record, there’s another possible date change rumor from Jedi News.

The blogside. Over at Fangirl, there’s a interesting piece on speculation and how having too much knowledge of the franchise puts fan bloggers in a precarious position. Personally, although I do and will continue to report rumors, I’ve been staying away from outright speculation – mostly because it just annoys me, honestly. I don’t mind spoilers, but as an EU and fanfic fan I’ve read more than enough half-baked versions of our favorite characters – and while I have no plans to go spoiler-free (none at all) I am willing to wait and judge on the finished product. Let’s not forget that it isn’t always the basic ingredients that make something succeed or fail – it’s the execution. And that we won’t see in full until the movie is in theaters.

Lucasfilm. Oh look, it’s the fairy musical again.

Actors. The Hollywood Reporter concern-trolls Harrison Ford. Harrison Ford does what he wants, damnit. And they also found a few Sith who’d be up for a return – Ray Park and David Prowse. Somehow I doubt a dude who can’t even get a Celebration invite is going to get a movie part, though.