Tag: the force awakens

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EUbits: Well’s Leia novel moves up, Essential Characters moves back

Empire and Rebellion: Razor's EdgeStreet dates. We got the cover and now Empire and Rebellion: Razor’s Edge – the Leia novel by Martha Wells – has moved up from October 15 to October 1.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about The Essential Characters, but it’s popped up in Random House’s Edelweiss catalog with a brand new far-off date of October 7, 2014. Will it stick? Probably not! (We’ll see.) Pencil it in.

Out now. Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void came out almost a week ago, and author Tim Lebbon has been making the interview rounds with Suvudu, Jedi News, Star Wars Action News and Roqoo Depot. Meanwhile, there are reviews at Tosche Station, Fangirl, Jedi News, Knights Archive (x2) and Roqoo Depot.

The blogside. Tor’s Emily Asher-Perrin has a list of what Episode VII could lift from the Expanded Universe. I haven’t covered a ton of these sorts of posts, but hey, it’s Tor and she made Mara #1, so. And speaking of… Bria has reached Legacy of the Force.

Audiobooks. Timothy Zahn’s Allegiance and the Hand of Thrawn duology (Specter of the Past and Vision of the Future) are coming as unabridged audiobooks.

Comic reviews.James reviews The Assassination of Darth Vader, Brian Wood’s Free Comic Book Day story, as well as Fire Carrier #4 and Star Wars #5.

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CONFIRMED: Episode VII will film in the U.K.

Star Wars logoSurprising no one, Star Wars is returning to the United Kingdom, StarWars.com announces.

“We’ve devoted serious time and attention to revisiting the origins of Star Wars as inspiration for our process on the new movie, and I’m thrilled that returning to the UK for production and utilizing the incredible talent there can be a part of that,” said Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm. “Speaking from my own longstanding connection to the UK with films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Empire of the Sun and recently War Horse, it’s very exciting to be heading back.”

They aren’t saying exactly where in the country the film will be shot, though Pinewood does seem likely due to their deal with Disney. (And it could also be good news for Scotland, though it’s probably too early for anyone to say.)

The original trilogy and The Phantom Menace were all primarily filmed in the U.K., while Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith did most of their shooting at 20th Century Fox’s studio in Australia, though they returned to the U.K. for pickup shots.

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Roundup: Do the spin-offs depend on Episode VII being a success?

abrams-junketLike these movies won’t be hits? As the Star Trek Into Darkness junket clips stagger out into the world, Abrams implies to MTV that the Star Wars spinoffs will depend on Episode VII going the distance.

Also from MTV: Damon Lindelof on Abrams and Star Wars, and they even asked Leonardo DiCaprio if he’d like to do future Star Wars. (He famously turned down Attack of the Clones back in the day.)

On that note… Simon Pegg talks about Abrams and Star Wars with Totalfilm – though he clarifies that he has no inside info from Abrams. And yes, they’re still asking random movie folks about Episode VII.

Interview. And finally, for someone who will almost certainly actually be in Episode VII, here’s more from Mark Hamill.

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Rumor: Could Episode VII film at Pinewood Studios?

SEQUEL TRILOGY RUMORS: Take seriously at your own risk.Jedi News quotes a source who tells them that Disney has recently signed a 5-year deal with Pinewood Studios. There’s a new soundstage under construction at their main facility west of London:

Some of the people there are calling [it] the new Star Wars stage. Apparently the Disney deal is for multiple movies and security has started to be tightened up.

From what my friend said, a lot of the construction workers were openly calling it the Star Wars stage.

Pinewood Studios’ main facility is in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire. Several James Bond movies have been shot there – their most famous stage is the 007 Stage, built for The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977.

It may also be noteworthy that Pinewood recently announced that they’ll be opening a facility in the States, near Atlanta.

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Episode VII to ‘hopefully’ start filming in 2014

Star Wars logoBad Robot’s Bryan Burk – who will apparently be producing Episode VII – told Collider that they hope to start filming Episode VII next year, which only makes sense.

We’re progressing on a schedule to hopefully begin next year, or the beginning of next year, and the location is still kind of floating around in the air all depending on script and a whole bunch of other issues. As I just said, everything is kind of a free-flowing thing, and when we feel like the story level on this script and everything is really coming together and schedules are all working and pieces line up, we prowl ahead, and Star Wars will be no different.

Meanwhile, we’ve seen reports – well, tweets – indicating that screenwriter Michael Arndt may have been hanging out with J.J. Abrams this weekend.

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Rumors: Iceland, Scotland scouted for Episode VII?

Fréttatíminn's photoshopperyWhat’s May 4th without a couple of Episode VII rumors? Two separate news sources are saying that locations in Iceland and Scotland may be in the mix for Episode VII.

The Sun claims that shooting in in the Highlands and the Isle of Skye is pretty much a done deal, but… It’s The Sun.

Meanwhile, in Iceland, Fréttatíminn (translated) is only claiming that possible locations have been scouted in the south of the country. Maybe. (via)

All I can say is that when it comes to photoshopping, Iceland is the clear winner.

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Pablo Hidalgo: The Expanded Universe will always be ‘part of the Star Wars experience’

Pablo HidalgoThe Star Wars Books Facebook page held a chat with Pablo Hidalgo today, one of Lucasfilm’s resident continuity experts and author of The Essential Reader’s Companion.

So his most popular answer, naturally, addressed the relationship between the movies and the rest…

I think the EU will always continue to be part of the Star Wars experience, in that there are stories that are best suited for books, comics, games. etc.. The relationship between cinematic content and expanded universe content will continue to be what it is today and has been in the past. What happens on screen is one thing. What happens in the books is another. How they connect and interact is something I’m really eager to see.

More answers below the cut!

Continue reading “Pablo Hidalgo: The Expanded Universe will always be ‘part of the Star Wars experience’”

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J.J. Abrams: Star Wars a “once in a lifetime” opportunity

jjStar Trek? What Star Trek? J.J. Abrams is talking Star Wars again, this time with the BBC.

A self-confessed Star Wars fan, Abrams said he would have to try to mitigate his “geeky fan-boy” feelings about his forthcoming project.

“It’s just about about approaching it from as authentic a place as possible, and not trying to apply what you believe or think, as much as trying to filter everything and get at it from the core of the characters.

“[It should be] what you deeply want to see, never what you assume the fans might like.”

Hrm. I am by no means saying capitulate to the fans, because then we’d just get a movie about Boba Fett shooting shit, but I’m pretty sure a director channeling what he deeply wanted to see is what brought us Superman Returns, which is to say it can be channeling your inner fanboy. It’s a fine line. Please don’t let Episode VII be the Superman Returns to Star Trek’s X-Men. Please don’t pull a Bryan Singer. Please manage it, J.J. You’re our only hope.