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Star Wars Episode 7 - Thread of Pre-Production

GAMEPROFF

Banned
Because this needs to be posted in every Star Wars thread at at least once.

neogafsto3r.gif

The biggest Star Wars Plothole is really, how this dudes it acomplished to conquer the whole galaxy :D
 

GAMEPROFF

Banned
The clones were cloned so much that each new generation of troopers was worse than the one before it.

Wasnt it etablished, that the clones were sorted out after the clone wars? I have read in a Star Wars Wiki about it.

Can someone with knowledge about the EU say something about this?
 

Loxley

Member
Lucasfilm just recently mentioned that the Stormtroopers in the OT are no longer clones - although some older clones do train those Stormtroopers.

I know Lucas replaced Boba Fett's original dialogue with Temuera Morrison reading it, but the Stormtrooper dialogue has remained intact, right? No Kiwi accents?
 

Mr Cola

Brothas With Attitude / The Wrong Brotha to Fuck Wit / Die Brotha Die / Brothas in Paris
The only way I could look forward to this franchise again is if there was a firm promise to return to the use of practical over digital, with the latter filling in the cracks rather than bloating the whole production. Episodes 1-3 were undoubtedly hampered by terrible cgi, inappropriately used as both the crutch and the bandage. I cannot fathom how well meaning directors have yet to work out that CGI ages poorly, especially in the quantities it was used in Episodes 1-3 and if you dont have much to back it up, if you use it for spectacle instead of supplementing a well versed story it will stick out like a sore thumb. The jury is out on Abrams use of CGI, the two Star Trek films were marginal, they used practical a bit more than most high end spectical films I have seen but if I see a trailer that is brimming with digital creatures im out.
 

Blader

Member
Ok, so how may more theatrical release trailers do we have left to go through?

The three special editions, the prequels, 3D Phantom Menace - what else?
 
According to THR, Lucasfilm asked for a delay to 2016, but Iger said no.

According to those close to the project, producer Kathleen Kennedy and most of the film's creative team have asked Disney to push the release to 2016, but studio CEO Robert Iger is adamant that Episode VII -- perhaps the franchise's most anticipated installment since 1999's The Phantom Menace -- not budge. That has created enormous pressure on all involved, with director J.J. Abrams stepping in to take over scripting duties with Lawrence Kasdan, who co-wrote 1980's Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, considered the best film in the series.

Some sources say Abrams has become autocratic in recent months, wresting some casting control from Kennedy. But others disputed that notion, saying Abrams and Kennedy both have been involved in casting sessions. Unlike Kennedy, Abrams is said to be more in sync with Iger's desire to meet the 2015 release target -- which allows zero margin for error -- at all costs.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/star-wars-episode-vii-disney-651482
 
So, did anyone read the new Abrams interview with The Times? You need a subscription to see it, but a few sites have highlighted the choice quotes. Apparently, he responded to the "4 Rules to Make Star Wars Great Again" YouTube video.

From The Telegraph:

The seventh instalment in the successful Star Wars science fiction franchise could return to the darker "space Western" style of the first three movies.

Director J. J. Abrams, who is notoriously secretive about his films, has hinted that Star Wars: Episode VII could restore some of the mystery and grittiness from the original movies that critics claim was lost in "prequel" instalments.

In an interview with the Times Magazine he praised a set of "golden rules" spelt out by Star Wars fans on the internet as anticipation for the films grow.

These include setting the films on a Western style frontier of the galaxy rather than in shiny big cities like the three most recent films, giving the films a gritty and dirtier aesthetic and recreating some of the danger and mystery of the originals.

Abrams said: "I would say that (the website conveys) a feeling that we share very much ...

"I loved how Star Wars had that sense of a world far beyond the borders of what you can see and have been told – it's one of the things it did so brilliantly.

"If you watch the first movie, you don't actually know exactly what the Empire is trying to do. They're going to rule by fear – but you don't know what their end game is.

"The beauty of that movie was that it was an unfamiliar world, and yet you wanted to see it expand and to see where it went."


Abrams, who recently directed the latest Star Trek Into Darkness movie, is working with Lawrence Kasdan on the script for the new Star Wars film. Kasdan co-wrote The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

News of the new film has sparked a flood of speculation from fans on the internet about who may star in the movies and what the plot maybe.

While many diehard fans of the original movies have been unimpressed with the prequels, which George Lucas began releasing in 1999, there proved to be hugely successful with younger generations.

Abrams is eager not to criticise the more recent movies and suggests that he may need to tread a careful line not to alienate fans of the originals and the younger fans of the prequels.

He said: "A lot of kids who saw all the prequels when they were young really do identify with those movies as much as my generation identified with the originals."


The Star Wars franchise has generated more than $27 billion, with Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace taking the most out of the all six films at the box office.

The seventh instalment is due for release in 2015, with filming due to begin in 2014 in London.

Abrams refused to be drawn on any speculation about who may be cast in the new film.
Harrison Ford has been rumoured to be making a return, while Benedict Cumberbatch, who Abrams worked with in the latest Star Trek film, has also been linked.

There has also been speculation that British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor may be taking a role after being seen waiting in the lobby of Abram's office.
 

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
In Abrams I Trust.

Regarding Cucumberpatch, the video I saw with him and Ford had him pretty much saying he would appear jokingly when it was asked jokingly if he's going to star in it. Unless I'm unaware of some more recent news. I mean, he is British and Star Wars has a lot of British folks usually the bad guys or Super Mentor Jedi Guy.
 
Jaina Solo confirmed?

If the character takes on Hans personality, then Saoirse wouldn't be a good fit.

Honestly, as good as the space western thing sounds, I kind of just want them to do the Yuuzhan Vong/NJO. It's basically perfect.
 

Cheebo

Banned
Megan Fox has this in the bag.

If there is anything that no one should worry about is casting. Abrams has one of the best eyes for casting of any director working today. Despite any other issues they may have his Star Trek films are cast flawlessly.

Jaina Solo confirmed?
Lucasfilm has already said they are not following the EU. The post-Return of the Jedi EU is erased from canon pretty much. The EU was only read by a very tiny niche of Star Wars fans anyhow.
 
Honestly, as good as the space western thing sounds, I kind of just want them to do the Yuuzhan Vong/NJO. It's basically perfect.
That was so broad I thought it could've made an interesting post-Clone Wars series, except for the fact that staying very faithful to that material probably wouldn't have flown well at Cartoon Network or Disney Channel.
 

FelixOrion

Poet Centuriate
So, uh, this is a thing.

The volume of prospective actors at recent open auditions for Star Wars VII has prompted Lucasfilm to allow online applications.

Disney recently put out an open casting call looking to fill a couple of open, lead role slots in the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. Auditions, in turn, began this past weekend both in St. Louis, Missouri and the city of Bristol in the UK. That being the case, the auditions in Bristol saw such a tremendous turnout (about 2500) that many would-be Jedis were unfortunately turned away.

"The whole process was a complete and utter mess," said Josh McGrillen. "They had no infrastructure to handle the hundreds of people who turned up." That being the case, Lucasfilm has announced that it will now also be accepting video auditions that prospective actors can submit to the website Cast It Talent. As with the open auditions, online applicants will be auditioning for the roles of Rachel and Thomas which are "open to all ethnicities" and will require actors 17-18 and 19-23 years old, respectively.

While a part of me feels sincerely sorry for the poor people that get stuck sifting through the countless videos bound to start flowing in, it's hard to see how adding an option to audition online could be anything but a good thing. In addition to widening the film's potential talent pool, it also gives a chance for fans and actors without the ability to travel to take a shot at landing what could potentially be the role of a lifetime.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/129527-Star-Wars-VII-Now-Accepting-Online-Auditions
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24896384
http://www.opencastingcall2013.com/

Honestly surprised they only got 2500 on the first weekend. That said the 4 US dates will probably be packed.
 

inm8num2

Member
I'm dubious of that image.

I can't imagine Abrams and Kennedy letting a physical copy of the script leave their office like that.

If they test people they'll have actors read the script on site.

edit - well, this could be in the office, but still sending out an image could be bad form. I don't know...
 

GAMEPROFF

Banned
I am curious, what the name of the characters is, they have marked out, so that we cant see his or her name.

I am sure its something big, maybe one of the big three.
 
I'm dubious of that image.

I can't imagine Abrams and Kennedy letting a physical copy of the script leave their office like that.

If they test people they'll have actors read the script on site.

edit - well, this could be in the office, but still sending out an image could be bad form. I don't know...

Well, whatever it is it isn't the full script, so likely small excerpts pertaining to his audition.
 
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/first-look-star-wars-vii-script-201000565.html

But the best news is yet to come…While the image is rather blurred and not exactly great quality, we've been able to tweak the settings and sharpen it up a bit… and it's more revealing than Flemyng probably realised.

It appears that this page lists at least two characters - 'John' and 'Will'. Almost certainly not the real character names, it's likely that they're placeholders currently being used in casting, alongside Rachel and Thomas.

But what exactly are they doing? It seems they might just be looking for something… as this short exposition explains.

"As John goes through his bag, Will gives a lot of the [unreadable] the imagined [unreadable] in his stare."

And a bit further on, it looks as though John and Will get to the gist of what they're up to.

"Wise move [unreadable]. I thought we were doing the scavenging?"

Although it's not entirely clear who these characters are, where they are or what they're even doing, it could be our first glimpse at some all-new scenes in the galaxy far, far away.

And could this even be a hint towards Zekk - the scavenger companion of Jaina Solo?

I can't help thinking that perhaps Jason Flemyng is a bit old for such a part… but then, we have no idea which role he was up for. Still, with casting still on-going, perhaps we should be on the lookout for John and Will. And maybe we'll get some more hints as to who in Hoth they are.

John and Will. John...and Will.

John Williams to star?
 
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