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Episode VII: 'The Force Awakens' Discussion Thread


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"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter!"

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/69934

 

Bah...Star Wars was never about the action sequences or choreographed fighting...it was about a classic and subtle yet timeless story that was only enhanced by the fantastic creatures, wonderfully-acted human characters, and clever special-effects that made a fun romp of a series of films. If I want The Matrix, I'll watch The Matrix. Star Wars doesn't need to keep up with anything else...it needs to re-establish the standard it set in the first place.

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"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter!"

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/69934

 

Bah...Star Wars was never about the action sequences or choreographed fighting...it was about a classic and subtle yet timeless story that was only enhanced by the fantastic creatures, wonderfully-acted human characters, and clever special-effects that made a fun romp of a series of films. If I want The Matrix, I'll watch The Matrix. Star Wars doesn't need to keep up with anything else...it needs to re-establish the standard it set in the first place.

 

But...martial arts...er...Darth Maul...everyone loves Darth Maul. And this could be like Darth Maul times 3!!! Or 3,000!!!

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So they hire actors that are "too young" or "too old" or "too main-stream". One of the Stormtroopers is "too black". One of the droids it "too round". Now they hire stunt men that are too.....um...martial-artsy? I guess?

 

So is that it? Has the cast been completely scrutinized yet?

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Bah...Star Wars was never about the action sequences or choreographed fighting...it was about a classic and subtle yet timeless story that was only enhanced by the fantastic creatures, wonderfully-acted human characters, and clever special-effects that made a fun romp of a series of films. If I want The Matrix, I'll watch The Matrix. Star Wars doesn't need to keep up with anything else...it needs to re-establish the standard it set in the first place.

 

Much of what you say is right, but there's nothing subtle about the Star Wars story. Further, folks need to recall that this isn't 1977 anymore. The bulk of moviegoing audiences (which tends to be younger than many old-school Star Wars fans) have different tastes now. If you don't cater somewhat to those tastes, your movie is likely to underperform if not bomb. Now, Star Wars isn't likely to bomb regardless, but that doesn't mean "Do everything exactly like they did it (almost) forty years ago."

 

Nevermind that Star Wars was VERY much about action sequences...just not the kinds of action sequences that tend to involve martial arts fights: The Escape from the Death Star. The Trench Run. The Battle of Hoth and the Asteroid Field Chase. etc... etc... (And a few Lightsaber duels too). These all had plenty of choreography to them. Star Wars was inspired by the serials of George Lucas' youth, which had plenty of action to them, and certainly were anything but subtle stories.

 

I always find it a bit amusing that so many people think that a Lightsaber Duel should never move beyond standard stage-fighting (which is pretty much what all the OT lightsaber duels were). Do you think Star Wars would be just as successful if no blaster was ever fired or no lightsaber ever clashed?

 

But beyond that, we have no idea what these guys will be doing in the movie, or even if the rumor has any truth to it whatsoever or not. A little early to get up in arms about it.

 

They say in the article it's good news. How exactly is that good news?

 

Go watch The Raid and/or The Raid 2.

 

These guys are some of the best action stars nobody has heard of (because they're not English-language performers) out there.

 

Seriously though, regardless of your feelings on these guys maybe (but just as likely not) being in Episode VII in some capacity, The Raid and the Raid 2 are some of the best martial-arts action movies in decades. Well worth checking out.

 

So they hire actors that are "too young" or "too old" or "too main-stream". One of the Stormtroopers is "too black". One of the droids it "too round". Now they hire stunt men that are too.....um...martial-artsy? I guess?

 

So is that it? Has the cast been completely scrutinized yet?

 

I'm sure there'll be more to come. It's going to be the prequels all over again: No matter how good or bad the final product is, there will be a legion of die-hard "fans" that will always find it completely lacking compared to the movie they made up in their heads/"What I would have done if I had absolute power over the production of this movie and the entirety of Hollywood and an unlimited budget was...."

 

(Don't mistake me, the Prequels were horribly flawed in many ways, I'm just noting that by the time Episode I hit, there was pretty much no way it could live up to the hype in the minds of many. I am confident Episode VII will be considered "better" than any of the Prequels when all is said and done. Hopefully much better, but at the bare minimum "better.")

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I don't mean to be a wet blanket. You wouldn't know it necessarily from my comments, but I'm actually excited and very hopeful about Episode VII. I've wanted to see a true Star Wars sequel ever since George Lucas mentioned the remote possibility way back in an old issue of Starlog Magazine not long after Jedi so many years ago. To paraphrase the Grail knight in The Last Crusade, that's a long time to wait. (lol) I just don't want to see the rich legacy of the original Star Wars films to be further sullied by an injection of what passes as modern film-making and storytelling just for the sake of mass appeal, popularity, and maximum profit. Maybe I'm just an old fogey, but I'd sure hate to see the new film succumb to the need to make a "modern" take on Star Wars, one that panders to the video-game-obsessed/Mountain-Dew/Red-Bull-fueled/hyperactive generation that has the attention span of a squirrel...

 

I guess I just need to keep my mouth shut, as it were, until the movie actually comes out, because no matter how many assumptions we make, or how many logical observations and infrerrences we come up with, we simply won't know anything for sure until the final film arrives in theaters. I really want it to be good, I just find myself wary I guess.

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I don't mean to be a wet blanket. You wouldn't know it necessarily from my comments, but I'm actually excited and very hopeful about Episode VII. I've wanted to see a true Star Wars sequel ever since George Lucas mentioned the remote possibility way back in an old issue of Starlog Magazine not long after Jedi so many years ago. To paraphrase the Grail knight in The Last Crusade, that's a long time to wait. (lol) I just don't want to see the rich legacy of the original Star Wars films to be further sullied by an injection of what passes as modern film-making and storytelling just for the sake of mass appeal, popularity, and maximum profit. Maybe I'm just an old fogey, but I'd sure hate to see the new film succumb to the need to make a "modern" take on Star Wars, one that panders to the video-game-obsessed/Mountain-Dew/Red-Bull-fueled/hyperactive generation that has the attention span of a squirrel...

 

I guess I just need to keep my mouth shut, as it were, until the movie actually comes out, because no matter how many assumptions we make, or how many logical observations and infrerrences we come up with, we simply won't know anything for sure until the final film arrives in theaters. I really want it to be good, I just find myself wary I guess.

 

We all want it to be good.

 

For what it's worth, I think the chances are high that the OT purists/prequel haters (not always the same thing) will probably be pleased with the movie. I think it will heavily draw from the Original Trilogy and include just enough Prequel-era stuff to acknowledge that they happened but move right along.

 

But my chief worry is that they're going to lean so heavily on the Original Trilogy imagery and callbacks that the new trilogy will barely even feel like it has any identity of its own, if that makes sense? That by trying so fervently to "win back" the old-school fans and redeem the reputation of the franchise after the prequels that they'll overcompensate to the point that it will hurt the new trilogy's story and presentation. Or make it all feel so derivative that it moves past "comforting nostalgia" and into "kind of annoying/boring, really."

 

I want the new trilogy to be good, but I also don't want it to be afraid to take some risks and be different from both the Prequels and the OT in some ways.

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But my chief worry is that they're going to lean so heavily on the Original Trilogy imagery and callbacks that the new trilogy will barely even feel like it has any identity of its own, if that makes sense?

 

I would rather it focus on Luke Skywalker or omit the original characters outright. I could ignore these films altogether if they had set it in the future of the same universe...but that would require some thought from genuine original filmmakers.

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But my chief worry is that they're going to lean so heavily on the Original Trilogy imagery and callbacks that the new trilogy will barely even feel like it has any identity of its own, if that makes sense?

 

I would rather it focus on Luke Skywalker or omit the original characters outright. I could ignore these films altogether if they had set it in the future of the same universe...but that would require some thought from genuine original filmmakers.

 

So basically you never want the Star Wars franchise to move forward at all, and don't want the Sequel Trilogy to have its' own identity?

 

Nothing like being completely stagnant to bring in those viewers!

 

It's like some people don't think movies should be a for-profit business.

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But my chief worry is that they're going to lean so heavily on the Original Trilogy imagery and callbacks that the new trilogy will barely even feel like it has any identity of its own, if that makes sense?

 

I would rather it focus on Luke Skywalker or omit the original characters outright. I could ignore these films altogether if they had set it in the future of the same universe...but that would require some thought from genuine original filmmakers.

 

So basically you never want the Star Wars franchise to move forward at all, and don't want the Sequel Trilogy to have its' own identity?

 

Nothing like being completely stagnant to bring in those viewers!

 

It's like some people don't think movies should be a for-profit business.

 

???

 

How is playing with new characters/new ideas in the same universe but without familiar characters stagnant?

 

All Im saying is, a true sequel would still have Luke Skywalker as the focal character. This passing the torch business...we're getting reheated leftovers with some gravy on top to fight the staleness.

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I don't mean to be a wet blanket. You wouldn't know it necessarily from my comments, but I'm actually excited and very hopeful about Episode VII. I've wanted to see a true Star Wars sequel ever since George Lucas mentioned the remote possibility way back in an old issue of Starlog Magazine not long after Jedi so many years ago. To paraphrase the Grail knight in The Last Crusade, that's a long time to wait. (lol) I just don't want to see the rich legacy of the original Star Wars films to be further sullied by an injection of what passes as modern film-making and storytelling just for the sake of mass appeal, popularity, and maximum profit. Maybe I'm just an old fogey, but I'd sure hate to see the new film succumb to the need to make a "modern" take on Star Wars, one that panders to the video-game-obsessed/Mountain-Dew/Red-Bull-fueled/hyperactive generation that has the attention span of a squirrel...

 

I guess I just need to keep my mouth shut, as it were, until the movie actually comes out, because no matter how many assumptions we make, or how many logical observations and infrerrences we come up with, we simply won't know anything for sure until the final film arrives in theaters. I really want it to be good, I just find myself wary I guess.

 

We all want it to be good.

 

For what it's worth, I think the chances are high that the OT purists/prequel haters (not always the same thing) will probably be pleased with the movie. I think it will heavily draw from the Original Trilogy and include just enough Prequel-era stuff to acknowledge that they happened but move right along.

 

But my chief worry is that they're going to lean so heavily on the Original Trilogy imagery and callbacks that the new trilogy will barely even feel like it has any identity of its own, if that makes sense? That by trying so fervently to "win back" the old-school fans and redeem the reputation of the franchise after the prequels that they'll overcompensate to the point that it will hurt the new trilogy's story and presentation. Or make it all feel so derivative that it moves past "comforting nostalgia" and into "kind of annoying/boring, really."

 

I want the new trilogy to be good, but I also don't want it to be afraid to take some risks and be different from both the Prequels and the OT in some ways.

 

Okay...I think I see where you're coming from now. I had never thought about it like that before, but it makes perfect sense; you don't want J.J. Abrams and Co. to overcompensate for the backlash from the prequels. I get it, yes. That could also happen, and I think what we all want is something in the middle...a great story that respects and draws on what came before, yet it's new, exciting, and different enough to stand on its own as a refreshing continuation of a beloved property. Abrams seemed to do just that with the Star Trek franchise, so hopefully his passion for Star Wars will translate even better with these new sequels.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Um...what?

http://au.ibtimes.com/star-wars-spinoff-casting-update-michael-fassbender-boba-fett-report-1415958

 

The prequels are canon right?

 

 

Oh...wait...

"However, the source teased the return of the Disney character in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Boba Fett is said to be “a mantle” whose “name, ship and armor gets passed down to a successor.” This is reportedly how the bounty hunter is brought back to life in other films for his story to be told. When asked whether the character will make an appearance in the seventh episode, post “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi,” the source teased of an upcoming surprise for fans. It’s believed Disney has accepted the cult status of Boba Fett that he’s bound to be included in future films."

 

 

AW, HORSE #$##.

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I was hoping that they would just leave The Most Overrated Character Even In Geekdom dead and buried as they move this franchise forward but it seems very unlikely that is going to happen.

 

At least it's somewhat better to call it a mantle that's passed down to a different guy instead of using the "but wait, he's NOT dead!" gimmick...but not by much. Why would you want to make a mantle out of a family of loosers like the Fetts?

 

And I love how the article went out of its way to call him "the Disney character". Yeah, they own everything. We get it.

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I was hoping that they would just leave The Most Overrated Character Even In Geekdom dead and buried as they move this franchise forward but it seems very unlikely that is going to happen.

 

Well, If they gave Darth Maul spider legs and that's canon, why not?! That was pre-Disney, but...aw...who am I kiddin'?

Isnt it strange and ironic that they buried the expanded universe...the place where Boba really gained his legend?

 

 

Im glad to hear that this is one aspect of SW, that you and I, Joe, can agree upon: "C'mon, that's just too much."

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Im glad to hear that this is one aspect of SW, that you and I, Joe, can agree upon: "C'mon, that's just too much."

 

If we're talking about the overall big picture of Disney's handling of the franchise and Episode 7 in particular, I'll wait until I see a final product.

 

But this guy has always been all hype, whether he's a Disney character or a George Lucas character. In the grand scheme of what Star Wars is really about--farm boy meets his destiny--this guy is nothing. He's a cool costume who's part in the story could have easily been replaced by any other cool costume. I have no problem if you like Bobba Fett. If you wrote a fan fiction trilogy about how he survived to take his rightful place as the bestest, meanest bounty hunter in the galaxy, that's great! If you have a Bobba Fett figure display with 10 versions of him with his Episode V belt and 13 versions with his Episode VI belt, more power to you! Personally, I always come back to what we actually see on screen. Which was a guy in a neat costume delivering four lines of dialogue before being killed accidentally by a bumbling blind man. I'm not convinced we need to take screen time in a movie to tell the story of how he lives to fight another day.

 

He was fun while he lasted. Leave him in the past.

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I'm not convinced we need to take screen time in a movie to tell the story of how he lives to fight another day.

 

I don't mind the spin-off movies...very easy to ignore. I just hope he, or his "successor(s)" don't waste out time by being included in the new trilogy. Of course, who can guess who the overall focus is supposed to be on at this point? Maybe it's him...or...her?!

7940841992_8d54cd4c8a.jpg

pictured: Booba Fett?

 

And make sure there's a "name" actor in the suit this time! Fassbender...Pratt...Cooper...whatever!

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http://www.slashfilm.com/bob-iger-star-wars-sequel-trilogy/

 

 

 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens December 18 of this year. The first Star Wars standalone film opens December 16, 2016. After that, we have a good idea of what the next few years have in store for Star Wars but nothing is 100% set in stone. For example, though every single outlet in the world has confirmed Rian Johnson is directing Star Wars Episode VIII, along with the filmmaker himself, the company has yet to acknowledge it. And though we’ve heard there will be a Star Wars movie every single year, only the two dates above are confirmed.

 

However, the long-term future of Star Wars was recently mentioned by Disney CEO Bob Iger. In a Disney shareholders report, he talked about seeing footage from The Force Awakens, confirmed the release years for the next two films in “this” trilogy, and failed to mention the second standalone film. There’s more, too. Read the extremely loaded Star Wars sequel trilogy quote below.

 

 

Iger has seen most of the footage from The Force Awakens.

He believes it’s “worth the wait.”

He mentions the 2016 standalone movie.

He hints the 2016 standalone movie is about “these characters,” potentially meaning characters from the new movies.

Star Wars Episode VIII will be out in 2017.

There is no mention of a second standalone movie, directed by Josh Trank, hypothetically in 2018.

Star Wars Episode IX will be out in 2019.

He refers to that film as the end of “this trilogy.” That makes it sound like there will be more.

Now, of course we assume there will be more Star Wars after Episode IX concludes the Star Wars sequel trilogy (which Rian Johnson will also most likely direct). But to hear the head of the company hint at stories beyond that, and give us further confirmations of the years to expect those movies, is exciting.

 

As for the standalone movies, his tease about the 2016 film is curious, as is the omission of the second standalone movie for 2018.

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He believes it’s “worth the wait.”

 

 

What was "the wait" again? The wait since Revenge of the Sith (10 years), or is he talking since, in purists minds, the last real SW movie Return of the Jedi (them prequels are canon, right Bob?). Or is he talking the incredibly long (sarcasm) year and a half of both scripting and completing principle photography on the new one?

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He believes it’s “worth the wait.”

 

 

What was "the wait" again? The wait since Revenge of the Sith (10 years), or is he talking since, in purists minds, the last real SW movie Return of the Jedi (them prequels are canon, right Bob?). Or is he talking the incredibly long (sarcasm) year and a half of both scripting and completing principle photography on the new one?

 

All of the above? I don't know, they guy said it's worth the wait. Can't read too much into that.

 

There's really no surprises in any of that news. One new movie every year until infinity, so and so may or may not be involved in this or that sequel or stand-alone...we've heard all that.

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