"Star Trek Into Darkness and Super 8 director J.J. Abrams is calling the shots on Disney and Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Episode VII, drawing from an initial script draft by Michael Arndt (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), with revisions by Abrams and the seasoned Star Wars writer Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back). Beyond that and who’s collaborating with Abrams behind the scenes on Episode VII, there are no confirmed bits of information to report on the project (read: no official casting and/or plot details). Speculation and rumor, however, those are another matter. According to unverified reports, Abrams and Kasdan’s script revisions have shifted the focus in Episode VII - as featured in Arndt’s original screenplay – moving it away from a younger generation of heroes to Episode IV-VI mainstays Luke, Leia and Han, with Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford set to reprise their iconic roles. If true, the latter characters will then figuratively pass the torch to their offspring in Abrams’ film, before the Skywalker (and Solo) children takeover the spotlight and lead the franchise onward without assistance in Episode VIII… and beyond. Ain’t It Cool News is claiming to have heard back from two different sources, asserting that 22-year old Irish actor Jack Reynor has landed one of the “younger generation” roles in Episode VII. Reynor’s name might ring a bell, as the young star – a key supporting player in last year’s Vince Vaughn dramedy Delivery Man – will be the young male lead in Michael Bay’s Transformers: Age of Extinction this summer, as the hotshot vehicle racer boyfriend to Mark Wahlberg’s daughter (Bates Motel‘s Nicola Peltz). Reynor isn’t the only actor named in connection to Episode VII who fits the profile for a character dubbed “Thomas” in casting calls (i.e. a “handsome, smart and athletic” lad between 19-23 years old). Breaking Bad and Friday Night Lights alum Jesse Plemons was previously rumored for a role, before Abrams confirmed that he had, in fact, met with the actor – what happened beyond that, Abrams didn’t say. Similarly, Zac Efron (That Awkward Moment) has confirmed the old rumors about him having been approached by (and even met up with) certain Episode VII producers. Interestingly, if the Reynor rumor pans out, it would parallel how Shia LaBeouf went from starring in Transformers to playing a “younger generation” character in the fourth Indiana Jones movie – specifically, the son of Harrison Ford’s adventurous archaeologist – whereas Reynor could portray the son of Ford’s Han Solo in Episode VII. That comparison might not be all that encouraging for Star Wars fans, but remember – for now, it’s just a rumor, so take it with the requisite grain of salt. Speaking of Dr. Jones – Den of Geek has heard back from a “good, reliable source” that certain Episode VII staff members – like the model makers and people who are rumored to have designed and built a full-scale Millennium Falcon at Pinewood Studios – have been contracted for up to seven films, including Episodes VII-IX, three additional Star Wars character spinoffs and Indiana Jones 5. The idea of Disney/Lucasfilm planning ahead for six Star Wars movies seems all the more reasonable, following the reports last week that ILM is opening a new facility in London – signaling that the effects company expects to be working on multiple projects there in the foreseeable future. However, even though Indiana Jones 5 has been rumored for some time now (and Star Wars crew members would be contracted to work on it), there is a chance it won’t actually happen. Disney secured the full rights to the franchise in 2013, but shortly thereafter chairman Alan Horn downplayed rumors about the project being fast-tracked, insisting “We haven’t done anything” and that a fifth Indiana Jones movie is still 2-3 years away, best case scenario. Couple that with Ford’s age and the general public’s lukewarm feelings for the series after Indiana Jones an the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and it becomes more obvious why in this case Disney/Lucasfilm are considering their options rather than plowing ahead (a la Star Wars). That said, having staff members contracted for Indiana Jones 5 makes sense regardless, since Disney is surely going to do something with the Indy Jones property eventually, now that it owns the rights. Whether that means making a fifth installment with Ford or something else altogether – maybe a fresh-start reboot like what is happening on the Terminator franchise – remains to be seen, but the man in the brown hat will be back… someday. __________________________________________________ Star Wars: Episode VII is scheduled to reach theaters on December 18th, 2015."-----------http://screenrant.com/star-wars-7-indiana-jones-5-news/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE! (CNN) -- "It continues to be the year of Lupita Nyong'o. The Oscar-winning actress has joined the cast of "Star Wars: Episode VII," it was announced on Monday. Also joining the J.J. Abrams-directed film cast is Gwendoline Christie, best known for her role as Brienne of Tarth in "Game of Thrones." "I could not be more excited about Lupita and Gwendoline joining the cast of Episode VII," Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said in a press release. "It's thrilling to see this extraordinarily talented ensemble taking shape." The two will join the already announced cast of John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow. Former stars of the franchise Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher will be reprising their 1977 roles from the original, hit film. Following the announcement Nyong'o tweeted "I can finally say it out loud and proud: I'm going to a galaxy far far away!" along with an Instagram picture of the "Star Wars" logo."
"It wasn’t his ankle that Harrison Ford fractured on the set of Star Wars: Episode VII—it was actually a bone in his leg. The word comes as part of a new announcement from Ford’s publicist, Ina Treciokas, that has revealed that surgery was necessary to repair the damage. “Harrison Ford’s left leg was broken in an accident. His surgery was successful and he will begin rehab shortly,” she said in a statement. “He’s doing well and looks forward to returning to work.” Exactly when he returns, however, is unknown. Producers of the J.J. Abrams-directed Star Wars film have been reorganizing the schedule to shift Han Solo’s remaining scenes until later in the shoot, while still keeping the film on track for its Dec. 18, 2015 release date. A lot will depend on how quickly Ford recovers, how smoothly his rehabilitation goes, and how athletic his remaining scenes are. With a broken leg, it could easily take up to two months to heal, and then there is likely to be some atrophy of the muscle. When Robert Downey Jr. broke his ankle on the set of Iron Man 3, the shoot was halted for a month and a half, resuming in October 2012. The film still went on to meet its planned May 2013 release date. That window was much shorter than the one Star Wars is working under, and Star Wars has more characters than Solo to focus on (although his is a major role). With that in mind, it’s unlikely the sci-fi film will be postponed even if there has to be a pause in shooting while Ford recovers. In a pinch, though, he could always ride in a net on Chewbacca’s back, C-3PO style."
"Could it be that actor Tom Cruise is going to be starring in Star Wars: Episode VII and Harrison Ford will be written out of it? Possibly, as Tom Cruise has been in talks with his good friend, J.J. Abrams, to have a cameo appearance in Star Wars: Episode VII, and veteran actor, Harrison Ford, will either need to be filmed from the waist up or written out of the movie, altogether, because of the broken leg he suffered when the pneumatic door of the Millennium Falcon fell on it. Rather than possibly delay the scheduled release date of the film, it might be more economically feasible for Lucasfilms and Disney to write out the Han Solo character, though his absence will likely be somewhat awkward, unless further rewrites of the script are done. Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2014/06/tom-c...of-star-wars-episode-vii/#EsmgqCdYM8W10fuc.99
The latest rumour is about the plot summary. Daisy Rider's character and a male companion unearth a lightsaber and a number of clues about its rightful owner...an old Jedi named Luke. The story thus continues as the pair try to find Luke, who has been imprisoned by empire loyalists on a island in the seas of a distant planet. Along the way, they are inspired in their effort by an unlikely old friend of Luke...one Han Solo, retired buccaneer and womanizer. Well, thats not too far from my own prediction made back in April of 2013... http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?134182-Star-Wars-VI-What-will-will-it-be-like
"Rian Johnson, the director of Looper who will be taking over from JJ Abrams for Star Wars Episode 8, has confirmed that more effects will be done practically rather than by CGI in Episode 7. It's been suspected, and hoped, that there would be a more traditional approach in this film, but the news should pacify those fans who were angered by the introduction of CGI effects into the original trilogy. Johnson appeared on the Girls in Hoodies podcast to talk about his visit to the Episode 7 set. He said: "They’re doing so much practical building for this one, it’s awesome ... They’re doing it all right." Almost exactly a year ago director of photography, Daniel Mindel, announced that Episode 7 would be shot on 35mm film, as the original trilogy was shot in the 1970s. 14.8.14 Mark Hamill spotted at Star Wars set And the beard is still in place. Which can only mean two things: one, the two-week filming haitus must be coming to an end, or already has, and two: the older Luke Skywalker must be sporting some Obi-wan Kenobi-esque facial hair."...====http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/star-wars/10998284/Star-Wars-news-rumours-and-spoilers.html Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
