Star Wars: The Force Awakens

[GeneChing]

It seems to be blinking in and out, so if others can't see it, just follow the link above.

[Zenshiite]

That picture IS awesome.

I wish I could find a scan of it online, my google-fu isn't up to par, but in the Empire Strikes Back comic adaptation Marvel Comics did in 1980 there is a full page of the Jedi training montage... instead of Luke just doing a handstand, he's doing One Finger Zen free standing.

They also happened to have colored his fatigues that were light grey in the movie orange, and his boots are white.

[GeneChing]

Q&A with Carrie Fisher
By Jennifer Pfaff


Actress Carrie Fisher has had her share of meteoric rises and falls.

She skyrocketed to fame in her early 20s after portraying Princess Leia Organa in the original Star Wars trilogy of the 1970s and ’80s. Yet she also battled drug abuse during that time, an experience she recounted with a biting sense of humor in her 1987 semiautobiographical novel, Postcards from the Edge.

The book landed on The New York Times’ bestsellers list and was adapted into a movie. It also inspired her to write other books as well as screenplays, and she became a go-to script doctor in Hollywood. Since Star Wars, she has acted nearly every year but held only minor roles in movies and TV shows.

And throughout the years, she has remained wryly blunt about her constant fight with addictions and mental illnesses, becoming an outspoken advocate with a sharp wit. So ongoing are her struggles that Fisher has been recently hospitalized for bipolar disorder, canceling her upcoming appearance at the Center for Family Services' fifteenth annual Old Bags Luncheon. Replacing her as keynote speaker for the event, held March 7 at The Breakers, will be her mother, actress Debbie Reynolds, who also spoke at the benefit in 2007.

Before she stepped down, Fisher briefly updated Palm Beach Illustrated about her latest ventures, including why she wanted to speak at the luncheon in the first place:

“Because I am an old bag,” she says dryly.

What kind of projects are you working on?

I’ve outlined another book to write. I’m writing a series with a friend of mine for another friend of mine. And I’m working somewhat on a musical. … We were going to make a musical of Postcards from the Edge, and now we’re not. What we’re working on now are the songs. I have a lot of lyrics from many, thousands of years ago—and the intervening years—because I have a kind of obsessive-compulsive need to make things rhyme.

Disney is going to continue the Star Wars saga, producing movies set to hit theaters starting in 2015. Can you confirm whether you’ll reprise the role of Princess Leia?

Yes.

What do you think Princess Leia is like today?

Elderly. She’s in an intergalactic old folks’ home [laughs].

I just think she would be just like she was before, only slower and less inclined to be up for the big battle.

And still wearing the bagel buns?

The bagel buns and the bikini, because probably she has sundowners syndrome. At sundown, she thinks that she’s 20-something. And she puts it on and gets institutionalized.

You’ve overcome a lot of challenges in your life. Where do you draw strength or inspiration to move forward?

I have friends that have the same issues, so it’s best to talk about it. You’re only as sick as your secrets. If it is a secret—anything that makes you sort of shame-based—if you can claim it, it has a lot of less power over you. It is a lot easier for me [to do], because I am really open about what I’m going through. I’ve been in therapy since I was 15. … I have an ongoing condition, so I have to take my medication, and I have things that I do to keep abreast of that and not let that get away with me.

I hang around with other people that have similar issues. We can help each other. And I go to 12-step stuff, and I think that’s very, very effective.

What would you say your life motto is?

It would just be not to lie. It’s really to be honest about what you’re going through. And really, have as good a time as you can.

What other goals do you have, career or otherwise?

I want a really nice bedroom. I have a nice house, and I have the worse room in it.

Why is that?

Because I’m so giving [laughs]. I wanted my daughter to have [a nice room]. At this point, she entertains more than I do.

What do I still want to achieve? All the things I just said—finish what I start. I’d like to finish another book.

There are still other places I’d like to travel, [like] Tibet. I still haven’t seen the aurora borealis, which is extremely upsetting. I’d like to go to the sing-sings in New Guinea. Those are on my bucket list.

You mentioned you wanted a new bedroom. What would your dream bedroom be like?

This sounds filthy, but I entertain in my bedroom. So it would have to be pretty big—a lot bigger so that I can hide my elliptical somewhere.

This is an ambiguous confirmation because she might just be saying "I'll do it if offered" which is probably true for everyone who is still alive from the original cast except for Ford.

[doug maverick]

well lucasfilms has said they want all three stars to return.. even thou the film will be focusing on a younger generation. and NO it will not be based on the books.

[GeneChing]

...will it be based on lego star wars?

George Lucas Says Hamill, Fisher and Ford are Pretty Much Signed for Star Wars
Source: Bloomberg Businessweek
March 7, 2013

Bloomberg Businessweek has published a new feature on Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm which includes a few interesting bits!

George Lucas tells them that Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford were pretty much signed on for Star Wars: Episode VII before the Disney deal was even made.

"We had already signed Mark and Carrie and Harrison—or we were pretty much in final stages of negotiation," Lucas said. "So I called them to say, 'Look, this is what's going on.'" He pauses. "Maybe I'm not supposed to say that. I think they want to announce that with some big whoop-de-do, but we were negotiating with them." Then he adds: "I won't say whether the negotiations were successful or not."

As was previously announced, the studio is also developing standalone movies and Disney's Bob Iger also said he's looking to expand sales of "Star Wars" merchandise overseas and that ABC and Lucasfilm are discussing a live-action TV series.

You can read the full article by clicking here.

I must confess I've been catching a few episodes of Clone Wars lately. It's amusing, if only to see some CGI light saber action. I like Ayala.

[Lucas]

[GeneChing]

...but I'd totally go to this.

Yes! A 'Star Wars' theme park could soon be a reality

When Disney bought LucasFilm last year for $700 gazillion, they were getting much more than just a wildly popular movie series. They were buying into a Star Wars universe rich in history; it was an investment into a cultural phenomenon. The first order of business for the House of Mouse was to announce Star Wars: Episode VII‘s arrival in 2015 and now they are looking to exploit its marketing potential and develop a Star Wars theme park.

Selected Annual Pass holders for Disney parks have been asked to fill out a survey with the question “How interested would you be in visiting a Star Wars themed land at the Disneyland Resort?”, and although it’s by no means a confirmation that building work on the resort is about to begin, it does show that Disney is giving serious thought to the merits of such a park.

Check out these tweets of a couple of the survey questions:

My inner Star Wars fanboy just got very excited.

So what would Star Wars Land look like? That’s where you come in. Let me know what attractions you would like to see included and drop your suggestions in the comments section below. I’d like to have some sort of Pod-race simulator and maybe a ride where you get thrown into a Sarlacc pit. Oh, and definitely an attraction where you get to shoot Jar-Jar Binks repeatedly in the face. That would be pretty satisfying.

[GoldenBrain]

Oh hell yeah! I'd go to this park. I'm not sure how many on this forum can say this but I saw the original Star Wars movie in the theater. I was a wee little kid but I've been a fan from the beginning.

[Scott R. Brown]

Oh hell yeah! I'd go to this park. I'm not sure how many on this forum can say this but I saw the original Star Wars movie in the theater. I was a wee little kid but I've been a fan from the beginning.

Ha! Got you beat x 4 or 5 times!!!!

[Lucas]

I think george lucas has kind of lost it a bit and having some fresh new young/middle age minds who are life long fans might be able to put out some nice continuations to the classics. we'll see.

[Scott R. Brown]

I think george lucas has kind of lost it a bit and having some fresh new young/middle age minds who are life long fans might be able to put out some nice continuations to the classics. we'll see.

I am not sure he ever really had it. His main idea was great, the special effects were great, but lets face it, he has always mixed good actors with "B" actors and a "B" script that makes the movies difficult to watch. I never liked the whining of Luke and Anakin either!

[GeneChing]

Follow the link below to see the teaser vids

Star Wars Rebels Exclusive First Look: Meet Zeb
Stormtroopers beware!
by Eric Goldman FEBRUARY 18, 2014

Every team needs its muscle and for the group at the center of Star Wars Rebels, that's Zeb. Need a strong, smart ally to help you crack some Stormtrooper skulls? Look no further.

Voiced by the ridiculously prolific Steve Blum -- whose video game and animation credits are pretty much "everything" -- Zeb is a tough, seasoned and very intelligent member of the Rebels crew. As for what Star Wars alien race Zeb is, you'll learn more about that on the series, because Zeb comes from a never before seen species - though big Star Wars fans will recognize Zeb's basic look. Star Wars Rebels executive producers Dave Filoni, Greg Weisman, Simon Kinberg and their collaborators are taking a major influence from the beloved work of Ralph McQuarrie on the original Star Wars trilogy, including tons of early concept art McQuarrie did for the films, and Zeb's appearance is heavily influenced by McQuarrie's initial ideas for what Chewbacca might look like. Though rest assured, Zeb had an attitude and demeanor all his own…

Take a look at IGN's exclusive first look at what to expect from Zeb in the video below!


Blum -- who's voiced Wolverine, Spike Spiegel, Starscream, Professor Galvez and so many other notable characters -- is incredibly excited to be a part of Star Wars, recalling, "I remember going to see Star Wars IV: A New Hope in Westwood, CA just before I graduated high school in May of 1977. I was a rebellious (pun intended) teenager who was pretty difficult to impress, but when the massive Imperial Star Destroyer rumbled across the screen, it felt like every nerve ending in my body fired simultaneously. From that point on, I was hooked. 20 years later, I booked my first role on a Star Wars video game project (I believe it was X-Wing vs Tie Fighter) - and have worked on about a dozen SW games since. Every time, even after all these years, I get that intense sensory rush that brings me back to that first moment."

As for his thoughts on joining Rebels, Blum remarks, "I think I actually screamed when I was booked to play Zeb. It is literally a role of a lifetime. I've been lucky enough to play some major superhero roles in my career, but to be given the chance to play a new character in a Star Wars series? Brain explosion. As if working on a Star Wars series - in any capacity - wasn't enough to cause a grown man to squee, Zeb challenges every acting skill in my arsenal and beyond. His character design is amazing. I get to vocally take on ape-like physical power and abilities, a wicked sense of humor, intelligence and integrity, and so much more that I can't yet reveal. The attention to detail from the entire production team is inspiring. Every bit of minutia is carefully crafted to satisfy the most discerning fan of the franchise. I'm humbled and honored to be a part of the Rebels crew. I promise I will dig as deep as I'm allowed to give you guys the performance I would hope for as a fan. Get ready, guys. You're in for one helluva ride."

You can check out more on the characters revealed so far for Star Wars Rebels below.

Interesting salute.

[GeneChing]

...which begs the question - is parkour jedi or sith?

Star Wars Episode VII Adds Two Young Actors, Possibly Parkour
J.J. Abrams has cast Crystal Clarke and professional freerunner Pip Andersen in unspecified roles.
July 6th, 2014 William Bibbiani


The cast of Star Wars: Episode VII just keeps getting bigger.

LucasFilm announced this weekend (via ComingSoon) that newcomers Crystal Clarke and Pip Andersen will be joining the cast in as-yet unspecified roles. Crystal Clarke is slated to make her big screen debut in the upcoming mermaid movie The Moon and the Sun, and Pip Andersen – now credited as "Pip Anderson" in the official press release – is a parkour expert previously featured in "MTV's Ultimate Parkour Challenge." So it stands to reason that Star Wars: Episode VII is probably going to have at least a little parkour in it.

The Star Wars franchise is no stranger to pop culture zeitgeists, of course. George Lucas cast the flashy wushu martial artist Ray Park as the villain Darth Maul in 1999's The Phantom Menace, right at the time when kung fu movies (and Park in particular) were starting to have an enormous surge in popularity in America. So it comes as no surprise that Star Wars: Episode VII appears to be doing the same thing with parkour, the acrobatic freerunning that took the world by storm in District B13 and later popped in films like Casino Royale, Live Free or Die Hard and Step Up 3D.

Although if you think about it, using a lightsaber in parkour should probably count as cheating. Why would you run over or around something when you could just slice your way right through it?

William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline's Film Channel and the host of The B-Movies Podcast and The Blue Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.

[GeneChing]

I was figuring on parlaying the parkour reference into an excuse to get into the screener and write a review, but this (if true) seals the deal.

Then again, given the magnitude of this film, there might not be a press screener. I hope the force is with me on this one.

‘The Raid’ Action Trio Tapped For ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
by Jen Yamato
January 5, 2015 12:52pm



Principal photography wrapped before the holidays, but more secrets keep spilling out of JJ Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens shoot. The new year brings word that martial artist Iko Uwais, who kicked and sliced his way through Gareth Evans’ Indonesian action hits The Raid and The Raid 2, will appear in Star Wars alongside fellow Raid 2 performers Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman.

The Force Awakens, which is set for a December 18 opening, stars join John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, and Harrison Ford.

Uwais broke out on the international action scene in 2011’s The Raid as a Jakarta cop who fights his way out of a tenement filled with knife- and gun-wielding thugs using the bone-crunching martial art of pencak silat. He reprised the role in last year’s critically acclaimed sequel alongside Ruhian, whose turn in The Raid as a deadly fighter named Mad Dog was so popular Evans brought him back for The Raid 2 as a completely different character.

Silat fighter Rahman has a shorter history with the Raid franchise but made his mark as a baddie who matches Uwais’ Rama blow for blow in The Raid 2′s brutal kitchen showdown. Evans’ Raid films have been a rich source for new action talent; Uwais and Ruhian also pulled double duty as stunt choreographers on the films and signed with Management 360 on the strength of those pictures. Uwais in particular is eyeing a crossover action career a la Jackie Chan and Jet Li, who made names for themselves in Hong Kong before unleashing their martial artist brands stateside and becoming international stars.

Disney and reps for Uwais and Ruhian declined to comment on the castings, which Twitch was first to report.

[GeneChing]

Disney to Reveal ‘Ambitious’ Theme Park Plans for ‘Star Wars’



Most Anticipated Movies of 2015
February 3, 2015 | 04:34PM PT
Marc Graser
Senior Editor @marcgraser

The big tease of what Disney has planned for “Star Wars” inside its theme parks continues 11 months before “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” flies into theaters.

Disney chief Bob Iger told Wall Street analysts that there’s “a fair amount of design and development (taking place by the company’s Imagineers) to greatly increase ‘Star Wars” presence in multiple locations around the world,” shortly after the Mouse House announced another strong financial quarter. “The plans are ambitious, so it’s going to take some time for them to be built and opened.”

While Iger said specific plans would be announced “later in 2015,” the executive already had announced “significant” plans for the franchise for which it paid George Lucas $4 billion in 2012. He also has said whatever new attractions are announced, they will be based on future films in the series, as well as its spinoffs. Several Disney parks currently include an updated version of the “Star Tours” attraction.

In a separate interview with Bloomberg Television, Iger said, “Fairly soon, I’m sure we’ll be ready to go public with some specifics. But it’s safe to say that you’ll see a lot more ‘Star Wars’ at Disney and at Disney parks in the near future.”

Disney knows there’s anticipation for all-things “Star Wars.”

A teaser trailer released for J.J. Abrams’ “The Force Awakens” has been viewed more than 123 million times since November, Iger said on Tuesday.

And while that film won’t open until Dec. 18, various divisions at the company are likely to try to capitalize on that rabid fan interest.

Disney XD already has launched the animated “Star Wars Rebels” TV show. And an early wave of products is expected to hit store shelves that’s tied to “The Force Awakens.” Just how much it could boost sales for Disney’s consumer products arm is still in question.

“I don’t know if there will be a ramp-up to buying for ‘Star Wars,'” Iger said, with most merchandise tied to a film typically selling around its release. “We’re likely to see some buying in advance of the movie in consumer products.”

Either way, “Star Wars” will join 11 franchises that will generate $1 billion in retail sales this year, as they did last year, Disney said. That includes “Frozen,” which was a major moneymaker during the holidays.

“The consumer products business has a lot of breadth,” said Disney chief financial officer Jay Rasulo during the same call with analysts. “We’re only beginning to see this year what the overall Marvel franchises are going to deliver (with ‘The Avengers’ sequel and ‘Ant-Man’), and we will add ‘Star Wars’ to that pantheon in a very significant way.”

Disney already has a number of high-profile events happening this year — all prime platforms it could use to announce its ambitious “Star Wars” plans.

First up is “Star Wars Celebration,” which will take place April 16-19 inside the Anaheim Convention Center. There’s May 4, long embraced by the franchise’s fans as “Star Wars” Day. And Disney’s version of Comic-Con, the D23 Expo, is set for Aug. 14-16. It also will take place in Anaheim. Of course, there’s Dec. 18, when “The Force Awakens” bows in theaters, but it’s likely Disney will have announced its park plans for “Star Wars” by then.

There also are a number of theme parks where Disney is preparing to make room for new attractions.

The largest is Shanghai Disneyland, which will have its grand opening in spring 2016. After breaking ground, Disney committed another $800 million to significantly expand the size of that park with new rides and attractions.

Outside of “Star Wars,” Disney already is building an “Avatar”-themed land at its Animal Kingdom park in Orlando. That land is set to open in 2017.

It’s considering how to promote its other franchises inside the resorts.

“There is still a great opportunity to mine these franchises across Disney’s parks,” Iger said.

Disney has enjoyed a considerable uptick in attendance after the introduction of new rides and themed lands designed around its popular film properties. The “Cars”-themed land at California Adventure, which was part of a $1 billion overhaul of that park, has been a major draw since it opened; an expansion of Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom had guests lining up for hours to ride the “Seven Dwarfs Mine Train” ride in Orlando last year.

I gotta say I've really been enjoying Star Wars Rebels, much more than I liked Clone Wars, in fact.