Rumor: Michael Fassbender, Hugo Weaving and Adam Driver Also Considered for Episode 7. Luke, Leia and Han Will Have Larger Roles? And More Possible Plot Details.

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Only a day after we got the most reliable rumor so far about Jesse Plemons being eyed for Episode 7 comes another portion of rumors again from very credible source. And this time it’s not only about casting. Some possible plot details are also revealed…


The article is really interesting and contains many possible plot details.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

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The project has changed significantly since Oscar winner Michael Arndt split as writer on Episode VII in the fall, with duties taken up by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan. According to multiple insiders, the reason for the parting of ways was not due to a timeframe issue, as has been reported, but rather due to a difference in opinion of which characters to emphasize.
Arndt is said to have focused on the offspring of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), with the original trilogy heroes taking on supporting roles.

   Abrams, however, wanted Episode VII to focus on the classic trio of characters, so audiences could have one more chance to enjoy them before a fitting send-off. The new characters, the offspring, will now be in supporting roles, according to these sources, and take center stage in Episode VIII and IX. Some characters have disappeared from the Arndt script and new ones are being drafted.

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 Star Wars creator George Lucas, who directed the 1977 original and each of the most recent trilogy, was also involved in the debate, according to insiders. But Lucas, who sold his Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, acquiesced to Abrams and producer Kathleen Kennedy, who now runs Lucasfilm.

So with Abrams and Kasdan now overhauling the script, that means many of the actors who had met and auditioned have been nixed for various reasons. For example, one actor who met with Abrams in the fall before the overhaul was Mud breakout star Tye Sheridan. But sources say that at this stage, there is no need for such young actors and thus Sheridan will not be involved. In another case, one part that was initially conceived as a 20-year old male is now being rewritten to be a 40-year old. 

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Abrams is, according to many sources, casting a wide, wide net and meeting with “everyone.” Even those who have copped to a meeting, such as Ronan, say that.Abrams has continued meeting with actors while the new script is taking shape. According to sources, he met with Fassbender in December. Girls star Driver is being eyed for a role.While most names come with no identifying character, Hugo Weaving does. Weaving, according to two sources, met for a part to play an Imperial commander.

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Don’t take this image too seriously! 🙂

 The latest bit to surface this week is that Abrams and Lucasfilm are now searching for a 20-something female actress who is either of mixed race or black. The rumor is that Obi-Wan Kenobi had a daughter or granddaughter.


Also THR sources confirmed yesterday’s rumor about Jesse Plemons adding that he is having a meeting with Abrams this week. 

And again here are some Twitter comments from the movie bloggers. First have in mind that Jeff Sneider who posted the Jesse Plemons rumor later said that he has more on Star Wars but will post it later.

@TheInSneider @Borys_Kit Jeff, will you be going public with that other thing you had? Such exciting times.
— Ali Arikan (@aliarikan) January 12, 2014

@aliarikan @averagefilmguy @devincf He has been pretty spot-on so far so I can’t wait to hear that one.
— Mark Smith (@Draven_AICN) January 12, 2014

I can also say that Plemons isn’t the only guy they are looking at. I can say that a Broadway young star was also being looked at.
— LatinoReview-Kel (@Latinoreview) January 12, 2014

My source back in Nov told me Adam Driver was a no go for Star Wars. pic.twitter.com/lshbEW7Y0r
— LatinoReview-Kel (@Latinoreview) January 12, 2014

Just read @Borys_Kit‘s STAR WARS story. Now you know why Adam Driver may not work out for Batman. I heard he booked Star Wars weeks ago…
— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) January 12, 2014

The Hugo Weaving playing a Commander scoop on @THR story for STAR WARS: EP 7 is the scoop I was gonna drop on X-Mas but was told not to.
— LatinoReview-Kel (@Latinoreview) January 12, 2014

Here’s the big STAR WARS question: will Abrams wrest control totally from Kennedy and become the guy behind the whole trilogy?
— Devin Faraci (@devincf) January 12, 2014

Lucasfilm better burn that Arndt script. If it ever gets out it will create a whole new faction of “what might have been” #StarWars fans
— Aaron Goins (@avgoins) January 12, 2014

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

126 thoughts on “Rumor: Michael Fassbender, Hugo Weaving and Adam Driver Also Considered for Episode 7. Luke, Leia and Han Will Have Larger Roles? And More Possible Plot Details.

  • January 12, 2014 at 10:21 am
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    woooow so exciting! i know there is nothing confirmed but it feels so good to finally have concrete information 😀

    • January 12, 2014 at 6:07 pm
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      There is still no concrete information till its confirmed.

  • January 12, 2014 at 12:20 pm
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    Ugh, Obi Wan has a daughter?
    Guess we can give up hopes of the canon being respected.
    Thanks for ruining Star Wars, jerks.

    • January 12, 2014 at 8:08 pm
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      Respect the peace “Nicest Person Alive”

    • January 13, 2014 at 3:17 pm
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      Obi-Wan really doesn’t need offspring. His ‘father-figure’ position was portrayed well as Anakin and Luke’s mentor, serving as the glue between the two of them.
      On the other hand, the mixed race or black 20-something year old could be hinting at possibly a daughter for Lando?

    • January 16, 2014 at 4:00 am
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      The Jedi are supposed to be celibate anyway. Its hard to believe Abrams would ignore that, and add some baby-daddy drama to Obi Wan’s background.

  • January 12, 2014 at 12:22 pm
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    And also, is it gonna be another one of those movies about old people? Han, Luke and Leia should have been supporting characters, not the other way around.

    • January 12, 2014 at 2:01 pm
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      ‘movies about old people’..? What? No it’s a star wars movie who’s characters have happened to have aged from the past 35 years. (Funny that) Yoda, vader, the emperor, ben-kenobi are arguably the best characters and they’re all the oldest. Presumably it’s not going to just dwell on Luke Leia and Han anyway, it’s the start of a new trilogy who’s next two films are apparently about their kids. I’m open minded.

    • January 12, 2014 at 7:37 pm
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      I agree.

      It’s a mistake to make the film focus on the original characters. They should take supporting roles around a new cast and new story.

    • January 12, 2014 at 11:26 pm
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      I was hoping since the begining that episode 7 would focus on the big three. It’s logic, it will give the audience time to relate to the new characters (whoever they are) and meanwhile enjoy the old cast. Come on guys…”movie about old people”, that’s “blasphemy”… This is a J.J. Abrams film, the man who brought us Star Trek, a movie packed with action and energy. He knows how to put on screen the power and wisdom of an elder Luke Skywalker or does anyone aspect him to use a rode like Yoda 🙂 ?
      The lead roles could shift softly to the new characters in episode 8 and 9.

    • January 13, 2014 at 12:22 am
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      “Yoda, vader, the emperor, ben-kenobi are arguably the best characters and they’re all the oldest.”

      They aren’t the main characters.

    • January 13, 2014 at 3:20 pm
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      Abrams is making a genious move by making the decision to have episode 7 focus on the big three passing the torch to new characters, seeing as how ROTJ did nothing to introduce the rest of the story. This way, we will get a real idea of how the sequel trilogy’s conflict will develope and how is pans over multiple generations, as it also will with the fan base. This will make it easy to satisfy both the older and newer fans of the saga in introducing a whole new line up of heroes and villains. He’s a brilliant director and I don;t understand how any of you people could consider otherwise.

  • January 12, 2014 at 12:38 pm
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    The rumor is that Obi-Wan Kenobi had a daughter or granddaughter. That’s stretching it a bit, but that would be brilliant if they pulled it off and made it believable.

  • January 12, 2014 at 12:44 pm
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    I hope Arndt respected their opinion and then helped a bit before leaving. I would be gutted if Arndt wasn’t fired or had no say in the new script. Hopefully he is back in some way for the next two films as it sounds like they will be back focusing on his characters.

    • January 12, 2014 at 12:44 pm
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      if he ‘was’*
      not wasn’t.. duh

  • January 12, 2014 at 12:53 pm
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    if Obi Wan has a daughter/grand daughter then it could be explained in obi wan stand alone movies set before ep 7

  • January 12, 2014 at 1:06 pm
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    Hugo Weaving is beast but old. . I was thinking that will be with young faces. and where are females ???

    • January 12, 2014 at 1:44 pm
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      Peter Cushing wasn’t exactly a spring chicken!

    • January 12, 2014 at 2:05 pm
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      Exactly. I prefer older characters. They have much more screen presence. Young villains are always the usual boring ‘baddass bully’ type of character with no real power, yet the general movie-going audience with the IQ of 12 genuinly thinks they are some sort of threat.
      “young faces. and where are females ???” .. Didn’t you read the article? They’re going to introduce kids from the trio (which could be either male or female) and supposedly looking for a daughter to ben-kenobi too.

    • January 12, 2014 at 5:49 pm
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      I guess we can just kiss the idea of having a lead female teenager goodbye.

      sigh…..

    • January 13, 2014 at 3:21 pm
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      Weaving has a great face for an post-imperial commander in a Star Wars film.

  • January 12, 2014 at 2:27 pm
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    I am surprised nobody is linking this new multiracial character to Billy Dee’s interview comments about having Lando’s Daughter in the film. There was also a supposed inside source for JediNews that suggested more from Lando (although that source also said that Dark Horse was going to expand it’s Star Wars involvement so it’s dubious)… Reminds me of how people were wondering if the big 3 were going to be in it despite Lucas himself letting it slip.

    • January 13, 2014 at 7:51 am
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      Ben & Lando’s lovechild.

  • January 12, 2014 at 2:54 pm
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    REALLY? This ugly PLEMMONS Quasimodo guy to be Luke’s son? REALLY?
    HE LOOKS SUPER CREEPY!! EWWWWW…………………..

  • January 12, 2014 at 3:25 pm
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    no DAUGHTER or GRAND DAUGHTER for obi plz….. dont mess with him!

  • January 12, 2014 at 4:09 pm
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    I figured the old folks screamed supporting role at this point. I’d be surprised if they were the focal point. Or let me put it another way… I’d find it extremely difficult for the plot to seem plausible or if the actors have the ability to portray it. Maybe Harrison but… the others are rusty at best.

    This is the first news I’ve been slightly negative towards. I’ve literally been ok with everything else.

    • January 13, 2014 at 12:05 pm
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      There is so much to tell about the old characters that I don’t understand why the plot can’t be plausible. Luke is a powerful Jedi and not so old, certanly younger than Duku or Palpatine and I have no difficulty imagining the elder Master Skywalker in a Lighsaber fight in a J.J.Abrams cool action style (see Star Trek). Movies are fiction, there are milions of ways to accomplish that. If I understand the rumor the new character will be the focal point in 8 and 9

    • January 13, 2014 at 3:22 pm
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      The sequel trilogy is supposed to take place 30 years after ROTJ.

  • January 12, 2014 at 4:22 pm
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    *puts on sunglasses* As you can see, we have had our eye on you for some time now, Mr. Skywalker. XD Hugo would be the best imperial officer ever.

  • January 12, 2014 at 5:22 pm
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    Early on I thought Michael Fassbender would be awesome as a young Palpatine either in an earlier story or a new clone of the emperor. If he played another role, hero or foe, would be awesome as well.
    Obi wan having kids when it was never mentioned before…I don’t know how that is going to work? But hey Star Wars was always full of surprises.
    I feel most of what was mentioned above is interesting, I just doubt any of it as going to happen.
    From now till the movies come out, if everyone speculates on who or what will show up or happen -then I guess someone will be right, its all fun anyway.

  • January 12, 2014 at 5:51 pm
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    From Frozen and the recent success of the Hunger Games franchise, I was hoping that Disney was finally getting the idea that female audiences deserve central roles…

    but according to this rumor, apparently not.

    • January 13, 2014 at 4:02 pm
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      Whether there is a female lead or not I don’t see why it would necessairily be a positive or negative.

  • January 12, 2014 at 7:40 pm
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    Kathleen Kennedy needs to stop inserting herself in creative decisions. We’ve already seen the results of her interference in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

    • January 12, 2014 at 8:17 pm
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      actually, i liked Crystal Skull…i thought it was the best one of the 4 just under Raiders! ‘course i do realize a lot of people did not care for it, i’m just saying…-prymal

    • January 13, 2014 at 2:11 pm
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      ..No, you may like the film or not, but Crystal Skull was a bad bad bad film. But, what a stupid thing to blame Kathleen for it, and to say she needs to keep shtum for episode 7 is absolutely ridiculous. The problem with Cyrstal skull was that people like Kathleen DIDN’T have a say in how that film was made. That’s the whole point. It was all george lucas. Even spielberg has joked about how he wasn’t even pleased with george’s ideas. Speilberg has said publicly that he didn’t even want to make another indiana jones, and that he just let George take most of the creative control. That was the problem, not Kathleen Kennedy. Kathleen kennedy is the second most successful producer of all time, behind speilberg himself. And if you think for one moment this film is going to be as bad as the crystal skull, with JJ, Kathleen, Lawrence Kasdan making it, then think again.
      “Kennedy’s work has included over 60 films, 120 Academy Award nominations. and over $11 billion worldwide including three of the highest grossing films in motion picture history.”
      Who else can say they’ve worked as a producer on films as big as Raider’s of the lost ark, War Horse, Lincoln, The Sixth Sense. Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Schindler’s List, E.T. She had her say in all these films, and make no mistake, she has picked up a lot of good experience. I strongly hope Kathleen is heavily involved in these films, even if it’s just the guidelines. Her collective knowledge and experience for making a great film is exactly what you need for a producer. Plus JJ is a big star wars fan, and the 2 star wars films that Lawrence Kasdan worked on are arguably the best 2 star wars films. The best thing to hope for is that they all have say in the film. You can’t cut Kathleen out because of Crystal Skull, a film we all know was george’s idea, and his idea alone. If anything, it’s good that that film failed, she now knows that she isn’t going to take any sh*t from george.

  • January 12, 2014 at 7:45 pm
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    “Weaving, according to two sources, met for a part to play an Imperial commander.”

    Please, please, please, no imperial remnants. I’m not at all interested in a pale retreading of the Original Trilogy. Something new please.

    • January 12, 2014 at 8:15 pm
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      absolutely i agree…something new! -prymal

    • January 12, 2014 at 10:55 pm
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      …What? Basics- star wars is ultimately about the republic turning into the empire and controlling the galaxy. These new films are going to be episode 7, 8, and 9. In other words, it needs to follow from where it left off. What on earth is so wrong about an imperial officer being in star wars?.. Of course we’re getting ‘something new!’ too. But obviously they have to follow the bloody outlines and continuity of what’s happened before. It would be completely ridiculous to have 6 films in a trilogy about a story, in this case the empire’s continuing rise over the galaxy, then to suddenly have episode’s 7-9 be something completely off topic. Yes, there will likely be an imperial officer. You can calm down folks !

    • January 13, 2014 at 12:32 am
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      “Please, please, please, no imperial remnants. I’m not at all interested in a pale retreading of the Original Trilogy.”

      Very stupid statement.
      The presence of the imperial remnant would in no way render this “a pale retreading of the original trilogy”. You do realize that by 40-something ABY, where this movie takes place, the empire is not bad anymore, right? So, considering that the empire was the main adversary in the original trilogy, how would this be a “retreading”?

      If anything it would be the logical continuation of the story. The new trilogy should respect canon and show the Fel Empire being established.

      Instead, it seems they’re making this about the same 3 characters, which IS “retreading” (even though the whole point of Crucible was for them to semi-retire at the end), and they’re gonna retcon the existing continuity in order to give us some sh*tty plot about Obi Wan’s daughter.
      No thanks.

  • January 12, 2014 at 10:22 pm
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    I have a feeling that Jennifer Lawrence will be cast in ep7. Just a wild and crazy hunch.

    • January 13, 2014 at 7:54 am
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      Jennifer Lawrence = Obi-Wan’s granddaughter. Book it!

    • January 13, 2014 at 2:17 pm
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      I don’t want any big names for the new main set of characters that will take the front line after Han Luke and Leia. But somehow I can make an acceptation for Jennifer Lawrence, because she is just so good and can play both Leia and Han’s characteristics amazingly well, so she would be great as their daughter.

    • January 13, 2014 at 4:25 pm
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      Just my opinion here, but I’d really rather not bridge any iconic faces between major sci-fi franchises, especially one as well-known and increasing in popularity as the Hunger Games. Don’t get me wrong, Jennifer Lawrence has some real talent, but did they hold the open auditions for nothing? Can we please see the primary set of new characters be brand new faces we can all grow to love?
      Jennifer Lawrence is so set-in-stone with The Hunger Games and that series isn’t over and won’t be by the time the sequel trilogy is released. Why would we want to see her play another iconic role in a continuation of a saga as great as Star Wars?

    • January 13, 2014 at 7:37 pm
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      Jennifer Lawrence is a lot more than just her katniss role. I don’t associate Jennifer with hunger games at all. She is a brilliant actress.

    • January 13, 2014 at 7:50 pm
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      While she is a brilliant actress, a huge majority of America do associate her with her character in the Hunger Games, solely because of its’ outrageous popularity in this day and age. For that reason alone, I don’t think she’d be good for Star Wars.

  • January 12, 2014 at 11:57 pm
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    Great news about the big 3 being more involved now Disney please just announce them !……

  • January 13, 2014 at 4:52 am
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    Obi can not have offspring. Jedis have ruels and one of them is no family. Obi is like the perfect jedi so if out of the blue got kids would destroy the figure.

    Besides if han, luke and leia are the leads. Then there are a big chance that they will be killed of.

    • January 13, 2014 at 2:23 pm
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      Having a relationship was made forbidden by the old jedi order, for a jedi, But the jedi were all killed in revenge of the sith and I’m sure their ‘ruels’ went with them.. Obi-wan having kids would not destroy his figure at all, it would just be too unbelievable as a story device and as a character for him to do that. But any story can be told well, so hey, they could actually make it believable.

    • January 13, 2014 at 3:27 pm
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      By the time episode IV takes place, Obi-Wan is all that’s left of the original Jedi order and law. He based his entire life around the ways of the Jedi. I don’t see how it’d really make sense or follow canon for him to have a daughter. He strongly believed that Anakin’s relationship with Padme would be his undoing and was in no way helping his power slip to the darkside, so why would he make the decision to be with a woman himself?

    • January 13, 2014 at 3:33 pm
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      Was in no way helping to STOP his power slip to the darkside*

  • January 13, 2014 at 5:18 am
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    Obi Wan having a daughter??? This is absurd. I never thought I would see something as heart breaking as the destruction of one of my favorite characters in all of cinema history. Obi wan would never forsake the Jedi code. When I heard that JJ would take over one of the greatest sagas of all time I had high hopes for an epic new generation for Star Wars, now I regret thinking that. I really hope he doesn’t screw with the canon and piss off all Star Wars fans. I have a bad feeling about this…

  • January 13, 2014 at 5:56 am
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    Relax Jordan, JJ will not tarnish the brand with such outrageous events. Remember what we’re reading hear is NOT CONFIRMED and is likely someone’s perceptions of someone who knows someone! Chinese whispers ring a bell here!

    I was going to write pretty much exactly what Michael Anderson wrote above – attachment is forbidden for a Jedi. Obi Wan of all people would definitely respect that.

    I have NO feeling about this…

    • January 13, 2014 at 6:59 am
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      BeefB?

      Please make sure to comment again on this message board if J J Abrams DOES decide to make Obi Wan Kenobi have a daughter. Because, as you stated yourself, it is NOT CONFIRMED…. meaning, it might still happen.

      J J Abrams is also the guy who killed Spock’s mother, Commander Pike, blew up Planet Vulcan, and made Spock an emotional crybaby… this guy has a history in raping other people’s franchises. And don’t you guys forget it.

    • January 13, 2014 at 3:29 pm
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      Anonymous… What’re you talking about? Abrams didn’t write any of the Trek movies. None of that was his fault.

    • January 13, 2014 at 4:09 pm
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      JJ had no creative control/input on the Trek movies? I mean, I don’t know but really??? (Different anonymous BTW)

    • January 13, 2014 at 4:20 pm
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      He’s said before that he’s a “late in life Trekkie,” Which basically means he clearly didn’t give two shits about the franchise until the wages of directing responsibilities for these later Trek movies fell into his lap and gladly accepted the job.
      The sequel trilogy will be different. JJ and a huge majority of the others working on the new movies are and have been Star Wars fans since the beginning. No matter what the rumors say, I will hold my hope in his vision strong until I see the movie and can accuratly decide for myself whether or not the movie sucks, unlike most of these other pricks coming right out and saying it’s going to crash and burn no matter what.

    • January 13, 2014 at 4:22 pm
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      Yeah, dopeyjoe, quit making J J Abrams seem so innocent and helpless in his own movie. He is the director for God’s sake. Sure he didn’t write (most of) the nonsensicalness that went on in Star Trek and Into Darkness. If he can tarnish Gene Roddenberry’s vision, he can certainly tarnish Geroge Lucas’.

    • January 13, 2014 at 4:49 pm
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      I’m not sure how I’m making JJ seem “helpless” or “innocent” in any way. I’m simply amplifying the fact that he really didn’t have creative freedom in the either of the Trek films’ plot points; it’s really not the directors job to mess with the screenplay… His duty was to give life to the story by working with the actors and actresses, shaping the overall visual theme of the film, making necessary arrangements to ensure the final product be satisfactory to the public, etc. We all have our opinions of the new Trek movies, but that’s really not the point.
      The point is, JJ’s duties expand beyond those of director now for the sequel trilogy. Now that we have a die-hard fan and co-writer of ESB Lawrence Kasdan in charge of shaping the continuation of the saga, how could you possibly not be looking forward to this movie’s release? Abrams is not alone in this. He’s got a huge team made up of tons of fans that cannot wait to get development started for episode VII. If you really knew about what goes on behind the scenes of a movie set, you’d know that Abrams’ part in the Trek movies will really have no relevance to his involvement in Star Wars. The difference: one offers little to no creative freedom concerning the actual chronological structure of the story, the other offers the complete opposite. Just put some time into really reading for yourself what’s in store for us as far as the crew goes for episode VII and try to tell me we’re not in good shape.

    • January 13, 2014 at 5:22 pm
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      Opinions over his influence may vary but whatever he was paid to do in Trek was a miserable failure IMO. That story was incredibly limp so if he was suppossed to give it life then he missed the mark. If, on the other hand, you felt the movie had good direction then I guess you would be excited for VII. Just depends if you perceive him as a hack I suppose.

    • January 13, 2014 at 5:29 pm
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      I think that Abrams work on Trek was very well done. The story was what bugged me, but I guess that’s dependent on whether or not you actually give a fuck about Star Trek, which I particularly don’t.

  • January 13, 2014 at 6:56 am
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    I guess this is what the OT fanatics wanted…

    …the rest of us will wait for Episode VIII.
    Damn you Disney/JJ Abrams!!!

    • January 13, 2014 at 2:27 pm
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      yeah right, as if ‘original trilogy fanatics’ are a bad thing? The original trilogy is amazing and I am proud to be a fanatic fan of it. Episode 7 will continue the story, and branch out even more. You’re making it out to be a bad thing haha. Pretty closed minded. Would you just have 2 hours of hot 18 year olds having lightsaber fights or something?

    • January 13, 2014 at 3:31 pm
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      “Would you just have 2 hours of hot 18 year olds having lightsaber fights or something?”

      Very well said. I’m with you there. This is a brilliant move on Abram’s part. No arguement suggesting otherwise is valid.

    • January 13, 2014 at 4:19 pm
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      Weren’t Mark Hammill and Carie Fisher considered “hot” back in the day? If you don’t think so, you can’t deny they were young film leads. Wasn’t Luke supposed to be 17 years old in the original Episode IV? Talk about closed-minded… I hate when OT fanatics are so hypocritical.

      All I want to see is a fresh new trilogy with fresh new faces, without Disney having to push the OT into our faces.

    • January 13, 2014 at 5:01 pm
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      It’s not entirely about satisfying the fans of the OT. That’s certainly part of it, but only because this sequel trilogy will be a direct continuation of the OT. Why does it have to be all about your wants?
      Yes, the new characters being introduced should all be brand new faces, old and young and yes, Leia and Luke were supposed to be rather young when the OT kicks off. These rumors are suggesting that episode 7 will serve the purpose of building a bridge between the OT and the ST. ROTJ ended with no suggestion of what happens later in the story. Therefore, Abrams deciding to make episode VII focus on the original beloved cast handing the torch over to a brand new line of heroes so that we may then see where their next adventures take us. Familiarity is key to draw a large audience and to introduce that audience to an entirely new story, especially with a franchise as well-known around the world as Star Wars.
      Why would you rather jump so quickly into a new story? Have you no respect for detail and accuracy as far as continuity is concerned?
      Yeah, let’s talk about closed-minded…

    • January 13, 2014 at 6:42 pm
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      That is a very good point, Dopeyjoe. The end of ROTJ tied all of the loose ends together, and there really wasn’t anything storywise to suggest that there would be future episodes. Yes, there have been about million and six EU novels and comics that have gone all over the place, but as far as the films are concerned they will need to create a bridge from the OT to the ST.

      Just throwing a bunch of new characters on the screen isn’t going to make that work. It appeared that Han, Luke, Leia and Lando’s stories were resolved in 1983, and so now in order for the ST to feel like a bona fide continuation of the OT, we need to see what it was that wasn’t resolved, and seeing it initially through their eyes is going to be an important part of making this all feel like one story.

      My only concern is that they tell a compelling story that gives a good reason for why the original cast is still at the forefront. Luke is easy – have him gradually re-establishing the Jedi order and dealing with whatever growing pains arise after a generation or so of training new Jedi.

      Han and Leia… their stories are maybe a bit tougher to justify. I assume Leia is still in some kind of leadership position, either with the new galactic government or with the Jedi. Probably has a kid with Han who has become a Jedi. And maybe we’ll finally see Harrison Ford get his wish, and Han will go out in one final blaze of glory against whatever the new villainous threat is.

      But again… nothing from the OT suggests unresolved character stories, so IMHO we do need to see the older cast as a way of establishing believable continuity between the OT and the ST. If they were to open the ST with a story about a bunch of teenagers just running around and striking Jedi-ey poses all over the place with no real connection to the OT characters other than via exposition, there would be a real chance that the whole thing would fall on its ass.

      (And that’s when the giant cartoon space ducks come a-marching in…) ;^)

    • January 13, 2014 at 6:53 pm
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      Precicely, DEKKA129,
      Thank you for expanding on those points. Very insightful.
      From what we’ve heard of Abrams approach to the ST, it just doesn’t seem like him to rush right into a new story without explaining first why things are the way they are in episode VII and how the apparently unfinished business of the big three leaves us with a new conflict that will eventually be passed on to the younger characters. It’s the best way to become acquainted with new characters and ideas through characters we’ve been familiar with for years, like going to a party filled with people you don’t know, with a group of friends you’ve known forever. It’s much more comfortable for the audience that way.

  • January 13, 2014 at 9:37 am
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    Am I the only one that understands that this is the beginning of a big misinformation campaign? JJ is secretly laughing away in his office at all the BS that is speculated now that some semi-offical scoops are filtering through? Obi-Wan’s offspring? Come on!
    If the plan is indeed to feature the Big 3 more prominently in EVII, I am fine with that, because it would ease the transition to the new generation. I am in no way worried about “old people” carrying a movie, the best trek (I am not a trekkie myself and this is not my opinion) in the eyes of the Trek fandom was the original “Wrath of Khan”) and the crew and the villain were all between 50 and 65,,,

    • January 13, 2014 at 5:32 pm
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      “I am in no way worried about “old people” carrying a movie”. Quite right. I’m pleased there will be a brighter light on the oldies. ben-kenobi, yoda, the emperor, I could watch them all day and their age makes them even cooler. Anyway, the last thing I want is a cheesy teen movie, and we’re obviously going to be inroduced to their children, a new plot, and other characters.

  • January 13, 2014 at 2:41 pm
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    At last, some rumors with a bit of meat on ’em. ;^)

    First off, I don’t think any of us ought to be taking this stuff at face value. They’re interesting ideas, of course, and they certainly fuel some good conversation. BUT… do you think that anyone actually connected from the movie is going to violate their confidentiality agreement and piss away their gig with the new Star Wars flicks before the first one has even gone into production?

    Some of these rumors may have some bit of truth to them, but I bet that when we look back a couple years from now we’ll have a good chuckle at a lot of these rumors.

    It’s possible that Abrams may be trying to give the original cast a bit more screen time than they were originally intended to have, but I have genuine doubts that he’s looking to make Episode VII all about them and not so much about the new generation of characters.

    But Obi Wan having a kid? That sounds a bit like the speculation circa 1982 that Boba Fett was going to turn out to be Luke’s father and that the Rebels were going to be assisted by Yoda’s large purple non-identical twin named Adoy. (Would that I were making any of that up, but no…)

    As for Abrams “raping other people’s franchises”, come on… the guy was given a project to reboot Star Trek via an alternate timeline plot device, and IMHO he did a damned good job of it, all things considered. I’m not crazy about solving plot problems via alternate timelines, but I thought it worked quite well in the 2009 movie, and reasonably well in Into Darkness (though I felt that the “homages” to the original Wrath of Khan were done with a Jar Jar level of hamfistedness and I wish Abrams had been a bit more creative with those elements of the movie.)

    It’s not as though he’s doing some alternate timeline thing with Star Wars, though, and establish a parallel “galaxy far, far away” where Obi Wan Kenobi was running around knocking women up. Y’know? Granted, anything is possible and Episode VII could be a massive embarrassment to one and all – but I don’t think that’s how it’s going to play out.

    Abrams grew up on Star Wars. Unlike George Lucas, I expect that Abrams knows exactly why Star Wars was so damned cool. George, god love him, never really seemed to grasp that – which is natural, because he was always in the “eye of the hurricane”, so to speak. He was too close to it to really grasp the fan perspective and what made the original movies so popular. That’s why we got an entire SW movie featuring a giant pratfalling, baby-talking space duck.

    But I digress. I think it’s a bit premature to take any of these new rumors as anything more than the same baseless rumors we’ve heard so far.

    (Though Hugo Weaving would make an excellent Imperial commander. Might he be under consideration not for Ep. VII, but for one of the spin-off/origin films instead?)

  • January 13, 2014 at 4:15 pm
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    someone please deny this horrid rumor!

    • January 13, 2014 at 5:26 pm
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      I assume you mean Obi-Wan. I’d gladly deny it if it would help …

    • January 13, 2014 at 5:29 pm
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      ‘Snot true! ‘Snot true!

      (I’m actually pretty sure that it ‘snot.) ;^)

    • January 13, 2014 at 5:31 pm
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      Another rumor that seems completely unlike Abrams.

  • January 13, 2014 at 6:47 pm
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    Years ago Harrison Ford was quoted as saying he thought that Han Solo should be killed off to increase the drama of the story… with the focus shifting to the big 3 maybe that’s something to expect in Ep. 7? Just throwing that out there.

    • January 13, 2014 at 6:56 pm
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      This has been a topic of conversation for quite some time now. It’s pretty safe to say that Solo will be killed off in either episode VII or VIII.

    • January 13, 2014 at 7:48 pm
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      To be honest I can see a lot of characters getting the chop. Although, I can’t imagine Leia, R2, and 3po going. But I think Luke, Han, Chewie, and Lando would all be in danger. I just hope that if a major character dies, they don’t scim over it in a minute or two as though it’s no big deal. I hate it when films kill a character then move on without any type of send off. One things I don’t like about star wars is when Ben Kenobi dies. He kind of dies then they move on. But he comes back as a ghost so it’s ok, (I wonder if he will return as a ghost in the sequels with yoda.. but hopefully not anakin too oh god)

    • January 13, 2014 at 7:55 pm
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      Ben Kenobi’s death was brief because of his force ghost’s involvement in the rest of the films. His place was to get Luke going on his journey, then guiding him through the force, with Yoda’s help of course.
      I really don’t believe that they’d take the passings of characters like Han, Chewey, Leia, Luke and Lando lightly whom everyone loves so dearly, unless Luke’s character is supposed to be the Ben Kenobi of the ST and guide the younger characters on throughout the other movies as a force ghost. Otherwise, they’d milk those moments as much as they could to bring out the most emotion in the audience. That’s how great films are made and I believe JJ is going to do a phenominal job.

    • January 13, 2014 at 9:17 pm
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      Chewbacca is already dead though so he won’t be in the new trilogy.

    • January 13, 2014 at 9:48 pm
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      So says the EU, which will not be referenced at all in the ST as we’ve been told time and time again…

    • January 13, 2014 at 10:05 pm
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      They’ve got people working on the revised canon. If it was as simple as keeping only 6 movies no work would be required. Though in the case of Chewie I agree they’ll overlook his death b/c of his maketability.

    • January 13, 2014 at 10:19 pm
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      What is and is not canon is not at all relevant in this discussion. Abrams never said that only canon material would be referenced in the new movies, he said NO EU will be referenced. Whether or not novels, comics and video games are considered canon doesn’t make them any less of the expanded universe. The EU includes every bit of material associated with Star Wars outside of the movies.
      According to Abrams and other sources as well, Episodes VII-IX will be a story of their own.

    • January 13, 2014 at 10:23 pm
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      If it were as simple as just saying “Every SW novel and comic book ever made is canon” they also wouldn’t bother.

      Given the fact that they said from the get-go that the new movies would not be bound to the EU, I suspect that what they’re doing is going through and seeing which EU elements might dovetail with whatever story is being written for Episode VII. (Kind of like Lucas did with Zahn’s choice of “Coruscant” as the name for Imperial Center.)

      It is also very likely, given Lucas’ “continuity is for wusses” attitude in approaching the prequel films, that there was never an in-depth “story bible” put together for the Star Wars movies. Doing that once and for all is probably another aspect of this “new canon” work.

      But no, I doubt we’ll be getting onscreen exposition about Chewbacca having been crushed by a giant friggin’ moon. ;^)

    • January 13, 2014 at 10:42 pm
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      Again, DEKKA129, your explaination makes perfect sense. I always expected that some details from EU plots would be used; Luke beginning the new Jedi Academy, Leia moving onward into the Jedi way, Han and Leia’s children being strapping youngsters whom our new story as a whole will focus upon, but those are all given by the end of ROTJ. What else is implied?
      Other than that I can’t see how any other EU elements would really fit well with what I believe they’re doing with the ST.

    • January 14, 2014 at 11:23 am
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      “So says the EU, which will not be referenced at all in the ST as we’ve been told time and time again…”

      You’re full of crap, they have never said anything of the sort.

      As far as we currently know, the movies will continue the story for the established canonical time line from the movies and books. This is really the default scenario that we should assume until we get confirmation of the contrary.

      “According to Abrams and other sources as well, Episodes VII-IX will be a story of their own.”

      A story of their own??? That doesn’t even make sense, since we do know that at the very least they’re a sequel to episode 6, so it’s not “a story of its own”.
      What we currently know is that they aren’t adapting any existing novel, this is what was meant by “an original story”, we’ve known that for at least a year now, but that doesn’t tell you whether the new, original story will take place after the latest book “Crucible” (which would be the best possible outcome), or if they’ll just reset everything post ROJ (which would be stupid and ruin star wars forever).

      TLDR: stop spreading crap, we still don’t know if there’s gonna be a retcon or not.

    • January 14, 2014 at 11:26 am
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      “But no, I doubt we’ll be getting onscreen exposition about Chewbacca having been crushed by a giant friggin’ moon. ;^)”

      Chewbacca should remain dead, because it would be stupid to retcon the story that hardcore SW fans have been following for decades. This doesn’t mean they have to tell us how he died, but there could easily be a scene showing Han and Lowbacca having some sort of memorial ceremony in honor of Chewbacca to let the n00bs know that he’s dead.

      We could still get to see Chewbacca in the spin-off movies, after all GL told the book writers not to write a book about Han’s meeting with Chewie, most likely because he wanted to do it himself or have it shown in a movie.

    • January 14, 2014 at 3:06 pm
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      Alright, I should’nt have said “at all,” but Abrams has said that characters and events from the EU will remain in the novels and will have no part in the ST. On the otherhand, I agree with DEKKA129; at this early point in pre-production it’s almost impossible to predict what will and will not be included in episode VII. For all we know, the entire ST could be a recreation of the Thrawn trilogy. I’m simply speaking based on what I’ve heard and read this passed year.
      They’re still writing the script so, as DEKKA129 has said, it’s most likely that they’re redefining the Star Wars canon with the idea to reevaluate it to piece together an original story with some bits from certain EU material.
      I don’t see how the statement I had made above doesn’t make sense… I’m not sure if you’ve been keeping up with informative updates on the new trilogy as we have, but even back when Arndt was still writing the screenplay he told us that the new episode will be a brand new story building off of the events left off after ROTJ, approxomatly 40 years ABY. By that time, I can almost guarantee that Han and Leia will have children (mentioned in the EU), Luke will be setting the path for the new Jedi Academy (also in the EU); so yes, I’m sure at least some plotpoints from the EU will be referenced, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be entirely based on events from the books. The new movies will be something from Star Wars we’ve never seen before being introduced through familiar characters we’ve all known for years, which explains why Abrams would rather have episode VII focus on the big three passing the torch to a new generation of heroes.
      Whether or not SW fans have been reading the books for so long means nothing. There are so many different post-ROTJ stories that don’t tie together at all and you’re expecting them to follow that just because it’s what SW fans have spent so much time getting into and now they’ll have to deal with the fact that all of that knowledge will contradict the ST? That’s retarded,,,
      No one asked you to read all of the fan-written books and comics and no one ever said that those stories are precicely what follows the events in ROTJ. The fault is yours. After ROTJ, we all wanted to know what happens next and Lucas never seemed to have intentions to continue the story after VI, so fans came to the conclusion that they’d decide what events would be best to follow ROTJ. That doesn’t make it 100% canon. I guess since they’re redefining what is and is not canon, that won’t be true for very long depending on what they choose to include. So I guess I partially agree with you and partially understand where you’re coming from, but have to disagree. Sure, the EU is awesome, but I’m certain that a lot of what will happen in the sequel trilogy WILL contradict events included in the expanded universe. There’s really no question, but since none of us really know for sure, I suppose your guess is as good as mine, Anon. You really don’t have to be so arrogant about it, though…

    • January 14, 2014 at 4:37 pm
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      “Chewbacca is already dead though so he won’t be in the new trilogy.”
      Can people please just shut up about the EU? It’s really nothing more than fanfiction that’s been published. We’ve been told the films are going to be an original story, because the EU is nothing, I repeat, NOTHING to do with the films. We’ve been told this. Why do people still continue to ignore it? Chewbacca is not going to be dead. But let’s say that they do kill him off, it would have nothing to do with the EU.

    • January 14, 2014 at 4:48 pm
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      Since we’ve been informed that the Star Wars canon is being redefined, that’s all about to change, unfortunatly. If I had it my way, I’d rather the movies remain the only legitimate events in the SW universe. I believe they’re going through the novels, comics and such to see what material they’d like to include in future films and TV series. That could really be anything so no one can truly say what they’ll be doing as far as including EU shit goes. Hopefully they’ll leave Chewy alive, the emperor dead and uncloned, the Yuuzhan Vong nonexistent and really just included what’s completely necessary like Luke setting the stage for the new Jedi order, Han and Leia’s children being the primary focus of the new trilogy and so on. There’s so much they could do with that while still building those elements around a brand new story. I’m sure they ont make anything canon that will be contradicted in the ST.

    • January 14, 2014 at 5:21 pm
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      You should probably try and refrain from calling people retarded. It’s just science fiction for pete’s sake. Some people like certain parts of the EU and others, like yourself, detest most of it. There’s no right opinion. Some fans will hate this movie and I guess some might like it but that’s all OK.

    • January 14, 2014 at 5:35 pm
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      First of all, I never addressed the Anon as “retarded,” I was simply using a commonly-used phrase to express the utter stupidity of the statement:
      “Whether or not SW fans have been reading the books for so long means nothing. There are so many different post-ROTJ stories that don’t tie together at all and you’re expecting them to follow that just because it’s what SW fans have spent so much time getting into and now they’ll have to deal with the fact that all of that knowledge will contradict the ST? That’s retarded…” If I’ve offended you by using the term, I appologize. That was not my intention.
      Secondly, I agree with you. Opinion is what all of this discussion is about and there’s nothing we can do about the varrying opinions of fans.

    • January 15, 2014 at 12:04 am
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      The books are official material published and owned by Lucasfilm. By calling them fan-written you have exposed yourself as the retard.

      “but Abrams has said that characters and events from the EU will remain in the novels and will have no part in the ST”

      Again, this means that the events that take place in the movies themselves will be new stories, it says nothing about whether what happened before (in the books) will remain canon or not.

    • January 15, 2014 at 1:56 pm
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      Aw, gee. That cuts me right to the bone. I’m crushed.
      Just to clear things up, Zahn had no involvement in writing, producing or anything to do with the original trilogy, but loved the movies. I wonder what we call a person like that… Oh yes, A FUCKING FAN. He wrote FAN FICTION. The fans are the ones who considered it canon. Does that make it canon? I don’t know. We’ll have to wait for “canon specialists” to define exactly what is and is not considered the scripture of Star Wars.
      Perhaps some events will be referenced from the Thrawn trilogy in the new movie. Taking into consideration the amount of time between ROTJ and E-VII, I could see how it’d make a lot of sense for Luke or Leia to mention something that happened in the past to one of the younger characters, similar to Ben Kenobi, Luke and Leia referencing the Clone Wars in episode IV. It’s just as possible as anything else at this point because no one has any idea what’s going to take place in E-VII. You’ve gotta quit trying to sound like you’re some sort of an expert here, because it’s really impossible for any of us to claim that this early in the movie’s pre production. That’s why we all check this blog for news everyday.

  • January 14, 2014 at 1:24 am
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    Well, it may be that they just grab some EU elements that they think are cool. There’s a whole lot of dreck in the EU, but there’s some cool stuff as well. The idea that Rogue Squadron was maintained as an elite fighter group long after the Battle of Endor was something I always dug. Luke returning to Yavin to establish his Jedi training center was also something I always felt was a logical and interesting move.

    But there was plenty of stuff in the EU that had me shaking my head, including naming Han and Leia’s kid something as dead common as “Jason” and changing out a letter. Stealing Han’s “Never tell me the odds!” line and just turning it into a general Corellian catchphrase rather than the example of what a cocky hotshot Han was that it started out to be… that kinda stuff always bugged me too. And I’m not sure who decided to call Admiral Ackbar’s Mon Cal cruiser by its flippin’ battle call sign, but I’ve always felt like referring to that ship as Home One was about like referring to the Millennium Falcon as “Gold Leader”. Oy…

    So yeah, Dopeyjoe. I’m right with ya on that… for the most part I’m not sure what bits of the EU would really work in the ST in a non Jar Jar sorta way.

    • January 14, 2014 at 1:01 pm
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      “including naming Han and Leia’s kid something as dead common as “Jason” and changing out a letter”

      I know, right? It was way better in the original movies when we had characters with names like Luke, which is a much more inspired and uncommon name. I mean who’s ever heard about a guy called Luke in real life?
      No such thing.

    • January 14, 2014 at 3:27 pm
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      You’ve made your overly-sarcastic point, Anon. And again, you’ve made yourself out to be an arrogant bastard. Just try stepping outside your head for two seconds and into the perspective of others.
      Although I think Jacen was an acceptable name for one of Han and Leia’s sons and I agree with you that the name “Luke” is just as common, I also agree with DEKKA129 that there was a lot of fan-written material that really didn’t sit well with me at all. For instance, the Yuuzhan Vong were probably the worst villain to include in Star Wars after the threat of the evil empire has diminished and although it’d be pretty epic to see Chewbacca get squished by a moon on the big screen, I, for one, would much rather see a brand new threat be introduced, leave the Yuuzhan Vong out of it, and please, please for the love of god, leave the emperor dead and uncloned.

    • January 14, 2014 at 3:45 pm
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      Yup Anon, what the world needs is a Star Wars movie full of characters named Jason and Chad and Dylan and Tyler. “A long time ago in a hipster coffee shop just up the street…”

      Dopeyjoe, the Yuuzhan Vong were where the EU finally lost me once and for all. It always felt like they were lifted straight out of Independence Day when the EU authors ran out of ideas. (And don’t get me started about the whole clone Emperor fiasco…)

    • January 14, 2014 at 4:28 pm
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      YES! I’m glad I’m not the only one.

    • January 14, 2014 at 4:56 pm
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      No, you’re definitely not. I actually thought that a lot of the EU was pretty bad (truth be told, I never really even thought that Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy was all that compelling a story) but I just found the Vong to be completely ridiculous. Extragalactic bogeymen that are essentially immune to both blaster fire and the Force? Suddenly Star Wars, which had always been about the balance between personal heroics and human failings, turned into just another monster story. ZZZZZZzzzzzz…

    • January 14, 2014 at 5:02 pm
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      That’s exactly how I felt after reading the Thrawn Trilogy! Not too compelling, but it was better than a lot f other EU stuff. TBH, the only EU material I really enjoyed was the KOTOR comics and the Bounty Hunter series.

    • January 14, 2014 at 5:10 pm
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      Let’s get coffee sometime. You seem to be the only other SW fan that really gets it! Hahaha.

    • January 14, 2014 at 5:11 pm
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      Wow, you read the Thrawn Trilogy and didn’t like it? I wasn’t even sure that was possible. That trilogy of novels was what revived the entire franchise. Had it never been written we wouldn’t even be here talking about sequel movies.

    • January 14, 2014 at 5:21 pm
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      I’m not sure that’s true at all, Anon. The Star Wars franchise was outrageously loved from it’s year of conception through the 90’s by thousands of fans all over the world. It really didn’t need Zahn’s trilogy to “revive” the franchise, because it was already doing so well.
      Sure, the Thrawn Trilogy was very well accepted by fans, but not to the point where it became recognized as the legitimate events following ROTJ, thank god. IMHO, those novels were good on their own, but to say that they were perfect to follow the OT is ridiculous. It didn’t capture the real feeling of Star Wars and I feel like a lot of the events that took place were added for audience shock-factor.
      A new story is in the works by Abrams and Kasdan that will blow the Thrawn trilogy out of the water, I’m sure of it.

    • January 14, 2014 at 7:52 pm
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      I remember when Heir to the Empire first came out. We hadn’t had any new SW stories since 1983, and there was a lot of excitement about the opportunity to revisit the SW universe.

      They weren’t bad novels. They just felt kind of unfocused, the final space battle in the third novel seemed rather anticlimactic, and overall the series read like a decent work of fan fiction. I wasn’t blown away by it, though.

      Then again, that’s how I’ve felt about most of the EU stuff I’ve read. Some of it’s pretty decent, a bit of it (like the Rogue Squadron books) I actually find compelling, and a whole lot of it doesn’t do a thing for me at all.

    • January 14, 2014 at 8:38 pm
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      I think I enjoyed it a little more than that, but there were too many things that threw me off too much to consider it a love of mine as the Star Wars films are. Therefore, I’d much rather see something that no one will be expecting played out in a familiar way so that we may have the opportunity to see our beloved characters as they are 30 years since the last time we saw them. After episode VII, it’s the next generation of Skywalkers and Solo’s turn to overcome whatever obstacle is obstructing their path.

    • January 15, 2014 at 12:00 am
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      You guys are hilarious.
      The Vong was an awesome story, and it’s a solid part of the Star Wars canon at this point. If you’d pull your head out of your asses, you’d see that the original movies are full of equally ridiculous ideas as the books. In fact, the books are just as good as the movies, and if anything they’ve made the universe a lot deeper and richer.

      Cloned emperor? You guys are acting like, if they “kept it canon”, the new movies would have to mention it. No! It happened decades ago! Same with Thrawn!

      You guys are making it sound like the new movie would have to be about a Palpatine clone taking control of the empire with a team of super-villains with his sons Trioculus, Triclops, joined by a Thrawn clone and with a rival bad-guy team led by Xizor.

      No! If the books were canon, we would STILL have a new original story, with new and original villains. There would be no reason to go into great details about the decades between the movies; the new story would stand on its own, require no prior book knowledge, and those who would want to read about it, could.

    • January 15, 2014 at 1:44 pm
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      Alright, I guess everything Zahn wrote is now considered 100% canon, if you say so. So I guess that also means there is no other oprion other than Abrams to recreate Zahn’s trilogy into film, or at least use it as historical reference in the story…
      YAWN

    • January 15, 2014 at 2:06 pm
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      “You guys are making it sound like the new movie would have to be about a Palpatine clone taking control of the empire with a team of super-villains with his sons Trioculus, Triclops, joined by a Thrawn clone and with a rival bad-guy team led by Xizor.”

      I’m not sure how we ever made it sound like that’s how we read the Thrawn trilogy, and I never really said I entirely disliked it either. I just think there are much better things that can be done with the post-ROTJ timeline that doesn’t have to involve something as stupid as the Vong and can keep us more enthralled than the final battle had me in the Thrawn trilogy.
      If they reference things here and there because of how late E-VII is taking place after E-VI, I wouldn’t mind that at all. I just don’t want to be watching the movie thinking about exactly what happens next because I’ve read it before. I had LOTR for that. Star Wars is a completely different side of the spectrum. It’d be so much different than just including familiar OT characters in a brand new story. Again, all arguements concerning this topic are irrelevent at this time because WE DON’T KNOW SHIT YET.

  • January 14, 2014 at 7:35 am
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    REALLY??

    U mean to tell me that there are Star Wars fans out there who are complaining about Luke, Han & Leia having bigger roles? Wow. I’m totally excited about this news!

    Trekkies didn’t care how old Kirk, Spock & Bones were in Star Trek 5 & 6. Trekkies CANNOT win!!! Seriously c’mon guys. WE NEED an end to the OT characters. And it makes it much more easier to blend in the new cast & characters.

    I think most of us here can agree that yes, Han will probably die in Ep. 7 or 8….
    The bigger ? is will Chewy, the Falcon or both go w/Han? (biting on finger nails)

    I even expect Luke to die in the ST as well…. Everyone says (even Hamill said) that Luke’s role in Ep. 7 should be very much like that of Sir Alec’s of Ep. 4, I totally agree with and can see it. Just not his death. Luke should not die in Ep. 7 like Obi-wan did in Ep.4, but rather in Ep. 9, much like the way Yoda did in Ep. 6.

    I hope to see Wedge, Gen. Nadine, Lando, Mon Mothma & Ackbar as well as other characters from the OT along with THE EMPIRE in Ep. 7…. I know we probably won’t get to see them all…. but it would be cool! IMO & I know I’m not alone on this………

    Now….I don’t mind the Special Editions (I could vary well be alone on this one LOL). I totally get why Lucas did them & I am cool with them. But, Lucas altered the ending of Ep. 6 to give the sense of a more final ending…. Now that Ep. 7 is happening, I hope the original ending is put back in, it just seems more fitting now 🙂

    Ep. 8, 9 go where ever u want, do want needs to be done to take Star Wars to the next generation. And I’ll be there 100%!

    It is the characters of the OT, Luke, Han, Leia, Chewy, C-3PO, R2-D2, Lando, etc. that made us all fall in love with Star Wars to begin with. To have them return for one last go…. That’s going to be the MOVIE EVENT OF A LIFETIME! It’ll be ICONIC!!!!!!!!!

    Here’s to the Trilogy of Trilogies m/ m/ may the force be with us!

    • January 14, 2014 at 11:44 am
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      “U mean to tell me that there are Star Wars fans out there who are complaining about Luke, Han & Leia having bigger roles? Wow. I’m totally excited about this news!”

      We want them to have bigger roles, we just don’t want the entire movie to be about them and relegate the younger characters to the role of sidekick. I just don’t want another Indiana Jones 4.

      However, yes, I want them to have big roles. And I definitely want the new trilogy to depict Luke and Han’s deaths. For years, fans have been wondering how Luke died since Legacy showed his ghost. I want the movies to respect canon, fit between 43ABY and 120ABY (but closer to 43ABY) and answer that question. And yes Han should have his big epic death scene and get to be a hero.

      However, I don’t want this to be a movie about the old people with their teenage sidekicks. I want the younger characters (Ben, Allana, Jaina, Jagged Fel, etc) to be the main characters. Because usually when movies go out of their way to put the focus on characters that are past their prime, it just feels forced and unnecessary.

      So yes they should be in the movie (and Lando too). I completely agree with that, and I think everyone does too.

    • January 14, 2014 at 4:59 pm
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      Where are people getting the idea that episode VII-IX will be anything at all like Indy 4? LUCAS ISN’T IN CHARGE! If you have nothing to look forward to in episode VII, that fact alone should get Star Wars fans excited as shit.

  • January 14, 2014 at 4:47 pm
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    Personally I’d love Luke Han and Leia to be a big part of the films. But only to the limit of them not overshadowing the new trio of characters. For example, if there is an adventure or a mission or something, then the kids should go. But Luke Han and Leia need to be integral to the story, as either commanders, mentors, leaders, parents, whatever. The more screentime for them the better because they are such great characters. Perhaps Arndt only wanted them to have a cameo appearance or something with all the focus being on the kids, while Abrams wanted them to have a bigger part to play. Who knows. I hope someone tracks down Arndt and gets a quote !

    • January 14, 2014 at 4:58 pm
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      If that was Arndt’s original intention and the reason why he was relieved of his screenwriting responsibilities, I say good-fucking-riddance! Abrams is brilliant for wanting the primary focus of episode VII to be the original trilogy characters introducing the audience to a new conflict, new characters and a brand new villain that isn’t as terribly designed as the inquisitor. That’s the best way to draw and satisfy an enormous crowd and the best way to rake in the dough. No matter who the person is, if they see a trailer with the Falcon, Luke, Han, Leia and Lando on screen facing a fresh threat that has them almost bested, with the help of some younger (hopefully brand new) faces helping them out, they’ll see the movie without thinking twice. The saga is just so iconic to leave the best characters out. People want the newest installment to be familiar, but leading the way for the new generation of heroes to fulfill their destinies.
      So far, Abrams has been doing a phenominal job with his position and I believe he’ll do things with Star Wars that will make the newer Trek movies look like 3-2-1 Penguins.

    • January 14, 2014 at 10:48 pm
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      I have go agree for the most part. I personally think it would be silly not to take the next generation from established EU sources, though I hope to God they leave out most of the actual content like the Vong war and the Legacy books. I read the young Jedi knight books while I was growing up and so am rather attached to the characters, but everything after that I could take or leave, preferably leave.
      The best possible outcome to keep everyone happy would be to take characters from the EU and either forget everything that happened between episodes 6 and 7 or just mention it in passing like the clone wars were only mentioned once of twice in the originals, sure it may have happened but it has little bearing on the present story.

    • January 14, 2014 at 10:59 pm
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      How in the hell would that make “everyone” happy?
      You have to at least ease the audience in to new surroundings with familiar characters for the sake of closure. What the majority of the audience wants to see is where Han, Leia, Luke, Chewy, Lando, 3PO and R2 are 30 years passed the conclusion of ROTJ and what new characters and conflicts will be introduced. That may mean EU characters and plot points; I really can’t say. I know I’d rather the new movie be something no one’s ever seen before with a familiar, frontier, gritty theme throughout the movie. I want something new to look forward to, but can feel comfortable knowing my favorite characters will be there.

  • January 15, 2014 at 12:10 am
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    “The best possible outcome to keep everyone happy would be to take characters from the EU”

    No, the best possible outcome would be to continue the ongoing story from the books by showing us what happens next.

    This DOES NOT mean the new movies would be a re-treading of an already existing story. It would still be a new, original story, but taking place in an unwritten period of the established Star Wars canon.

    This DOES NOT mean new audiences would have to take a Star Wars history class about everything that happened between the movies just to enjoy them.

    This DOES NOT mean new audiences would be lost or confused by all those new characters; all it needs to do is introduce them to the audience in an appropriate manner. All characters are new at some point; we loved Han Solo, Luke, and Leia before we knew anything about their backstory.

  • January 15, 2014 at 1:27 am
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    i liked most of the EU, most not all, i was not over taken by the Heir to the Empire Trilogy…i thought it was good, but i did not think it great. the last series i read was the one where Jacen went Sith as Cadeus..i really liked Bob Fett & the Mandolorian back story more than Jacen’s fall. that being said…i will not go as far to say i bet or i guarantee..BUT almost… almost i say…i really don’t see them leaving Chewbacca dead and follow that EU, and if they don’t follow that. won’t that render most else obsolete? the same was already done with Fett’s backstory. whichever they decide, Eu or no EU, i cannot wait to see these movies…i felt the same way as some of you when the prequels came out, i even refused to go watch Ep1 at the theater…and the only thing i did was rob myself of seeing new SW on the big screen for the first time in 16 years. let it go, be happy they are doing new films. don’t rob yourself of the joy of seeing new SW! as we all get older, we see things as less important anyway..after all, in the end it is just a movie so chill, lay back and enjoy. i can’t wait to take my Grandchildren to see these, their generation of SW…i hope to see you guys out there…-prymal

  • January 15, 2014 at 1:39 am
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    Yes, Obi-wan DID have a daughter. It happended during episode 2. When Obi told Anakin he was going to “have a drink”. Well, you know, a few drinks later and, um….he met someone “special”. Obi-wan was had a kid out of wedlock, so what?! These things happen sometimes. Obi-wan was known to have a “different point of view” so he figured it would be best to not say anything during episodes 1 thru 6.

  • January 15, 2014 at 1:48 am
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    Sorry, I meant to say Obi-wan didn’t say anything during episodes 2—6.

    The big surprise is going to be how his daughter looks (think skin color).

  • January 15, 2014 at 5:48 am
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    Smart move by Abrams very Smart… I think he has learned some with the Trekkies about loyalty to say the least. If Luke, Leia, and Han would have had supporting roles the film would have smashed and it would have alienated a huge box office smash because the older generation who supports them has the money… Smart move, new Generation that likes and supports a new story would not bring the bucks to the theaters… Smart move Sir…

  • January 16, 2014 at 10:41 am
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    Young character discovers his destiny: she is the daughter of Obi-Wan Kenobi! Goes out into the galaxy then meets Luke Skywalker who tells her that, “No, I am your father.”
    It will be a great, fresh story.

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