UPDATE 2! Transformers 4 Star Jack Reynor Rumored for a Star Wars: Episode 7 Role – Denied. New Auditions for Princess Leia?

star wars

Jack Reynor is an Irish actor who was actually born in the US and raised in Ireland. He will be the star of the new Transformers trilogy. Beside that he’s a pretty talented young actor. You can see some of his acting after the jump. The Princess Leia rumor is a bit strange and you should take it with a huge grain of salt, but still you never know…


(18.02.2014)
The Jack Reynor rumor comes from Harry Knowles of Ain’t It Cool News, who seems pretty confident with it.

According to him:

I’m hearing that Jack Reynor, a young Irish actor that will be in this new Bay TRANSFORMERS trilogy – but that I’ve now heard from two different sources has landed a role in EPISODE VII.  No idea of what role.

And here’s Saoirse Ronan, who also auditioned for a role in Star Wars: Episode 7, giving an IFTA award to Jack Reynor for his role in “What Richard Did”:

UPDATE 2!

(21.02.2014)
Reynor’s rep denied the rumors, which actually doesn’t mean anything but still here it is: (via independent.ie)

“There is no truth in that — Jack is not taking on a role in the latest Star Wars film,” a spokesperson for the actor told the Herald.

“He has not been approached about a role and there has been no discussion.

“The rumours started online, but there is no foundation to them.”

_______________________________________

And now the weird one. According to one of Den of Geek‘s sources (via makingstarwars):

    Firstly, a good source has told us that auditions are ongoing for key roles in the new film, and that more are taking place in the UK at the end of this month. Furthermore, we understand that one of the roles available is Princess Leia – or at least that’s what one or two of those auditioning are being told.

star wars

    Carrie Fisher is pretty certain to reprise the role of Leia in Star Wars: Episode VII, so it may be that a younger version of the character is being cast for a flashback sequence, or perhaps as a daughter of Han and Leia. Obviously, we’re speculating there, and it may just be that what those auditioning are being told is a smokescreen of sort. We’ll find out in due course.

I really hope they are using this to cast Leia’s daughter, not Leia herself.  And I rule out the spin-off movies, because as you know they won’t be based on characters from the movieverse. 🙂

As always until official confirmation comes these are just rumors.

Oh, and here is a small tease from Jeff Sneider, who recently revealed the Jesse Plemons story:

Looks like I’ve got the rest of the day off! That STAR WARS scoop will have to wait…
— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) February 17, 2014

And here’s something very interesting regarding the female lead shared by BleedingCool:

I think the big news about Episode VII casting will be the female lead, though folk might not realise it until after they see the film. If everything we’re hearing is true, she’s already been cast too, so I wouldn’t be surprised if word sneaks out pretty soon.

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

80 thoughts on “UPDATE 2! Transformers 4 Star Jack Reynor Rumored for a Star Wars: Episode 7 Role – Denied. New Auditions for Princess Leia?

  • February 18, 2014 at 10:43 am
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    Well if they start recasting the classic roles I will not be buying a ticket. Even if there was a flashback sequence to cover some of the ‘missing years’, I would rather they used CGI to do it and stuck with the faces we know and love. Sounds like a misunderstanding/ crossed wire to me..

    • February 21, 2014 at 7:14 pm
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      If they go the flashback path my guess is this is probably what they’ll end up doing. Although you’d still want an actress as close to Carrie Fisher in appearance as possible to make the job for the digital artists easier.

  • February 18, 2014 at 10:56 am
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    I find the idea of a flashback sequence in a SW movie a little concerning. I doesn’t fit with the style of these movies.

    • February 18, 2014 at 11:25 am
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      Exactly, that’s why I think we could rule out this possibility.

    • February 18, 2014 at 12:04 pm
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      Perhaps a prologue then? Not exactly a star wars type structure also. But then, stylistically some episodes had something unique used. E.g.. The surrealistic slow mo fight in the cave in TESB, the dreamscape in Anakin’s dreams, the lack of hyperspace effects in prequel. Perhaps its another dreamscape thing. Eg Leia seeing Jacen-type son when he’s a child prior to his fall to dark side? A holocron recording? A ‘obiwan you my only hope message from the past? Or it could just be a body double. Or they are casting jaina-type role?

    • February 18, 2014 at 12:05 pm
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      What’s the point of having a flashback anyway? Just tell us what happened, we don’t need to be spoonfed. It would be too distracting anyway with different actors.

    • February 18, 2014 at 12:13 pm
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      I mean it could be an old message or a force vision/memory thing. Might be possible that Leia is …. dead? Or could they be casting an Allana type character whom Han can say ‘she is jusy like you when you were young your royalness’ to Leia

    • February 18, 2014 at 2:12 pm
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      Could be a behind the back scene or something. That, I find possible. Maybe, Leia lost a child during child birth or something like that. Or maybe, considering the rumour she was seed buying drugs recently, that they are killing her off and need a sequence to show the events. I, btw, do not want to see her killed off. Just trying to make wild guesses. Didn’t they say that if the main three were not in the new movies they’d be written out?

    • February 18, 2014 at 2:13 pm
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      Please understand, it’d be really disappointing if Carrie was in EVII playing Leia. Don’t take my prior post the wrong way.

    • February 18, 2014 at 2:23 pm
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      “it’d be really disappointing if Carrie was in EVII playing Leia.”
      ..what? I’m dying to see Carrie back and if they recast her role I think the majority of people will be extremely pissed off.

    • February 18, 2014 at 2:56 pm
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      you never know. the flashback sequences in Godfather 2 were great. I agree though stylistically it would be a leap.

    • February 18, 2014 at 2:59 pm
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      Could be a dream sequece of Leia’s. LIke I said, perhaps she lost a child during birth and she has nightmares about it and it shows her from the back. Anakin suffered with night terrors.

    • February 18, 2014 at 9:18 pm
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      Sounds to me like a miscommunication, Actresses were told their character would be like Leia. Or, it’s just nothing at all.

    • February 21, 2014 at 5:55 pm
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      Yeah, but the show is being run by JJ Abrams, who had a flashback in Star Trek, another film series that didn’t really utilize this technique.

    • February 21, 2014 at 7:18 pm
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      The dream/vision sequences didn’t really fit in with the style of these movies, but there they were in Episode III.

      Luke had visions in Episode V, but they were not shown.

    • February 21, 2014 at 7:21 pm
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      Abrams didn’t write either of the Trek movies, nor do I think he would have wanted to. Adding the flashback sequence was not his doing.

  • February 18, 2014 at 12:45 pm
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    “though folk might not realise it until after they see the film”
    I don’t understand
    ???

    • February 18, 2014 at 12:48 pm
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      I think he means that there will be a huge surprise in Episode 7. I also heard that there is something really shattering about the new movie that really has to stay a secret.

    • February 18, 2014 at 12:53 pm
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      Wow, I haven’t really thought about there being any surprises or big shockers in episode 7. Do you know in what way it would be a surprise?

    • February 18, 2014 at 1:06 pm
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      Unfortunately no. Very few people know that and it’s under huge wraps.

    • February 18, 2014 at 2:20 pm
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      hmm, exciting stuff. I shall be especially looking forward to this female lead

    • February 18, 2014 at 6:16 pm
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      Well they do know how to make us wish we could buy tickets right now, I hope the film impresses us

    • February 18, 2014 at 9:16 pm
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      JJ does like his surprises…

    • February 18, 2014 at 9:19 pm
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      Any surprise involving a female lead is a good surprise.

    • February 21, 2014 at 5:58 pm
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      ^agreed. Any surprise with a female lead will be fantastic….

      …however, what makes you guys think there will be a female lead? Sure, it was talked about some time ago, but that was before JJ and Kasden rewrote the script, threw away the whole Jaina Solo storyline, and is (if rumor is true) emphasizing Luke Skywalker’s son/sons.

    • February 21, 2014 at 7:05 pm
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      AnonymousFebruary 21, 2014 at 5:58 PM
      Where did you hear any of that? Abrans and Kasdan were quoted in saying that they did not throw out Arndt’s script, they’re simply restructuring it. I don’t know where you got those plot points from, but the only thing we’ve heard from the production team about the content of EpVII is that Abrams wanted it to focus more on the characters we know from the OT passing the torch on to a new line of heroes, rather than jumping immediatly into the brand new story. That, I believe, was a very well played move on his part.

    • February 22, 2014 at 1:05 am
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      @dopeyjoe That’s something I’m very happy about, having Arndt’s writing with some edits by Kasdan and every director has the right to tweak the script to better fit with their own image for the film. Some people have some hate against JJ, but he is a capable director and I’m fine with Lens Flare being a new character.

    • February 24, 2014 at 2:22 pm
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      The reason why the lense flair card was so oerplayed in Trek was because that is the style of Trek and always has been: clean, smooth, shiney and futuristic. Star Wars takes on a more rustic, gritty, almost “space cowboy” feel to OT films and we’ve been told that the production team for EpVII is planning on bringing that tone back to the ST.

  • February 18, 2014 at 1:02 pm
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    Maybe they are just saying it is Leia to the actors for now so they know what personality they need to play, but the character is actually her and Han’s daughter or something. Well, I hope that’s the case

  • February 18, 2014 at 2:39 pm
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    I really doubt they’d go so far as to recast classic roles. Star Wars fans above all others of any franchise would be outraged.

    • February 18, 2014 at 2:41 pm
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      Like I said in a post above, if it’s for a flashback, vision, or prolouge or something it could just be a behind the back shot or something.

    • February 18, 2014 at 9:20 pm
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      It could be for a birth-hologram or something.

    • February 19, 2014 at 10:10 am
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      I don’t think they would ever recast a major role, but instead write off a character as dead or missing, only a good writer could pull it off, most of the time its just cheesy.

  • February 18, 2014 at 3:29 pm
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    Dont belive for a second they will recast the big 3 ! but if they do
    As a mega hardcore starwars fan all i can say is, a mega big
    F U EVERYONE in charge of VII.STARWARS will then be dead and a total joke !!

  • February 18, 2014 at 4:36 pm
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    FINALLY there is some word about a female lead. For the past couple months I was highly doubting whether Disney was going to even put women in this film.

    • February 18, 2014 at 9:21 pm
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      With The Hunger Games and Frozen, there is no way they are stupid enough to think it won’t work.

    • February 21, 2014 at 6:01 pm
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      ^ don’t be so sure. This is Disney we’re talking about, the studio who goes out of their way to disassociate women in central roles. For more proof on this claim, go research the reasons why Disney’s Tangled was not called “Rapunzel” as originally planned. You may be surprised.

  • February 18, 2014 at 4:37 pm
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    Recasting didn’t kill Star Trek.
    JJ Abrams, and Nina Gold were the ones who recast Star Trek, and maybe they think they can do it with Star Wars.

    • February 18, 2014 at 4:42 pm
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      No, Star Trek is a REBOOT! You can’t have William Shatner playing a young Kirk because he’s too old! You are comparing apples to oranges!

    • February 18, 2014 at 5:13 pm
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      The new Trek movies were not at all intended to be additions to the existing Trek universe, unlike episode VII which is a next installment to the Star Wars movieverse. Completely different.

    • February 18, 2014 at 9:23 pm
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      They are very different creatures. For one, Star Trek 2009 created an alternate timeline; this one will retcon a timeline instead… Anyone see how Fisher acted during the Holiday Special? If she’s in that bad of shape, they probably have no choice. I’d rather say that’s the least likely of this batch of rumors.

  • February 18, 2014 at 5:02 pm
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    It depends on how close they want Episode seven to Return of The Jedi.
    If it’s closer to Jedi, than you have to recast.

    You can’t get the originals to look like they did in 83 to 91

    • February 18, 2014 at 5:11 pm
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      If they do that, we’re all screwed. However, the time between III and IV is about twenty years. You’re look at a 10 year real world difference between the 30 that has passed in real world time. It’s not so inconcievable the original actors play 10 year younger versions of themselves.

    • February 18, 2014 at 5:14 pm
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      Not inconcievable at all. However, I don’t think EpVII will be taking place closer to Jedi. I’m expecting around 30 years post ROTJ.

    • February 18, 2014 at 5:15 pm
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      Recasting the big three would be worse than the prequels, TCW and the new Rebels characters combined.

    • February 18, 2014 at 9:25 pm
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      This is supposed to be about the next generation. If they were still using Mark and Harrison, that wouldn’t fit with being earlier in the timeline.

    • February 21, 2014 at 6:04 pm
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      Yeah, it’s SUPPOSED to be about the next generation. Rebels was also SUPPOSED to have the same feel as the OT. Day by day, it is becoming clear that Disney is just spouting information we Star Wars fans want to hear.

  • February 18, 2014 at 5:51 pm
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    I do NOT think they would re-cast. Either the big 3 are in, or their characters will not be in the movie other than as reference. They will not put some other actor in as Luke, Leia or Han… that would be nothing short of pure Star Wars blasphemy.

    We should probably cool our jets on this so called rumor though. I think it sounds like complete hogwash.

  • February 18, 2014 at 6:12 pm
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    As a long time Star wars fan I’d hate to see Leia recast. One the other hand though, having read the news from yesterday and seen video, it appears Miss Fisher is back on drugs, id prefer not to see a replacement or no leia.

    • February 18, 2014 at 6:15 pm
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      That’s really no problem. She may be doing drugs to help slim her down a bit. I’m sure she’d give up her use of narcotics for filming. Do you know how many hollywood stars are on drugs and are still cast in plenty of movies?

    • February 18, 2014 at 7:28 pm
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      Yeah, I understand you point. But fact is, shes 57 and Harrion Ford is 72. Shes 15 years younger and looks a mess. She’s a liability to the studio. What if she croaked it mid trilogy.?
      Shes the least important of the big three and shes had so much surgery done she bears more of a resemblance to Joan Rivers. Also, have you heard her voice recently? Doesnt even sound like the same actress. Feck it… just get a Wampa to give her a slap at the start of episode 7 to explain the surgery and slurred speech!

    • February 18, 2014 at 7:35 pm
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      I don’t know what actress you’re looking at, but Carrie looks great for her age! They can change her physical appearance however they’d need to if necessary, but she is just as vital to the ST as any of the other classic characters, in my opinion. At the end of ROTJ, we’re left wondering if Leia ever fulfills her destiny as a Skywalker and is trained in the Jedi way by her brother Luke. She’s essential to the continuity of the saga. I can understand if she met the same fate as her mother and died in child birth or something (depending on how many years after ROTJ EpVII takes place), but I’d say the first installment of the sequel trilogy would do the fans some good to bring Carrie back. She’s a very important role in the OT and I believe she deserves the same in the ST to offer fans some closure.

    • February 19, 2014 at 10:24 am
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      I really hope I never see Liea Organa wielding a lightsaber or doing flips in battle. I feel a different power such as a Jedi healer, Psychic Communication abilites to aide as a negotiator liaison between dignitaries within intergalactic desputes. Or just something different than the norm of battle lords. Her meditating and communicating to others is enough.

  • February 18, 2014 at 7:58 pm
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    I really, truly hope she keeps her act together long enough to reprise her role and do it well. I can imagine that after being away from such a high profile role for so long it could cause the kind of pressure to drive her back to drugs. She might feel she needs them to lose the weight or cope with the stress of expectations of the super handsome, sophisticated men on this discussion board. I’m sure no expense will be spared in making sure she is ready for this and her absence from Ep VII would greatly detract from the experience for most of us.

  • February 18, 2014 at 9:30 pm
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    What would be more awesome than a Star Wars movie that passes the Bachdel test in flying colors instead of barely, and a Female Lead? A surprise that puts her in the forefront!

    The Leia rumor, true or false, is obviously being perpetuated by the recent news about Carrie. It could be they wanted to have a hologram showing new character’s births and/or childhood (Star Trek showed Kirk and Spock as kids, remember), and then after that news, people jumped to conclusions.

    • February 18, 2014 at 9:44 pm
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      Why do you feel that comparing the newer Trek movies to the ST is valid at all? They’re two completely different franchises that have absolutly nothing to do with each other content-wise.
      Star Wars isn’t a series that uses flashbacks and I for one am perfectly fine with it remaining that way. Carrie should remain as Leia whether that means Leia dies in the 30 years between VI and VII, or she gets her game together and really puts her best foot forward with reprising this role. I would rather epsiode VII be eradicated from existance than Leia being played as anyone other than Carrie Fisher.

    • February 19, 2014 at 4:00 am
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      I am saying they came from a similar mind. It’s not a flash-back if it starts earlier on, like in Star Trek. It could also be a body-double, which no-one else seems to have considered.

    • February 21, 2014 at 7:22 pm
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      Writing and directing are two very different positions in film making. The Trek flashback sequence was not Abrams’ doing in the first place.

  • February 18, 2014 at 10:20 pm
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    I take it that nobody is disagreeing with the idea of Jack Reynor portraying a lead character in SW7. Having seen him in ‘What Richard Did’, I fully endorse that.

  • February 19, 2014 at 12:14 am
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    Maybe we see a “digitally rejuvenated version” of Leia, or even Han and Luke, much like what they did with Jeff Bridges in Tron 2…

    • February 19, 2014 at 10:03 am
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      I have been wondering about this myself if Mark, Carrie, and Harrison are going to be CGI and the Disney rumor about all three having to get into shape as close as possible to their original characters is a rouse to blindside us, and later we find out that they had get into shape for Motion Capture theatrics.
      All of the rumours cause my head to swirl at times but in order to really relaunch this Franchise has got to be some new Technological breakthrough, it is what built it and advances in effects always gave us, something we never saw before. I hope it is just damn mind blowing like the original opening scene. And one damn mind blowing story with great plot twists…one can only hope at this point.

    • February 21, 2014 at 5:31 pm
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      ..No pointless flashbacks with ghastly cgi faces please. If they need to tell the audience something that has happened in the past, then they can just tell us via a conversation between characters like they’ve done for the past 100 years.

    • February 21, 2014 at 6:09 pm
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      ^yeah, just do what’s been done for the plast 100 years. Imagine if George Lucas took that safe tried-and-true method when filming the original Star Wars film back in 1977? Special effects today will still look like something out of Flash Gordon.

      That’s why I am so annoyed when Lucasfilm says they are going to rely solely on miniatures and prothetics, so called “practical” effects (even though there is nothing practical about them,) instead of at least TRYING to push the limits of what is possible with CGI. Say what you want about the Phantom Menace, but its contribution to animatics, CG cast members, and the integration of CG sets with props was the spark that ignited all mega-blockbuster effects-driven films after, from Lord of the Rings to Dark Knight.

    • February 21, 2014 at 6:26 pm
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      AnonymousFebruary 21, 2014 at 6:09 PM
      What they need and what I think they’re planning on doing with the ST is having a well balanced medium between ‘practical’ effects and CGI. If they went the route of the Lord of the Rings trilogy as far as the overall balance goes, I think that’d look really good with the technology available in this day and age. They could do some really awesome things with makeup, prosthetics, puppeteering and models, but also add CGI where it’s necessary; not blowing either out of proportion. There’s nothing wrong with going back to the basics to revamp a side of film making that diminished greatly during the turn of the century. Theres so much craftsmanship that goes into the ‘practical’ effects and since Star Wars is already so well known in those regards, I’d say the new installment to the saga is the perfect film to recreate old, trustworthy production tactics.

    • February 21, 2014 at 6:45 pm
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      ..Didn’t you see star wars? Practical effects look awesome. Who cares if it’s been done or not before or how groundbreaking it is. That’s not what made the effects great in 1977. The effects were great because they looked good, and had a good and unique style to them that nobody had seen before. Which is what they need to go back to. Many films nowadays just cram the scene with CG. Star wars needs to go back to what star wars effects great, and blow us away with the use of models, practical effects, and amazing sets. Plus with the advancements in the past 40 years, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that practical effect have huge potential and look amazing when done right and with a high budget. Which for star wars, Disney will give.
      “That’s why I am so annoyed when Lucasfilm says they are going to rely solely on miniatures and prosthetics”
      They’ve never once said that anyway. Plus that wouldn’t be a bad thing. It’s 2014, models aren’t used with strings anymore mate.

    • February 21, 2014 at 7:27 pm
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      Take for instance R2D2. I’m sure you could CGI him in so you could show how cool your CGI is. But, have you seen the awesome R2D2 that was made by the fan who’s going to be making him for EPVII? My point is physically real looks more real than CGI does. As much as you can do physically real I think you should because it just looks fake if it’s CGI.

    • February 21, 2014 at 7:31 pm
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      The hard work put into the film is not as evident when CGI is overdone.

    • February 22, 2014 at 4:59 am
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      ^I noticed you guys completely disregarded what I had to say about the innovations of CGI in Episode I and never even addressed the potentially negative consequences that may happen if Lucasfilm doesn’t keep pushing the boundaries of technology.

      Also, to one of the anon commenters above, yes, Disney actually did state that they are going to rely solely on miniatures and prosthetics, just not in that phrase. This is probably why this website keeps getting rumors about the Millenium Falcoln and various other set-related things. And as for you prequel bashers who claim that everything looks fake, please read a ‘making of’ book about these films; a great deal of things you call fake are actually sets and miniatures.

    • February 22, 2014 at 5:03 am
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      @anon Feb 21 6:45 said that what made the original Star Wars film so good is that it “had a good and unique style to them that nobody had seen before.” EXACTLY. It took risks. What about Rebels and (what I’ve heard so far of) Episode VII? For months Disney has been saying: “It’s going to look like the OT! It’s going to be exactly what OT fans want!” This is why I’m dreading the ST. It is going to delve down the safe path with no innovation.

  • February 21, 2014 at 6:37 pm
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    The only way to make a reasonable guess as to what is happening here, is to read exactly what it says on the call sheet for the audition.

    Anyone know where we can find one?

    • February 21, 2014 at 8:05 pm
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      I cannot find a casting call sheet for Princess Leia anywhere.

      So until someone can produce one, I call bullocks on this rumor.

  • February 21, 2014 at 6:48 pm
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    I think they are auditioning for a Princess Leia body double to replace Carrie Fisher to be used for the sex scenes with Chewbacca & Leia.
    Han Solo will not be happy.

    • February 22, 2014 at 4:50 am
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      ^ this is precisely why I hate OT fanatics. Whenever you say “Leia” they automatically see her as a sex object. At least PT fanatics don’t instinctively put their minds in the gutter when the word “Amidala” is mentioned.

      Yes, there are exceptions to the rule, sure, but this is what I mostly see on these website forums.

    • February 22, 2014 at 3:46 pm
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      Anon 4:50 AM, take a Xanax or something.

    • February 21, 2014 at 7:44 pm
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      He only wants what’s best for the fans and moviegoers. I know it’s not realistic to ask everyone on the internet not be be a dick and spoil surprises for everyone, but that freedom is just one of the reasons we have the internet in the first place. If all of the info was kept under wraps, fans would be much happier when the premier comes around.

    • February 22, 2014 at 3:48 pm
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      True dopeyjoe. I think he and Carrie have bought into the whole fan thing over the years in regard to secrecy and giving fans what they want. It’s a fine line we tread between wanting info on the production but not wanting plot spoilers. The bombshell at the end of Empire completely blew my socks off and if anything similar happened in Ep VII the last thing I’d want would be to know about it in advance. Confirming the cast and some production photos and tidbits are fine but not a detailed outline of the story.

    • February 22, 2014 at 1:12 am
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      I could definitely see him as the mentioned Imperial agent. Hope this is true but I don’t think it needs a full update

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