Billy Dee Williams Quits DWTS Due To Back Injury.

star wars

It’s April Fools Day Today but this one was posted yesterday and it sounds serious enough. I’ve decided to drop the April Fools articles, it was pointless…

From EOnline:

In the first major shocker of the DWTS season, Billy Dee Williams announced he was leaving Dancing With the Stars on Monday night’s episode, citing an injury as his reason for quitting.

The iconic Star Wars actor and his professional partner Emma Slater decided to end their quest for the mirrorball trophy due to Williams’ chronic back pain, with his doctors recommending he withdraw from the ABC reality competition.

“I’ve had a wonderful, brilliant, fantastic blast of a time,” Williams said during the show, adding that he was going to dedicate his dance that night to his grandchildren.

He then thanked his partner, Emma Slater, saying, “Working with this wonderful, beautiful young woman has been pure, pure joy.”

Maybe he’s saving himself for Episode 7, who knows…

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

Born on April 24, 1980.

Val Trichkov (Viral Hide)

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

81 thoughts on “Billy Dee Williams Quits DWTS Due To Back Injury.

  • April 1, 2014 at 12:13 pm
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    Too bad this is April 1st news… Robert Sheehan would make a great Jacen Solo.

    And in response to Darth Fabri’s link, I actually would love to see Russell Crowe in Star Wars. 🙂

    • April 1, 2014 at 3:57 pm
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      “Robert Sheehan would make a great Jacen Solo”

      An April Fool’s Day joke, I hope…

    • April 1, 2014 at 1:24 pm
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      It’ll probably be as realistic as Hasbro releaseing Star Wars: Friendship is Magic toys.

    • April 1, 2014 at 1:49 pm
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      So would my little brother, but that’s beside the point. It was an April Fool’s prank.

  • April 1, 2014 at 12:56 pm
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    “Maybe he’s saving himself for Episode 7, who knows…”

    yeah right…

  • April 1, 2014 at 1:24 pm
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    “Back injury”

    …*cough(filming)cough*…

    • April 1, 2014 at 1:30 pm
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      filming isn’t for another month yet

    • April 1, 2014 at 1:36 pm
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      It’s still a pretty good excuse, even a month in advance. There’s quite a bit to work out before filming begins. We have no clue what’s going on behind Disney and LFL’s curtain.

    • April 1, 2014 at 1:40 pm
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      Then why hasn’t he been loosing weight like the others. Why has he been asking his fans to ask lucasfilm to put him in the film while the others have pretty much been confirmed. Just sayin’

    • April 1, 2014 at 1:48 pm
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      He’s not exactly in the worst of shape and he hasn’t mentioned anything about episode seven for months. It’s a strong possibility either way.

    • April 1, 2014 at 1:48 pm
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      Besides the fact that his back is apparently out now. There’s really nothing we can do but wait and see.

    • April 1, 2014 at 2:40 pm
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      He could be resting up for Episode 7, or he may have actually wrenched the hell out of his back. For his sake, I hope it’s the former rather than the latter.

      As for him being “out of shape”, I think that assumes that anyone returning from the OT would have to be running all over the place with a blaster just like the old days. I’ve always imagined an elderly Lando as being the head of some sort of business empire, fat, contented and living a life of luxury.

      Certainly there are plenty of possibilities like this that would work with Lando’s character but not require that Billy Dee get back to his OT fighting weight.

    • April 1, 2014 at 2:53 pm
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      Hopefully he isn’t in the film. They need to set up the premise for the new trilogy, not dwell on the past. We need to see Luke, Leia, Han, and their kids to continue the legacy. Nothing more. R2, and C3PO will also hopefully come back as they were in all 6 films so will tie everything to gether nicely. Then there’s Chewie who will presumably still be the milenium flacons co-pilot, but to the new kids and he isn’t a speaking role so that won’t be overdoing it. But Lando will be stepping the line. He was not even part of the main gang. He was only in the last half of Empire, and in Jedi he was mostly doing stuff away from the gang and generally didn’t have much lines or screentime overall. Bringing him back will overdo it and overshadow the old vs the new if we already have the whole gang coming back. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and bring back secondary characters. His contribution to the story is over, unlike the others who were actually in the main group and obviously the main characters,

    • April 1, 2014 at 3:13 pm
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      I think including him briefly would be best, just to provide some closure for the fans. If they don’t even mention his whereabouts 30 years since we last saw him, it’d leave us wondering. Afterall, he did destroy the second death star and lead a major part of the the rebel assault on Endor to victory. They should at least have one of the OT characters mention what he’s been up to if Billy Dee won’t be in the film.

    • April 1, 2014 at 3:48 pm
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      Yeah he destroyed the death star. As I said, his part has been played. They could have picked anyone to destroy the death star. It didn’t matter because it was not about the character it was about the role for the plot. Now that the plot is finished, there is no reason to bring the involved character back. He was just a character picked to do plot work, he didn’t have an arc or a thematic purpose like the others. Now that that plot’s done, he has no more purpose. Bringing him back would mean they have to contrive something and as you say yourself, would have to be small because he wasn’t a vital character. Cheap cameos is a very bad idea. And yes we are left wondering, that’s good that we are left wondering. Why do we always have to be shown every little thing all the time, even though it doesn’t effect the movie at all apart from just slowing it down and shifting the focus from the main group? The only secondary character that could come back, and it making sense, would be Yoda.

    • April 1, 2014 at 4:02 pm
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      Yoda as a force ghost? Otherwise, it would make just about as much sense as bringing back Jango, Qui-Gon or Maul…

    • April 1, 2014 at 4:36 pm
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      well of course as a ghost

    • April 1, 2014 at 5:44 pm
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      Don’t give them ideas!

    • April 1, 2014 at 5:53 pm
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      He’ll be back, He can’t *not* be back as a cameo, unless if they do it up Indy 4 style and show Han looking at pictures of all his deceased friends. Yeah, he killed a ****ing death star, He’d probably be a general tied in with the Republic’s military industrial complex or something, so why not have a brief shot of him issuing orders or orchestrating a military operation? SW is all about Cameos, and not just with actors, but #’s as well. (THX 1138 anyone?)

    • April 1, 2014 at 6:31 pm
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      That’s precicely my point; for closure purposes and nothing more. Give him at least a ten second mention. He was a general in the rebellion’s military for christ’s sake! He helped them escape from Jabba’s Palace and he’s a close friend to every primary protagonist in the OT.

    • April 1, 2014 at 6:32 pm
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      “so why not have a brief shot of him issuing orders or orchestrating a military operation?”
      Eh that would be fine. But for Lando to have a role in episode 7 would be stupid.

    • April 1, 2014 at 6:37 pm
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      I’m not saying he should be directly involved with the plot, just give him the benefit of a brief mention so we know his whereabouts at that point in the Star Wars chronology. Maybe a child of his will have a role in the movie. Maybe that rumor about him having an adopted, multiracial son/daughter could be a result of Lando’s death and Luke, having never settled down, decided to take in his offspring and raise them as his own. It could work, I suppose. It’d definitley be something different.

    • April 1, 2014 at 6:38 pm
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      “Him” meaning Luke in that sentence. Sorry for the lack of clarity there.

    • April 1, 2014 at 7:45 pm
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      ugh please no Lando kids. Lando was a womanizer, not one to settle down. No Lando kids, no yoda babies. no ob-wan babies. It’s stupid and doesn’t make sense anyway. Leave it to Luke, Leia and Han’s kids. They were the principle cast. I don’t get why people clinging onto other stuff that wouldn’t make sense if they had descendants anyway. I’ve even seen people talk about Oola and Nien Numb come back.. I mean seriously?

    • April 1, 2014 at 7:57 pm
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      Would you care to explain how Lando having kids wouldn’t make sense?
      I certainly agree with you about Yoda and Obi-Wan having kids being proposterous, but Lando seems like a perfect subject to have children in EpVII. I don’t understand what everyone has against him; perhaps the fact that he’s the only racial diversity in the OT with a speaking role?
      In my opinion, it’d be more sensible than Luke having kids, since we’ve already been told that the ST will be written with George Lucas’ original vision for the post-ROTJ story as the foundation and Lucas always believed Luke to be a loner once the Empire is vanquished. I can see that contributing to him wanting to adopt a child and I don’t see why that couldn’t be the child of the deceased Lando. Not saying it SHOULD happen, just saying it could and I wouldn’t really have a problem with it.

    • April 1, 2014 at 9:03 pm
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      Lando having kids would be weird because he was a womanizer. Han and Leia having kids would be great for their characters and for the logistichs of the film’s plot. Lando having kids wouldn’t be either of those. And wow if you even think about bringing things like his racial diversity into the equation then sorry but I have nothing to say to you because that is just racist, and to even think about accuse me of thinking this way is flippant to say the least buddy…
      “In my opinion, it’d be more sensible than Luke having kids, “
      ..Luke having children would make total sense. Yoda himself told Luke to pass on what he has learnt and as Luke says, the force is strong in his family. That’s a good comination. And continuing the skywalker lead narrative makes total 100% sense thematically speaking, and to continue the father/son narrative is again, total 100% sense too. Now to say it’s better for Lando to have a kid is kind of idiotic to be honest..

    • April 1, 2014 at 9:28 pm
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      First of all I was joking about pulling the race card. I’m no PC fascist.
      Secondly the fact that he’s a womanizer contributes to him being a good choice to have at least one kid. They wouldn’t have to be the central focus of the ST, but a supporting character that assists Han and Leia’s kids in the conflict. That’d still fit well with Luke passing down his knowledge of the Force, if he adopted Lando’s child after the general’s demise. Yoda’s remark about the force being strong with the Skywalker family would apply to Leia’s children, making them the central focus and continuing the theme of the Skywalker Legacy (theoretically speaking).
      I don’t think Yoda meant for Luke to have kids when he told him to continue teaching what he had learned. Afterall, it is against the tradition of the Jedi to be married and Yoda was a strong supporter of the traditional Jedi way.
      Maybe from the perspective you’re viewing this possibility from it wouldn’t make an ounce of sense for Lando to have children, but if they worked it into the ST’s plot as I’ve suggested without disregarding OT material, I personally think it could work out very well. Again, I’m not saying this is what will or should happen, I’m simply suggesting that it could.

    • April 1, 2014 at 9:45 pm
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      Correction: Lando WAS a womanizer. We have no evidence of what state his love life was in after he joined the rebel’s cause.

    • April 1, 2014 at 10:01 pm
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      “Again, I’m not saying this is what will or should happen, I’m simply suggesting that it could.” Alright, well I’m just pointing out why it shouldn’t happen haha. Yes it could happen. Jar jar could come back. Anything could happen, but as I said, I’m just pointing out why it would be bad.
      “it is against the tradition of the Jedi to be married” No it’s not. Well not anymore. And yeah that worked real well in the first place didn’t it. Luke was never even told about this anyway. That jedi order became extinct and for good reason, it was full of mistakes. Not being aloud to love was one of those terrible and stupid concepts. Ultimately it failed. In the originals it showed that Luke had friends, and they were there for him, and that was good. The only downside is your will to not put your friends or materialistic things over what is right. It’s not about getting rid of all personal attachments altogether. That is a stupid concept, and is rightfully now long gone by the time of ep7. Luke is in charge now.
      “I don’t think Yoda meant for Luke to have kids when he told him to continue teaching what he had learned.” Of course not. I know Yoda didn’t mean for Luke to have kids when he told him to
      “pass on what you have learnt”. I just said that as a piece of my evidence to back up my overall point of Luke having a kid. I said it to backup the point because Luke himself said “the force is strong in my family”. So put two and two together comes up with a very clear and obvious thing to do. It would be wise to broaden the skywalker family and teach them the ways of the force, and there’s only one way to do that, pump out a kid. Yes Leia is also a skywalker which is great. She could have a kid and that kid can be trained also. Maybe the whole gang could be jedi in this new trilogy. Not that I’d want that as it would get rid of some of the uniqueness of the Jedi. But anyway, as I say, making Leia’s kid, or anyone else’s kid the lead would destroy the father/son concept of the lead being the child of the previous lead. It was Anakin, then Anakins son/luke, so now it should be Luke’s son. That’s the theme of star wars. Everything points to this plot point of Luke having a kid and training him as a jedi and it would be very wise to continue this huge advantage of a concept.

    • April 2, 2014 at 2:43 am
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      Well said. However, you are forgetting that Luke is not realy in charge of the Jedi order. Nor is he all alone and free to make the rules. My proof? Watch the last minute of Return of the Jedi. There, you will see that Anakin Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Yoda are actually still alive and watching him like a hawk.

    • April 2, 2014 at 1:04 pm
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      “you are forgetting that Luke is not realy in charge of the Jedi order.”
      Yes he is. As Yoda said “When gone am I, the last of the Jedi will you be.” Luke is the last Jedi left so is in charge, and he has the responsibility of rebuilding a new Jedi order.

    • April 2, 2014 at 1:10 pm
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      Anon April 2, 3:43 AM – “There, you will see that Anakin Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Yoda are actually still alive” Are you serious? You’re joking, right?

    • April 2, 2014 at 1:52 pm
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      AnonymousApril 1, 2014 at 11:01 PM
      If I remember correctly, the father/son element in the saga only came into play once. How exactly does that make it a theme? In my opinion, bringing back that element would be redundant. I think it’d be cooler to see something new in the plot. If Luke just trained Leia’s kids, they’d still have Skywalker blood and would be strong with the force because of that. It’s so much like Star Wars to stray from the obvious; that’s one thing that sets it apart from many other franchises. Personally, I’d really rather not see “the whole gang” wielding lightsabers in this next trilogy. We got plenty of that in the PT. I’m anxious to see the familiar aspects of the OT made new again through the ST: minimal, but intense saber battles, more variety and characters you want to relate to. Every piece of evidence you’ve mentioned that points to Luke having a kid in the ST could be easily reinterpreted.

    • April 2, 2014 at 3:46 pm
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      Another reason it’d make more sense for Luke to not have kids (IMO) is the fact that we had absolutly no suggestion of a potential spouse for him at the end of ROTJ. He never really seemed like a person who was focused on love as much as his overall purpose as the last remaining Jedi. It’d stray from the central focus even more to throw in a brand new female lead whom we’ve never seen, but are to believe she’s been involved in the struggle the whole time. We’d be stuck wondering; where’d she come from? where was she during the OT? Why has there been absolutly no mention of her? Also, like I said before, we’ve been told that the ST is going to be written with GL’s original vision for the post-ROTJ story as the foundation and Lucas never saw Luke in any sort of romantic relationship. If the OT was written with that in mind, would it really make sense for the opposite to occur for this next trilogy?

    • April 2, 2014 at 3:53 pm
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      dopeyjoe, I believe that all to be true, but GL has been know to change his mind. Luke and Leia did not start off as being siblings. I believe he even made that decision half way through doing ESB or between shooting ESB and ROTJ.

      Not saying Luke having a love interest would be a good thing. Just pointing out the fact GL has changed his story over time. I believe he pretty much made up the PT as he went along. Which, you could also say about the OT, but with the OT he was changing the plot assuming that he would not make any more Star Wars movies after ROTJ.

    • April 2, 2014 at 4:05 pm
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      This comment has been removed by the author.

    • April 2, 2014 at 4:06 pm
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      Yes, he did change the story as he was writing it, as every screenwriter has. That’s a process called drafting. I’m talking about his vision of the post-ROTJ story once he had finished the final draft of the OT. Why would they write the ST with any other draft as the foundation?

    • April 2, 2014 at 4:15 pm
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      dopeyjoe you’re starting to talk rubbish now.
      “If I remember correctly, the father/son element in the saga only came into play once. How exactly does that make it a theme?”
      Anakin was the main in the prequels, his son was the main in the originals and him being the father was a large part of the story, and now it would be wise to continue the narrative of the next skywalker generation. This isn’t even a difficult concept I can’t believe you’re arguing like this never happened..
      “If Luke just trained Leia’s kids, they’d still have Skywalker blood and would be strong with the force because of that.”
      .. yeeees but that would erase the concept of having a lead which is the son of the previous skywalker lead.
      “Another reason it’d make more sense for Luke to not have kids (IMO) is the fact that we had absolutly no suggestion of a potential spouse for him at the end of ROTJ” So what? Plus, you just argued that Lando should have kids and he never had a partner. You’re just starting to contradicting yourself. How can you argue against logic of Luke’s child being the lead, because that theme has already been done before so it shouldn’t be done again. That’s the whole point, it’s been done before, so it should happen again. Then you say something completely contradictory yet again “I’m anxious to see the familiar aspects of the OT made new again through the ST:” ..

    • April 2, 2014 at 4:15 pm
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      I’m not saying JJ and co are changing GL’s draft. I’m saying GL may have changed his on draft before handing it over to them.

      GL could have changed his post-ROTJ story after he made Jedi/possibly after the PT after he dropped the idea all together and picked it back up just before selling to Disney.

      Why would GL change whether or not Han shot first?

    • April 2, 2014 at 4:55 pm
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      AnonymousApril 2, 2014 at 5:15 PM
      You’re obviously not taking the time to fully understand my points, so continuing this conversation is pointless. It’s all speculation anyway. The fact that we’re both tirelessly arguing about these matters with such assurance is laughable.

    • April 2, 2014 at 5:03 pm
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      In a way, it is fun to speculate and run different theories about where things are going to go through your head.

    • April 2, 2014 at 5:10 pm
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      No dopeyjoe honestly, you’re the one not understanding my points otherwise you wouldn’t be arguing against them and you’re failing to argue back when I prove your arguments wrong so yeah I completely agree that this conversation is pointless lol. I think we all need some news to talk about

    • April 2, 2014 at 5:37 pm
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      I hate to be THAT guy, but actually it’s-
      “Enough of this. Vader, release him”
      “as you wish”
      “this bickering is pointless!”
      😉

    • April 2, 2014 at 5:46 pm
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      I did my best to address your points as much as I could. Are rebuttles immediatly considered nonexistent if I don’t quote you before stating them?

    • April 2, 2014 at 6:45 pm
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      ..I just proved your arguments wrong and then you didn’t say anything, so yes they were nonexistent. You just ignored all I said and pointlessly and rather ignorantly said “You’re obviously not taking the time to fully understand my points.” …even though I understood them perfectly and then simply explained to you where you were wrong. You’re the one who’s ignoring what I am saying, and you’re the one not validating anything further, not me..

    • April 2, 2014 at 6:56 pm
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      I’m not going to take time to go back through all of my responses to your “proving me wrong.” It’d be a complete waste of time. Let’s just save ourselves the discomfort and agree to disagree. There’s not much we can do besides wait until the movie comes out next year, anyway.

    • April 2, 2014 at 7:07 pm
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      riiight

    • April 2, 2014 at 8:17 pm
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      Not arrogant. Just correct 🙂

  • April 1, 2014 at 1:35 pm
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    “I’ve decided to drop the April Fools articles, it was pointless…”
    Aw man I missed it lol. What was on it?

    • April 1, 2014 at 2:14 pm
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      Jar Jar back for Star Wars: Rebels; Adam Driver concept art (was actually from ROTS); some Netherlands and Irish filming rumors.

    • April 1, 2014 at 6:40 pm
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      Honestly, VH, if I were you and didn’t want to be accused of playing an April Fool’s joke, then I’d stay away from posting anything today.

    • April 2, 2014 at 2:44 am
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      99% of the time, this entire website is an april fool’s joke.

      Not that I have anything against Viral Hide. It’s the moronic, stupid people who keep leaking these rumors.

  • April 1, 2014 at 3:19 pm
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    ♫ I remember every April 1st there would be breaking news that Lucas was doing Episodes 7 8 and 9. Then it would be an April fools joke, at that won’t happen anymore.
    I read the casting announcements could come in April. They start shooting next month so something has to give, or leak out. ♫

  • April 1, 2014 at 3:54 pm
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    Epic Load VII

    THE CRAP GETS CRAPPIER

    It is a dark time for Star Wars fandom. There has been no good movie since Empire way back in 1980.

    The evil Disney Empire has now taken over franchise. Yet after seeing the prequel atrocities produced by ol’ Georgie himself, some fans have A NEW HOPE, thinking that Disney at least can’t do any worse.

    Little do they know that the vile Disney executives are going to fleece them so good that even Hayden Christensen’s “acting” will suddenly seem Oscar-worthy in comparison …

    • April 1, 2014 at 4:00 pm
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      whatever… Troll

    • April 1, 2014 at 10:10 pm
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      People like this are not Star Wars fans. The Only good movie is Empire, please. ROTJ was awesome, my favorite of the originals, but fan boys hate the ewoks and still cry about it 30 years later. Even thought I had some issues with the prequels, there were a lot of things i did like about them, not not like several films I don’t see how you can consider yourself a fan, you are one of these cry baby fan boys that thinks those BS fake novels are better then the films. Why are you even on a Star Wars forum, just to post BS.

    • April 2, 2014 at 2:39 am
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      ^agree. Thank you for pointing out the good within the prequels. Right off the bat, the prequels had 1) Darth Maul 2) droid/federation droid/ship designs 3) Duel of the Fates… etc. I can go on and on. Heck, even the podrace was pretty cool.

      As Star Wars fans, we must be united instead of bashing each other. As much as the prequels are said to be uncomparable to the OT, they are still far more interesting and well made than other sci fis made in the late 90s/early 00s.

    • April 2, 2014 at 4:17 pm
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      ..darth maul was good? You mean the person who would be completely boring if it wasn’t for how his skin looks? Yeah wow what a strong character lmao.

  • April 1, 2014 at 3:58 pm
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    I hope Lando is in the film in some capacity. Does not have to be anything leading or even main plot but a side character and some good back and forth with Han and Leia would be great. Episode VII needs to continue the continuity of the story from E VI including some continuation of additional characters, not just the “big three”. Lando was a great secondary character and added a lot to Empire and Jedi… At least I think so 🙂

  • April 1, 2014 at 4:32 pm
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    Maybe EPVII will begin with the sucessfull assassination of the Chancellor (Calrissian), he would only have to be in one scene and die…I could see him lying on the floor, fatally wounded, a female medic rushes up to him: “Well… who have we hereeeeee…” dead.;)

    • April 1, 2014 at 4:33 pm
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      Charming, to the last…

    • April 1, 2014 at 6:00 pm
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      Make sure he’s assassinated as he’s resting comfortably on a nice, supportive Tempurpedic Mattress.

    • April 1, 2014 at 6:49 pm
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      With a cool bottle of refreshing Colt 45 in his hand.

    • April 1, 2014 at 10:12 pm
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      good thing you are not a screen writer.

    • April 2, 2014 at 4:24 pm
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      good thing 99% of the people on this site aren’t writers judging by their suggestions ha

    • April 1, 2014 at 9:37 pm
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      They should totally do/use this!!!

  • April 2, 2014 at 12:47 am
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    There was no back injury Disney finally got his EP7 contract together & told him to quite DWTS & get over to London for shooting in late May……

  • April 2, 2014 at 12:49 pm
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    Billy Dee Williams did an interview on the Radio “Dish Nation” on March (24 ?) 25, 2014. It seems he was hinting about the new “Star Wars VII” movie.
    But than again; maybe he was talking about the animated series “Star Wars Rebels”.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuWZAqaiAFo

    • April 2, 2014 at 4:22 pm
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      I think it was about Rebels as he said he’s already done it and talked about how nobody else can do Lando’s voice but him.

    • April 2, 2014 at 5:35 pm
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      It sounds like Billy D. was talking about two separate things. The first part about Star Wars which he CAN’T talk about, and the second part where he’s OPENLY talking about his voice for Lando which is cleary about Rebels.

  • April 2, 2014 at 6:15 pm
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    Star Wars facebook just changed their cover photo to the big three after blowing up the Death Star. Could this be a sign?

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