UPDATE! First Look at the Star Wars: Episode 7 Abu Dhabi Set With J.J. Abrams!

star wars


In a special video message from the set of Star Wars: Episode VII, director J.J. Abrams announces the creation of Star Wars: Force for Change, a brand new Star Wars initiative from Disney and Lucasfilm, in collaboration with Bad Robot, dedicated to finding creative solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems. The first Star Wars: Force for Change campaign will raise funds and awareness for UNICEF’s Innovation Labs and its innovative projects benefitting children in need…



 

 

From youtube:

To support the launch of Star Wars: Force for Change, Disney has committed $1 million, and fans can now donate directly at Omaze.com/StarWars for a chance to appear in Star Wars: Episode VII. By pledging as little as $10 through the Omaze fundraising platform, any eligible supporter will be automatically entered for a chance to win this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The campaign runs from 12:01am PST on May 21stth until 11:59pm PST July 18th.

The Star Wars: Force for Change Grand Prize includes:
• Airfare and accommodations to London for one winner and a guest
• Behind-the-scenes access on the closed set of Star Wars: Episode VII as VIP guests of J.J. Abrams
• Winner will have the opportunity to meet members of the cast
• Winner and their guest will then be transformed by makeup and costume teams into a Star Wars character and filmed for a scene in Star Wars: Episode VII

star wars

Visit StarWars.com/ForceForChange to learn more about this new charitable initiative and the work of UNICEF’s Innovation Labs and programs, and be sure to enter through contribution or free entry for your chance to win at omaze.com/starwars.



UPDATE!


The creature looks a lot like H’drachi.



And do you remember this bit from The National:

Our sources also report that the sets are getting closer to completion, with a “whole world” having been built on an otherworldly salt lake at one location, a “shuttle-like” spacecraft, a large tower, a “big, centuries-old-looking market”, something the crew are reportedly referring to as the “alien house” and 10 to 15 “really fast buggies” powered by jet engines.

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

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Val Trichkov (Viral Hide)

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

211 thoughts on “UPDATE! First Look at the Star Wars: Episode 7 Abu Dhabi Set With J.J. Abrams!

  • May 21, 2014 at 12:49 pm
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    And here we go. I live in Egypt going to test out the security tomorrow. Wish me luck. Hope its not shoot on sight.

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:42 pm
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      Dude, just get a $99 drone. Look at the video. Look at all the commotion, at all of the noise. NO ONE’S gonna notice an anonymous small drone flying overhead recording everything. Go for it, I say!!

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:16 pm
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      May the Force be with you, Anonymous!

  • May 21, 2014 at 12:54 pm
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    oh my god it’s actually happening

    • May 21, 2014 at 2:56 pm
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      Desert like environment confirmed. Judging by the Clone Wars cartoon, there are a lot of those worlds.

    • May 21, 2014 at 3:15 pm
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      We already knew it was a desert. The bazaar is the interesting part. It certainly could be another planet, and I hope it is, but as Tatooine is in all but one of the movies and easily the most recognizable planet in Star Wars they might just make it be there for nostalgia marketing.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:44 pm
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      For a film like this, nostalgia marketing is just what they need. It will in no way jeopardize the film’s quality.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:57 pm
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      I’m very anti-wasteful-consumerism but have no problem with Star Wars marketing. I don’t see where the harm is in this?

      I’d say Tatooine=confirmed.

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:03 pm
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    Come on guys, what’s wrong with you – did anyone else notice THAT MAGNIFICENT CREATURE in the background? Did anyone notice the extras wearing costumes? It shows the dedication to the old and tested methods that look so much like the OT!

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:27 pm
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      the dedication to old and rubber-looking aliens like the OT, you mean. Ever notice how all the aliens in the original Star Wars moved like old 80 year old men afraid to take a misstep for fear of falling because they couldn’t see in those masks, (except for the Chewbacca chess game, which was, ironically, animated. hahaha.)

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:42 pm
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      And that’s exactly what I loved about it :).

      Nice try George Lucas 😉

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:52 pm
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      AnonymousMay 21, 2014 at 5:27 PM
      What you’d consider cheap, rubber-looking cheesy aliens, we consider craftsmanship. An element that cannot be found in films with overly produced CGI.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:00 pm
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      Yeah go back to your fake looking Dex, I’ll take a muppet over that anyday… because at least a muppet is you know… real? That one looked pretty convincing to me.

      In any case… if you aren’t happy then you aren’t a Star Wars fan… cuz this looks AMAZING! and it isn’t even a movie clip!

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:05 pm
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      Oh and “craftsman ship”… yeah. I’m not trying to knock ILM… because they are awesome… but Lucas over tasked them with the prequels and made them devote time to CGI’ing things like walking sticks and god knows what else. ILM can do some amazing work they just need to be provided with attainable goals.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:25 pm
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      The other thing to take into account is how much both CGI and practical effects have developed even since the PT was made. They can certainly implement both forms of recreating an imaginative, fantastic reality for us to make episode VII truly great. We should be expecting nothing less.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:31 pm
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      True, the one thing I’m waiting to hear on will be if the space ships will be models… I don’t mind space ship models with CGI, I just hope the ships aren’t CGI’d because when they are it’s not convincing to me.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:45 pm
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      Agreed. The opening sequence of EpIII is a perfect example of that.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:48 pm
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      Im guessing they’ll use both digital and practical effects for the ships. Unlike living creatures, objects like starships are easier to replicate in CGI without completely ruining the magic of the film. That is another place where the PT went wrong, IMO.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:54 pm
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      True dat. I look at Avatar as a good example… that interstellar ship looked super CGI. Though in Prometheus the ship looked pretty good… not sure if that was CGI or model. I can tell in the Star Treks that the enterprise is CGI but it’s less bothersome.

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:04 pm
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    All right! That half man, half camel is really funny. And: Is that a Jedi lurking in the background to the right? A Jedi selling stuff..?

    • May 21, 2014 at 1:18 pm
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      Looks a lot like darth maul haha. Pretty much everyone from Tatooine wore robes though in star wars.

    • May 21, 2014 at 3:57 pm
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      I think it was a Jedi… he had a qui-gon-ish haircut if I’m not mistaken.

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:28 pm
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      Why would a jedi be standing there selling stuff? Ever think of that guys? Doesn’t he have something better to do like, I dunno, maintain peace?

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:36 pm
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      I’m sorry AnonymousMay 21, 2014 at 5:28 PM, I wasn’t aware that video was a direct clip from EpVII…

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:44 pm
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      Ahh nevermind he looks more like a smuggler earlier in the shot… wearing a vest haha.

    • May 21, 2014 at 9:14 pm
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      “Is that a Jedi selling stuff?”

      Hey, come on. Times have been hard since Order 66 and the dissolution of the Jedi Council. Give the guy a break. 😛

    • May 22, 2014 at 2:01 am
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      “You WILL pay double for this item.

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:17 pm
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    Love that goofy creature thing walking past with the beard. Getting back to that fairytale tone of the OT I see. Love it !

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:10 pm
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      It’s funny how “goofy creatures” are ok when you speak of it in the OT.

      If this was the PT, “goofy creatures”= annoying childhood ruiners, not “fairytale tone.” Personally I think this alien reminds me of one of those Arab merchant stereotypes from Aladdin.

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:51 pm
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      Yeah, when they say shit like “missa step in doo-doo!” and CGI it to unrealistic levels then yeah… it’s verifiably annoying.

      As for stereotypes I don’t think any sci fi or fantasy can really escape that. I know that a lot of Star Wars characters caught some flak for being “racist” but I’m not sure I agree. I think of Lando’s “mexican” co-pilot in return of the Jedi… it’s not as if they are making fun of mexicans… it’s just a cool thing to see. That’s the way I feel about that Arabic-ish thing… it’s not showing anything negative about that creature as it seems to care for its offspring. Asian Seperatists though/ Jar Jar… yeeeeah I dunno.

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:52 pm
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      P.S. I second that… the goofy creature is awesome… good job creature props department… looks real.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:40 pm
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      Great point… I know exactly what you mean… that did detract from the film as well, that whole scene was just totally stupid.

      Worse yet… I know that Lucas was trying to reference his youth and the whole 1950’s vibe, but he went about it the wrong way. I just felt like I was watching a bad version of back to the future set in Star Wars inexplicably for 5 minutes. There were some moments of brilliance in that film but that wasn’t one of them haha.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:29 pm
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      I know exactly what you mean… 1 did feel Star Wars-ish… I think that partly had to do with it being filmed on real film as well. I liked the pod-racing scene aside from the announcer haha. I also really loved the first clone battle at the end of episode II… that was really damn epic and well sequenced. Episode III I liked the first 20 minutes except for those stupid buzz droids, aside from that, the whole sequence did feel very Star Warsian to me.

      Some of those sets were actually “real”. The Geonosis arena was actually a giant model, and I think that giant pit where Obi Wan killed Grevious was a model too… but yeah most of it was CGI shit but I think we both know that there was so many other things hindering the films due to Neo-Lucasonian outlook on film making.

      I see a lot of parallels between George Lucas and Brian Wilson actually (I know… out of nowhere comparison) but they were both guys who worked their way up and created something unique… and then when they were at the top of their game there was some form of collapse. Brian Wilson’s undoing was too much LSD fueled by family issues, Lucas’s was with the divorce… interesting that his ex wife had a lot to contribute to the films based on what I’ve read.

    • May 22, 2014 at 6:06 am
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      Oh yeah I remember that Wedgie Em’ Out! Did I tell you I’m an artist? I love this kind of stuff… it would be my dream job to work for lucasfilm’s concept department right now… but I’m an oil painter… I don’t think they are looking for matte painters anymore 🙁

      I agree with everything except halfway regarding Grevious’s ship. Yeah, the CGI bothered me but I loved when Anakin and Dooku face off infront of Palpatine. I liked the crash, but I totally know what you mean. I feel like if Lucas had filmed that same sequence in the late 80’s with the same ideas it would have been badass… but I guess we got what we got haha.

      You a home theater geek? I’ve heard a lot of debate about 4k (how current 4k isn’t *really* 4k), you think the real deal is that far off? Shit, I hope we get 4k OT unmolested… preferably before VII’s release. I’m probably gonna get a 4k when they become affordable!

    • May 22, 2014 at 7:38 pm
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      Wow that’s really cool! I know exactly what you are saying about those guys who make it on dumb luck and feel they are superior to everyone else… I’ve encountered those personalities in many fields. I know what you mean about Lucas “gets it”… I just heard an interview with the guy who THX was named after… really smart guy so I know lucas made the right decision in managing media development.

      Do you think that if 4K tv’s drop in price below 1k (maybe in a year?) that it would be dumb to buy one? I’m curious if the 4k tv’s a year from now will be different than whatever 4k tv’s might exist 6 years from now. (because I know the current 4k isn’t *really* 4K… so would it ever be?) I’m guessing that if I wanted to I could still watch the regular HD content but for when I want that nice 4k film experience I could watch some 4k Blurays (if they exist at that time which seems likely).

      I’m basically in the market right now because I have this really crappy 30 inch 720 dpi tv. I don’t want to waste money on an HD tv if the technology goes oboslete in a few years, but at the same time if the 4k tv’s a year from now suck in comparison to those that exist 5 years down the line then that doesn’t seem desirable either. Or am I just fucked? haha.

    • May 23, 2014 at 1:05 am
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      I am going to have to find that interview you mentioned- I have the theatrical poster from the THX1138 rerelease framed and on my office wall (see link below)-

      The thing about 4K tvs is that if you want to get the benefit of 4k from them the screen size needs to be at least in the 55 inch ball park, i’m not even sure if they make then under 50 actually. And there there is the no content factor- there are really only a handful of 4K movies out there and most of them are coming preloaded on to certain UltraHD tv’s. Sony is releasing films “mastered in 4k” – which yes, they look better but there are still output to a 1080p blu-ray, its kind of a scam really. My tv is from 2009 and it is still the best tv ever made – Pioneer Kuro- that being said, they don’t make them anymore because they were to expensive and people didn’t see the quality difference… which is funny because this tv blows any LCD/LED away overall and especially in a dark room- I prefer to create a theatre like atmosphere- LED’s look like crap in a dark room- I always recommend Plasma- a friend of mine got a 55inch samsung plasma on black friday last year for 450- its a very nice tv- doesn’t have the bells and whistles like LEDs to but all i really care about is picture quality. I have other devices to get an image to the TV and to create the audio experience. I personally don’t think it is the right time to buy 4K tv’s- Within a couple years most new movies will be able to be purchased in 4k through streaming services like vudu- but even then, is a 4K vudu file look better than a 1080p blu-ray?

      It feels like TV manufacturers have jumped from 3D to 4K just to find a new marketing ploy but not necessarily to create a better tv. By Default 4K tv’s are technically better but if the black levels are shit, what is the point- I haven’t researched them too much- but only because there isn’t much content out there to be displayed on it anyways- It will be really hard to market a true 4k optical disc at this point- and 4k streaming probably won’t give a better overall image than blu-ray (for now) so it creates a weird scenario-

      http://postimg.org/image/6r8simam5/

    • May 23, 2014 at 2:33 am
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      I wrote a long comment about 4k tv’s and for some reason it didn’t post! crap, i don’t have time to do it again at the moment, I would seriously recommend getting a samsung or panasonic plasma- I have a pioneer Kuro- and the black levels are amazing- the problem with 4k is that there is no content available and i haven’t heard much about it becoming available anytime soon- sony released those “mastered in 4k” blu-rays, but they are still 1080p! yes they do look good, but its kind of a marketing scam-

      I would hold off on a 4k tv and maybe find a decent plasma on black friday- I personally hate lcd/led- they look terrible when you turn the lights off and who wants to watch movies with the lights on???

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:21 pm
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    Love that they’re using the hype for this movie for benefits such as this. All looking good so far.

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:25 pm
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    I think there was a Jedi of that species in Clone Wars. He helped Ahsoka find her lightsaber.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:34 pm
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      I don’t know… his feet look too humanish (no claws) and his brow is sort of turtle-ish. I think it’s a new species. If it’s Cosian then it’s a re-design, or a different “race” of Cosian if that makes sense.

    • May 21, 2014 at 8:11 pm
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      would make sense so be similar species, Duros and Neimoidians are almost the same but different.

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:26 pm
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    With every little bit of official info we get comes a new sense of excitement and anticipation for this movie.

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:54 pm
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      🙂 this is sooo bad ass, I feel like a giddy kid again 🙂

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:13 pm
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      This video alone is enough to make me camp out in line for advance tickets.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:44 pm
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      Do you live in a city? In the suburbs it’s a little easier, when Episode I came out I ditched school and walked to the theater where about 30 people were waiting for 15 min. A lot easier to buy tickets haha.

      But one worry I have for opening night… how will distribution of tickets work for pre-order? Because I’m sure it will be internet based. I want to buy a ticket for myself and my 2 nephews… hoping to get into the IMAX 3D show for opening night with the 2 of them… they are just the right age for this 🙂

      I just hope it’s not something like where some hacker will develop an algorithm to buy all the tickets .00001 seconds after they go on sale and scalp them for 100 a piece.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:58 pm
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      I’m sure there are ways to avoid such an occurance. I too live in the suburbs but I’d expect this movie to draw a significantly larger crowd than TPM.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:17 pm
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      I actually live in the city but don’t mind driving out to the burbs… the city theaters just get too nuts for this sort of thing!

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:21 pm
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      I agree, this film is going to have the OT and PT generation of fans, plus the new generation.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:52 pm
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      3 generations for sure! Yeah can’t wait to take my nephews on opening night to see it… I primed them, we are actually going to watch Empire and ROTJ this weekend 🙂 (they’ve never seen Empire!)

      The real handy thing is that while they are waiting in the theater line before they let people in I might take a quick “smoke break” *wink* *wink* and then hit up the concession stand.

    • May 22, 2014 at 9:46 pm
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      I’ll wait until someone uploads the torrents of the theaters’ sattellite feeds and then watch it in the comfort of my own home while at the same time charging people $10 apiece if they want a “sneak preview”. Plus, I can buy a couple of packs of those cheap Stahlmeyer’s hot dogs (the kind that fall apart in boiling water) a loaf of white bread from the 99¢ store, a box of “beef burgers” (not 100% beef), a couple of bottles of off-brand ketchup & mustard, then charge a premium price if my customers want to enjoy snacks while they watch the movie. Napkins & soda are, of course, not included. They can use their sleeves and drink water from the spigot at the back of the house. But what if it’s raining, you ask? What am I, the fuckin’ weatherman?!? If it’s raining, then it’s raining. Then don’t buy/eat movie food that makes you thirsty: that’s my advice.

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:33 pm
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    Notice that burping frog creature from outside Jabba’s palace in the upper cage?
    I wonder if that alien will be the Hasbro preview figure?

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:37 pm
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    First this is a good cause, which is so cool. Second take my money please.

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:41 pm
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    Holy…

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:48 pm
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    It’s a good cause, yes, but this promotions always are for rich people (like Back to the future nike mag shoes). Notice the more expensive options (and the best)are almost done. If you enter in omaze.com you can check contribute options.
    And sincerelly i doubt with 10 dollars you can enter to win the big prize.

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:31 pm
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      What do you mean almost done? Only 349 left! Implies to me that there were 350 available. Sure, there will be folks with a lot of entries, but they will still be dwarfed by the number of people with a few entries each. Are you likely to win? No, but that’s any lottery. I might spring for the t-shirt and a good cause and no there’s astronomical odds I’ll win, but hey, cool shirt.

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:48 pm
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    Yeaaah ! Cool Puppet ! This sound like a promess to me as a pratical effect fan.

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:54 pm
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    Can you recall what episode/season that jedi was in, I can’t recall that episode?

  • May 21, 2014 at 1:55 pm
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    haha and now that creature will get a name and a backstory and be up on wookipedia before we know it. Never thought I’d see the day we get more star wars films

  • May 21, 2014 at 2:00 pm
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    in the video i can see a pod racer on the left (connection with PT), the obviously jedi on the right, some extras here and there with tatooine customs, and the hexagonal logo from Lost in the middle hahahahah
    this video will be analized during months

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:21 pm
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      I don’t see the podracer. It probably exists only in your imagination. Because why would Disney/Lucasfilm want to imitate the PT? Isn’t their job to make OT fanatics happy? Making connections to the PT would just be too… nice to the select few (me included) who actually enjoyed Episdoes I-III.

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:46 pm
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      Yeah, and I don’t see any “hexagonal logo from ‘LOST’ “, either.

    • May 21, 2014 at 9:23 pm
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      Yahoo news thinks it’s a podracer too. As much as I disliked a lot of the prequels we don’t have to totally pretend they didn’t happen right? haha. I kind of liked the podracers and have no problem with them referencing pod racers. Just no “icky poo poo” and I’ll be ok.

  • May 21, 2014 at 2:01 pm
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    I mean he looks like a Maul type of character with dark robes and face pain

  • May 21, 2014 at 2:08 pm
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    Abrams is a great director . Episode 7 is going to be awesome . I will try to persuade Abrams make it look like the OT

  • May 21, 2014 at 2:27 pm
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    Real live-action creatures. Less CGI. Love it! I’m pretty sure Abrams & Co. are on the right track.

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:18 pm
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      ^ Except for the fact that when the alien looked at Abrams, it never moved its neck. FAKE. So either this alien has a stiff neck from carrying that heavy backpack, or practical effects actually have a downside.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:12 pm
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      Go back to your PT and fake CGI, you guys lost… get over it. It’s neck did have some articulation btw.

    • May 22, 2014 at 12:37 am
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      If you carried that load around, wouldnt you have a stiff neck too?

      Redski

    • May 22, 2014 at 2:21 am
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      I don’t get the PT hate. I am glad about the practical effects use, and just as glad that there will be CGI where needed. The first six films were all awesome, and the seventh shows signs of being great as well.

    • May 22, 2014 at 3:50 am
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      Some of us OT folks got resentful because when this video hit the news today it was the PT people who said “it looks like shit… this is gonna suck” sort of thing. I liked all the movies as well but OT was far superior.

      I’m not sure when you were born but OT was Lucas’s prime. Then he went back and ruined the OT, and after that the prequels came. There was some amazing moments… but we had to cringe through a lot of other moments… and there’s a lot to cringe at.

  • May 21, 2014 at 2:39 pm
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    That’s Luke Skywalker in the robe!!!!!! I’m extremely HYPED

  • May 21, 2014 at 3:13 pm
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    The moment when abrahams and the alien stare each other and abrahams stands so confused for a while and then continues talking… i cant stop laughing XD

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:48 pm
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      Jesus Christ, that to you was funny?!? God Almighty, you amuse easily. No wonder media is the way it is: because of people like you.

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:59 pm
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      Geez, lighten up. Maybe he’s stoned?

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:17 pm
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      Yeah lighten up… it’s funny, just not “hah-hah” funny. Guys this is really cool.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:54 pm
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      It IS funny, I laughed too, because it was unagitated. There were no lavatorial jokes, there was no slapstick or violence, it was a just a quiete scene and I do think that was pretty hilarious.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:30 pm
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      Damn, iPadCary. Not everyone shares your particular sense of humor. Give people a break, will ya? ou’re talking like you know all of these people by name.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:31 pm
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      Maca O from birko, Go ed lad!!!

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:58 pm
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      Definetly iPadCary has absolutely no sense of humor of any kind, we can see clearly in more than one post in this thread

    • May 22, 2014 at 2:11 am
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      I think JJ was confused because he wasn’t expecting something to be there until post-production.

    • May 22, 2014 at 10:51 am
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      Ipadcarry, im the guy who wrote the original post. Just take it easy man; maybe the situation in the video has an insight sense of humor that you are not capable to catch; just try to look a bit far away man… and get off two stais

    • May 22, 2014 at 9:56 pm
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      Look my friend, your reaction to that moment was WAYYY overblown, and that’s the bottom line!! And to those who say that I have no sense of humor: Well, you know why? Cuz that “sense of humor” is knocked out by a “sense of business”!! My plan? I’ll wait until someone uploads the torrents of the theaters’ sattellite feeds and then watch it in the comfort of my own home while at the same time charging people $10 apiece if they want a “sneak preview”. Plus, I can buy a couple of packs of those cheap Stahlmeyer’s hot dogs (the kind that fall apart in boiling water) a loaf of white bread from the 99¢ store, a box of “beef burgers” (not 100% beef), a couple of bottles of off-brand ketchup & mustard, then charge a premium price if my customers want to enjoy snacks while they watch the movie. Napkins & soda are, of course, not included. They can use their sleeves and drink water from the spigot at the back of the house. But what if it’s raining, you ask? What am I, the fuckin’ weatherman?!? If it’s raining, then it’s raining. Then they shouldn’t buy/eat movie food that causes thirst! Also, I will sell, at $2 per package, a variety of Little Debbie™ cakes for dessert. See what a thoughtful host I am? Now you take back your salacious comments THIS INSTANT.

    • May 23, 2014 at 9:37 am
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      You are a good Cary. You should eat at “nasty drunk food”… my diner that’s only open from 3 am to 6:30 am in college towns… where patrons must snarl up runny eggs from troughs without silverware.

    • May 23, 2014 at 2:10 pm
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      Wow… you’ve got a million dollar scheme there, don’cha?
      Good luck with that.

    • May 23, 2014 at 3:41 pm
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      Douche.

      I’m not calling anyone that, I’m just making a suggestion.

  • May 21, 2014 at 3:18 pm
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    Very Inventive creature that walked by carrying the cages. Nice touch to have the chicks sticking their heads out of the cage. Starting to look like the tatooine I always wanted to see.
    I hope we get to see some back alleys of this city. Maybe a mugging by some pissed off aliens.

    • May 21, 2014 at 3:30 pm
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      It’s great! Looks like something straight out of Jim Henson’s creature shop, just like the other exotic creatures we saw in the OT. I cannot wait for this!

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:08 pm
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      OK, having now watched this six times and analyzed EVERYTHING, I just have to ask … What scurries by the camera in the foreground at Force-speed at the 1:14 mark of the video?!

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:50 pm
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      That’s a good question… it’s gotta be intentional unless if JJ was just lazy and didn’t care if some crew member was walking by. If it was laziness I’d say it was maybe a top of the hat or maybe a camera cart because it’s going so fast… if not it could be a hint. Detectives get to work!

    • May 22, 2014 at 9:56 pm
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      I actually like that design… but that’s Jim Henson more than Disney though right? Dark Crystal was pretty dark. But keep in mind… this one just *one* design out of probably hundreds… I’m sure there’ll be some ESB style creatures too. (I’m guessing you’re talking about those factory workers in Bespin right?)

    • May 23, 2014 at 7:39 pm
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      I think you can see the Henson influence more so in ROTJ with the then recent technology of animatronics – but even when it comes down to stylizeation ESB was edgy in most aspects of design (for ref: check out the ISD bridge with Bounty Hunter loadout) even down to the ugnaughts – even Yoda at the time was something never attempted by Henson i.e. something very real. Ok i’m not suggesting an Empire remake by any means and this was just a spearhead for unicef afterall. All I ask that the enviroments reflect the design and logics of races species on whatever worlds we’ll see!!

  • May 21, 2014 at 4:12 pm
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    Love the actual creature effects. Even just those things in the box with the actual moving heads is way more magical and impressive than sebulba or something

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:30 pm
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      or a very long table. or a production car. Or a piece of random junk.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:16 pm
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      agreed, it does indeed look like pod racer engines. “me no watchin’!” 🙂

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:28 pm
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      I don’t mind the pod racer part in the back if thats what that is. Pod racing is a part of the Star Wars lore now. Just because it happened in the PT doesn’t mean a prop shouldn’t be used referencing something.

    • May 21, 2014 at 9:49 pm
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      Darth Cylon, I agree. The pod racers were a fun part of the PT and really were cool at the time of release (I still like them). My kids of course still like the pod racers and think they are very very cool! “Nucha! Na bota!”

    • May 21, 2014 at 10:40 pm
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      I like the pod race scene too… aside from the completely CGI’d 2 headed announcer, fake looking Jabba (though adding his wife in was a good touch) and of course ****ing Jar Jar. I see no probs with putting a podracer into Ep VII.

  • May 21, 2014 at 4:20 pm
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    That is an epic creature. Stomps all over CGI beasts… wow JJ stop exciting me with such simple tactics! I wish I were joking but the smile across my face right now! I almost feel stupid for how happy this makes me!

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:29 pm
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      …just tell us the rest of the cast, Abrams.

    • May 21, 2014 at 4:52 pm
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      Today’s a great day! 😀

  • May 21, 2014 at 4:34 pm
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    The guy on the right is clearly a giant mutant Jawa who sold his face mask.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:55 pm
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      Jeff, did you count how many women were in the video? You’re our residential score keeper.

  • May 21, 2014 at 4:34 pm
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    Haha love the few PT fans still trying to defend the crap they profess to love. That alien looked more Star Wars than any new design used in the PT. In your collective faces!! May the PT be buried forever beneath the ST.
    My only beef is that the location looks more like TPM-Tatooine than ANH-Tatooine.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:30 pm
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      I disagree this looks more like a tented market place, or a flea market type area to me. Then again we are looking at it from the direction they will not be filming, since cars are in the background parked. The real action is in the direction Abrams is looking. What I’m trying to say is i think this is a ST Tatooine.

  • May 21, 2014 at 4:37 pm
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    Man, the first three times I watched the video I couldn’t even pay attention to JJ. I love Star Wars.

  • May 21, 2014 at 4:39 pm
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    When I win, I’m gonna secretly record everything & give it all to the guys on this blog FIRST!! And that’s an absolute PROMISE!!

  • May 21, 2014 at 4:50 pm
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    You think that’s Andy Serkis in the costume?

  • May 21, 2014 at 4:51 pm
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    … and then I’m gonna sell that shit to the highest bidder! $150,000? Do I hear 200? 250! Do I hear 250!!

  • May 21, 2014 at 5:02 pm
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    In the background a guy with a long metal stick or weapon (fishing tackle?), walking across to the right at the same time as the alien appears.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:20 pm
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      I don’t think it’s a H’drachi or Corsian, it’s brow is too turtle-ish if you know what I mean. That creature doesn’t have the claw feet either. I’m thinking it’s something new 🙂

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:40 pm
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      Well we’ve only seen the Cosian animated and the H’rdrachi drawn, neither of which were particularly “realistic” looking, so I wouldn’t count them out as a possibility so quickly, but honestly we won’t know what it is or what it’s carrying for sometime. And I doubt we’ll be paying much attention to that specific creature when the day comes (:

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:52 pm
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      True there is no canon for creature features… I concur I don’t think we’ll be paying much attention haha.

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:34 pm
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      Creatures like that are what make the Cantina scene so great. It opens are minds making us wonder and question. That is what I am most excited about seeing new things that make me feel like a kid and dream of whats beyond the stars. I am sure we are going to be introduced to hundreds of new species in the next few years that are just in the background.

    • May 21, 2014 at 8:51 pm
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      I hope JJ uses a lot of animatronics rather than cg. With all due respect to Andy Serkis I’m a bit affraid we get another cg character with plenty of screentime. Nonetheless yoda was nice in ROTS and new TPM.

    • May 21, 2014 at 8:58 pm
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      I have a feeling that if Serkis is a CGI only character they will use some new type of CGI or merge the models with CGI like they did in star trek… they looked pretty good in those movies. If you look at the leap between PT & Avatard, that was quite a leap for CGI. Avatard was 5 years ago now so I’m sure the CGI will be that much more improved… if it looks better than Avatard I can live with that. If there are mostly muppets I can live with some CGI too. I guess we’ll see… I think it’s guaranteed not to look shitty.

    • May 21, 2014 at 9:56 pm
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      There will be a comfortable balance, I’m sure.
      “Avatard” haha

    • May 21, 2014 at 10:28 pm
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      🙂 one of my friends came up with that one haha. I still liked the movie (kinda) Cameron’s another one of those guys who seems to have lost his touch… OT Lucas inspired as well.

  • May 21, 2014 at 5:07 pm
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    Holy shit guys! What a great day to be a Star Wars fan! There’s no doubt… this movie will kick some serious ass. I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about it 🙂

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:24 pm
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      I mentioned that a week ago in the forums… most people just said dismiss IMDB but I think it could be something because it specifies the name of character. I’m guessing it will be some kind of interface… like the AI in “2001 space Odyssey”.

    • May 21, 2014 at 8:52 pm
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      The name Nexus sounds weird for a StarWars film

    • May 21, 2014 at 10:25 pm
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      I agree… it might be a placeholder name, or a nickname for something that doesn’t have a name? ungod only knows.

    • May 22, 2014 at 1:56 am
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      Very Trekish name.

  • May 21, 2014 at 5:14 pm
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    oh people, we could say somehow that we have been waiting 30 years for a new star wars movie. I feel it will have such an impact as the first movies did to us when we were childs. I think I will not stop crying during the movie. SW means so much to all of us, its just incredible

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:29 pm
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      Jesus Christ, it’s just a kid’s movie FFS.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:30 pm
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      Awww! I’m just gonna be goosebumping like crazy I think… but might shed a tear if someone gets killed off.

      I’m actually an artist and musician, and can pinpoint my interest in becoming one due to Star Wars… specifically return of the Jedi was the one that inspired me. And the imperial march from Empire… I actually tried to transcribe the imperial march with my own version of sheet music… using words instead of notations haha. “ba-ba-ba-ba-badududududum, ba ba ba…” etc, etc.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:31 pm
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      iPadCary, you seem to show a lot of interest in these forums devoted specifically to a “kid’s movie”.

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:56 pm
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      What an age we live in where the special editions, PT and animated series have rendered this franchise (to some people) as a “kid’s movies.” How sad.

    • May 21, 2014 at 7:14 pm
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      Last I checked, teenagers are still kids and it was teenagers that the OT was made for.

    • May 21, 2014 at 7:17 pm
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      Originally, The OT’s demographic was 18-35 year old men. That obviously changed once GL realized that more kids were watching the movies and wanting toys, hence the Ewoks in EpVI replacing the Wookiees.

    • May 21, 2014 at 7:19 pm
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      I’m not saying Star Wars is not primarily a franchise for much younger generations today, I’m just saying that it wasn’t originally supposed to be and that’s no reason for people to disregard it entirely.

    • May 21, 2014 at 11:53 pm
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      If Star Wars = kid movie, then DroidShack = kid 🙂

    • May 21, 2014 at 5:41 pm
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      You’re being sarcastic, right? It’s just an SUV.

      Unless Toyota is in cahoots with the Sith

  • May 21, 2014 at 6:02 pm
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    In the video he’s says there filming in London ‘mostly’ in Pinewood studios- where else?

  • May 21, 2014 at 6:16 pm
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    YYYYYEEEEEEEEEESSSSS!!!!!!!!!! YYYYYYEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

  • May 21, 2014 at 6:21 pm
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    Iceland.
    I feel Abrams is going to take a risk and start the film with a prologue showing Hoth and Tatooine. Like how they did the opening sequence of The Two Towers

    • May 21, 2014 at 6:25 pm
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      They’re obviously not filming in order. There are lots of landscape shots in most movies…

    • May 21, 2014 at 7:03 pm
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      Yeah they are gonna film whatever is the most convenient for them to do first in coordinating with everyone’s schedules.

      I don’t think we are going to get a prologue-ish type intro… Abrams intros are always in your face action packed… and for Star Wars that’s a perfect fit 😉

  • May 21, 2014 at 7:11 pm
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    Thought, boy it looks like Ep1, then the little street merchant walks by and I’m like oh yeah boy! We’re defiantly going to get something more…what a tease!

  • May 21, 2014 at 7:21 pm
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    Wow that creature is really bad and fake looking. I hope that creatures in the movie will look better ( more like PT creatures ).

    • May 21, 2014 at 7:41 pm
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      Have these people ever even seen the OT?
      We’re still on a Star Wars fan blog, right?

    • May 21, 2014 at 9:51 pm
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      Aras Volodka it is not sarcasm.

    • May 21, 2014 at 9:53 pm
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      “Aras Volodka it is not sarcasm.”
      Even funnier 😉

  • May 21, 2014 at 7:42 pm
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    It’s really hard to get practical effects to look good in broad daylight. Think about the daylight scenes of Grishnach in The Two Towers special edition where the guy’s like “man flesh” or the creatures in the market scene in The Phantom mennace who look like masks bought at CVS.

  • May 21, 2014 at 7:43 pm
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    This just in; George Lucas has just watched this video and when the creature stepped out onto the screen he had a heart attack for it was not CG. He has just rang JJ Abrams to demand he create a special addition re-release of this video with digital enhancements such as replacing it with bad looking CG as that is his true vision.

    • May 21, 2014 at 8:35 pm
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      He demanded that the creature be replaced by Hayden Cristiansen giving his best “child molester style” smirk. If that can’t be done, he insists that the creature step in poop & complain about the sand getting stuck in his nether regions. He will retain 100% of the profits of the replica poop sold, of course.

    • May 21, 2014 at 8:53 pm
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      “I don’t like sand, it’s *course* and rough and irritating and I’m a failure of a Jedi if I can’t just force shake that shit off before it bothers me in the first place.”

    • May 22, 2014 at 1:51 am
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      Don’t knock the creepy smirk. It’s an officially Force power, you know.

  • May 21, 2014 at 8:12 pm
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    And the anticipation swells!

  • May 21, 2014 at 8:39 pm
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    Is there a small creature in the box above the turkey things with its arm outside the cage….I’m sure it moves towards the end of the clip

  • May 21, 2014 at 8:42 pm
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    The turkey things are the babies of the creature carrying them. The creature someone else noticed was the frog thing you see outside of Jabba’s palace in ROTJ.

    • May 21, 2014 at 8:50 pm
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      (*in the cage=frog creature sorry I know that’s confusing)

  • May 21, 2014 at 8:46 pm
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    I guess it could be the frog thing…it’s a great designed creature, proper material that cgi never really quite manages.

  • May 21, 2014 at 9:29 pm
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    It is Tatooine, that alien that went by Abrams can be seen in TPM rpg game on Tatooine, for the PC (anyone remember this game?), also probably somewhere in the background of the OT or PT Tatooine shots.

    • May 21, 2014 at 9:56 pm
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      Yes, looks like Tatooine to me, brings to mind the period where they first meet Anakin/ pod racing section of Phantom Mence..

  • May 21, 2014 at 9:59 pm
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    Nice to see a return to puppets!

  • May 21, 2014 at 10:04 pm
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    That dude in the back doesn’t look like Luke, it’s a Man jawa.

  • May 21, 2014 at 10:16 pm
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    It’s official, this video is the greatest thing to come out of the Star Wars universe since Battlefront II

  • May 21, 2014 at 10:31 pm
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    Oh, I really hope it’s planet Abafar from the Clone Wars. It’s a large desolate salt-flat planet and it’s visually stunning.

  • May 21, 2014 at 10:38 pm
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    I’m hoping that JJ will be taking all the best elements of the extended universe and mashing them up with their ideas too, it only makes sense to use the 35 years of creativity from thousands of writers/designers out there.

  • May 22, 2014 at 1:51 am
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    I hope the creature makes it into the film, he’s a howl.

  • May 22, 2014 at 2:03 am
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    So I guess whoever donates the most will win this role. Too bad I’m poor. Why bother.

  • May 22, 2014 at 2:33 am
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    Guys no matter what happens with the movie, I hope that we can all have a beer together or something. If any of you are @ SW Celebration next year in Anaheim, let me know. Crawl booth.

    • May 22, 2014 at 5:53 am
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      Hit me up, I live in Chicago but who knows I might fly out to LA around that time. Does SW celebration cost money?

  • May 22, 2014 at 3:31 am
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    You should donate because the money goes to kids in need, and besides, one chance is better than no chance!

  • May 22, 2014 at 5:20 am
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    Probably off topic but I seriously wonder how Abrams plans to do lightsaber duals in the Sequel trilogy. Just curious because in my personal opinion the original trilogy duals were fairly slow, and the prequel duals were pretty fast and almost rushed. But that’s just my opinion.

    • May 22, 2014 at 5:52 am
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      Fast… sword fight in first Star Trek was fast. Maybe both, but he’s high octane.

  • May 22, 2014 at 6:21 am
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    Duel in ESB: best Star Wars duel. Template

  • May 22, 2014 at 11:57 pm
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    Love it! Anyone else notice the guy behind JJ at the end of the clip who seems to be wearing the same costume as the Rancor keeper in RotJ? Or is that just me?

  • May 23, 2014 at 12:01 am
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    a couple more things ive noticed after the 50th time watching this video..

    Jabba’s place frog is indeed in the top cage on the back of the character who stops past, I would bet any money that is moved by the puppeteer / actors head, the birds (for want of a better word) in the second cage down look fantastic, I love how the back one opens its mouth to the camera just as it leaves the shot, 🙂
    Also something really fast wizzes past @ 1:13, makes me wonder if we will see any aliens that move like Teek from the second Ewok movie..

    The magic is back!

    Redski

  • May 23, 2014 at 12:07 am
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    Am I stretching things here, or could the Force for Change initiative hint at the theme of the movie/trilogy? I mentioned in another discussion that a possible dangling thread from the PT that could be tackled in the ST was Anakin’s un-kept promise to free the slaves. Just a thought…

  • May 23, 2014 at 2:40 am
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    That creature is what you get from when TMNT ages and has babies…

  • May 24, 2014 at 7:28 am
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    “A UN programme to combat child deaths from disease in West Africa has failed, a Johns Hopkins University study says.

    Unicef spent $27m (£17m) rolling out vaccinations, vitamin A pills and bed nets to protect against malaria from 2001 to 2005 in areas of 11 countries.

    The researchers studied parts of Ghana, Mali and Benin and said children often survived better outside the UN scheme. “

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