Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens—non-spoiler discussion

Post by **axordil** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:48 pm

Could he do worse than George?

Post by **yovargas** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:09 pm

Something that didn't get commented on much from what I saw. The company was bought for $4 billion and since George owns the company 100% that means that he, personally, gets the $4 billion.

He's said he's giving it all to charity but still, yeesh! Surely that's got to be some kinda record of some sort, right?

Post by **Alatar** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:11 pm

I think it was $2Bn Cash and $2Bn shares, so its not really that much is it...

Post by **yovargas** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:15 pm

Oh, is that all?

Post by **River** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 5:25 pm

Oh yeah. $2 billion in cash. That's total chump change.

Post by **halplm** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 6:35 pm

I'll take it if he doesn't want it.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:54 pm

So the director for the first new Star Wars movie will be J.J. Abrams. Who, yes, directed the first new Star Trek movie and has another one coming out in May. Dueling franchises!

This comes from The Wrap, which posted the story less than 90 minutes ago. I found out about it when my L.A.-based son sent me the link with three words: "I peed myself."

I didn't go that far, but I'm a happy fangirl. Abrams knows how to direct a special effects–heavy film without losing sight of the characters, which is something Lucas himself never mastered.

The script is being written by Michael Arndt, who won an Oscar for his screenplay for Little Miss Sunshine and also wrote or co-wrote Toy Story 3, Brave, and the next Hunger Games movie.

I've read that Disney is planning to bring in a variety of directors for the new films. That could be fun. Ben Affleck apparently wanted this first film and couldn't get it.

The film is tentatively scheduled for release in 2015.

J.J. Abrams Set to Direct Next 'Star Wars' Film (Exclusive)

Post by **River** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 12:34 am

I am with your son.

Fri Jan 25, 2013 4:28 am

This could definitely be interesting.

Post by **axordil** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 4:42 am

Arndt is a big gun screenwriter. This might go places.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:26 am

I can't tell you how excited I am. J.J. Abrams' Star Trek exceeded my expectations in every possible way. The thought of a Star Wars movie that does the same is, well, thrilling.

See, in 1977 I was 18 years old and I saw Star Wars (the original) at a huge theater on Times Square in New York. I still have the program (apparently worth several hundred dollars). My brother and I were singing what we could remember of the score to each other for most of the night after we saw it.

We went back the next morning to see it again. I had never, never seen a "lived-in" science fiction universe on film before: a land speeder that zipped along without wheels but was covered with dust and had a few dings in the front fender, for example. It shook me to the core, the idea that "the future" (or in this case, the past far, far away) was somewhere that people lived. I knew that, I read science fiction; I just had never seen a movie that knew that.

And I think J.J. Abrams might be able to recreate that incredible realization. Because he was able to recreate the excitement, the sense of possibility, that I loved about the original Star Trek.

Whew. I guess I am excited.

Tue Sep 03, 2013 2:14 am

It gets better (potentially):

Details On Benedict Cumberbatch's (Rumored) Role In STAR WARS EPISODE VII Revealed

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Sep 03, 2013 4:49 am

Benedict Cumberbatch playing a Sith?!?

Oh, I am so there.

Post by **halplm** » Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:18 am

It has potential. I'm still curious if they're going to use any of the stories that have been written, or something totally new...

I expect something new.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Sep 03, 2013 5:40 pm

I kind of hope something new. I read a few of the better novels (recommended by my son) a number of years ago, and they were pretty enjoyable space opera. But the original Star Wars was based only on imagination and was sui generis. The novels are adaptations based on a film. Why adapt the new films from adaptations?

Tue Sep 03, 2013 5:49 pm

I'm pretty sure that with a "big gun" screenwriter (as per Ax above) like Michael Arndt on board it is likely to be a new story, and not a rehash of one of the novelizations.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Sep 03, 2013 9:40 pm

I hope so. Freedom of imagination is what is needed here.

Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:41 pm

If the rumor is true, Cumberbatch will consecutively play Khan, Smaug, Sauron and a Sith lord (and not a one and done Sith lord like Darth Maul). How's that for a series of villians?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:58 am

As my husband just pointed out, he hasn't played Ming the Merciless yet.

Wed Sep 04, 2013 1:56 pm

As an example of my lack of geekiness, I had to google that.