The Force Awakens Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (JJ Abrams 2015)

[Jay 37,322]

What about The Incredible Hulk? Isn't that film considered part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes it is.

[Matt C 452]

Yes it is.

It's distributed by Universal. They had first-refusal distribution rights for a sequel, that's why The Incredible Hulk was released by them rather than Paramount. But since both were merely distributors, it enabled Disney to compile the films in that Phase One box set.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Its part of the Marvel universe regardless who distributed it. The post credit sequence features Tony Stark.

[Jay 37,322]

J.J. Abrams Shares the First Behind-the-Scenes Photo From Star Wars: Episode VII

https://twitter.com/bad_robot/status/401077191087095808

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

TF.N posters circa 2000 would have been like "OMG SPOILERS!" or "what is the deep significance of this image to the saga?"

[Faleel 5,340]

Well, it looks like a real R2, or they spent money on making a Digital R2 for this pic.

[Datameister 2,037]

Looks real enough to me. I hadn't really thought about the issue, but it'd be nice to return to a physical R2 unit...the many CG shots of him in ROTS bothered me.

[Faleel 5,340]

Apparently, it was only a replica they were using for reference..

[Matt C 452]

Interesting.

I'm not surprised at all. It comes out on the exact same day Avatar did six years ago -- and it's the biggest movie of all time (minus ticket price inflation). Blockbusters aren't mutually exclusive to summertime, and Disney knows that.

Plus, Alan Horn used to work at Warner Brothers. During his last few years he was responsible for okaying tentpole-sized films for December: I Am Legend, Sherlock Holmes, and the Hobbit trilogy. He was the one who probably suggested the December 2015 date to Bob Iger and JJ Abrams.

[Jay 37,322]

Well, I am sure if the script came together right away, they would be filming by now and be set for a summer 2015 release. The fact they they abandoned the original script and started over again made summer impossible. They could have held off for summer 2016 but as you said december is the new summer anyway, and Disney already promised 2015 when they bought LucasArts.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

Lucasfilm

BTW, som many things have changed for these sequels, so...i just dont care anymore if they break up with tradition.

Williams forever though!

[Bespin 8,480]

Now that we know more about Darth Plagueis, the Master of Darth Sidious (because of the novel of James Luceno), I wonder If Abrams will dig on that for the new trilogy.

WARNING : SPOILER AHEAD

Sidious was true when he told Anakin that Plagueis was trying to manipulate the Force to create life... and he almost achieve it.

While holding an ultimate experiment which almost make a success, the Force answered by "creating" Anakin.

When Plagueis learnt it, he knew at once that it was a response of the Force, and so a threat for him and the Sith.

He and Sidious (because Plagueis was still alive during Episode I) sent Darth Maul on Tatooine to search for Anakin, to avoid that he is found by Jedi first.

Qui Gon Jinn was faster, but paid his discovery with his life...

Realizing that the return of the Sith could not be possible only by manipulating the Force, the Sith chose to concentrate their efforts into... politics...

Sidious murdered Plagueis the morning he was elected as Supreme Chancelor.

...

Well, all that to say that there is still a lot to learn about the Force!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Thanks for the spoilers!

[Henry B 50]

Let's not involve midichlorians again.

[Faleel 5,340]

That had noting to do with midichlorians...

[Bespin 8,480]

Thanks for the spoilers!

The novel is out since more than 1 year I think! I've added a warning ;-)

[Jay 37,322]

I think BB was joking

I also doubt the new films will delve into the backstory of Palpatine, he's long dead and they will be telling a new story with new characters.

[Bespin 8,480]

@Jason LeBlanc

But no Sith before Plagueis and Palpatine was as powerfull as them. Don't forget that Palpatine ruled the galaxy for what.. almost 40 years?

The bad guy in Episode VII will certainly not be a Dark Ewok!

(I hope Disney doesn't read this forum, they are able to make an action figure of that...)

[mstrox 6,647]

I don't think Kennedy and Abrams are going to be beholden to the expanded universe (nor should they be, IMO). Unlike the prequels (which did screw with the continuity of the books, if only obscurely), the sequel trilogy is going to take place in a time period where it will wreck havoc upon the sub-canon story found in the novels - especially if the film includes original trilogy characters and/or their offspring.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Does that ultimately really matter?

[Jay 37,322]

I don't think Kennedy and Abrams are going to be beholden to the expanded universe (nor should they be, IMO). Unlike the prequels (which did screw with the continuity of the books, if only obscurely), the sequel trilogy is going to take place in a time period where it will wreck havoc upon the sub-canon story found in the novels - especially if the film includes original trilogy characters and/or their offspring.

Oh, I dunno about that. Most of the sequel books take place 0-10 years after ROTJ, right? These new films take place 30 years after ROTJ

[Wojo 2,453]

At Steef, It does to people who spent the last twenty plus years enjoying the expanded universe of characters and events beyond the original three movies, and those who felt the official prequel films didn't live up to the standards set by the EU.

But it sounds like these sequel films could assault that continuity with no more regard than Prometheus held for the Alien franchise. John Q the average movie going idiot won't care.

Jay, the EU plots events up to 140 years after the Battle of Yavin, 138 ABY.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

As fas as I know the spin of media was never considered canon at all.

[Jay 37,322]

I said "most"

[nightscape94 965]

...The fact they they abandoned the original script and started over again made summer impossible.

I don't recall any report that they abandoned the original script. I know that Abrams brought Kasdan on so the two of them can finalize a shooting draft, but unless I missed something I didn't get the impression that they're starting over again.

[Jay 37,322]

Well, I have no idea. Either way, I'm sure if they hadn't decided on rewrites, they would have stuck to their summer 2015 date. Or maybe not. What do I know. Maybe they were planning on moving the franchise to December releases the whole time. I wonder when the Boba Fett and Han Solo spinoffs will come out.

[mstrox 6,647]

Does that ultimately really matter?

Not at all to me (I've read a bunch of the books and am actually in the process of going through in release-order and reading ALL of them--but am able to keep them seperate from the movie universe), but I'm sure it matters to some. Fans claim some ownership in their fandoms - completely unjustified IMO, but given the amount of time and money some people focus on such things, I can understand how they could feel that way.

When the prequels came out, Lucas and other Lucasfilm employees indicated that only the films are official canon. While the novels, etc had to be approved by Lucas, they were unofficial stories set in that universe (a subcanon of sorts). When 2008-2013's The Clone Wars came out, Lucas amended that statement and indicated that TCW was official canon (he apparently had a much more active hand in guiding that series than he did in the various other spin-off media).

Kennedy, Abrams, etc etc don't have the ownership over the material that Lucas had; I'm sure their primary objective is to make a good movie, and not to provide fanservice. I'm sure that will provoke some sort of reaction in someone, although I'm not party to it as I loved Abrams' first Star Trek and liked Prometheus

Oh, I dunno about that. Most of the sequel books take place 0-10 years after ROTJ, right? These new films take place 30 years after ROTJ

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_books

The books involving Luke/Han/Leia/etc are now at a point where they take place 44-45 years after Star Wars (so about 40 years after ROTJ).

[Jay 37,322]

I see.

[Wojo 2,453]

As fas as I know the spin of media was never considered canon at all.

There are five levels of Star Wars canon.

George's six movies are highest and overrule everything else. This would be the latest version of each film, plus the novelization, radio dramas, scripts, and anything else George says.

Next is television, which includes the second Clone Wars series.

C continuity is the largest pool of continuity and must defer to the films when discrepancies arise.

Secondary and non-canon round out the list, and include either outdated information or pure speculation.

The new films will almost certainly push the vast amount of EU C canon into total confusion, so its fans must learn to live with it as apocrypha like the vast amount of Trek EU that isn't official.

[Bilbo 3,709]

The more post-ROTJ EU that I read the happier I am to let it go. There's some absolutely awful books. Sun Crusher

[Wojo 2,453]

The EU gets increasingly wacky because as it gets later and later after Endor, the Empire's budget should be shrinking, but they keep pulling ginormous superweapons and super duper star destroyers out of nowhere.

[Dixon Hill 4,233]

Anyone know this Jason Flemyng guy? Apparently he's up for a role.

http://collider.com/star-wars-episode-7-script-image-jason-flemyng/

Many Bothans died to bring us this information.

Oh! He's the dude that played Jekyll/Hyde in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

'Tis fake! It's a red herring!

[Matt C 452]

Flemying was definitely given a fake side to audition with. There's absolutely no way Disney, Kennedy, or Abrams would let Flemying read the actual script until after they signed him on.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

Does that ultimately really matter?

Not at all to me (I've read a bunch of the books and am actually in the process of going through in release-order and reading ALL of them--but am able to keep them seperate from the movie universe), but I'm sure it matters to some. Fans claim some ownership in their fandoms - completely unjustified IMO, but given the amount of time and money some people focus on such things, I can understand how they could feel that way.

When the prequels came out, Lucas and other Lucasfilm employees indicated that only the films are official canon. While the novels, etc had to be approved by Lucas, they were unofficial stories set in that universe (a subcanon of sorts). When 2008-2013's The Clone Wars came out, Lucas amended that statement and indicated that TCW was official canon (he apparently had a much more active hand in guiding that series than he did in the various other spin-off media).

Kennedy, Abrams, etc etc don't have the ownership over the material that Lucas had; I'm sure their primary objective is to make a good movie, and not to provide fanservice. I'm sure that will provoke some sort of reaction in someone, although I'm not party to it as I loved Abrams' first Star Trek and liked Prometheus

Oh, I dunno about that. Most of the sequel books take place 0-10 years after ROTJ, right? These new films take place 30 years after ROTJ

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_books

The books involving Luke/Han/Leia/etc are now at a point where they take place 44-45 years after Star Wars (so about 40 years after ROTJ).

Which it would be the perfect spot for the movies to continue. And the big three match in that age

[Matt C 452]

Rick Carter told Kathleen Kennedy that he would love to be part of the new Star Wars, and she invited him on as early as January 2013 (prior to J.J. Abrams signing on). Disney and Lucasfilm paired him up with Darren Gilford so they could bring a mix of fresh and older sensibilities to Episode VII. And yes, Carter and Gilford are working as a team.

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=111625

I'm liking this approach.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Bilbo 3,709]

Along with pretty much every other actor ever it seems.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Bilbo 3,709]

Now that's someone I'd want to see in Star Wars!

[Ricard 2,244]

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_books

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

LOL

Really, i haven't read crucible yet, but i read today a review. It seems it really is a passing of the torch/retirement final adventure for the big three. They must have written that book on purpose. They have to set the films just after that....and try to now break the EU too much. :/

[Bilbo 3,709]

The new films will break the EU. No way are Lucasfilm going to tie themselves down with that baggage.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

Then the book must be a 'closure' of the old EU.

They will write new eu based on the new 'universe' the new films create, i suppose.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Now that's someone I'd want to see in Star Wars!

YES!

[Wojo 2,453]

Then the book must be a 'closure' of the old EU.

They will write new eu based on the new 'universe' the new films create, i suppose.

It's Abrams. The lens flares let him skew continuity.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_books

And these books all play in the same universe and don't contradict each other?

There is no way the new films are gonna adhere to all that!

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

They better not contradict Jedi Prince: The Glove of Darth Vader. or I'll be pissed.

[Bilbo 3,709]

They better not contradict Jedi Prince: The Glove of Darth Vader. or I'll be pissed.

The greatest book of all time!

There's some great EU books out there but with the sheer number of them you can imagine how bad the really bad ones are.