Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens: In Theaters NOW!! (NO OPEN SPOILERS, OTHERWISE BAN HAMMER)

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[h=1]‘Star Wars’ Rumor Patrol: ‘Episode 7′ Villains Revealed[/h]

[This article contains POTENTIAL SPOILERS for Star Wars: Episode VII.]-​

What do we know for certain about the plot of Star Wars: Episode VII? Well, it picks up thirty years after the events in Return of the Jedi, and… that’s about it. However, we do have a growing stack of rumors about the storyline for director J.J. Abrams’ film – and today, we have yet another one to add to the pile.



What’s interesting about this one, however, is that it helps to explain where a lot of the previous claims about the movie – specifically, those concerning its villains – come from; thus, suggesting how these seemingly disparate puzzle pieces may go together. Again, though, the following is all RUMOR and speculation. It’s entirely possible that Abrams and co-writer Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back) – who rewrote the original script draft by Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3, Catching Fire) – have something else altogether up their sleeve.


First things first: those old rumors indicating that Darth Vader will appear in Episode VII resurfaced quite recently; the possible why and how behind his “return” – that’s been kept a mystery. Meanwhile, there’s also been talk over the past months about the film’s villains being “Jedi Hunters” – mercenaries who, naturally, have been hired to take down the Jedi – and who may be connected to The Inquisitor. The latter is voiced by Jason Isaacs featured in the upcoming canon animated show Star Wars Rebels (the first canon installment in Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm’s Star Wars universe, no less).

The Inquisitor from ‘Star Wars Rebels’

The most plausible Episode VII storyline that has been reported so far has the film’s young protagonists (Daisy Ridley and John Boyega) undertaking a journey to find Jedi Master Luke Skywalker (Luke Hamill), who has been missing for many years by the time the movie begins. Latino Review is claiming to have insider knowledge of what happens when Ridley and Boyega (who’s rumored to be a stormtrooper when the movie begins) catch up with the older Luke:

• Luke reveals to Ridley and Boyega that the Inquisitors – who are indeed the aforementioned “Jedi Hunters” – are, indeed, connected to the Sith.
• This prompts a flashback, showing Darth Vader recruiting the very first Inquisitors. That sequence also somehow incorporates a very young Leia, who will be played by Carrie Fisher’s biological daughter Billie Lourd.
• At some point, Boyega’s former boss/commanding officer (Gwendoline Christie) catches up to the young heroes and reveals her own connection to the Force – possibly being a member of the Inquisitor organization, whose ranks may also include the characters played by Lupita Nyong’o and Adam Driver.

‘Episode VII’ cast members Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie




Now, all of this does arguably make sense, when you break it down:

• It explains why Star Wars Rebels will be the starting point for the new canon of the continuing Star Wars universe.
• By establishing that the Inquisitors have been around for upwards of 50 years before Episode VII takes place, Rebels would help to ease the transition into them becoming the primary antagonists in the new Star Wars live-action film trilogy.
• The existence of non-Sith Dark Force adds a welcome layer of complexity to the Light Side/Dark Side dynamic.
• Thanks to the presence of the Inquisitors, the Star Wars franchise will henceforth have a way to circumvent the “Rule of Two” that dictates only two Sith will exist at once (something Yoda references in Episode I, which makes it canon) – in the sense that now several Dark Force users can be around at once.

It’s entirely possible that most of the aforementioned claims (if not all of them) are based largely on misinformation – and thus, that the actual Episode VII storyline is something else together. Still, if this is the route that Abrams is taking with his Star Wars installment, then it’s certainly an intriguing direction – one that could indeed successfully launch a new era of Star Wars, like Abrams did with Star Trek (albeit, by very different plot mechanics).



Agree/disagree? Have you own thoughts/theories about what will happen in Episode VII and beyond? Feel free to drop us a line in the comments section of this article.


Star Wars: Episode VII arrives in theaters on December 18th, 2015.


Source: Latino Review

 

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[h=1]‘Star Wars Episode VII’ Rumor: Emperor Palpatine Will Return[/h]

With Star Wars Episode VII still over a year away, and the animated series Star Wars Rebels not premiering until the fall, there have only been a handful of facts officially confirmed about the next stage in the Star Wars franchise. Rumors, however, have been plentiful.



The most persistent rumors surrounding Episode VII involve the film’s villains – which isn’t too surprising considering Star Wars gave us a character who has become arguably the most recognizable film villain of all time: Darth Vader. There are still those insisting Vader will make a reappearance, but beyond a potential flashback that seems unlikely.



When it comes to the animated Rebels series we already know of its villain, the undeniably Sith-like Inquistor, and it’s quite possible this character or others like him will crossover to the film trilogy as well (allowing them a work around to the long-standing “Rule of Two” that governs the Sith). Confirmed cast members Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie, and Lupita Nyong’o have all been rumored to be playing villains (either Sith, Sith-serving Jedi hunters, or officers in the crumbling Galactic Empire), and even legendary actor Max Von Sydow’s character is rumored to be some “ancient” evil.



Many have speculated Sydow’s role, if he is indeed a villain, could serve the same function as The Emperor did in the first six Star Wars films – i.e., the evil mastermind pulling strings from behind the scenes. Yet, Latino Review has gone one step further, claiming that the big bad of the new Star Wars trilogy will actually be Emperor Palpatine.

Palpatine again being revealed as the ultimate evil in the galaxy isn’t exactly a new twist. It’s a story element that has previously been explored in both the novels (ghost-Palpatine) and comics (clone-Palpatine) of the Expanded Universe. And while the EU has been removed from official Star Wars canon, any of those previously used elements could still serve as “inspiration” for the new trilogy. So it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that in either Episode VII or VIII we will see The Emperor again – something LR‘s source says will “100%” happen.


However, Emperor Palpatine appearing in the new trilogy and Palpatine being - again - the final boss are two different claims. There have already been reports of a flashback sequence in which we’ll see Darth Vader recruiting The Inquisitors, and there’s no reason The Emperor couldn’t appear here as well.



Latino Review goes on to saw actor Ian McDiarmid would not be returning, which also suggests an appearance by The Emperor would either be terribly brief, or that it’s completely false. McDiarmid originally played The Emperor in only Return of the Jedi, but later returned to play a younger Palpatine in the prequel trilogy; he was also inserted into The Empire Strikes Back in the Special Editions. Not returning to film a scene or two for the new Star Wars trilogy seems very odd, and any claim that the actor is too old is ridiculous, seeing as McDiarmid is 15 years younger than the already-cast Von Sydow.

Bringing back a character who had been the primary antagonist for the previous six Star Wars films could lend a sense of symmetry to this new Star Wars trilogy, but it would do nothing to prepare the series for future installments. This new trilogy is intended to be a launching pad for a whole new Star Wars media empire, and along with Rebels and the spinoff films, Episode VII will dictate the direction of the franchise. So why saddle yourself with the same old villain? It simply doesn’t make much sense.



What do think are the odds of Emperor Palpatine returning? And if he does, will it be in a brief flashback or will he have been orchestrating our heroes’ misfortune all along? Let us hear your thoughts on this latest rumor in the comments below!


Star Wars Rebels begins with a one-hour special on Disney XD airing October 3rd, 2014 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Star Wars Episode VII will be in theaters on December 18, 2015.
Source: Latino Review

 

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[h=1]‘Star Wars Rebels’ Producer on ‘Episode VII’ and Original Trilogy Connections[/h]

Star Warshas been in the shared universe game for longer than just about any other property – but Disney/LucasFilm is taking things to the next level in order to launch the new version of that galaxy far, far, away. The big headline is that Episode VIIis in production under the guidance of J.J. Abrams and an impressive cast; but before that film arrives around Xmas 2015, there is going to be a new foundation already established for that film to stand on.


All auxiliary materials (expanded universe) have been cleaved from the main canon; official new chapters of the Star Wars saga begin with the novel A New Dawn, which will be a precursor to Star Wars Rebels, a cartoon series that bridges the time period between the prequel and original trilogies. It’s long been suspected that elements Rebels introduces into the mythos would have direct ties to Episode VII‘s story and characters – and now Star Wars Rebels executive producer Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past) is elaborating on what some of those ties will be.

The Rebels animated series begins after the events of Episode III, where we find a rag-tag group – including a young boy with Force powers, a former Jedi masquerading as a smuggler, and a sassy droid – who are thrown together as they try to survive during the rise and conquer of the Galactic Empire. It’s been confusing to see how the Star Wars universe shepherds will connect Rebels with Episode VII, as anything that happened on the animated series would’ve logically had to turn up in the origainal trilogy, right?


Kinberg was well aware of the intricacies of the basket they are trying to weave, as he explained to EW:

“It’s a very integrated process, there’s real communication between all the filmmakers because we’re all part of a larger timeline. There is absolutely communication and integration between the different stories. We are very aware of what they’re doing in VII, and we also have to click into place with Episode IV.”
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People who watched the Clone Wars animated series will probably tell you that the showrunners got better and better at introducing classic Star Wars Easter eggs into the series as the show went on. By the final few seasons, characters from the Original Trilogy were being introduced at younger ages in different states that made for compelling storytelling and juxtaposition. Clone Wars also managed to introduce new (or at least, lesser-known) aspects of the Star Wars Universe into the show, without disrupting the overall continuity of the series. In fact, there’s been rumor that characters or elements of Clone Wars could conceivably resurface in Episode VII.

That’s all to say: Rebels can indeed meet all the goals that Kinberg is describing above – especially since it has a lot of the same creative elements behind it.



As for the Star Wars shared universe? Well, as it said up top: this franchise has been in this game longer than just about any other. Since its inception Star Wars has had movies, TV series, books and video games all continuing the story of that far far away galaxy – but it’s never been this creatively synchronized before. As we saw with the old Expanded Universe, it quickly becomes a monumental task to keep track

of it all – for fans and creators, alike.

However, in the end, Star Wars has thrived this long because of its ability to continually immerse fans right back into its universe. Anytime you start to see the lightsabers, or hear the iconic music starting to play more and more often, you just know it: Star Wars time is coming. And we are usually glad for it.

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Star Wars Rebels premieres with the one-hour special “Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion” on Disney XD on October 3rd, 2014 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. It begins its regular series run a week and a half later on October 13th (also at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Disney XD).

 

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[h=1]‘Star Wars: Episode 7′ Aerial Set Photos Reveal More Starfighters[/h]

 

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[h=1]‘Star Wars Episode VII’: David Fincher on Almost Directing & Droid Slavery[/h]

Director David Fincher is loved by cinephiles (including yours truly), and has an iconic lineup of films on his resume, which include Fight Club, Se7en, The Social Network and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Fans of mystery/thrillers also tend to have special reverence for Fincher’s Zodiac, and are therefore probably eager to see his new film, Gone Girl.



However, while out promoting Gone Girl, Fincher has been talking about other happenings in his career – which has understandably brushed up against big blockbuster undertakings like the current mega-universe franchises like DC/Marvel superheroes and more specifically, Star Wars. Apparently, there was a possibility that we could’ve seen David Fincher’s Star Wars Episode VIIinstead of J.J. Abrams’.

Speaking with Total Film, Fincher said the following about his meetings with Disney/LucasFilm president Kathleen Kennedy, regarding the Episode VII director’s chair:

I talked to Kathy about it, but I think that it’s a different thing from… I don’t know what Disney-Lucasfilm will be like.
It’s tricky. My favourite is ‘The Empire Strikes Back’. If I said, ‘I want to do something more like that,’ then I’m sure the people paying for it would be like, ‘No! You can’t do that! We want it like the other one with all the creatures!’


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That’s kind of a specious statement from Fincher – who is, admittedly, known for making movies dark in both cinematography and subject matter. It’s a specious statement because if any of the major Episode VII story rumors are in fact true, then Kennedy, J.J. Abrams and writer Lawrence Kasdan may actually have some darker elements in store for their version of the film – which could include everything from a galaxy still torn by remnants of the Empire/Rebellion war, to the film possibly opening with the image of a severed hand in space. Non of that is light, fluffy, creature stuff.


In fact, throughout the production process of Episode VII there has been a desire – repeatedly expressed by the filmmakers – to move away from more juvenile elements of the franchise (The Ewoks, Jar-Jar, pod racing) and get back to the original flavor of the series – going so far back as to use original concept artwork by Star Wars icon/artist Ralph McQuarrie as inspiration for the design aesthetics of both Episode VII, and the new Star Wars Rebels TV series.

If anything, the current team of filmmakers and shared universe architects guiding the Star Wars franchise are – by all observable accounts – moving toward more mature and complex story elements that mirror the darker, more complex times we live in. In other words: Episode VII might end up being a Star Wars project that would’ve been perfectly fitting for someone like David Fincher.



On the other hand, Fincher is the type of tightly-controlling director who may have had a hard time (for various reasons besides tone) working under the Disney/LucasFilm tent. After all, if you listen to his particular insights into the original Star Wars films (specifically Episodes IV and V), he definitely has a much different take on things – which could’ve resulted in one strange approach to a Star Wars movie:

I always thought of Star Wars as the story of two slaves [C-3PO and R2-D2] who go from owner to owner, witnessing their masters’ folly, the ultimate folly of man… I thought it was an interesting idea in the first two, but it’s kind of gone by Return Of The Jedi.


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Droid companions… or slaves?

Star Wars Episode VIII already has Rian Johnson (Looper) as a writer/director – but Episode IX is presumably still fair game. Maybe David Fincher can slide in there and get a shot at a Star Wars film that is hopefully in the sort of place he would feel comfortable working with? If this new trilogy is truly headed in the direction we think, Episode IX could have plenty of darkness and serious stakes to it. Right now, it doesn’t seem like anyone is interested in making another Return of the Jedi…


Heck, with Star Wars spinoff films filling the gabs between Episodes, maybe Fincher can even make his 100 Years A Droid movie. With Obi-Wan, Yoda, Han Solo and Boba Fett all leading the rumor mill as candidates for spinoff projects, C3-PO and R2D2 have just as much a shot as any other characters they want to dredge up from the Original Trilogy.

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[h=2]NEXT: 10 Potential Star Wars Spinoff Films[/h]

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Gone Girlwill be in theaters on October 3, 2014.
Star Wars Episode VIIwill be in theaters on December 18, 2015.


Source: Total Film

 

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[h=1]‘Star Wars: Episode 7′ Rumor: New Characters & Familiar Planets[/h]

[Potential MILD SPOILERS for Episode VII ahead!]-​

We’re still a ways off from the time when we can reasonably expect some official information on Star Wars: Episode VII to be made available, but in the meantime the rumor mill is doing a pretty terrific job of stirring the pot on its own. Today’s batch of rumors involve the Episode VII characters played by Daisy Ridley – who is said to be portraying one of the protagonists (if not the protagonist) of the third Star Wars film trilogy – and Max von Sydow.



You might recall that Sydow was rumored to be playing Episode VII‘s main villain some time ago… and that could well be true, for all we know right now. However, according to Badass Digest‘s Devin Faraci – who previously gave us an intriguing rumor about who Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones) is playing in Episode VII – von Sydow’s character will at least be introduced as a friend of Ridley’s character – the latter being someone who is either named Kira or that’s “what they’re calling her on set.”


Badass Digest is also the source for what, right now, is generally considered to be the most plausible rumored Episode VII storyline, which begins with Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) lightsaber clutched in a dismembered hand, floating in space. Faraci says that a “blue alien” discovers the weapon and takes it a “salvage yard,” where Kira works for Sydow’s character – the latter of whom is described as “an old cyborg dude [who] maybe has dementia.”

… But as soon as that lightsbaber shows up, [Sydow] gets lucid. He recognizes it. He begins to talk about the old days, name drops a couple of Prequel Trilogy characters, even. And then, after Kira and the alien leave he makes a call to a mysterious figure. “It’s here,” he says. But who is he calling?


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Max von Sydow in ‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’

It would make sense for Sydow’s character to be used as a link to the past of the Star Wars universe pre-Episode VII. Besides potentially strengthening the connection between Episode VII and the upcoming Star Wars Rebels TV show, Sydow’s character (as he’s described in the Badass Digest report) could also provide another link to the Star Wars: Clone Wars TV series and prequel trilogy - in ways that expand upon what returning players such as Luke, Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Han (Harrison Ford) bring to the table, that is.


As to who that character is, well, by the sound of he seems more likely to be a member of the Old Republic and/or someone with a hidden knowledge of the Force (a parallel to Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode IV, perhaps?), as opposed to a villain in hiding. One assumes that Sydow and Ridley live on Tatooine – the “desert planet” glimpsed in the first official Episode VII set video – which, in previous Star Wars movies, has proven to be an effective hiding place, so that might be a hint for why Sydow is hanging out there.


Speaking of familiar planets, Faraci has also made the following claim about a recent batch of Episode VII set photos that leaked online, depicting various space ships (X-Wing fighters, the Millennium Falcon) in a location where there was a fair amount of foliage growing over the docking bays and landing platforms.

You know all those shots from Greenham Common Air Base, with the X-Wing fighters and the Millenium Falcon? That’s a familiar location – it’s the Massassi Temple from the original Star Wars. Yup, they’re back on Yavin IV.


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Ridley’s character, however, may reside on Tatooine, but her living quarters are far more surprising – namely, “an abandoned AT-AT” that has been knocked over. You might remember that some of the earliest leaked Episode VII set photos depicted what appeared to be the foot of an AT-AT walker in the film’s “desert planet” setting. (Note: AT-AT walkers are, in fact, all-terrain, so they could function as well on somewhere like Tatooine as they did on Hoth in Episode V.) As they say, if the boot fits…


This rumor also gels with the longtime claim that Ridley is playing the street-smart teen orphan “Rachel” described in the Episode VII official casting call. Similarly, the rumors about John Boyega (Attack the Block) and his Episode VII character point to him playing the young male lead in the casting call – a fellow referred to as “Thomas,” who at the beginning of the film is in need of some guidance – him being a stormtrooper and whatnot.


Are some/any of these Episode VII rumors truly accurate, though? Maybe, maybe not; so, as ever, take all this with a grain of salt and keep on having fun. This Star Wars rumor game is far from done being played, after all.


Star Wars: Episode VII opens in U.S. theaters on December 18th, 2015.
Source: Badass Digest

 

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[h=1]‘Star Wars: Episode 7′ Titled ‘The Force Awakens’[/h]

Ever since it was first announced that the Star Wars brand had been purchased by Disney, we’ve only been given minor breadcrumbs regarding what to expect from the future of our beloved Galaxy Far, Far Away. After months of searching, Lucasfilm defied the ongoing battle between Star Trek and Star Wars fans – by hiring J.J. Abrams as the director that would helm the yet-to-be-titled Star Wars: Episode 7. In the months since, we’ve had a look at the cast and heard unofficial rumors about the film’s storyline; yet, even though principle photography on the movie is now complete, we still only have vague ideas regarding what to expect.



However, now that filming is done, Lucasfilm and Abrams have shared one of the most anticipated elements of any in-development Star Wars production, the Episode 7 subtitle “The Force Awakens”. The official Star Wars site shared the news – coupled with a brief congratulations to the filmmaking team for finishing the principle photography stage.


Unfortunately, the title was the only new piece of information provided (since we already knew shooting had wrapped) – leaving fans, and industry insiders, to speculate on what exactly this title means in the grand scheme of things, especially given that Episode 7 is only Part 1 of a new trilogy and the first step in a six movie slate (that includes three spin-off films).

The main cast of ‘The Force Awakens’ with director J.J. Abrams

Nevertheless, prior Star Wars subtitles have always provided a solid launch point for debate – given that they are usually a relatively straightforward summary of the basic setup for each chapter:

• Star Wars – Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
• Star Wars – Episode 2: Attack of the Clones
• Star Wars – Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith
• Star Wars – Episode 4: A New Hope
• Star Wars – Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back
• Star Wars – Episode 6: Return of the Jedi
• Star Wars – Episode 7: The Force Awakens
• Star Wars – Episode 8: TBD
• Star Wars – Episode 9: TBD

Still, the notion that the Force “Awakens”, certainly seems to back-up prior reports that Jedi heroes and Sith Lords are no longer out in the open in this timeframe of the Star Wars galaxy – a story beat that has been somewhat explored already in the new animated series Star Wars: Rebels. Thanks to Rebels, we already know that Darth Vader was using a non-Sith warrior, known as The Inquisitor, to track and kill potential threats to the Dark Side – forcing any surviving members of the Jedi order (and others who are force sensitive) into hiding.


Several Episode 7 actors have already been rumored as the next generation of “Jedi Hunters” (specifically Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie, and Lupita Nyong’o) – suggesting that after the fall of the Emperor, the Jedi have been laying low while these non-Sith mercenaries hold down the fort in the Sith’s absence. After all, the inciting event of The Force Awakens is rumored to center-on a search for Luke Skywalker – who has disappeared from the public eye. As a result, if the Dark Side has been defeated and the Light Side’s champion is a hermit, the Galaxy would be in a period where the Force is somewhat “dormant” – and Episode 7 might see the Force re-Awakening (reaffirming its influence on the surrounding people and events).

The Inquisitor from ‘Star Wars Rebels’




That said, the emphasis on “Awakens” also has several other possible meanings – should rumors turn out to be true. We assume that at least one of the main characters (played by John Boyega and Daisy Ridley) will discover a sensitivity to the Force, which some could consider an “Awakening” to untapped powers. Other reports maintain that a villain from the past could also reappear (read: “Awakening” after decades). Then there’s the speculation that Max Von Sydow’s character is an “ancient” evil - one that could have, that’s right, “Awakened” at a time when the Dark Side was in need of a new Sith Lord – though more recent rumors about Sydow’s character seem to suggest otherwise.



For now, we’re left connecting a mix of official details and unofficial rumors but we’ll be sure to provide further updates as Lucasfilm prepares for the film’s launch – which is just over a year away.

 

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[h=1]‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Trailer Attached to ‘Hobbit 3′?[/h]

J.J. Abrams recently wrapped production on his hotly-anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens with just over a year to go before its theatrical premiere in December 2015. The project has, much to the chagrin of fans, seen very little official information come out, leading to speculation and discussion over the various plot rumors that have been circulating the web for the past few months.



The reveal of the official subtitle led some to believe that that Disney/Lucasfilm was going to begin to raise the curtain and unleash the first wave of marketing. Just a couple of days ago, we got word of a possible description of the film’s first teaser trailer, with all signs indicating its release before 2014 is out. The prevailing theory has been that the Mouse House would attach it to their musical Into the Woods, but today, we’ve learned that it could be a different major December movie that will have the honors.



Star Wars 7 News is reporting that the Force Awakens teaser will debut in front of next month’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, citing a conversation that their own “Echo-7″ had with a theater manager. In a separate incident, a fan spoke with The Force Awakens‘ first assistant director Thomas Gormley, who conveyed similar information. The fan’s tweet regarding his talk has been deleted, but you can head over to /Film to see what he had to say about the matter.


As is the case with most Star Wars reports, it’s important to take this new development with a grain of salt, but from a certain point of view it does make sense. Battle of the Five Armies is expected to be one of the season’s biggest hits (more so than Into the Woods), so Disney would be reaching a wider audience if they went this route. In a way, this could also be perceived as a “passing of the torch” between esteemed franchises, as Jackson’s Middle-earth saga has dominated the mid-December time frame since Fellowship of the Ring came out in 2001 and is now giving way to Star Wars.

Not to mention, Star Wars and The Hobbit are two series that attract a similar viewership, sogetting the chance to see a Force Awakens preview before Bilbo and Thorin’s final fight would only add to the excitement for the last chapter in the Hobbit trilogy. Five Armies is going to be the last real “event” experience for a while, so this is Disney’s last chance to use a comparable title as a launching point for the first Force Awakens footage.


Of course, our first glimpses of Episode VII will be an event all unto itself – no matter which film the teaser gets attached to. At this point, people just want to see something official from the film. We doubt many would care if it was playing in front of a musical picture or debuted on the Star Wars YouTube channel. After all we’ve heard what the film might be, everyone is just eager to see hints at what it actually is.

Regardless, it seems as if we’ll be getting the initial looks at the new Star Wars episode sometime in December. That enough is a cause for celebration and gives us something else to look forward to this holiday season. Whether it’s with prints of Into the Woods or the Hobbit finale, Mickey Mouse got us a heck of a Christmas gift this year. Hopefully the one he’s giving moviegoers next December is worth the wait.


Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be in theaters December 18, 2015.


Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisAgar90.
Source: Star Wars 7 News, /Film

 

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[h=1]Rumor Patrol: ‘Star Wars 7: The Force Awakens’ Trailer to Debut Next Weekend[/h]

There’s roughly one year until the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and that means we’re very close to seeing the first tantalizing (and probably frustratingly short) trailer for the film. As the holiday movie season nears, all rumors and speculation point to December being the month chosen for this all important unveiling. What’s differed from report to report, however, is just how Disney and Lucasfilm intend to premiere this most hotly anticipated trailer. Some reports have suggested they’ll debut the first trailer for The Force Awakens on ABC, much like how the first Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer was meant to premiere during Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (before it leaked online, that is).



The other persistent rumor involving the release of The Force Awakens trailer suggested it would debut with The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. And while from a marketing standpoint that makes sense because there’s likely to a lot of crossover between The Hobbit and Star Wars audiences, this rumor has already been debunked. The Force Awakens trailer may run with The Hobbit, but that won’t be the first time we see it.


According to new sources, Disney and Lucasfilm have something much bigger in mind for the premiere of their first Star Wars trailer. This latest rumor (via ComicBook.com) suggests that Disney intends to debut the 90-second The Force Awakens trailer in 100 theaters nationwide next weekend ahead of every screening for every single movie.


ComicBook.com goes on – citing these two Reddit posts as sources – to say that Disney has also informed these 100 theaters to give Big Hero 6 their earliest showtime next weekend. If this is true, then the Force Awakens trailer will premiere in front of Disney’s own Big Hero 6 and will then continue running in front of all showtimes all weekend.


If you’re scratching your head wondering if that’s even possible, you aren’t alone. In all honesty, this report sounds utterly bogus, but it would fit with those earlier rumors that Disney and Lucasfilm have big plans for the unveiling of Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ trailer.


Plus, with Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) on Thursday, the following weekend is typically a big box office earner, and nothing would boost Big Hero 6‘s numbers more than having it carrying the first ever trailer for The Force Awakens. That said, it does seems strange there has been absolutely no announcement from Disney about their intentions if this trailer is indeed premiering in one week’s time.

In the end, this is a lot of a fuss over what will likely be an unbearably short trailer. If earlier reports are to be believed, the Force Awakens trailer will consist of little more than close-ups of its lead actors, a soaring John Williams’ score, and a shot of the Millenium Falcon. Still, I wouldn’t doubt that the most ardent of Star Wars have already begun lining up.


What do you make of this latest rumor suggesting Disney will unveil the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer in theaters nationwide next weekend? Would you hit the theaters early in the morning just to see it? Sound off in the comments below!


Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be in theaters December 18, 2015.
Source: ComicBook.com

 

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[h=1]‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Trailer Launches Friday in Select Theaters [Updated][/h]

[UPDATE: J.J. Abrams has revealed the Force Awakens teaser's length.]-

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Rumors have been flying fast and furious of late, regarding the first trailer for J.J. Abrams’ revival of the Star Wars live-action movie franchise, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The most recent speculative report on the matter claimed that Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm are planning to have the Force Awakens teaser screen in front of every single movie being shown at 100 theaters across the U.S., beginning over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.


Well, we now have some official information to offer on the matter, and it turns out there’s at least some truth to that rumor. The Regal Cinemas chain, to be exact, has revealed that the Force Awakens 90-second teaser will be shown in front of all movies screening at select theaters, with nine Regal Cinemas locations confirmed thus far.



The Regal Cinemas official website has announced that the North American theaters listed below will house the “world premiere” of the Force Awakens teaser trailer, which will debut in front of all movies at those theaters starting this Friday, November 28th. No doubt, there will soon be an official update, regarding not just when the trailer will begin showing in other theaters, but also when it shall be available for viewing online.

Irvine, CA Edwards Irvine Spectrum 22 & IMAX
San Diego, CA Edwards Mira Mesa Stadium 18 IMAX & RPX
Atlanta, GA Regal Atlantic Station Stadium 18 IMAX & RPX
Chicago, IL Regal City North Stadium 14 IMAX & RPX
New York, NY Regal Union Square Stadium 14
Warrington, PA Regal Warrington Crossing Stadium 22 & IMAX
Knoxville, TN Regal Pinnacle Stadium 18 IMAX & RPX
Houston, TX Edwards Houston Marq’E Stadium 23 IMAX & RPX
Seattle, WA Regal Thornton Place Stadium 14 & IMAX
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UPDATE: The following Image (featuring a note from Abrams) was posted via the official Star Wars Twitter account, revealing the exact length of the Force Awakens teaser trailer:




Bad Robot @bad_robot
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11:34 PM - 24 Nov 2014

The Force Awakens teaser, according to the rumor mill, will be in the minimalist style of the teaser for Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek film series reboot; the footage may include some of John Williams’ original score for the film but beyond that, very little new material is expected to be unveiled at this stage (over a year before the movie opens in theaters). However, if the teaser does indeed include a “roll call” montage of the film’s cast in character, then even that may help shed some light on the truth behind certain rumors about the story for Force Awakens.


It would make sense to release the Force Awakens teaser online sometime before this Friday, if only in order to discourage people from posting pirated recordings of the teaser ahead of the official launch. Universal is releasing the Jurassic World teaser this Thursday, before its theatrical premiere; we’ll know very soon if Disney/Lucasfilm has similar plans for the Force Awakens teaser this week.

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens/Star Wars: Episode VII opens in U.S. theaters on December 18th, 2015.
Source: Regal Cinemas

 

[manigamer]

[h=1]‘Star Wars 7′ Trailer Will Release Online Friday[/h]

Even with Star Wars: Rebels on the air, an impressive list of directors officially attached to direct future Star Wars sequels and spinoffs for Lucasfilm, it’s hard to believe that the saga is about to return to cinemas around the world. Disney acquired Lucasfilm and the lucrative, merchandise-heavy Star Wars brand two years go, and a year from now Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens will open in theaters.


Production wrapped on Star Wars 7 weeks ago and our first real look at footage from the film is just two days away and while it’ll play in front of films in select theaters beginning on Friday, you don’t need to make the trip to cinemas this Black Friday in order to watch the trailer in HD.



The official Star Wars Twitter account just announced that the first teaser trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens will be available online Friday as well via Apple.


Star Wars @starwars Follow
The Force is with you on #BlackFriday when #TheForceAwakens teaser hits @iTunesTrailers.
2:56 AM - 27 Nov 2014

4,529 Retweets 2,658 favorites

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This news isn’t the best for the list of theaters hoping to see an extra holiday boost in attendees hoping to see the trailer since it neglects the need for diehards to travel to a cinema just to see it, but it’s a smart move on the part of Disney to let fans see the official, high-quality trailer rather than battle the inevitable leaks from people recording with mobile phones. Still, it does downplay the “event” status of the trailer’s release.


Rumors, aside we know that the first Star Wars 7 teaser runs 88 seconds long and we’re all hoping to see the Millenium Falcon and its crew in action, even if it’s just for a second. Bookmark this page and keep an eye on Screen Rant just in case something releases a little early (just like the Jurassic World trailer did yesterday). We’ll be here to share the video and analyze everything that’s in it.


In related Star Wars news, 22 year-old British actress Jessica Henwick, who has a role in the next season of Game of Thrones, has joined the cast of The Force Awakens in an unspecified role.


lizo mzimba @lizo_mzimba Follow
Pleased @JHenwick's in @StarWars VII. Big fan, from Spirit Warriors to Silk. And she's Nymeria Sand in @GameOfThrones next year!
4:34 PM - 26 Nov 2014

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May The Force Be With You!

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Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is directed by J.J. Abrams and stars Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow alongside original stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker.


Follow Rob on Twitter @rob_keyes.
Source: Lucasfilm

 

[asfandyar]

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) Teaser Trailer - Trailer Addict

http://www.ytpak.com/?component=video&task=view&id=OMOVFvcNfvE

 

[CerebralTiger]

HOLY SHIT!!!! TRI-LIGHTSABER!!!!

And the Millennium Falcon, wow!

December 2015 is so far, far away....

EDIT: Moar gifs!

 

[K3yser]

You forgot this one.

Them engine sounds screaming.Orgasmic.

 

[Dark Sith]

dark side ...hell yeah motha Abuses will lead to banaas hell yeah ....keep it coming

 

[K3yser]

- Im willing to bet that cloaked figure with broad-saber is Benedict Cumberbatch.

- And hes going to fight the white walkers!

 

[manigamer]

Huehhehehehe its here !

 

[manigamer]

[h=1]‘Star Wars 7′ Trailer Analysis: A Closer Look At The Visuals & Story[/h]

It’s been nine and a half years since the last live-action Star Wars movie opened in theaters and just over two years since Disney acquired Lucasfilm and the Star Wars brand. From the get-go, Disney made their intentions clear, to not only continue the saga, but blow it wide open with annualized releases and transmedia, inter-connected storytelling. It’s already begun with Star Wars: Rebels on TV and it’s only going to keep growing. In fact, there already are already another three directors lined up for four more Star Wars movies after J.J. Abrams launches Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens.
And that brings us to today. The first official Star Wars 7 teaser trailer just dropped online and is trending around the world. Watch it and watch it again because we’re going to take a closer look at the brief shots the teaser includes and how it seemingly proves a lot of previously reported plot and character rumors true.


At the top of the month our own Kofi Outlaw recapped the leaked plot details of Star Wars: Episode VII, explaining how the official subtitle of the film - The Force Awakens – may prove at least some of them true. Below are some updated bullet points from that list we’ll add to with images from the new trailer.
Impressive and nostalgic visuals aside, it’s the narration of the trailer that sticks out, a seemingly cybernetic-augmented voice, sounding like Benedict Cumberbatch (but we believe it is actually Andy Serkis), expressing the following:

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[h=2]POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOLLOW!!!!![/h]

(NOTE: While most of the info below has not been confirmed, it’s a compilation of what we’ve heard about Episode VII and can be considered SPOILERS).-​

[h=1]“There’s been an awakening.[/h][h=1]Have you felt it?”[/h] John Boyega

New Stormtrooper Designs

• The setup is a dark future 30 years after Return of the Jedi. Things have not been easy, as The Empire has not simply rolled over and died with the defeat of the Emperor. It’s been a long haul fight for both sides.
• The story starts with John Boyega as a Stormtrooper who is shot down on over Tattooine. There he encounters Daisy Ridley’s character, who helps heal and protect him, thereby starting his transition to the good side.

Is that a lightsaber attached to the side?

• After encountering a severed hand holding a lightsaber, Ridley and Boyega try to return it (either out of duty or for profit). That could be it in the above image.
• Ridley’s character is said to be a street-smart salvager working for Max von Sydow’s old demented cyborg character. She brings him the lightsaber for info – but he may be an old member of the Jedi-hunting Inquisitors, who are connected to the Sith.

• Ridley and Boyega’s quest ultimately leads them to Han Solo and Chewbacca, who recognize the lightsaber as Luke Skywalker’s. Above you can see a lightsaber seemingly attached to the speeder and below you can clearly see the Falcon on Tatooine..
• With the kids in tow, Han and Chewy set off to find Luke, who has supposedly been missing since the events of Episode VI (or sometime thereafter). We’re guessing that’s where the Tie Fighters come in.
• 
  
  
  
  • After they leave Tatooine (after what we see in the trailer), they do find an older Luke Skywalker, (possibly half-crazy living in self-imposed exile) who tells them of the Inquisitors – who are indeed actively hunting down any Jedi Masters or Jedi-in-training when Episode VII takes place – and how they are very much connected to the Sith. (The first Inquisitor was introduced in the Star Wars Rebels cartoon series.)
  
  
  • For more plot details, and how the origins of the Inquisitors will be revealed, click here. It explains how Gwendoline Christie and Lupita Nyong’o fit into the story and tease a showdown on an ice planet with a mysterious cybernetic villain.
  
  Oscar Isaac
  
  [h=1]“…The dark side.[/h][h=1]And the light.”[/h]
  
  It’s just a teaser of course, but by all accounts, what we’ve heard about John Boyega and Daisy Ridley’s characters so far, are now confirmed. Boyega is a stranded trooper and Ridley is a Tatooine local, piloting her own transport speeder which looks like it’s used for salvaging. We also see the Falcon flying through the dunes of Tatooine, presumably after meeting up with these characters where they begin their adventure to find Luke Skywalker.
  Without context, it’s just guess work as to what the Sith warrior (with a new lightsaber design) scene and the X-Wing sequences are from, but visually we can applaud J.J. Abrams and company for honoring the sounds, visuals and tone of the original trilogy. You can feel the saga when hearing the X-Wing and Falcon engines roar, or when those Tie Fighters appear on screen. Even the look of the Rebel pilot’s (Oscar Isaac) helmet and the X-Wing interior are appropriately grungy compared to the all-too-shiny prequels.
  The questions remain, who is the lighsaber-wielder, who is offering the voiceover and can that lightsaber hilt actually stop an opponent’s lightsaber from sliding down the blade?
  
• 
  
  
  For the next trailer, we can only hope to see the interior of the Falcon and the original characters on screen. What do you want to see most in the next Star Wars 7 marketing push?
  
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  Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is directed by J.J. Abrams and stars Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow alongside original stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker.

 

[manigamer]

[h=1]‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Trailer Voice Revealed[/h]

The Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer (watch it here) has been making waves all over the Internet since it was released yesterday morning. Giving us our first official glimpses into what director J.J. Abrams and his team have in store, the 88-second clip raised its fair share of questions while seemingly confirming previously leaked plot details. As fans debate the practicality of a cross guard on a lightsaber and gush over that Millennium Falcon shot, the identity of the actor whose voice was heard in the preview was one of the most talked about details.



After everyone got a chance to hear it, opinions were all over regarding who was responsible for it. Some suggested it was Benedict Cumberbatch. Others said it was Max Von Sydow. As it turns out, it was none other than Andy Serkis who did the honors, according to new reports on the matter.


Drew McWeeny of HitFlix was able to confirm that the ominous voice discussing the awakening of the dark side and the light belongs to the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes star. Steven Weintraub at Collider also verified this information, tweeting the following:


Steven Weintraub @colliderfrosty Follow
The voice in the new STAR WARS trailer is Andy Serkis.
9:52 PM - 28 Nov 2014

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While the news will be disappointing to conspiracy theorists who believed that Abrams had in fact managed to sneak in the oft-rumored Cumberbatch into the film, it’s still a noteworthy development for a few reasons. In typical Bad Robot style, the Force Awakens production has largely been kept under wraps, and we still don’t know who the new franchise additions (John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, etc.) are playing or what side they’re on. Knowing that Serkis provided the voiceover marks the first clue for his character.

In their writeup, HitFlix mentioned that even though Serkis won’t have a tremendous amount of screen time in the movie, he still plays a “pivotal” role. They obviously couldn’t get into specifics, but it’s more than we knew just a few days ago concerning the fan-favorite motion-capture actor.

Where we stand right now, it sounds as if Serkis will be playing a Force-sensitive individual in the new Star Wars film. The opening line in the trailer – where he asks someone if they have “felt” the awakening – supports this, since Jedi and Sith throughout the series have used the Force to sense and feel various presences and disturbances. It’s not out of the question for this aspect to be carried over in the sequels.

As for the nature of Serkis’ supposed Force-user, that, like so many other elements of Episode VII, is open for debate. His voice certainly sounds like that of an evildoer, and the pairing of his deep, baritone speech with shots of the principle cast looking nervous only adds fuel to that fire.

From what we know so far, the trio of Boyega, Ridley, and Isaac seem to be portraying the new heroes, but little is known about the villains (thought to be the Inquisitors). As the first of many marketing pushes commences, now would be as good a time as any to begin to introduce the new threat the Rebels will be facing. The prospect of a talent like Serkis sinking his teeth into that kind of part is one that would excite many fans – mo-cap or not.

Of course, this is merely speculation based on a sliver of information. For all we know, Serkis could be an ally of Luke and use the Force for good. Maybe he’s somewhere in between. Either way, the man who has been Gollum and Caesar the ape looks to be adding “Jedi or Sith” to his impressive résumé, so whatever his major role is, it should be a treat to watch.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be in theaters December 18, 2015.

Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisAgar90.Source: HitFlix and Steven Weintraub​

 

[K3yser]

Im willing to bet Cumberbatch is definitely in the film. Its just like Star Trek Im not Khan debacle