Star Wars: Episode VII: The Nerd Rage Awakens

[cooleddie74]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

If she is Mon Mothma's successor as the recognized head and leader of the Rebel Alliance then that would be a great role for Leia, but at the same time it would limit how many dynamic scenes she could have in the new film. It's not as if Mon Mothma nor most of the other high-ranking Rebel leaders and officials in the OT were exciting action heroes running around firing blasters and spouting catchy dialogue.

 

[JacksonArcher]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

Anyway getting back to VII, I wonder how the John Williams score will work out. He's quite old now (82) and I wonder if he'll be in good health for the whole trilogy. Also, his score for Episodes I-III was at times not so great (although there were some good themes), but I think that's mainly because of the bad editing that Lucas and Ben Burtt did to it.

Yeah I'm a bit worried about that too. There are certainly other fantastic composers out there like Giacchino who could probably fill in and do great, Williams-style work. But it just wouldn't be quite the same I'm sure.

Although I suppose if nothing else, they could just resuse and repurpose Williams' previous music for the series, since there's so much of it to choose from now. And in fact I actually thought that Ken Thorne guy did a great job of that for Superman II back in the day (even if the music did feel a little too similar at times).

I was honestly expecting Michael Giacchino to get hired to do the score. If anything because Abrams works with him so much and John Williams, although immeasurably talented and irreplaceable, is getting up there in age. I'm not positive - as terribly morbid as it is to admit - that he'll live long enough to score the remainder of the trilogy but honestly that's trivial.

I am very happy Williams is coming back, but I was kinda curious to see someone else's take on the Star Wars music. I know Williams' music is integral to the franchise, but John Ottman proved with Superman Returns that you can take familiar Williams themes and use them in a modern score very well.

Besides, Giacchino's style is very similar to Williams' anyway but alas. Since it is official Abrams won't be directing the other episodes in the new trilogy, I guess if Williams does pass away between now and the end of the films - bless his soul - it probably won't be Giacchino that ends up replacing him.

 

[Doctorwhovian]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

Clone Wars had some OK music, especially towards the end, but I think Kevin Kiner's work is more suited to TV (He's probably busy with Rebels anyway).

 

[cooleddie74]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

I'm just glad John Williams is coming back for Episode VII. At his advancing age and with the next two films in the Sequel Trilogy still years off who knows if John will still be around and in any condition to compose music for those installments, but for right now he's still the lead composer and I can't wait to hear what he has up his sleeve for the new film.

One thing you could (and can) always and I mean always count on was (and remains) for the John Williams score to be amazing and epic even if the storyline isn't up to snuff.

 

[RoJoHen]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

If she is Mon Mothma's successor as the recognized head and leader of the Rebel Alliance then that would be a great role for Leia, but at the same time it would limit how many dynamic scenes she could have in the new film. It's not as if Mon Mothma nor most of the other high-ranking Rebel leaders and officials in the OT were exciting action heroes running around firing blasters and spouting catchy dialogue.

It only limits her scenes if the writers want it to limit her scenes. Being a senator certainly didn't stop Padme from running around firing blasters at droids.

 

[davejames]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

Well somehow I wasn't expecting Fisher to be doing much running around in the movie anyway. Although I do hope she's more than just another Mon Mothma in this movie, simply hanging around in the background and giving orders.

Maybe she could be commanding one of the Rebel ships that plays a key role in the story or something.

 

[cooleddie74]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

More of an Admiral Ackbar role would be nice ("IT'S A WALKING CARPET!!"). I can't imagine Carrie at this point in her character's
age running around every few minutes with a blaster rifle or a pistol and being a heroic Sigourney Weaver type, but if she has at least one scene where she reminds the audience of the old Leia from the OT then that would be great.

 

[RoJoHen]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

She should get held captive by the new bad guy. I could see her spouting off some snarky remarks in a scene like that.

 

[davejames]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

Yeah I was a bit worried at first about Fisher being able to recapture the softer and more maternal Leia from ROTJ, but the snarky and smartassy Leia from the first movie shouldn't be a problem for her at all. And hopefully that's the Leia we'll get to see again.

 

[cooleddie74]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

Carrie's pretty much perfected the fine art of smartassery in the three decades since the OT wrapped filming. I think she's got more than enough spunk and tongue to deliver some sharp and very amusing dialogue provided J.J. and Lawrence Kasdan give it to her.

 

[davejames]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

Ugh, can't say I'm liking Hamill's new Gandalf look. He looked fantastic earlier with the shorter Alec Guiness beard, but now it's so long he's starting to look like one of the ridiculous hillbillys from Duck Dynasty or something.

And worse, he's barely even recognizable anymore.

http://www.starwars7news.com/2014/10/blonde-carrie-fisher-honored-with-golden-heart-award.html

 

[UssGlenn]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

If he hasn't started filming yet, he's probably just growing his beard as long as possible to give them as much beard to work with as possible. However, if we see it that long in the movie it would make sense if he has been MIA. But I would assume it would get trimmed thereafter.

 

[cooleddie74]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

I can't imagine Luke sporting a pepper ZZ Top beard for the entirety of the new movie. If it's really long and shaggy at any point I'd guess it's during his time in hiding as a way to further obscure his face, but he wouldn't need it anymore after his friends find him.

 

[Doctorwhovian]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

The beard looks a bit like Ki-Adi-Mundi (The "conehead" Jedi who was pretty much third in command after Yoda and Mace on the council).

 

[cooleddie74]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

And, for fellow Star Wars nerds, the only member of the Jedi Council during the Episode I time frame who hadn't been promoted to the rank of Master. He was still a Knight at the time of the Naboo crisis.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

I'd say Luke's beard is probably at its fullest when we first find or see him and will be shaved back for most of his appearances as he reintegrates with the others. Think jack Bauer in Season 6 of 24 or Kevin Costner at the start of Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

 

[Doctorwhovian]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

Also Brosnan's James Bond in Die Another Day (and to a degree Craig in Skyfall.) Also Mulder in X-files II as well.

 

[JacksonArcher]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

So, a huge spoiler apparently just hit the Internet. You can read it here. It's about the villain of Episode VII. Be warned, if there's any credence to the rumor, it's huge. You might want to avoid the article altogether, but I'm sure there will be some of you that will be curious. I honestly regret reading it, but alas.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

Daisy Ridley's character may have an interesting place to live when the film starts.

Link

 

[JacksonArcher]

Re: New Casting and Story Rumors re: EPISODE VII

I think I'm going to just avoid rumors altogether for this film now. Everyone is so eager to post something from the film. The film is more than a year away and I already feel like I know too much.

At the same time, it is damn tempting. I wish I had more discipline. I want to know, but I don't want to know. For example, if there's any credence to the rumor I posted above then that spoils what arguably could be the franchise's biggest twist since The Empire Strikes Back. I don't want to read about that a year in advance before the film even opens. I wanna find out when I am sitting in that theater on December 18th, 2015.

I just hope Abrams and company have everything underwraps and what is being revealed/leaked are merely bits and pieces of misinformation. It's just a shame there are so many people that want to spoil or leak important plot elements from a movie more than a year before its release but at the same time there are people really hungry for that information. The pressure for Abrams must be gargantuan. The exceptions for this movie will be insane.