Thursday, February 21, 2013

Episode VII: The Speculation Continues


Mark Hamill says main cast is in talks for Star Wars: Episode VII



Check out this article:
http://www.movieweb.com/news/mark-hamill-confirms-himself-harrison-ford-carrie-fisher-billy-dee-williams-and-anthony-daniels-are-in-talks-for-star-wars-episode-vii

For the basics, Mark Hamill is confirming that the big 3 plus Billy Dee and Anthony Daniels are "in talks" about Episode VII.  There are no official mentions of anyone having signed anything.  But honestly, I think this is a pretty good sign.  I'll admit that originally I was kind of less than thrilled about the idea of them all coming back, for fear of what they might do to them.  But, well, nostalgia is getting the better of me and how can I not want the opportunity to see my favorite movie characters ever on screen again after over 30 years? 

Of course I still have fears of what awful things they might do to them.  But I think we need to take that chance here.  I'm not sure they could screw things up worse without them than they would with them.  The other good news is it mentions they would not recast if someone didn't want in.  They'd simply write them out.  Let's be honest: these guys aren't having their doors pounded on to get them to do acting gigs.  I don't see much potential downside to them reprising their roles.  It's not like they have to worry about being type cast and ruining the rest of their careers.  Their careers are almost over, as sad as that is to say.  There is really not much reason for them to not accept this role and I have no doubt the money would be worth it. 

So, come on and discuss how you feel about this news.  And remember, it's much easier to comment now, so get to it!

40 comments:

  1. This is awesome news, and very encouraging. My biggest fear was that Harrison wouldn't do it and Carrie and Mark would, and then where would that leave Han and Leia? The news that Harrison is in talks to come back is a very positive sign. It's still too early to get really excited about this, but this is a step in the right direction for sure.

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  2. "I said to George Lucas that I wanted to go back to the way it was, in the sense that ours was much more carefree and lighthearted and humorous...in my opinion, anyway....I hope they find the right balance of CGI with practical effects. I love props, I love models, miniatures, matte paintings...I'm sort of old school. I think if you go too far in the direction of CGI it winds up looking like just a giant a video game, and that's unfortunate. ... If they listen to me at all, it'll be, 'Lighten up and go retro with the way it looks.'" ~ Mark Hamill

    I have never agreed more with Luke Skywalker than I do at this very moment.

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    1. I love, love, LOVE that Mark Hamill feels this way and has spoken on the record about it. I totally agree with him! And while I know GL thinks very little of *my* opinion, I'm hoping Luke Skywalker himself has a little more pull! Go Mark!

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  3. Please let it be true! And let them all come back. This would be the Episode 7 I would want to see. Some really hard task for them to do and watch them get it done. Some fun banter with Han dna Leia. And I so totally agree with Mark. Funny how the OT doesn't look dated decades later.

    I'm sure Han will still look good in his pants. And hmmm, I wonder if Lando still has that blue jacket of Han's. :)

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  4. According to http://latino-review.com/2013/02/15/exclusive-harrison-ford-return-han-solo-star-wars-episode-vii/ Harrison is already signed. I realize it hasn't been confirmed by LFL/Disney, but I've read that the guy reporting this has been accurate in the past.

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    1. Awesome if true! Trust in the Force and believe it will happen. I still think we need to address the possibility that those reports early on that Harrison said he would only come back if Han were killed off, COULD be true. I can actually see that as a likely scenario.

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  5. You know, it's too bad they couldn't just have an all Han movie.

    I would see it. Over and over and over.

    Sigh.

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    1. Agreed. Maybe one based on Scoundrels?

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    2. The other rumor is a young Han Solo movie. They are doing stand alone features outside of the Sequel Trilogy - that's definitely confirmed LF/Disney information.

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    3. Cool idea, but there's one big problem. In a YOUNG Han Solo movie we won't be getting Harrison Ford, and seriously, could ANYONE do him justice? Is there any young actor out there even close to Harrison on the hotness scale to be able to pull that off? I'm having serious doubts.

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    4. Oh ITA claire1976. The casting would be CRUCIAL. I'm not sure anyone could do it justice.

      And there better not be even a hint of Bria Tharen.

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    5. I volunteer to interview potential Han Solos!!!!

      DIBS!

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  6. The article says that the actors have a "Friends"-like all or nothing clause in terms of who signs on or not, which indicates a loyalty among the big three that's endearing. But that's not entirely backed up by any quotes from Hamill, so not sure what to make of it...

    Also: the end of the article indicates that Peter Mayhew is included in this news. I'm glad that he's considered "major cast."

    But that brings me to: the dreaded Major Character Death. What if they kill someone off in Ep. VII? I'm still trying to suspend disbelief in the big three's mortality.

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  7. I'm just worried that the only reason Harrison would come back is to kill Han off. Noooooooo!

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    1. Totally! I don't want some heroic-ass death scene. :-0

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  8. I think Ep VII will be in good hands with JJ Abrams. He's done great things with the Star Trek reboot, Lost, etc. He seems to understand the spirit of these Sci-Fi franchises he has inherited and gets it - something even George Lucas lost sight of in the prequels.

    My only concern is that our favorite actors have aged and become different people than the actors who were part of this new thing in 1977 and 1980 (you could argue by 1983, Harrison had already "changed" for the worse). And to be frank, the years have not been kind - appearance wise - to some of these folks. The last thing I want is for HF to phone in a Han Solo appearance. I love HF, but is he - the person he is now at 70 - even capable of playing even an older Han? I hate to say I am not so sure. I'd rather he wasn't in it than to have something horrible like Crystal Skull.

    However, it is fun to try to cast younger versions... can Chris Pine or Jeremy Renner please play young Han Solo?

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    1. Chris Pine is hot. Too bad Sam Witwer doesn't look like Han. He's totally drool worthy and a huge SW fan.

      I kind of like Crysal Skull myself. Probably because of Marion. But he was looking a little craggy in Cowboys and Aliens.

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    2. I've always thought Jensen Ackles would make a good Han Solo

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  9. The Onion/AV CLub is also having some fun with all the rumors: http://www.avclub.com/articles/today-in-star-wars-rumors-mark-hamill-says-no-one,92765/

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  10. You all are going to be so mad at me again, but I actually really think it might not be such a bad thing to kill of Han. Think about it: 70-year old Han running around in all of these movies? They can maybe find a few awesome things for him to do for a little but, but for 3 movies?

    Let's think about what made the original trilogy so great. We cared about the characters. There were a lot of emotional moments. Those elements were completely absent from the prequels. They sort of tried to get us to care about the characters, but failed miserably. Doing something like killing Han would give us a seriously emotional moment that would greatly affect the other characters. It could actually mean something and could, quite possibly, be one of the most powerful and memorable moments in movie history. The death of Han Solo! Come on, if done right, that would be huge!

    Seriously, what does 70-year old Han have to contribute at this point? He could die very heroically and meaningfully. If this movie had been made 15 years ago I'd feel very differently, but now? What else are we going to see these old guys doing for three movies? In order for it to work, they really kind of need to move on to new characters. And I kind of think this could be pretty cool.

    Don't hate me. I really hate the idea of killing Han and leaving Leia alone, but somehow for this movie it makes sense to me.

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    1. I definitely get your point. And certainly I never got emotionally involved in the prequels. Probably because Anakin is a whiner. The OT certainly made you care, even about Luke. But...I don't think I could handle seeing Han die. I'd hate to start bawling like that if they did. But they do need to hand it off to a new generation. Maybe they could do something like Star Trek Generations where the old cast handed the series off to the TNG cast. I just would much prefer that they get to retire. It would certainly be a huge moment if one of them dies.

      Well...Han and Leia could die in bed together. That is where they probably spend most of their time. Just saying. :)

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    2. I wouldn't mind them dying together, although a twisted part of me sort of wants to see Leia grieve a bit.

      And let me be clear, I don't want him to die in the first act of the movie. More like Obi Wan, pretty late into things. And you all need to remember that Harrison is currently quite a few years older than Alec Guinness was when he played that part!

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    3. I definitely don't think Han, Luke, and Leia should hang around for all three movies... Small supporting roles in the first one and then hand it off. But I agree, if they come back, COME BACK... do a decent job and leave us all still loving the characters.

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    4. Totally agree with you, Z. I don't have a problem with any of them dying. I'll be quite sad, of course, but I don't necessarily object to it for the sake of the story.

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    5. Even though I would cry like a baby, if it's done right, and that's a big if, I could accept Han's death. If this was ROTJ we were all speculating on, then no, no way would I be happy about him dying, cut off in his prime like that. But we have to remember, he's going to be in his 70s this time round, which casts things in a very different light. And one thing I DO NOT want is for this movie, and this whole new trilogy to become one big "old" joke, which it could easily be. Don't get me wrong, him dying would break my heart but imagine him going out and making the ultimate sacrifice to save Leia, or their kids and then dying in Leia's arms? It would give the whole thing an emotional resonance and a soul that was so lacking in the prequels. And it could set up the "new threat" whatever it is and really kick things off.

      I think we are kidding ourselves to be honest if we expect both Han and Leia to survive this trilogy. And it's probably why they never killed them off in the EU, because Uncle George, that sneaky old devil, knew that ultimately we would see it on screen.

      I must say though that Amara's idea of them dying in bed sounds an awesome way for them to go! ;)

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    6. I have to agree about him dying in ROTJ. Way too soon. And it'd be horrible if they turned it into one big old joke. Although being older maybe they do realize they are not as young as they used to be and realize they need to let the younger generation handle things.

      If Han dies, it certainly would give things an emotional kick and give it a new threat. A death like Obi-Wan's probably isn't the worst thing. But I'm old school and like my happy ending. I'm not sure there can be on if Han dies. At least for me. And his death would probably be the nail in Leia's coffin. She's lost so much already. Uncle George might want to give the girl a break

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  11. Javahog says:

    I think they should just use them for an intro, maybe, a la Conan the Barbarian. However, once it is confirmed that it is a serialization of COPL, I'm off the bus... oh, wait! That was a dream.

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  12. I think it is simply too late for the OT main characters to bring them back to a new movie.

    Honestly my greatest fear that I would be very disappointed seeing the old versions of my all time absolute favourite cinema heroes running around again.

    I have my own picture of them getting older and older based mostly on fan fictions. 
    In my minds eye time was very kind with them and they look much better, than the actors in real life.
    No offence I still respect these actors very much and aging is a natural process.

    Though we definitely need some sort of connection between end of OT and the new movies.

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    1. Javahog says:

      I'm actually with you, here. I just don't want to see them. The universe, yes...but seeing them again is what fanfiction is for, isn't it?

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  13. I'm hoping for a graceful exit for the OT characters except maybe chewie, I would be totally fine with a Dallas-esque revelation that the whole death of Chewie in the EU thing was a dream. do not want to see another old folks home adventure like crystal skull. new generation needs to take the reigns for a new trilogy for sure. cameos will be fine.

    I rather liked young Indiana Jones but I am not sure about young Han. I hope that is not true. would like spin off series to be yoda, boba, or lando.

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  14. PS on totally different track SWBooks reports the Leia novel between ANH and ESB is ahead of schedule.

    I am totally looking forward to this one. not sure why.

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    1. Awesome, I'm really looking forward to it as well. By the way, has anyone read the new Leia comic yet? Last time I went, they were sold out.

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    2. I've been reading it. I like it. BTW, Dark Horse does digital comics, including the new SW series.

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    3. Oh yeah, I read it. Decent, nothing exciting yet. Promising though and the artwork is good.

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  15. Is this a new Leia comic or the be comic Dark Horse set after ANH?

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  16. All I'm really thinking is how are they going to do Carrie's hair? Imho, the double bun wasn't the most flattering hairstyle of Leia's cx

    Oh and before I forget, hi I'm confusing and I used to be a lurker. :)

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  17. *cinquain, dang autocorrect.

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