Star Wars Ep.VII Cast Announced

[Astro_Bot]

Yup, they're back - Luke, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, C3PO and R2D2 - apparently to portrayed by the original actors - as well as a bunch of new characters. And John Williams is back as score composer.

Star Wars Episode VII cast

STAR WARS: EPISODE VII CAST ANNOUNCED

[el_draco (Rom)]

Saw the first one 15 times.... Cant wait!

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

Originally Posted by el_draco

Saw the first one 15 times.... Cant wait!

I got that beat...I went to see Star Wars at the cinema 21 times back in 1977...well I was only 13 but jeez it was memorable.

The good thing about this is that it is out of Lucas hand. JJ Abrams is a great director...if you like the latest Star Trek and the kids movie Super8.

[Astro_Bot]

22 times for me at the cinema (14 on first release and 8 when it came out again the next summer holidays). I was 12/13 at the time. Since then, I've seen Star Wars around 10 more times on VHS and DVD.

I've watched the others far fewer times, including on VHS/DVD - Empire only around 10 times, Return around 7-8, and Ep.1, 2 & 3 only three times each.

I'll probably only watch the new ones twice - once at the cinema and once on DVD - unless they turn out to be amazing, but what are the chances of that given what Hollywood has been producing in recent years?

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

If JJ Abrams heeds Peter Jacksons rules regarding CGI and they get a good screen/script writer/s then these new instalments to the Star Wars saga should be great. CGI should enhance the story not tell it. I for one am really looking forward to the sequel. I would like to see a prequel though, one that focuses on the emergence of the Sith.

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

Since Kasdan is writing along with Abrams I think we could get a good story with plenty of twists to set the next series.

Kasdan penned EP-V The Empire Strikes Back

[JB80 (Jarrod)]

Originally Posted by Hans Tucker

If JJ Abrams heeds Peter Jacksons rules regarding CGI

I hope not, or at the very least do it better than Mr Jackson and a lot less of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRJyRav5c4I

If it looks worse than real life then don't do it.

JJ's use of CGI from what I have seen is some of the best around mainly because it's used only when needed and thankfully they have already announced that SW7 will head back to the more traditional costumes and puppetry and more to the point use actual real locations. All of the above made the prequels a trial to watch.
Well used CGI in conjunction with real life and puppets, etc and this film should look amazing at the very least.
JJ has promised to cut down on the lens flare too.

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

Originally Posted by JB80

I hope not, or at the very least do it better than Mr Jackson and a lot less of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRJyRav5c4I

If it looks worse than real life then don't do it.

JJ's use of CGI from what I have seen is some of the best around mainly because it's used only when needed and thankfully they have already announced that SW7 will head back to the more traditional costumes and puppetry and more to the point use actual real locations. All of the above made the prequels a trial to watch.
Well used CGI in conjunction with real life and puppets, etc and this film should look amazing at the very least.
JJ has promised to cut down on the lens flare too.

Jackson explains why he uses CGI and IMHO he uses it effectively. The use actors and props to create real scenes is not always achievable. With that scene link from the Hobbit you posted how would you suggest Jackson complete that scene without CGI? Yes Jackson pushes CGI to the limits but he is way better at mastering the use of CGI than Lucas. Lucas was like a child in a candy store in regards to his use of CGI. It added nothing to his original SW trilogy and was poorly done. It was done recklessly and he was arrogant about it all. He had a trilogy icon which he ruined with his use of CGI and now the trilogy will not be remember for how well the originals were but how bad the CGI enhanced re-released versions were. Plus Jackson is a far better story teller than Lucas. Yes I am biased..I am a huge fan of Jackson's LOTR and Hobbit trilogies.

[JB80 (Jarrod)]

I really enjoyed the Hobbit, I could niggle at a lot of little things about it if I had to but I thoroughly enjoyed. That one scene I linked to did stand out for me as the only part where I paid most attention to the CGI as it was terrible for the rest of it I was too caught up in the story to care a great deal. Taken out of context in clippings much of the over all look of the Hobbit is not pleasing to my eye, but I can overlook it for a good story most times although the last Indy instalment was truly unforgivable.

How would I suggest it completed, well I mentioned in my first post the basics. Real characters acting on real landscapes would be a start, not just cut and pasted in, I suspect that is more of the problem than any graphics added. Mythical beings and monsters can be animatronics and puppets and by that virtue tend to look less fake too.
The Speeder chase in Return of the Jedi was far better shot than that.
Finally though, when it comes to the cutting floor and looks that bad I simply wouldn't of included it.

I agree with you on Lucas 100%, he should of stuck with the original methods as to this day the original trilogy still look better than most movies since the advent of CGI.
I'm glad someone else is getting a shot at it though and hopefully redeeming my favourite franchise, and by the sounds of it JJ is going about it in a good way.

Tolkien told the story better in my opinion, Jackson is good at taking existing stories and translating it to film.
As for the story of the new SW, I'd be happy for the simple run of the mill formula of the first three. Heroes, villains, good and evil, no children, little to no love story and lots of pew-pew noises. Job done and balance to the force restored.

[LewisM]

And so say all of us

[Varangian (John)]

...anyway May the 4th be with you all.

[KenGee (Kenith Gee)]

JJ messed up star trek for me, l hold no hope for this one.

[Astro_Bot]

Despite Lawrence Kasdan's involvement, some hold out little hope of a palatable film:

JJ Abrams and Star Wars: I've got a bad feeling about this

There are some gems in the comments.

[DavidNg (David)]

Yes, cant wait to see the movie. Does anyone know what the Star Wars VII script will be? I really want to see Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Noghri. Cheers

[hobbit]

Filming has started.
I quite like J.J.'s films. Very much looking forward to this.

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

Originally Posted by hobbit

Filming has started.
I quite like J.J.'s films. Very much looking forward to this.

Ditto...I also don't agree with Gavin Clarke and as for his comments about the character Khan and how it was acted in the two Star Trek movies..well lets just say I found Ricardo Montalban's Khan as menacing as Paris Hilton's Chihuahua. Whilst I did expect more from Abram's Star Trek Into Darkness I found Cumberbatch pretty good in the role of Khan.

[Marios (Marios)]

I hope its not like the recent movies.

Honest Trailers - Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nJS-LPcFfw

[Astro_Bot]

Some more cast members have been announced:

Lupita Nyong'o and Gwendoline Christie join Star Wars: Episode VII cast

[omegacrux (David)]

Today TMZ had some exclusive on set photo's

David

[Astro_Bot]

Scoop!!

This just in: Leaked footage of how the Star Wars films were/are really made. It's all real!!

I for one welcome our new Imperial overlords.