Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens Megathread (for news related discussions)

[Zorth]

No Matt is not 100% wrong here. I think he tries to say that he won't judge about a movie before he has seen it and paid full attention so he can make a judgement. He doesn't say you have to like or dislike it or agree with what he think. I do agree with him that there are enough people who have not seen a movie or didn't pay too much attention to it and still think they can make a proper judgement. In this way Matt is absolutely right.

For myself I think the prequels could have done better. The story should have been worked out a bit more. I thought it was all created a bit hasty and there was some terrible dialogue in it. But I still will see the 7th movie because I like to see what is coming next.

Correction: I said 100% wrong on the RLM part, not in general.
As for the upcoming movie, I am just basing my statement on previous experience with sequels & prequels, Not just Star Wars in general. But who knows, Maybe they pull of a Pixar move and make the sequels just as good

 

[GirlWithAFairy]

I also think they could have been better. They were not the best they could have been. But neither were they the vile pieces of garbage people make them out to be. I will reserve judgement on seven until I get to see it.

I think most peoples judgement is pretty well backed tho. I agree with you that they could have been better but they werent films to be bought and burned in Maddison Square Garden in profession of hatred towards Lucas. As previously stated Disney has a history of screwing up sequels, even their own, and like PP said, its mostly due to them watering things down. I know many people that arent raising their expectations IF there is an Eps 7 but they will probably still go see it just to see if it meets or exceeds their expectations.

 

[Terminus]

So long as he doesn't turn it into a big ball of wibbly wobbly trash I guess it'll be fine.

 

[Austin]

*LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE**LENS FLARE*

Kidding aside, this wasn't much of a surprise at all but I suppose I'm happy with it. I wasn't crazy about Star Trek '09 because of the oversimplification of, well, everything, but it was a pretty decent film. However, Star Wars is much lighter than Trek and seems like just the sort of film Abrams would do great at.

Deviating ever so slighty off-topic, I'm more concerned with where the screenplay is heading. I think it's been confirmed that Harrison and what's-her-name who played Princess Leia are in the film. I sincerely hope this is limited to a small part or cameo. I'm as excited to see old Han Solo as I was to see old Indiana Jones.

 

[Castle]

Hm.. unfortunate. I don't much care for Abrams films. His network television shows are some of the best, but I have been unimpressed (to say the least) by his films, and thought Star Trek to be little more than an incoherent series of shoddy knockoff bits from Wrath of Khan. And yes, I know I am in a vast minority.

Now he has a stake in both Star Trek and Star Wars? That should be interesting...

Whatever he does, it can't possibly be as bad as the prequels... can it?

 

[feraldonkey]

Sorry.

 

[Emma]

I actually liked the Star Trek movie. But I do think Star Wars is more of his thing. I think he'd do better at it. Star Wars is more action and adventure. Star Trek is supposed to be more thought provoking. I am among the seeming minority that didn't have any problems whatsoever with the prequels at all. So I am very excited about it continuing. And I do not think Disney will necessary ruin it. Though the possibility of more mature themes, like are in some of the books, are next to non-existent. And we'll never again hear a character like Han telling people he'll see them in Hell. We might not even get the alien language swears anymore. Disney has a pretty solid stance against that. Still they should be pretty good.

I am not a fan of everything Abrams has made, but I liked his sci-fi stuff so that satisfies me. I'm looking forward to seeing Star Wars Episode VII: Lens Flares Strike Back.

 

[Hanyou]

I couldn't be happier to hear this. I'm not at all familiar with much of Abrams work. But he managed to turn Star Trek, a series which I previously couldn't stand, into a genuinely enjoyable film. Similarly, I'm not fond of the Star Wars films at all. I'm hoping he can do the same there too. He doesn't seem afraid to take risks with the expectations of his fans. And personally, a new Star Wars film that merely gushed to the existing fans would be the worst approach possible.

The new Star Trek movie was...average. It didn't come close to Star Trek II, IV, or VI. Wrath of Khan is on its own level--I like it more than most Star Wars films. TheBlueReptile, I advise you to give it a shot if you haven't. That said, I don't think Star Trek 2009 had a chance of measuring up to some of these movies, so the comparison might be unfair.

I hated the characters (except Bones, also my favorite from the show) and wasn't interested in the story. Kirk, Spock, and Uhura all seemed like horrible people, and given that the strength of the original series was the interaction between Kirk, Spock, and Bones, this new trinity was annoying to say the least. They seemed like a bunch of stuck-up rich kids. That might be what they were going for with the screenplay, but you need to have sympathy from your audience, and there just wasn't much intelligence in the execution, either--Kirk constantly lucked out.

Here's the funny thing, though: the film's sheer energy was intoxicating. I honestly think that's what sold audiences.

That's what Star Wars needs--a shot of adrenaline. MI:III was a great action film as well, and I have confidence after both Lost and Super 8 that Abrams can focus on more intimate character moments if he has good characters to work with. The new Star Trek felt like Star Wars, and it was good practice. I can't wait to see him tackle the real thing. And I'm pretty sure, given Star Trek, that he can even do a good job with a weak screenplay.

Here's to a brighter future for a series that has seen too many dark days in the past 16 years.

 

[Spirit]

JJ is pretty good, i dont thin i've disliked anything he has been involved with, even M:I 3 wasn't too bad and i really love Cloverfield (say what you will). JJ did really well with putting the excitement back into Star Trek, i never was a trekky despite being a sci-fi girl but i really liked the reboot. Star Wars is something else that hasn't really entertained me and out of 6 films a like some of only one so JJ grabbing Star Wars is something i'd definitely like to see.

 

[Djinn]

More Star Wars Spinoff Movies Planned

New Spinoff Films Set to Expand the Star Wars Galaxy | StarWars.com

The Star Wars cinematic galaxy is about to experience a Big Bang. Lucasfilm is officially announcing new spinoff films that will expand the mythos and depths of the Star Wars universe in previously unexplored ways.

One of the standalone films will be written by Lawrence Kasdan, screenwriter of The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and co-writer of Return of the Jedi while the other will be penned by Simon Kinberg, writer of Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The movies will be separate from the upcoming Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, on which Kasdan and Kinberg are also consulting, and are expected to be released sometime after Episode VII. Each standalone film will focus on a specific character, and two spinoff films are currently confirmed.

In a call to investors, Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, revealed while the original focus was on the highly-anticipated sequel trilogy, the idea of spinoff films was bandied about early and the additional films are now becoming a reality. "We are in development of a few standalone films," he said, "that are not part of the Star Wars saga...there are now creative entities working on developing scripts for what would be those standalone films."

Stay tuned to StarWars.com as more exciting developments unfold.

I cannot say I am very surprised to hear this considering how Disney loves doing things like creating spinoff series and direct to DVD sequels in such high numbers. I just think they are getting way ahead of themselves announcing it just a couple months after the takeover like this. They might want to consider franchise fatigue, way too much exposure burns out audiences. At least we might actually get something that does not include ewoks or clones.

 

[Viral Maze]

I am totally fine with this, surprisingly.

I'd love to see a Boba Fett flick.

 

[Keeseman]

I'd like to see a SWTFU movie. That would be boss...

Or maybe a film about the Old Republic, based on Revan. That would also be baws...

They do seem to be getting ahead of themselves though, what with 3 movies already planned. But hey, more Star Wars!

 

[A Link In Time]

Heard about this actually.

I'm worried they'll ruin Han Solo's character. His story was already told through the original trilogy. Also, I can't think of a good actor to play a younger solo.

The Boba Fett film definitely interests me though. Hopefully it explores his struggles after escaping the Sarlacc Pit.

 

[Spirit]

I've never been interested in Star Wars despite being a space sci-fi gurl it just doesn't appeal to me, I've only liked on movie and then i find it only okay, nothing special. Star Wars will never end, its going to be one of those things that keeps going no matter how well or badly it does, maybe we'll get something of a gem in all of this upcoming stuff though, some of the games that have featured Sith Lords not seen in the movies have been intriguing at lease like the one with no mouth who blow up planets, maybe we'll see a Darth Plagus (sp?) spin off, that'd be nice.

 

[Castle]

Sounds like somebody thinks they need moar monies...