Star Wars spinoff news

Punch it, Chewie

In Disney's complete cash-grab that is the Star Wars continuation movies, a series of standalone movies will be produced that take place outside of the main saga storyline, but still take place with in the universe. The first one that is being made is Star Wars: Rogue One and will be released sometime in 2016. It will be about the mission to steal the plans to destroy the original Death Star. The second movie to be announced is a Boba Fett origin story. And now we have confirmation of the third film: Han Solo.

Now before you get excited thinking that this that is going to be a Harrison Ford adventure, well I'm here to disappoint you. It will focus on a younger Han and how he "became the smuggler, thief and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley." Hopefully we'll also learn how he first met Chewbacca as well.

While no casting announcements have been made (and I'm sure they haven't even started to look for anyone yet), we know that the film will be directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord of 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie fame, while the script will be written by father and son team Lawrence and Jon Kasdan. Lawrence Kasdan co-wrote both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as the Indiana Jones movies. His son Jon has written mainly for TV with his credits including Freaks and Geeks. This untitled Han Solo movie is due in 2018.

Star Wars Episode VII - The Force Awakens is scheduled for release on December 18, 2015.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer

After a week of side-splitting and soul-crushing fake parody trailers comes the official teaser trailer for the J J Abrams/Disney Star Wars reboot/sequel, The Force Awakens. Here it is from MOVIEClips Trailers on Youtube :Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer.

A few things to note. Lens flares aside, this trailer and the footage within certainly appear within the visual and tonal styles of J J Abrams. The lateral tracking shot of the ball-droid racing across a Tatooine junkyard and the X-Wings low across the water. The close-up and subsequent wide shot of the speeder (reminiscent of similar shots in the Star Trek movies). The almost certainly opening shot of the film with John Boyega suddenly jumping from below the screen, panting heavily on Tatooine is similar to the opening scene of Star Trek Into Darkness. He was keen to show off the new lightsaber with twin mini-burst to either side of the hilt, possibly to be used like the hilt of broadsword to catch and parry enemy strikes, and being held by a new villain. The blue-tinged handheld quick-cuts of Stormtroopers in a dropship. And the almost orgasmic reveal of a new, beautifully rendered CGI Millenium Falcon dogfighting TIE Fighters inches above the surface of Tatooine, the camera racing and twisting in an attempt to catch up to the iconic ship as the heroic theme blasts onto ones eardrums. Oh, and it's at this stage that the signature lens flare appears, but with considerably more justification that the Apple Store design of the Enterprise bridge. The musical tone for the majority of the trailer is very similar to the Sarlacc Pit scene from Return of the Jedi. Darkness, tension, and ultimately a heroic climax. Oh, and that dark ominous voice reminds me of something...but not quite.

 Honestly, aside from the basic production design, I suspect the Abrams Star Wars films will be difficult to distinguish visually from the slightly sleeker and shinier Star Trek films. But certainly these will be competently-made, though flawed action films. There appears to be a decent amount of variety in locations and characters, with Boyega likely to be a disguised Rebel a la the infiltration of the Death Star in the original Star Wars, or to be a sympathetic Stormtrooper likely to find redemption in some way. It's no secret that some of us here at TOMB are very, very excited for the new series of Star Wars to come out but with more than a year until the December 15 release of the film, there'll be plenty more time to speculate.

Star Wars VII finally gets title!

After months (if not years) of speculation, and now at the end of principal photography, Star Wars Episode VII has finally had its offical title announced as: 'Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens'

Walt Disney Pictures announced the title, and that filming had finished, on Twitter

Star Wars VII is the first in a planned sequel trilogy, that will see the saga rebooted. J.J Abrams is currently directing VII, starring Andy Serkis, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Domhnall Gleeson and Gwendoline Christie. Rian Johnson is rumoured to be taking the helm for Episode VIII.

What do you guys think of the title? Are you excited to see 'The Force Awakens'?