Star Wars: The Force Awakens

[K]

There’s also a book called ‘The Secret History of Star Wars’, which is a kind of combination of a biography of George Lucas and a painstaking trawl through all the different versions of Star Wars. It covers all the different public versions of Star Wars in incredible detail (i.e. the shift from one to three to twelve episodes, etc, and the different versions of Return of the Jedi) from an unauthorised perspective, so it includes stuff that’s been written out of the official Lucasfilm narratives.

It could do with editing a bit, but it’s a pretty good read – worth reading in conjunction with the concept art-stuffed official books listed above, assuming you’re enough of a mental Star Wars fan to read all of them.

[Sponge]

Nice, be interesting to read that perspective.

I had the Jedi book delivered over the weekend, only had a quick look through so far but it looks pretty good. It's really odd seeing the early screenplay ideas coming together ("Sister!"). Even from this official version of events you could see how much was just made up at the time, that there was clearly no grand story outline covering 12 films, or 9, or 6 or even 3.

[BossSaru]

George Lucas reveals he wanted to direct new Star Wars film

George Lucas has revealed he originally wanted to direct the new Star Wars sequel.

The filmmaker, who sold LucasFilm to Disney for £2.5bn in 2012, admits he'd begun planning a seventh film.

The 70-year-old decided against it after realising that heading up a new trilogy would require a commitment of 10 years.

That decision might come as a relief to those fans who were disappointed with Lucas's prequel trilogy.

"It's better for me to get out at the beginning of a new thing and I can just remove myself," he told USA Today.

"The time is more important to me than the money."

JJ Abrams, who co-created Lost and directed the Star Trek reboot, is heading up the franchise's latest instalment.

Lucas though seems to be taking a backseat approach to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which is set for release later this year.

He recently admitted he hadn't watched the 88-second teaser trailer, which has clocked up more than 70 million views on YouTube.

He said he is looking forward to seeing the hotly-anticipated film as a fan.

"The only thing I really regret about Star Wars is the fact I never got to see it - I never got to be blown out of my seat when the ship came over the screen.

"The next one, I'll be able to enjoy it like anybody else."

Somehow, I doubt that he was top of the list of candidates when Disney bought the rights.

[kensei]

Could have stuck it in the deal if he had haven wanted. Or not sold it.

[Sabreman]

Bullet dodged.

[Fury4k]

He says in the interview he decided not to do it when his new baby was born and he realised he'd rather spend the time with his family.

[AK Bell]

"The next one, I'll be able to enjoy it like anybody else."

I hope he can take the potentially crushing disappointment like we had to.

[Steven]

I suspect the 4 billion will help him have a fairly philosophical view of the finished product.

[Glasgowchivas]

I suspect the 4 billion will help him have a fairly philosophical view of the finished product.

He gave it all away to charity. I mean, I'm sure he's not hurting financially but all that Disney dough is away.

[Steven]

I suspect the 4 billion will help him have a fairly philanthropical view of the finished product.

[Nespresso]

I suspect the 4 billion will help him have a fairly philanthropical view of the finished product.

He gave it all away to charity. I mean, I'm sure he's not hurting financially but all that Disney dough is away.

[Broker]

If there's one thing I know, it's never to trust George Lucas. He probably gave it away to a charity that tests things on children. BECAUSE HE RUINS CHILDHOODS. That's what he does

Lyk if u cri evrytym

[Jumble Jumble]

EUINS CHILDHOODS

Adam Driver character name confirmed.

[Space Renegade Ulala]

He says in the interview he decided not to do it when his new baby was born and he realised he'd rather spend the time with his family.

Newborn baby? So he's not a jaffa after all?

[Lovelyman]

What's a jaffa?

[SeanR]

Seedless.

Which is why he adopted?

On the other hand.. How much cloning does $4bn get you?

Begun, the clone wars have...

[SeanR]

http://www.cnet.com/news/stormtrooper-armour-protects-charity-hiker-from-deadly-snake-bite/

A man hiking around Australia in full Imperial Sandtrooper armour has survived an encounter with one of the world's deadliest snakes, and he has his Star Wars costume to thank.

AYE, 'MON THEN!!!

[Steven]

There are three new bits of concept art doing the rounds (can't get any links working).

[Rev]

Those are astonishing, will have to try and get prints of some.

Some sets of prints were made more or less at the time, [name of film] Portfolio and they're not particularly rare. I've got the Jedi one, it's pretty good.

[Glasgowchivas]

There are three new bits of concept art doing the rounds (can't get any links working).

They're here. A new ship, a cool Imperial scene and one of the announced supporting cast in his on-screen costume.

http://thecantina.starwars7news.com/index.php?threads/concept-art-leak-01-16-2015.1496/

[Vulgar Monkey]

Interesting ship. I'm inclined to read it as some kind of backwater local navy boat rather than a line ship.

[MDY]

It looks like someone had bits of all the previous rebel fighters and stuck them together..

[Nespresso]

Looks like something you put into some sort of PC port.

[wev]

Reminds me of a B-Wing a little bit, if indeed it does fly in the position where its cockpit is on one side.

[Rev]

Reminds me of a B-Wing a little bit, if indeed it does fly in the position where its cockpit is on one side.

Hm? The cockpit is at the front.

[wev]

Sorry, yeah you're right (was looking on my phone before). Its also not B-Wing-like in that it doesn't rotate around its cockpit. It's engines do look like they're placed in an odd position though (one each above, below and to one side of the fuselage) and then a wing/tail/fin protruding from the opposite side.

But then Star Wars craft haven't always been "conventional" looking.

[Space Renegade Ulala]

Rooney Mara and Tatiana Maslany are testing for the Gareth Edwards stand alone spin off flick. Nothing against Mara but come on, Tatiana, you can nail this shit.

[Broker]

The character is unnamed but I bet it's young Leia.

[Dotterel]

Why has Bob Hoskins been overlooked?

[Jumble Jumble]

Indisposed (decomposed).