Star Wars VII - The Force Awakens, on BluRay and Dvd April 5th, 2016

[miles316]

TheForce.net posted about this story being reported by TheNational.com. Supposedly, it features pictures of the filming going on in Abu Dhabi. Their conjecture as to what we are seeing in the pictures is totally off base, but any serious fan will likely recognize what it is we are actually looking at. It looks legit, but fair warning: minor spoilers may be contained within.

For those who still may be puzzled as to what exactly the object in the picture is:

It's the bottom of an AT-AT foot.

what about the hatch to the Millennium Falcon

As I am going to be avoiding major spoilers as best as I can, I won't be posting any in this thread. But they are something to be aware of now that things are underway.

[Mommar]

TheForce.net posted about this story being reported by TheNational.com. Supposedly, it features pictures of the filming going on in Abu Dhabi. Their conjecture as to what we are seeing in the pictures is totally off base, but any serious fan will likely recognize what it is we are actually looking at. It looks legit, but fair warning: minor spoilers may be contained within.

For those who still may be puzzled as to what exactly the object in the picture is:

It's the bottom of an AT-AT foot.

As I am going to be avoiding major spoilers as best as I can, I won't be posting any in this thread. But they are something to be aware of now that things are underway.

Boy, did they get that speculation wrong...

[renegadeleader1]

Boy, did they get that speculation wrong...

No kidding. Even without the spoiler, I knew what it was. Then again I'm possibly one of the biggest StarWars geeks here, but that was before the dark times, before the prequels(and NJO).

Since then I've turned my back on the ways of the force and pretty much gone into Yoda like exile as far as the franchise is concerned.

[Mommar]

No kidding. Even without the spoiler, I knew what it was. Then again I'm possibly one of the biggest StarWars geeks here, but that was before the dark times, before the prequels(and NJO).

Since then I've turned my back on the ways of the force and pretty much gone into Yoda like exile as far as the franchise is concerned.

Just nick the best bits and forget the rest. We got some new, good music and the concept of dual-sided lightsabers. The Pod Racing Game was kind of cool. Etc, etc...

[renegadeleader1]

The duel bladed lightsaber existed well before the prequels in Dark Horse's Tales of the Jedi Knights of the Old Republic. It was the personal weapon of Exar Kun.

Edited April 16, 2014 by renegadeleader1

[Duke Togo]

Who else thinks that chair next to Ford's reads "Carrie Fisher"?

[Gubaba]

TheForce.net posted about this story being reported by TheNational.com. Supposedly, it features pictures of the filming going on in Abu Dhabi. Their conjecture as to what we are seeing in the pictures is totally off base, but any serious fan will likely recognize what it is we are actually looking at. It looks legit, but fair warning: minor spoilers may be contained within.

For those who still may be puzzled as to what exactly the object in the picture is:

It's the bottom of an AT-AT foot.

As I am going to be avoiding major spoilers as best as I can, I won't be posting any in this thread. But they are something to be aware of now that things are underway.

YOU ARSEHOLE! DON'T SPOIL THINGS!!

[jvmacross]

For those who still may be puzzled as to what exactly the object in the picture is:

It's the bottom of an AT-AT foot.

Seeing that pic reminded me of this comic book scene for some reason....

....like someone else posted earlier...I too would no longer consider myself a mega-fan of Star Wars...but all the collective Star Wars imagery is so hard-coded into my brain growing up with the OT that a simple pic becomes instantly recognizable.......looking forward to what they come up with on this new Sequel trilogy....and I hope the hard-core fans are not too disappointed....

[Duke Togo]

Is that from Dark Empire?

[Dobber]

I think so, it looks very familiar.

Chris

[Mommar]

They wouldn't be able to do that scene anyway, Mark Hamil can't move that well anymore.

[Duke Togo]

My guess would be it's wreckage, but I'm not sure it's even worth speculating about.

[renegadeleader1]

I hope its not an adaptation of Dark Empire, the comic really wasn't that good. It had a decent start with the story, but it really jumped the rails by the third part Empire's end. The art wasn't that good either as by half way through everything looked like a pastel blob, and the scale was out of whack.

Still if I were making a star wars film that AT-AT scene with Luke would be something I would do.

[Vepariga]

I hope some Star Destroyers and imperial reminent are alive and kicking. I'm so excited! not only for the movie but the big event we get to do for it too.

[ErikElvis]

Yeah I always thought it was nerdy to dress up to see a movie but I just ordered a sweet light saber and the Jedi costume is prob coming in a month or 2.

[Gakken85]

It's still nerdy

[skullmilitia]

If anything, we all know how Star Wars works, since the last movie was ROTJ, the next one should be the newly formed alliance hunting down the remaining imperials, while a new with threat grows, possibly already in the Alliance.

[Duke Togo]

The new movies take place some 30+ years after RotJ. It's not like we're stepping into the Thrawn Trilogy here. I'd have to believe things have advanced greatly since we last saw everyone.

[jvmacross]

If Qui Gon "discovered" how to bring his "spirit" back so he can communicate with the living....I'm thinking Sidious (or some new Sith we have not been introduced to taught him how to do it) may have learned that technique...and further "unnaturally" twisted it...to include the ability to embody the "spirit" into a host......Sidious would have probably kept this knowledge to himself.....just like Yoda kept it to himself until he revealed it to Obi Wan.....

I'm probably wrong, but I would not be surprised at all to see "Sidious" back in some form or other.......

As far as Han, Leia..their kid(s).....perhaps they will take the Indiana Jones route and start off by re-introducing Han and Leia after years of being apart......and introducing a son and/or daughter that Han was not aware of (like Mutt).....being twins would certainly play into the one good/one bad type of storyline...but who knows...it could work with just one...falling to the dark side!

I am actually more interested in what they will do with the Luke character......although Leia apparently is also Force sensitive...he is really the "last" Jedi at the conclusion of ROTJ.......I can only assume that he would be interested in re-establishing the "order" and that Obi-wan, Yoda, and Anakin would have been there with him to "assist" in this.....(will Hayden return???)

Maybe Sidious' character is introduced as a "Jedi in hiding" who comes to Luke and becomes a 'trusted friend/advisor" and offers his "ability' to seek out force sensitive kids/beings and recruit them into some new Jedi academy (personal Sith recruiting center?)....and Han/Leia's kid (s) would be training in this "academy", already older teens and ready for the "trials".....and, of course, one of them would fall into Sidious' dark side "teachings"......

All speculation, of course, but like Macross......there is a formula that Star Wars seems to follow: Hero rises....Hero falls.....Hero is redeemed..........mix in Jedi, Sith, space and lightsaber battles...plus R2 and C3PO...and you have Star Wars!

[JetJockey]

If it wasn't already confirmed. Recent news once again confirmed that they are only going to be basically "inspired" by the EU stories.

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/31765/producer-on-star-wars-7-expanded-universe

I wish they weren't so set on needing the OT actors. As much as I like Harrison Ford, I don't want to see him get into the Han Solo character over the movie like in Indy 4. And I haven't seen Carrie Fisher act in anything in a long time. It's like they think they need the original cast just like they think they need Kirk, Spock, and McCoy for Star Trek.

[Kanedas Bike]

From his comments I took it to mean that they would not ignore EU, and that they'd potentially look at all things Star Wars, that doesn't mean that the new films would be inspired by the Expanded Universe.

-b.

[ErikElvis]

It's still nerdy

Ok yeah it is. And the Jedi costumes on the way!

[Duke Togo]

Bye bye EU: http://www.theforce.net/story/front/Moving_Beyond_Existing_EU_Lucasfilm_Announces_New_Direction_For_Star_Wars_Canon_157581.asp

[Duke Togo]

Casting news soon, title to be revealed at SD Comic Con.

[Mr March]

Bye bye EU: http://www.theforce.net/story/front/Moving_Beyond_Existing_EU_Lucasfilm_Announces_New_Direction_For_Star_Wars_Canon_157581.asp

Translation from Disney: the Expanded Universe (EU) of novels, comic books and video games has been a wonderful cash cow for our newly acquired Star Wars property through which they've long exploited a consumer base that starves for Star Wars content. But now that we are in charge and serious about making real movies, we have no choice but to unfortunately acknowledge the valueless b-grade level of this snake oil you've been sold for decades and disregard it as the poor quality material that it is. Like Lucas, we may borrow the odd "Coruscant" and the like from this EU trash, but for the most part we're dropping it like our bitch ex. P.S. We love our fans

[Chronocidal]

Heh. Honestly, I don't blame them for dropping a lot of it, the crazy levels of mary-sue-ness Luke reached in some of those books was horrible. While it might be a case of the pot and the kettle hanging out together, I actually loved how Stackpole wrote I, Jedi as a direct counter to some of the more ridiculous parts of the Jedi Academy books.

Really.. if there is one thing I hope they carry over from the EU? It's the way Zahn began to treat the Force in his later books, especially the Hand of Thrawn. The way he worked out a sort of passive/active methodology to it made so much sense.

[JetJockey]

From his comments I took it to mean that they would not ignore EU, and that they'd potentially look at all things Star Wars, that doesn't mean that the new films would be inspired by the Expanded Universe.

-b.

See quote below. I knew it. Not that all the books were good. Just that it was never clear that they are basically official / authorized / or whatever you want to call it, fan material. Stuff that George Lucas or whoever in charge could say, this looks cool, let's use it. Like Aayla Secura and then completely make her look dumb in the movies.

Bye bye EU: http://www.theforce.net/story/front/Moving_Beyond_Existing_EU_Lucasfilm_Announces_New_Direction_For_Star_Wars_Canon_157581.asp

I've been out on the books for a while. I have a book list I'm behind on and I'm 95% sure I won't get those Star Wars books that are on it now. To me, I always assumed the EU books / comics were authorized by George Lucas. That when he wasn't making movies that these stories were in the same timeline. I never thought we would get bad prequels that ignore the stuff in the books and comics. Books and cartoons that have different versions of events that happened at the same time. And stories in the books, comics, and cartoons that handled the ideas of the original Star Wars universe better than the prequels.

I know the new movies will make a lot of money. They are a franchise. And George Lucas not directing is probably a selling point. But at this point, I'm picking what Star Wars is to me. Similar to what's going on now with them saying the Star Wars timeline is the 6 movies and Clone Wars cartoon.

I choose that Star Wars for me is the original movies (not the Special Editions), some of the books / comics that I own, and the comics leading up to Episode 3. Before the comic writers had to change stuff to match the garbage story of Episode 3. It's money saved for me. As I'm not going to play the new business plan / marketing stuff that will be going on this time.

Edited April 25, 2014 by JetJockey

[myk]

Translation from Disney: the Expanded Universe (EU) of novels, comic books and video games has been a wonderful cash cow for our newly acquired Star Wars property through which they've long exploited a consumer base that starves for Star Wars content. But now that we are in charge and serious about making real movies, we have no choice but to unfortunately acknowledge the valueless b-grade level of this snake oil you've been sold for decades and disregard it as the poor quality material that it is. Like Lucas, we may borrow the odd "Coruscant" and the like from this EU trash, but for the most part we're dropping it like our bitch ex. P.S. We love our fans

Lol that's exactly how it is. People are definitely pissed about the matter, though...

[Mog]

At this point, it doesn't surprise me.

I'll wait and see how the movie turns out, but the net cumulative effect of all these announcements have been to set my expectations extremely low.

It just annoys me that this announcement pretty much confirms that certain figures will NEVER get made in the Hasbro line now.

[Duke Togo]

March got it right--most of this stuff is crap. And really, I'm not sure how any "fan" made it to 2014 without knowing the EU stuff has always existed outside of the official movie canon. This is good news: they're bringing order to chaos.

Of course, all of the old EU stuff still exists; it's not like it's being recalled for destruction. If you want to go back and read all the books and whatnot, you're still free to. It was never canon to begin with, and in the grand scheme of things, it's all fantasy anyway. I've never heard anyone bitch about what telling of the Arthur legend was canon. Just saying.

[ErikElvis]

im glad they're doing their own thing. why limit yourself to a bunch of crap that, in general, most star wars fans could care less about. I know i don't.

Edited April 26, 2014 by ErikElvis

[renegadeleader1]

I wouldn't say most of the EU was crap, just mostly everything post Bantam losing the rights to Star Wars to Del Rey. It began with the New Jedi Order series, and includes anything prequel related. Of the Bantam books the only ones I would say are really bad are Darksaber and the Young/Junior Jedi Knights series. Ironically all those were by Kevin J. Anderson. The Black Fleet Crisis trilogy had its moments even if its story got cut down at the knees by Lucas. At its conception in it was meant to shed light on Luke's mother and had the misfortune of starting its print run right when Lucas decided to start work on the prequels.

There are some underated ones too like Truce At Bakura or Crystal Star. Overall the best would be anything by Michael Stackpole(X-wing series, I Jedi) Aaron Allston(Wraith Squadron), or the master himself Timothy Zahn(Thrawn trilogy, Hand of Thrawn duology). The Han Solo Adventures(corporate sector series, not the Hutt space ones) by Brian Daley are also exceptional.

For those TL;DR

Good- ding dong the vong are gone, Chewie lives, and all the f*** ups the new jedi order created can be undone.

Bad- bye bye Thrawn, X-wing squadrons, and Mara Jade.

[Kanedas Bike]

See quote below. I knew it. Not that all the books were good. Just that it was never clear that they are basically official / authorized / or whatever you want to call it, fan material. Stuff that George Lucas or whoever in charge could say, this looks cool, let's use it. Like Aayla Secura and then completely make her look dumb in the movies.

I've been out on the books for a while. I have a book list I'm behind on and I'm 95% sure I won't get those Star Wars books that are on it now. To me, I always assumed the EU books / comics were authorized by George Lucas. That when he wasn't making movies that these stories were in the same timeline. I never thought we would get bad prequels that ignore the stuff in the books and comics. Books and cartoons that have different versions of events that happened at the same time. And stories in the books, comics, and cartoons that handled the ideas of the original Star Wars universe better than the prequels.

I know the new movies will make a lot of money. They are a franchise. And George Lucas not directing is probably a selling point. But at this point, I'm picking what Star Wars is to me. Similar to what's going on now with them saying the Star Wars timeline is the 6 movies and Clone Wars cartoon.

I choose that Star Wars for me is the original movies (not the Special Editions), some of the books / comics that I own, and the comics leading up to Episode 3. Before the comic writers had to change stuff to match the garbage story of Episode 3. It's money saved for me. As I'm not going to play the new business plan / marketing stuff that will be going on this time.

Cool, I never said that the movies would be connected to the EU, I just reiterated what one of the film makers said in the article you posted, and that was they'd take inspiration from multiple sources.

Happy for those that were looking for closure or an official stance.

-b.

[skullmilitia]

I'm glad to be honest, I'm a huge SW nerd, but I got tired of endless adventures seemingly happening near the same time as other stories, multiple fates.. Ect..

Now that that's out of the way, let's give Boba another chance at beating that sarlacc and continuing to bounty within the Rebel ranks.

That and more Scout Troopers!

[Duke Togo]

I wouldn't say most of the EU was crap

I would!