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Michael Arnt no longer writing Star Wars VII - now Lawrence Kasdan and JJ Abrams

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JimmyRustler

Gold Member
Action is an old man's game. You know it to be true.
And if you go with something entirely new, then why even call it Star Wars?
Because of the universe? Seriously, by now there is no need to bring back any of the old characters. Make a new arch and then build on that. I thought it would be a good idea to bring back Ford as Indiana Jones, I won't be fooled twice. Seeing old Han Solo pulling some smartass lines would be plain embarassing.
 

Peru

Member
Abrams has been pretty bad past few years but when people are working together on a script you genuinely can't predict the results. Just to take a random mainstream example: Two hack puppet writers responsible for the script on "Die Another Day" worked with a filmmaker whose movies I generally despise (Paul Haggis) on a script and the result was "Casino Royale", a classic Bond. Producers of course also factor heavily in the result. And Kasdan was involved in the best Star Wars movie, no matter what he's done here and there otherwise.

In other words who the hell knows.
 
measuring against Joss Whedon would make anyone's directing credentials look good.

I'd put Abrams on about the same tier as Transformers-era Michael Bay. Barely competent, easy to blame Orci/Kurtzman for failings, etc.

You're right. Transformers franchise has better action tho :/
 

temp

posting on contract only
Abrams has been pretty bad past few years but when people are working together on a script you genuinely can't predict the results. Just to take a random mainstream example: Two hack puppet writers responsible for the script on "Die Another Day" worked with a filmmaker whose movies I generally despise (Paul Haggis) on a script and the result was "Casino Royale", a classic Bond. Producers of course also factor heavily in the result. And Kasdan was involved in the best Star Wars movie, no matter what he's done here and there otherwise.

In other words who the hell knows.

Hear hear!
 

Abounder

Banned
Definitely not good news but this movie seemed kind of rushed anyway despite having time to prepare after the prequels. May the force be with it

Because of the universe? Seriously, by now there is no need to bring back any of the old characters. Make a new arch and then build on that. I thought it would be a good idea to bring back Ford as Indiana Jones, I won't be fooled twice. Seeing old Han Solo pulling some smartass lines would be plain embarassing.

Because of the universe? Star Wars is about the Skywalker saga and the PT sucked largely because of the boring characters (a charismatic smartass would've helped a lot but that's just the tip of the prequel iceberg). Star Wars needs the chemistry of the Big 3 back even if they're just supporting characters. The droids can't do it alone. But I agree with focusing on newer characters but I can't agree with just wiping out the old guys entirely especially when you consider that Abram is directing and he wanted both Shatner and Nimoy back in Star Trek
 
If they are going to call this episode VII it better damn well have something to do with the sky walkers and solos.

Otherwise just make new Star Wars movies don't make It a numbered sequel
 

andycapps

Member
I'm guessing that JJ Abrams won't be the one writing everything in this, but he's going to be heavily guiding Kasdan and making sure it fits his vision as a director. Which is why they got Abrams. I'm okay with this. Abrams is running this for the long haul, Kasdan is probably out after this one. If Abrams isn't cool with the script and ends up making the movie anyway, it would show in the end result.
 

monome

Member
ever since it's been announced I'm hyped for VII.

ever since it's been announced I'm concerned with JJ.

Whatever bullshit Kennedy says about JJ, he is not as laudable for his achievements as she says.
Only real thing going for him is he's not old. thus won't botcher Disney's attempt at making money with a vision that's too far away from today's audience mindset.

He won't make a good movie unless he's strapped and forced to listen to someone way better than him at storytelling/visual design etc...

I understand the logic behind Kasdan/JJ. truth is you don't get a good recipe by simply selecting the right ingredients.

I'm worried.
 

deleted

Member
Ok, I guess?

Abrams is capable of directing a Star Wars movie, Into Darkness was a much better SW than Star Trek movie. It all stands and falls with the script.
There are some good signs and some pretty bad signs for now - Palpatine/Imperator coming back from the dead was pretty concerning for me and screamed of creative blackout.
I don't have a problem with the old trio having roles though, as long as they don't focus the whole story around them.

They have so many great novels and games to draw inspiration from, I hope they will use/write something, that manages to bring Star Wars back to the pre Ep I times or at least lift the quality of the franchise to an adequate level where its not painful to watch.
 

Aesthet1c

Member
Looks like good news. I haven't seen Little Miss Sunshine, but everything else Arndt has written is pretty much garbage. Glad to see he's off the project.
 

Kajigger

Member
Who's Lawrence Kasdan?

Wait, J.J Abrams??

Leonardo-DiCaprio-Django-Unchained-You-Had-my-Curiosity.gif
 

.GqueB.

Banned
So? The guy said he was expecting sterile environments and lens flare, and you asked him if he knew what a script was. That JJ is also co-writing the script doesn´t make that person´s expectation wrong, does it?

Studyguy doesn't know what a script is. This much is a clear. He was like the fifth person to respond to this thread which means that, in his head, he felt that since JJ Abrams is co-writing it there will be lens flare and sterile environments.

These are facts.
 

Savitar

Member
They better not go over board with the lightsabers, most Star Wars stuff does these days and makes the product weaker for it. In the prequels they were so common and lit up at the smallest thing that they lost their punch, they became devalued, nothing more than another common prop because OMFG it's a lightsaber.
 

MattKeil

BIGTIME TV MOGUL #2
So basically they're rushing to meet an arbitrary release date. Fucking Disney.

The original Star Wars was so rushed it nearly killed Lucas. They barely wrapped principal photography a year before the release date and they had to invent modern special effects in that year to get it done. The only Star Wars movies that have been made with ample production time have been the prequels.

If anything, I think it's probably better to push Abrams and his team hard so they don't overthink the fact that they're making a new goddamn Star Wars movie and just get it done. Let go their conscious selves and act on instinct, if you will.
 
The original Star Wars was so rushed it nearly killed Lucas. They barely wrapped principal photography a year before the release date and they had to invent modern special effects in that year to get it done. The only Star Wars movies that have been made with ample production time have been the prequels.

If anything, I think it's probably better to push Abrams and his team hard so they don't overthink the fact that they're making a new goddamn Star Wars movie and just get it done. Let go their conscious selves and act on instinct, if you will.

I don't think that's a relevant comparison because the "rushed" production of the original Star Wars did not include inventing a story from scratch, and that's the only aspect I'm worried about.
 

Blader

Member
I don't think that's a relevant comparison because the "rushed" production of the original Star Wars did not include inventing a story from scratch, and that's the only aspect I'm worried about.

Err, what? Are you implying the original Star Wars' story WASN'T invented from scratch?
 

inm8num2

Member
By the time this movie is released the hype and expectations are going to dwarf those which preceded The Phantom Menace, primarily due to the huge increase in online discussions, set leaks, etc.

My view is to not get too high or too low. I'm cautiously optimistic, but generally I think Abrams and company can make a good movie. It really just depends on two things:

1. Good script
2. Avoid shoehorning in nostalgia and callbacks

Create an essentially new film universe and let it breathe.
 
After the prequels i can see why everyone is skeptical but things are going to far. This movie may suck badly but it won't be because it only had 2 years in production.

I'm implying that George Lucas had years to come up with his story, while JJ Abrams has months.

Isn't Abrams a big fan of star wars? You don't think he has ever put some thought into how he would do these movies?
 

Blader

Member
I'm implying that George Lucas had years to come up with his story, while JJ Abrams has months.

JJ is making a sequel, Lucas was building a whole 9 or 12-part saga in his head.

It's much easier to build off what you know - especially when it's existed for decades - than whip something up from nothing. Not to mention there are tons of notes from Lucas, Arndt, et al. lying around - even if JJ and Kasdan aren't using their outlines, I'd be surprised if some of their ideas didn't make their way into the new story, in whatever shape or form.
 

Monocle

Member
They should hire the RedLetterMedia guy to tell them how and why their ideas are bad.

I'm implying that George Lucas had years to come up with his story, while JJ Abrams has months.
All you have to do is look at what the original trilogy did right, what the prequel trilogy did wrong, and then slap a new coat of paint on the Hero's Journey. An idiot could do it. In theory.
 
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