New Star Wars VII Casting Rumor

The Latino Review is reporting that Disney and JJ Abrams are considering Ryan Gosling and Zac Efron for roles in Star Wars Episode VII. The role Gosling supposedly is up for is the son of Luke Skywalker (named Ben Skywalker in the books) while Efron's role is unknown. The site also said that Leonardo DiCaprio decided to pass on a Star Wars role to do Robotech The Movie. Now none of this is unsubstantiated so take it with a grain of salt.

Could it be true? If Star Wars was still under George Lucas with JJ Abrams I would flat out dismiss it as I think the pair's instinct is to cast mostly unknowns, especially in the lead roles. Something both have done their entire careers. However, this is Disney and they prefer "named" stars at their movies. They save the newbie castings for their TV shows. This is Star Wars so hiring some famous male or female starlet just for their name strikes me as silly but Disney doesn't think that way. They just think "X star could add y dollars to opening weekend. We need them for Star Wars!". So because of Disney's heavy hand, I am unable to dismiss this rumor as being false. Thanks to Ghola for the link.

JJ Abrams Considering Dropping Star Wars?

A post from Badass Digest is suggesting the unthinkable - that JJ Abrams is considering dropping out of his dream project of directing Star Wars Episode VII. There is nothing substantiating the report beyond "multiple insiders" so take it with a grain of salt. As lifted from my Star Trek post, I call BS despite what is likely Disney Synergy Hell.

The rumored problems is Abrams is growing more angry with directives from Disney such as being forced to film in England. If true, this could allow Abrams to return to direct Star Trek 3. My first instinct is to call BS on this rumor. To be blunt, I just don't see Abrams turning down a dream job that also likely a financial windfall for him. Chances are he will make more money from directing Star Wars then he will from all his previous movies combined, at least if going by the nearly $100 million paydays that Michael Bay enjoyed for Transformers. I don't see Abrams giving up back end points on profits or a cut of the merchandising that will be sure to drown us by 2015. Nor do I see Paramount caring. I suspect that even if Abrams left Star Wars today, they would not offer the Star Trek 3 director's chair to him.

Star Wars Episode VII Character Descriptions

Despite the famed JJ Abrams' cone of silence, the new lead characters being introduced in Star Wars Episode VII have been leaked by Bleeding Cool and later confirmed by LucasFilm. The film, which is supposed to start shooting soon at the famed Pinewood Studios, is supposed to take place around 30 years after the end of Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi.

The assumption is the film will focus on the children of Luke, Han and Leia and the below descriptions do little to discourage that idea. While long time fans who have kept up with Star Wars through the books (called the Extended Universe) are hoping they might be the characters of Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo, and Ben Skywalker. I could see the names being used because Lucasfilm (aka Disney) owns them but nothing about the Extended Universe will be used. I doubt JJ Abrams' is even aware such a thing even exists and will have no interest in trying to tell stories that doesn't interfere with it. Nor does Disney care as the books are but a drop in the bucket compared to the merchandising from the new movies and so from their perspective they are probably fine with the books doing their thing as long as profitable but those stories are irrelevant to their movie plans. So now on to the descriptions.

Late-teen female, independent, good sense of humour, fit.

Young twenty-something male, witty and smart, fit but not traditionally good looking.

A late twentysomething male, fit, handsome and confident.

Seventy-something male, with strong opinions and tough demeanour. Also doesn’ t need to be particularly fit.

A second young female, also late teens, tough, smart and fit.

Forty something male, fit, military type.

Thirtysomething male, intellectual. Apparently doesn’t need to be fit.

Almost Human Trailer

Fox officially announced their Fall 2013-2014 TV schedule and with it released trailers for their new shows including JJ Abrams' Almost Human series. The series is set to air on Mondays at 8/7c with Karl Urban playing a detective who is partnered with an android (Michael Ealy). The trailer, built entirely on the pilot episode, does show a lot of potential.

Abrams' Believe Picked Up By NBC

JJ Abrams is currently 2 for 2 in series with Believe being ordered by NBC for the 2013-2014 season. Yesterday Fox ordered Almost Human to series. Below is the description of the show.

Levitation, telekinesis, the ability to control nature, even predict the future… Since she was two years old, Bo has had gifts she could neither fully understand, nor control. Raised by a small group known as the “True Believers,” the orphaned girl has been safeguarded from harmful outsiders who would use her forces for personal gain. But now that she is 10, her powers have become stronger, and the threat has grown more dangerous. With her life and future now in jeopardy, the “Believers” turn to the only person they see fi t to be her full-time protector. That is, once they break him out of jail. Tate, a wrongfully imprisoned death row inmate who’s lost his will, is initially reluctant – until he witnesses one of her extraordinary abilities. Bo sees people for who they truly are… and who they may become. Tate and Bo begin their journey, one in which trust must be earned. Traveling from city to city, every place they stop and everyone they meet will be changed forever. But they’ll have to keep going to stay one step ahead of the sinister forces after Bo’s power… because it will take a miracle to keep them safe forever. The powers of a young girl may hold the fate of our world in Believe, from executive producer J.J. Abrams (Revolution, Star Trek: Into Darkness) and executive producer/writer/director Alfonso Cuarón (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men). From Warner Bros. Television & Bad Robot Productions. Executive Producer/Writer: Mark Friedman. Executive Producer: Bryan Burk.