Star Wars Episode VII “Biggest Event Movie In The History Of Modern Cinema” Says Star Trek’s Damon Lindelof

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We previously heard from Damon Lindelof, the writer and producer on the likes of Lost and the Star Trek movies, in series of tweets where the screenwriter revealed his enthusiasm for the new Star Wars movie in 140 characters or less.

Now, Rolling Stone Magazine has given Lindelof a pulpit to further explain his thoughts and feelings on the big Star Wars news.

The co-creator of Lost explains how he was in a production meeting for a new movie when the news came down. Someone wrote “Disney buys Lucasfilm” on a napkin and passed it around. Then, when it came around that a new Star Wars movie was slated for 2015, the meeting actually came to a halt, with the participants going online to check out the news.

Following are some excerpts from Lindelof’s article at Rolling Stone.

Lindelof starts off by writing that he never thought another Star Wars movie would come to be and is especially exited that he gets to see a new movie with his son.

My first knee-jerk reactions was just a tremendous level of excitement and enthusiasm. I really believed that I would not see another Star Wars movie as long as George Lucas was still alive. You know, he’s a pretty hale and hearty guy, so that’s a long time from now. I had totally written off the idea of ever seeing a Star Wars movie with my six-year-old son. So for that to all change in the space of five seconds, where suddenly two summers from now that’s gonna happen – it’s just about the most awesome thing ever.

He also mentions his thoughts on the casting and compares it to the Rolling Stones, meaning you at least have to have the originals make an appearance.

As far as casting, my feeling is that they have to bring back the original actors. How can you express that these movies take place after the original trilogy unless some of those characters are in it? I don’t feel that they have to be at the epicenter of the drama, and I definitely think they should introduce new characters. People don’t want to hear the same songs over and over again, but if you see the Rolling Stones, they better do “Satisfaction” as an encore.

Lindelof continues with mention of how he thinks the direction of the next Star War movies should proceed.

I like the idea of the original characters being Obi-Wan’s age now. Previous movies have opened at a time of incredible galactic conflict. As opposed to this next series opening where everybody is happy, I imagine that something happens between this Return of the Jedi and this new film that has split everybody up and created some turmoil that needs to be resolved. The arc of the first movie, if not the first trilogy, would be about getting some of our favorites back together for one last hurrah, in partnership with whoever’s going to be carrying the torch forward.

He goes on to discuss bringing back Harrison Ford, and that if Ford really wants Han Solo to die, then so be it. Lindelof also makes mention of the potential filmmakers involved and whether Disney will be going a route similar to The Dark Knight Trilogy or Star Trek with one director handling all the chores — writing, directing, and producing. Or what about bringing on a relative newcomer, with Rian Johnson of Looper being named.

Lindelof does say that whoever does come on board the new Star Wars needs to be a fan of the film and offers that when the film does hit theaters it’s going to be the “biggest event movie in the history of modern cinema” and be more anticipated than Phantom Menance.

By the time you walk into that theater in 2015 you’ll have some sense of what the movie is going to be like. You’ll know whether or not some of the original actors are returning. You will have seen the trailer and all that stuff. But it is going to be – I can say this with 100 percent confidence three years out – the biggest event movie in the history of modern cinema. The level of excitement and anticipation about Episode VII is going to be double what it was for Episode I.

Head on over to the link above for more from Damon Lindelof. 

For more Star Wars news check out the Cosmic Book News Star Wars Movie Hub.