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Star Wars news including The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, Darth Vader, Baby Yoda, Rey, Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker, The Acolyte, Disney Plus, Skeleton Crew, and more.

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Movie News Star Wars

George Lucas Rips Into Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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Update: Geoge Lucas issued the following statement following the interview:

“I have been working with Disney for 40 years and chose them as the custodians of Star Wars because of my great respect for the company and Bob Iger’s leadership. Disney is doing an incredible job of taking care of and expanding the franchise. I rarely go out with statements to clarify my feelings but I feel it is important to make it clear that I am thrilled that Disney has the franchise and is moving it in such exciting directions in film, television and the parks. Most of all I’m blown away with the record breaking blockbuster success of the new movie and am very proud of JJ and Kathy.” 

 

Original story:

I previously tweeted, when all the hype settles down, will Star Wars: The Force Awakens just be another Phantom Menace or worse?

Even though the Star Wars fanboys and fangirls are eating it up, The Force Awakens is far from a perfect movie.

Now George Lucas agrees as well, though we can’t help but wonder if that’s a good thing (sorry, George, you really blew it with Jar Jar), but Lucas does offer some valid points while appearing on the Charlie Rose show.

“They wanted to do a retro movie. I don’t like that. Every movie I work very hard to make them completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships, make it new.”

I’ve had similar conversations with Star Wars fans regarding just those topics as well. The Force Awakens doesn’t really feature anything new when it comes to tech or spaceships, which is odd considering the amount of merchandising the movie features. Lucas also mentions it’s a retro movie, which I found to be another problem, in that The Force Awakens really didn’t drive the story forward. It actually left our movie reviewer scratching his head.

Lucas continues with mention of how Disney scrapped his storyline for Episodes 7-9, in favor of what some critics deem the most expensive piece of fan-fiction ever created.

“They looked at the stories, and they said, ‘We want to make something for the fans’….They decided they didn’t want to use those stories, they decided they were going to do their own thing….They weren’t that keen to have me involved anyway – but if I get in there, I’m just going to cause trouble, because they’re not going to do what I want them to do. And I don’t have the control to do that anymore, and all I would do is muck everything up. And so I said, ‘Okay, I will go my way, and I’ll let them go their way.’ ” 

Lucas also tackles how the industry as of late is playing it safe by making movies and sequels to things we’ve already seen instead of going the route he did with the original Star Wars, which was new at the time.

“Everybody went out and made spaceship movies and they were all horrible and they all lost tons of money. And you say, there’s more to it than that. You just can’t go out and do spaceships. Of course, the only way you could really do that [make money] is not take chances. Only do something that’s proven. You gotta remember, ‘Star Wars’ came from nowhere. ‘American Graffiti’ came from nowhere. There was nothing like it. Now, if you do anything that’s not a sequel or not a TV series or doesn’t look like one, they won’t do it!”

Update: Lucas also called the Star Wars movie his “kids” and  joked about selling Star Wars to the “white slavers” at Disney before cutting himself off:

“I sold them to the white slavers that takes these things, and [laughs]…” 

(via Movie Web and Indie Wire)

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Captain Phasma Star Wars: The Force Awakens IMAX Poster Revealed

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Another Sunday IMAX poster for Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been released, this time featuring Gwendoline Christie’s Captain Phasma.

Join us for Star Wars Sundays! Each Sunday until January 10, guests who purchase a ticket to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens in IMAX 3D will receive an AMC exclusive ‪#‎TheForceAwakens‬ print from artist Dan Mumford, while supplies last. 

Click for high-res:

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Movie News Star Wars

Star Wars: Episode VII Had A Different Title

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It’s learned that there was a different title for Star Wars: The Force Awakens at one time.

Pablo Hidalgo, an executive for LucasFilm whose job it is to keep track of the Star Wars canon, let it be known on Twitter that for a while Star Wars: Episode VII had the title “Shadow of the Empire.”

Hidalgo is referring to the 1996 novel, comic and video game series, “Shadows of the Empire.” Here’s the description from Amazon (note: none of the books, etc. are canon):

Between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the galaxy was plunged into the shadows . . .
STAR WARS(c) : SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE v
The minds behind the Star Wars galaxy have created a phenomenon of epic proportions, designed to unfold in nearly every medium at their disposal. This intensely researched volume guides you through this Star Wars event–as its creators reveal the secrets behind the multimedia release of the year. The tendrils of this dark drama will reach throughout the Star Wars galaxy:
–The evil crimelord Xizor challenges the power of Darth Vader in an exciting new novel of Imperial intrigue.
–Leia, Lando, and Dash Rendar launch an all-out attempt to rescue Han Solo in a state-of-the-art Nintendo video game. 
–Xizor’s agents search the galaxy for Luke Skywalker in the taut comic book mini-series. Their mission: kill the son of Vader.
–The secrets of the Imperial homeworld are revealed in brilliantly painted trading cards.
–A fully orchestrated soundtrack and exciting new Star Wars action figures embellish the adventure.
STAR WARS: THE SECRETS OF SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE provides the official guide to the heroes, the villains, and all the major combatants. 
When this war is over, only one will control the Empire’s violent 
underworld. . . .

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Watch: Kevin Smith Reviews Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Check out Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin’s reaction to watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

It probably should be noted that Kevin Smith has a role in the movie, so bear that in mind.

Smith’s part hits around the 7-minute mark and spoilers are mentioned.

“This is the Star Wars movies we were hoping for back then [prequels],” Smith said.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is  directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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More Clues To C-3PO’s Red Arm In Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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Obvious spoilers follow for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

 

We know that C-3PO has a new red arm in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but that’s about all we know. Then at the end of the movie, C-3PO has his regular golden arm back (or a new one).

So what gives?

Well, pieces of the puzzle come together (albeit not competely) via the following image (guessing from the Force Awakens Art book) which offers that C-3PO “is uncharateristically quiet when it comes to discussing his salvaged arm; it is a memento of another droid’s sacrifice.”

Interstingly enough, the end scene when C-3PO has his regular arm back also features another droid — a red protocol droid to the right. We can probably speculate that since R2 went comatose, C-3PO may have parterned with another droid.

No worries though, as Marvel Comics has us covered. February 24th sees Marvel put out the Star Wars: C-3PO one shot comic book explaining the red arm. Here is the description:

• Follow everyone’s favorite protocol droid as he Journeys to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, in this special one-shot leading up to his appearance in the film! Just how did Threepio get a red arm, anyway? Find out here as the blockbuster creative team of James Robinson and Tony Harris of DC’s Starman reunite for the first time in nearly two decades!
•  You may be fluent in over six million forms of communication…but this book is a must have in any language!  

Pic (via reddit) and comic cover below:

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Movie News Star Wars

Watch The End To Star Wars: The Force Awakens As Spoiled By A News Station

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Spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens immediately follow!

 

 

I’m glad I went to the 7pm Thursday night advanced screening for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and didn’t catch the news, as a local Buffalo, NY ABC affilate happened to spoil the big reveal at the end of the movie.

Check out the video below from WKBW’s Channel 7 in which they cover the opening of the movie at a local drive-in theater.

Towards the end of the video, they ask fans about what they thought of the movie and the ending, in which the footage is revealed! The fan they talked to even mentions he doesn’t want to spoil it!

Oops!

Actually, the thumbnail for the video spoils the movie before you even get a chance to watch it. Obviously The Force is not strong with WKBW… (or the Bills)…

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Star Wars: Episode VIII Films In London In A Few Weeks

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Here we go again!

Though Mark Hamill shot a few scenes for Star Wars: Episode VIII, now John Boyega offers filming on the sequel to The Force Awakens kicks off in a few weeks in London.

The UK’s Sky News reports John Boyega made a surprise appearance at a screening of The Force Awakens in Brixton and told fans he is “so happy” to work on the next movie.

“So I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone for coming out and supporting this movie. The movie is yours now and I really hope you enjoyed it and we are so happy to be starting on Episode Eight in a few weeks in London and it is going to be fun,” Boyega told the audience. “May the force be with you always.”

Star Wars: Episode VIII has a May 26, 2017 release directed by Rian Johnson. Greg Grunberg, JJ Abrams long time friend since kindergarten and who plays Snap Wexley, recently let it be known that Abrams had read the Episode VIII script and said it was so good that he regretted not coming back to direct it.

As of yet, there is no official title for Episode VIII; however, if the movie keeps in line with “The Force Awakens” homaging “A New Hope,” the title may play off “Empire Strikes Back.” Any ideas?

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Movie News Star Wars

Listen To The Evidence Supreme Leader Snoke May Be Darth Plagueis

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Check out two videos below offering up the theory that Supreme Leader Snoke is atually Darth Plageuis, the Sith Lord that trained the Emperor, Darth Sidious.

Their evidence?

The John Williams music scores for the characters are exactly the same — abeit for one added pitch.

Palpatine told Anakin that he killed Sidious in his sleep. Maybe not?!

“Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith so powerful and so wise, he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life. He had such a knowledge of the dark side, he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying.”

―Palpatine

It’s also been said Disney asked a movie podcast to yank mention of Darth Plagueis in their show, which only adds more fuel to the theory…

You can head on over here for an official description of Snoke and a leaked image.

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens Shattering IMAX Records & New Poster

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Check out a new poster for Star Wars: The Force Awakens that is available at AMC Sunday IMAX screenings.

IMAX also released info about The Force Awakens breaking all kind of records. See below for more.

Join us for Star Wars Sundays! Each Sunday until January 10, guests who purchase a ticket to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens in IMAX 3D will receive an AMC exclusive ‪#‎TheForceAwakens print from artist Dan Mumford, while supplies last.

Check out the latest poster! A new poster will be revealed each week. 

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

Click for high-res:

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IMAX SCORES RECORD-SHATTERING OPENING WEEKEND BOX OFFICE WITH STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS GROSSING $48 MILLION IN IMAX THEATRES WORLDWIDE DEC 21, 2015

 

IMAX Corporation today announced that Star Wars: The Force Awakens, released by The Walt Disney Studios, scored a record-setting opening weekend in IMAX theatres with $48 million worldwide on 677 screens (excluding China), making it the Company’s best-ever weekend at the global box office, beating Jurassic World‘s $44.1 millionworldwide opening (which included China). The previous worldwide box-office record holder in IMAX – without China – was Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, which earned $25.2 million during its opening weekend globally. Star Wars: The Force Awakens also set various other IMAX records including for both domestic and international openings.

Domestically, Star Wars: The Force Awakens grossed a benchmark $30 million on 391 IMAX screens, of which 359 were record-breaking. The film trounced the previous North American IMAX opening weekend record of $20.9 million (Jurassic World) by roughly 50 percent.

International IMAX results for Star Wars: The Force Awakens reached a record $18 million on 276 IMAX screens – without the benefit of China – more than doubling the previous-best non-China day-and-date release of $8 million (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2). Markets that saw record-setting openings include: U.K., France, Germany, Russia, Japan, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Sweden,South Africa, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand. The IMAX network was at capacity with sell-out screenings all weekend as the film earned the highest single-day box-office gross for IMAX worldwide on Friday with$17.7 million. The previous best was Jurassic World with $13 million.

“Star Wars has become a global cultural phenomenon, and IMAX has benefitted, with new IMAX records set across our entire worldwide network and China still to come. We only wish we had more seats to meet the demand,” said IMAX CEORichard L. Gelfond. “Congratulations to Disney and Lucasfilm – we’re extremely proud of the collaboration between our companies, which has resulted not only in this record-setting worldwide opening for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but also in setting the stage for the franchise for years to come. With IMAX effectively playing two Star Wars films per year over the next several years, we believe it will add even greater visibility to our business.”

“With numbers like this, it’s clear that even casual viewers sought out a premium theatrical experience to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and in a weekend of incredible performances across the board, the folks at IMAX pulled out all the stops for a tremendous, record-setting debut for the format that has gone beyond anything we could’ve hoped,” said Dave Hollis, Executive Vice President, Theatrical Distribution, The Walt Disney Studios.

“We always believed the worldwide opening for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was going to be strong, but these results have exceeded our expectations,” said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. and CEO of IMAX Entertainment. “We extend a big congratulations to our friends and long-time partners J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy, Bryan Burk and all of our friends at Disney and Lucasfilm for this phenomenal achievement. The synergy created by fans of theStar Wars franchise, The IMAX Experience, and the support of our filmmaker, studio and exhibitor partners has manifested itself in a truly phenomenal way – creating a new cinema paradigm. With stellar reviews, incredibly strong word-of-mouth, and an open runway for many weeks in IMAX, we look forward to the film’s continued global success – especially as it broadens to China on Jan. 9 – and elsewhere across our network well into February.”

The IMAX 3D release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was shown in its digitally re-mastered format, which includes the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

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Movie News Star Wars

Who Is Rey In Star Wars: The Force Awakens? 7 Theories

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Perhaps the biggest engima – or at least second to Supreme Leader Snoke – is just who the heck is this Rey girl who can wield The Force like no other in Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

Rey is able to resist Kylo Ren, a practitioner of The Dark Side; she’s able to wield a lightsaber; able to Force Pull the lightsaber; able to fly and fix the Millennium Falcon; able to defender herself; has Force visions, and the list goes on and on.

It might be fair to say that Rey might be the most powerful Force wielder ever?

With that said, let’s take a look at some popular theories as to the identity of Rey.

1. Han and Leia’s daughter: While it was said in the movie that Rey looked up to Han as a father figure, it’s doubtful Rey is actually the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia, as it’s probably a safe bet both Han and Leia would realize Rey to be their “long lost” daughter (if they had one). Plus, that would make Han and Leia even worse parents than originally thought (Kylo Ren, ahem).

2. Luke Skywalker’s daughter: Just about the entire movie seems to allude to the fact that Rey is Luke’s daughter. Rey is on the Light Side of The Force, she battles the bad guy, she finds Luke’s lightsaber (or the lightsaber finds her), she goes on a quest to find Luke, Maz tells her she has seen her eyes before, and of course, she finds Luke at the end of the movie. However, this theory could just be too obvious, with perhaps Abrams and Disney trying to steer us in the wrong direction.

3. Relative Of Obi-Wan (via Yahoo): Could Rey be related somehow to Obi-Wan Kenobi? It’s possible, and there is even one fan-theory suggesting Rey may be the daughter of Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s own daughter; however, we haven’t heard anything about Obi-Wan having a daughter in any of the movies, have we?

4. Reborn Anakin/Darth Vader (via Inquisitor): Another fan-theory suggests Rey may actually be a reincarnated Anakin Skywalker. I’m not sure how much merit this holds as we’ve seen Anakin’s Force Ghost; however, it’s alway possible that Snoke may have a Dark Side power of bringing back the dead (somehow). It could also be argued that Rey has more in common with Anakin than anyone else, which leads us to…

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5. Conceived by The Force similar to Anakin (no father): I thought of this one. As Rey is so powerful, does she have a similar origin to Anakin’s? As we saw in Phantom Menace, it was said Anakin had no father and was conceived by The Force. It’s possible the “force has awakened” and created Rey. We could even go further and suggest that Rey may go a similar path to Anakin and turn to the Dark Side herself.

The last two theories suggest that Rey was a Jedi serving under Luke Skywalker when the tradgedy occurred that sent Luke into hiding — with the Padawan that killed all the others. This also helps explain why Rey can use The Force (as she already had prior training).

6. Evil Jedi – mind wiped: Rey is the evil Jedi/padawan who killed all the others, but Luke mind-wiped her and planted false memories as he didn’t want to kill her. This could also explain why Rey had such strong feelings to stay on Jakku —  because Luke implanted that into her because he never wanted her to leave.

7. Luke’s apprentice who survived (via reddit): It’s possible Rey survived the slaughter, and Luke hid her on Jakku so as not to get killed. In the process, he mind-wiped her and planted false memories to either protect her, or as he felt like he failed, to not have any more Jedi (and never wanted her to leave). 

Think of any others? Let us know in the comments below, on Twitter or on Facebook.

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Movie News Star Wars

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Concept Art

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Check out a new batch of concept art for Star Wars: The Force Awakens that has surfaced online.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

 

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens Character & Vehicle Descriptions

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Check out official descriptions for the characters found in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as StarWars.com has updated their Databank with various info, some of which is not known from watching the movie.

 

Rey

Rey is a Jakku scavenger, a survivor toughened by life on a harsh desert planet. When the fugitive droid BB-8 appeals to her for help, Rey finds herself drawn into a galaxy-spanning conflict. Despite dismissing herself as “no one,” she learns that her life is being shaped by the mysterious power of the Force.

Rey grew up on Jakku, eking out a life as a scavenger and hoping that one day whoever had left her on the barren desert world would return. She learned how to survive, becoming a gifted mechanic, pilot and warrior. But she seemed destined to live out her days on a forlorn backwater world, ignorant of the larger galaxy and its perils and possibilities.

Rey’s life changed when she encountered BB-8, a Resistance astromech carrying a star chart offering a clue to the location of the long-lost Jedi master Luke Skywalker. Rey and the renegade stormtrooper Finn forged an unlikely friendship, escaping Jakku and finding themselves caught in a galactic war – with both of their destinies shaped by the awakened power of the Force.

 

Finn

FN-2187 was trained since birth to serve the First Order as a stormtrooper, but a skirmish on Jakku awakened his conscience and drove him down a different path, one that proved both heroic and dangerous. He helped Poe Dameron escape the First Order – picking up the nickname Finn in doing so – and then sought his own freedom alongside Rey and BB-8.

Finn grew up known only as FN-2187, a product of the First Order’s quest to create super-soldiers by training them from birth. He proved a capable soldier in simulations, though he lacked the zeal for combat shown by some of his squadmates. The First Order’s raid on Jakku awakened FN-2187’s conscience, and he decided to desert and make his own way in the galaxy. 

FN-2187 lacked pilot training, so he freed the Resistance pilot Poe Dameron from captivity. The two stole a TIE fighter – with Poe giving the stormtrooper the nickname Finn – and crash-landed on Jakku. Thinking Poe had died in the crash, Finn joined forces with the scavenger Rey and the astromech BB-8 in search of a way off the desert world.  

Posing as a member of the Resistance, Finn escaped Jakku and made his way to Takodana. There, he faced a choice: leave Rey and seek his fortune in the Outer Rim, or join the Resistance and fight the First Order he had once served.

 

Poe Dameron

Poe Dameron is a commander in the Resistance’s Starfighter Corps and one of Leia Organa’s most-trusted operatives. The son of a rebel fighter pilot and a rebel commando, Poe grew up on stories of Alliance campaigns. A decorated X-wing pilot, he can fly anything – which is fortunate given how often his headstrong nature leads him into trouble.

 

Kylo Ren

A dark warrior strong with the Force, Kylo Ren commands First Order missions with a temper as fiery as his unconventional lightsaber. As a leader of the First Order and a student of Supreme Leader Snoke, he seeks to destroy the New Republic, the Resistance and the legacy of the Jedi.

A dark side warrior with a mysterious past, Kylo Ren was neither Jedi nor Sith, but a product of both sides’ teachings. Once an apprentice of Luke Skywalker’s, he killed his fellow students and drove Skywalker into exile, becoming a First Order warlord and servant of Supreme Leader Snoke. Kylo was determined to destroy the last remnants of the Jedi, fulfilling the legacy of Darth Vader.

Both the First Order and the Resistance were determined to locate Lor San Tekka, a galactic scout rumored to know how to find Skywalker. Kylo found San Tekka on Jakku and killed him, but not before San Tekka gave a bit of a star map to the Resistance pilot Poe Dameron. When Kylo captured Poe, he discovered the map was now in the memory banks of BB-8, an astromech on Jakku. By finding the lost droid, the First Order could locate Skywalker and extinguish the Resistance’s last hope.

 

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Supreme Leader Snoke

The Supreme Leader of the First Order, the mysterious Snoke has no permanent base of operations, preferring to contact his underlings from a mobile command post. Snoke is powerful with the dark side of the Force, and seduced Kylo Ren into abandoning the Jedi path to become his apprentice. But Snoke also commands General Hux and the technological war machine the First Order has engineered to destroy the New Republic and Leia Organa’s Resistance.

 

General Hux

A young, ruthless officer in the First Order, General Hux has complete confidence in his troops, training methods and weapons. A rival of Kylo Ren’s, Hux eagerly awaits the day when the First Order will bring down the hated New Republic, and considers it his destiny to rule the galaxy.

Hux spent his life in thrall to the idea of Imperial power – his father was an Imperial Academy commandant, whose radical ideas about training soldiers became a key part of the First Order’s vision. As commander of Starkiller Base, Hux revived another Imperial ideal: achieve military superiority through technological terror.

 

Captain Phasma

Clad in distinctive armor of salvaged chromium, Captain Phasma commands the First Order’s legions of stormtroopers. A tough veteran commander, she has no use for fancy titles or complex war rooms, preferring to lead her troops in battle against the First Order’s enemies.

Phasma served as one of the First Order’s commanding triumvirate, though she sometimes clashed with both the technocratic General Hux and the mysterious Kylo Ren. She worked tirelessly to make the First Order’s stormtroopers the galaxy’s finest soldiers, searching for any sign of weakness or disobedience in the ranks.

 

BB-8

BB-8

A skittish but loyal astromech, BB-8 accompanied Poe Dameron on many missions for the Resistance, helping keep his X-wing in working order. When Poe’s mission to Jakku ended with his capture by the First Order, BB-8 fled into the desert with a vital clue to the location of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.A new-model astromech, BB-8 served the Resistance in the years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, helping pilot Poe Dameron fly his X-wing. Together, Poe and BB-8 kept watch on the First Order.

When the First Order captured Poe on Jakku, BB-8 fled into the planet’s desert wastes, custodian of an important clue to the location of the lost Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. The plucky astromech soon became the target of a determined search by the Resistance, the First Order and the galactic underworld. 

 

Han Solo

Han Solo

After the Battle of Endor, Han became a rebel hero, helping Chewbacca liberate the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. But the good times were not meant to last. Han and Chewie lost their beloved Falcon amid more personal turmoil, and hunted endlessly for the lost freighter as they pursued shady smuggling deals. 

 

Leia Organa

Leia Organa

After the Battle of Endor, the New Republic reached an uneasy peace with the remnants of the Galactic Empire. Believing the Empire was no longer a threat, the New Republic reduced its military capabilities, despite Leia’s warning that the Imperial remnants could not be trusted. When her concerns were dismissed as paranoid warmongering, Leia formed the Resistance, a secret military force that keeps watch on the restive First Order. 

 

Chewbacca

Chewbacca

After the Battle of Endor, Chewbacca played a key role in liberating his homeworld of Kashyyyk from Imperial forces. The Wookiee and the Corellian earned renown as New Republic heroes, but the good times were not meant to last. Years later, amid the rise of the First Order, the two found themselves trying to make a semi-honest living in a chaotic galaxy.

Chewie and Han’s luck seemed to turn when they recovered their beloved Millennium Falcon, lost years before through a fickle turn of fortune. But the galaxy was once more engulfed by war, and as usual the two partners were in the middle of the trouble.

 

The First Order

The First Order

The New Republic’s rise reduced the once-mighty Empire to a rump state hemmed in by strict disarmament treaties and punishing reparations. But in the galaxy’s Unknown Regions, former Imperial officers, nobles and technologists plotted a return to power, building fleets and armies in secret. This movement became the First Order, ruled by Supreme Leader Snoke, and is now ready to reclaim the Imperial legacy.

 

First Order Stormtroopers

First Order Stormtroopers

The First Order’s infantry units wear stark white armor derived from that worn by the Republic’s clone troopers and the Empire’s stormtroopers. Members of this new generation of stormtroopers are trained from birth, growing up with unit designations instead of names and fed a steady diet of First Order propaganda to ensure absolute loyalty. Where the Empire opted for numbing routine, the First Order’s training simulations and live-fire drills encourage improvisation on the battlefield, making these stormtroopers more dangerous than their Imperial predecessors.

 

First Order Snowtroopers

First Order Snowtroopers

First Order stormtroopers assigned to frigid planets such as Starkiller Base wear specialized armor and gear that let them operate effectively in icy conditions. Snowtroopers carry a backpack-style personal environment unit and wear insulated helmets with glare-reducing slit lenses, gloves, a kama, and a heat-resistant body glove beneath an oversuit of wind-resistant fabric. Snowtrooper teams scouted the planet that now houses Starkiller Base, eliminating native life forms that posed a potential threat.

 

First Order Flametroopers

First Order Flametroopers

These specialist stormtrooper units advance in conjunction with standard First Order infantry, using D-93 incinerators to flush out entrenched enemies with roaring sheets of flame. Flametroopers wear backpack-style propellant tanks, special helmets with slit-like lenses that reduce glare, and temperature-control body gloves beneath their armor. 

 

First Order TIE Fighter Pilots

First Order Tie Pilots

Imperial pilots were treated as expendable, sent into combat in unshielded TIEs, but the First Order treats its fighter pilots as important parts of its war machine. Potential First Order pilots are identified as children and given rigorous training, often within the corridors of warships, then tested ruthlessly throughout their careers to ensure their reflexes, visual acuity and coordination measure up. Elite Special Forces fighter pilots bear red flashes on their helmets, and report to the upper ranks of the First Order hierarchy.

 

First Order TIE Fighter

First Order Tie Fighter

Following the traditions of the Galactic Empire, the First Order has kept the TIE fighter design in service, but has updated the craft to modern combat standards.

 

Finalizer

First Order Star Destroyer – Finalizer

The powerful flagship shared by General Hux and Kylo Ren, the dagger-shaped Finalizer is nearly twice the length of an Imperial-era Star Destroyer. The first of the new Resurgent class constructed in violation of treaties with the New Republic, the Finalizer’s heavy weapons are augmented by two starfighter wings, a hundred assault craft and a full legion of stormtroopers. Her turbolasers are more powerful and faster to recharge than Imperial-era weapons, a product of kyber crystals harvested in the Unknown Regions.

 

First Order Transporter

First Order Transporter

The First Order’s stormtrooper transports – formally known as Atmospheric Assault Landers – are designed for the speedy delivery of up to 20 stormtroopers to the battlefield for ground operations. A pilot guides the transport to its drop zone from an elevated cockpit, while a gunner protects the no-frills craft during its final approach.

 

Starkiller Base

Starkiller Base

Deep in the Unknown Regions, the First Order has constructed a superweapon that uses an entire planet as its weapons platform. The deadly Starkiller harvests energy from its system’s star, contains it within magnetic fields inside its base’s planetary core, and then converts that energy into an ultra-powerful beam that blasts through hyperspace, able to sterilize the worlds of a distant star system with a single shot. The icy world that houses the Starkiller is the First Order’s greatest secret, and essential to its plan to conquer the galaxy. 

 

The Resistance

The Resistance

A small, secretive private military force, the Resistance was founded by rebel hero Leia Organa to monitor the actions of the First Order. Most New Republic power brokers tolerate the Resistance while regarding Organa and her fighters as dead-enders with an unfortunate fixation on the past. Organa’s cash-strapped movement relies on credits, ships and equipment quietly funneled to it from the few senators who share her concerns.

 

Resistance X-Wing

Resistance X-Wing

The Incom T-70 X-wing is the latest incarnation of a classic design, and the signature combat craft of the Resistance’s Starfighter Corps. Faster than the Alliance-era T-65s, Resistance X-wings are maneuverable enough to engage TIE fighters in dogfights, but powerful enough to take down capital ships. The credit-strapped Resistance relies on X-wings donated or lent by sympathetic New Republic senators and local security forces. During the assault on Starkiller Base, Poe Dameron flies a customized, dark-hulled X-wing under the call sign Black Leader.

 

Rey's Speeder

Rey’s Speeder

Rey’s speeder is an ungainly but powerful repulsorlift vehicle built by the young scavenger from salvaged parts. The speeder is fast and can carry considerable cargo, making it ideal for use scavenging in Jakku’s Graveyard of Ships. Rey’s speeder is top-heavy and would be difficult for any other pilot to control – but fortunately Rey is a skilled pilot as well as an ingenious mechanic.

 

Jakku

Jakku

A harsh desert world, Jakku is a lawless place that’s home to thieves, outlaws and refugees. During the final years of the Galactic Civil War, Jakku was the site of a secret Imperial research base and served as a jumping-off point for warships heading into the Unknown Regions. The Empire made a last stand above the frontier planet, leading to a pitched battle between rebel and Imperial fleets. Jakku’s sandy wastes are littered with old wrecks, picked over by desperate scavengers searching for parts that can be salvaged and sold.

 

Teedo

Teedo

Teedos are small reptilian beings that prowl the wastes of Jakku, their features hidden behind mummy-like wrappings. Often found riding cybernetic pack animals called luggabeasts, they know many of Jakku’s secrets. Teedos make no distinction between individuals and the species as a whole, and are rumored to share knowledge in some unknown and perhaps unconscious fashion. Jakku’s scavengers treat them with respectful caution, wary of their unpredictable natures.

 

Luggabeast

Luggabeast

Cybernetic beasts of burden found on frontier worlds, luggabeasts are a fusion of organic being and mechanical creation, with their heads hidden away behind heavy armor plating and optical instruments. Jakku’s Teedos use luggabeasts as pack animals, calibrating the cyborg creatures’ instruments to find droids and other valuable salvage.

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23442:]]

Unkar Plutt

A hulking Crolute, Unkar Plutt is the junkboss of Jakku, doling survival rations out to scavengers in return for salvage from the Graveyard of Ships. The ruthless Unkar uses hired muscle to enforce his stranglehold on barter, sending his thugs to punish any scavenger who dares dabble in unauthorized trades or negotiates too aggressively. The Blobfish – as scavengers call him behind his broad back — has collected all matter of weapons, gears and ships over the years, including a battered Corellian freighter he keeps under a tarp on the outskirts of Niima Outpost.

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23443:]]

Maz Katana

Maz Kanata is more than a thousand years old, a diminutive being with vast experience at surviving in the underworld. From her castle on Takodana, Maz has seen galactic powers rise and fall and felt the Force ebb and flow, seeking an elusive balance between darkness and light. She has given many a young smuggler a start by offering credits, equipment or connections, and helped many an old friend rediscover a lost path.

 

Maz's Castle

Maz’s Castle

The ancient edifice known as Maz’s castle sits on the shore of a lake on Takodana, a site rumored to have been a battleground for the Jedi and Sith. The castle is simultaneously aged and state of the art, with sensor grids and advanced communications gear sprouting from worn stone battlements. Inside Maz’s castle, pirates, smugglers, spies and all manner of scoundrels mix and mingle, searching for loans, information, equipment, repairs — or kicking back to enjoy music, food and drink or games of chance. All must obey their host’s prohibitions against politics or war.

 

Takodana

Takodana

A lush green world in the galaxy’s Western Reaches, Takodana has long served as the base of operations for the diminutive pirate queen Maz Kanata, whose ancient castle is a haven for smugglers, brigands, scouts and spies from numerous worlds. Takodana has been largely spared war over the centuries, remaining neutral as galaxy-ruling regimes come and go around it.

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23441:]]

Guavian Death Gang

Known for its distinctive red-armored foot soldiers, the Guavian Death Gang is a criminal organization driven out of the Core Worlds by unrest in the galactic underworld. Guavian Death Gang soldiers undergo cybernetic augmentation, with a mechanical reservoir and pump injecting chemicals into their bloodstreams to enhance speed and aggression. They are silent in battle, communicating via high-frequency datastreams. Han Solo ran afoul of the Guavians for failing to repay their 50,000-credit loan.

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23447:]]

Lor San Tekka

A legendary traveler and explorer, Lor San Tekka is a longtime ally of the New Republic and the Resistance. After the Battle of Endor, San Tekka helped Luke Skywalker recover secret Jedi lore that the Empire had tried to erase, and Leia Organa hopes the old scout can now help find her brother. Following decades of adventure, San Tekka retired to live simply on Jakku, where he follows the dictates of the once-forbidden Church of the Force. But his retirement is fated to be anything but peaceful.

 

C-3PO (See-Threepio)

C-3PO

After the Battle of Endor, C-3PO served Leia Organa during the fight to defeat the Empire’s remnants and the uneasy peace that followed. After the rise of the First Order, C-3PO assisted Leia in her role as founder and leader of the Resistance. The protocol droid’s duties have expanded to include overseeing the movement’s network of spy droids, which operate across the galaxy.

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23448:]]

Snap Wexley

Temmin “Snap” Wexley is a pilot in Blue Squadron known as the best recon flier in the Resistance’s Starfighter Corps. Snap grew up on the Outer Rim world of Akiva, the son of a rebel Y-wing pilot who flew in the Battle of Endor. His recon flight of Starkiller Base helps the Resistance come up with a plan to destroy the First Order superweapon.

 

Tasu Leech

The leader of the Kanjiklub, Tasu Leech is a brutal street fighter. Leech grew up on the Hutt colony world of Nar Kanji and refuses to speak Basic, dismissing it as a “soft language for soft people” and preferring to let his Huttsplitter blaster rifle do the talking. Leech and his fighters confront Han Solo aboard his bulk freighter, angry that the Corellian has twice failed to deliver promised cargo.

Kanjiklub

An Outer Rim criminal organization, Kanjiklub is a rival of the Guavian Death Gang. But while the Guavians are cold and technologically adept, the Kanjiklubbers are street fighters, brawling with improvised tactics and wielding a hodgepodge of blasters, knives and clubs. The group’s wild style reflects their origins as renegade slaves of the Hutts. Kanjiklub has momentarily put aside its dispute with the Guavians to settle scores with a mutual enemy – the Corellian smuggler Han Solo.

Bala-Tik

An agent of the feared Guavian Death Gang, Bala-Tik’s black leather coat and percussive cannon indicate his status within the galactic underworld. Bala-Tik negotiates business for the Guavians, backed by faceless, voiceless cybernetic soldiers awaiting the signal to take action. Bala-Tik considers Han Solo a capable smuggler and a valuable source of information, but his patience with the slippery Corellian and his endless excuses has all but run out.

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Movie News Star Wars

Watch: Max Landis Didn’t Like Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Max Landis is currently taking some heat on Twitter for comments about Star Wars: The Force Awakens and now has further clarified himself in the above video.

Landis wasn’t big on the character of Rey, whom he says is a “Mary Sue,” meaning a character written without flaws or one written unrealistically.

As Landis notes, it’s just one person’s opinion.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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Movie News Star Wars

Watch: Star Wars Fans Go Nuts When Force Awakens Projector Malfunctions

Check out video above from a movie theater in Hollywood where the projector malfunctions for Star Wars: The Force Awakens causing the fans to go a tad bit crazy.

That’s not all though, as when the theater started the projector back up, they skipped ahead revealing spoilers — no once but twice!

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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Movie News Star Wars

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Luke, R2-D2 & Early Story Details Explained

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Obvious spoilers follow for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

We just learned Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda had an appearance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, now check out early story details as well as an explanation of what was going on with R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker.

Regarding the early story details that were part of an older draft of the script, screenwriter Michael Ardnt offered the following (via EW):

• R2 and C-3PO were originally written as showing up together, but Lawrence Kasdan said they should be kept separate from each other.

• Back in a version of the script from 2012, Rey met Luke Skywalker on Jakku following her home having been destroyed. Rey then went on to kick the “bad guy’s ass.”

• One story had the movie going in the direction of searching for Darth Vader’s remains.

• Another version had them on a quest to the underwater wreckage of the second Death Star to recover a key piece of history about sacred Jedi sites in the galaxy.

Why wasn’t Luke featured heavily?

• The reason why Luke wasn’t featured in The Force Awakens is because they thought any time they wrote him into the movie, Luke took it over, and then it was thought no one would care about the other (new) characters.

There has been question online surrounding what happened to R2-D2 and why he woke up the way he did. Here is the text from a post-credit screening Q&A that touches upon the subject:

•  R2-D2’s arrival had to be presented as a kind of delayed gratification, building up the audience’s expectation before the droid rolls out and starts beep-blooping.

•  “We had the idea about R2 plugging into the information base of the Death Star, and that’s how he was able to get the full map and find where the Jedi temples are,” Arndt said.

•  “But the idea was that in that scene where R2 plugged in, he downloaded the archives of the Empire, which was referenced by Kylo Ren,” Abrams said. Thirty-eight years later, in both our own and galactic time, that data becomes useful in The Force Awakens when a new droid approaches the dormant R2.

• “BB-8 comes up and says something to him, which is basically, ‘I’ve got this piece of a map, do you happen to have the rest?’” Abrams said. “The idea was, R2 who has been all over the galaxy, is still in his coma, but he hears this. And it triggers something that would ultimately wake him up.”

•  “While it may seem, you know, completely lucky and an easy way out, at that point in the movie, when you’ve lost a person, desperately, and somebody you hopefully care about is unconscious, you want someone to return.”

• So for those let wondering: BB-8’s earlier question rattles around inside R2’s dome for a while. Those old astromechs must just take a while to boot up again.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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Movie News Star Wars

Obi-Wan Kenobi & Yoda Are In Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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I totally missed this when I first saw the movie, but Star Wars: The Force Awakens featured both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda.

Director J.J. Abrams confirmed the use of the two Jedi Masters as their voices were featured in the Rey lightsaber vision scene. Frank Oz spoke as Yoda, and they used both Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor for Obi-Wan.

“The idea of the voices was, we wanted the audience to feel – but not necessarily be presented right in your face — this idea that familiar, Force-strong voices were connecting with her. At least as well as they could,” Abrams told EW.com“You do hear a little bit of Yoda. You hear Luke yelling out, ‘Nooo!’ from that moment in Empire. And you hear Obi-Wan at the end say, ‘Rey … these are your first steps.’ Here’s the cool part. We asked Ewan McGregor to come in and do the line. And he was awesome and we were very grateful. He was incredibly sweet and handsome, and all that stuff. Then he rode off on his motorcycle. Literally the coolest voice over actor ever.”

Regarding the use of Alec Guinness’ voice, it’s revealed that Bryan Burk, producer on The Force Awakens, surprised Abrams with Obi-Wan Kenobi’s voice saying the name “Rey …”

“I said, ‘That’s cool, is that the thing from Ewan McGregor?’” Abrams said. “He said ‘No, we took a line from Alec Guinness saying ‘Afraid.’ 

“They cut it, and you hear the performance – he’s saying it the way I would have begged Alec Guinness to have said it. It is so crazy perfect,” Abrams explained.  “So when you hear Obi-Wan talk to Rey it is both Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor doing the voice.”

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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Movie News Star Wars

Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Finn Was Originally A White Guy?

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Am I the only one that noticed all the white guys in Star Wars: The Force Awakens were either bad guys or dead?!

lol.

Now that the movie is out, Cosmic Book News can look back at some of the various articles and details we have been avoiding to stay away from the spoilers.

We recently posted Snoke concept art as well as over 20 Easter Eggs for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, now check out concept art of Finn as potentially a white dude, as well as Tweets about the “Boycott Star Wars: The Force Awakens” movement that kicked off back in October and has now resurfaced with the movie officially out.

Art follows; Tweets below.

Finn(?) as white dude concept art:

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23405:]]

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23406:]]

 

John Boyega as Finn concept art:

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23408:]]

Tweets:

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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Movie News Star Wars

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Supreme Leader Snoke Art

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Cosmic Book News has been skipping out on posting all the potential rumors and spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but now that the movie has opened, the flood gates are open.

Earlier we posted over 20 Easter Eggs featured in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, now check out some possible early designs of Andy Serkis’ Supreme Leader Snoke.

Regarding the look of Snoke in the movie, I wasn’t too thrilled with it, but we have yet to see a good upclose look at the main bad dude (I suppose). It’s also been said Snoke is really around 7 feet tall.

Serkis previously offered about the character:

“Supreme Leader Snoke is quite an enigmatic character, and strangely vulnerable at the same time as being quite powerful. Obviously he has a huge agenda. He has suffered a lot of damage. As I said, there is a strange vulnerability to him, which belies his true agenda, I suppose.”

“The scale of him, for instance, is one reason. He is large. He appears tall. And also just the facial design – you couldn’t have gotten there with prosthetics. It’s too extreme. Without giving too much away at this point, he has a very distinctive, idiosyncratic bone structure and facial structure. You could never have done it [in real life.]” 

From a Star Wars: The Force Awakens art book:

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23397:]]

 

From Indie Revolver:

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23395:]]

 

Said to be unused Star Wars: The Force Awakens concept art (may or may not be Snoke):

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23399:]]

 

One theory online is that Snoke is Darth Plagueis:

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23398:]]

 

More potential Snoke/Plagueis art:

 

Popular fan art of Darth Plagueis (via DeviantArt):

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23400:]]

Fan theory art that Jar Jar Binks is Snoke (via DeviantArt):

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23401:]]

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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Movie News Star Wars

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Breaking Box Office Records

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The following news should come as no surprise, especially if you were among the thousands that were unable to purchase advanced and opening day tickets for Star Wars: The Force Awakens due to the various ticket-selling websites having overreached their capacity and crashing as a result of the overwhelming demand.

It’s being reported that Star Wars: The Force Awakens has broken the Friday box office opening record previously set by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 with potentially well over $100 million, and some industry trackers are even estimating $125M million-$130 million (Potter netted $91 million back in July 2011) for Friday.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens brought in $57 million from Thursday night preview screenings as well, which will be included in that Friday opening, and broke the previous Thursday record held by Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith in 2005 with $50 million. 

It’s also said Star Wars: The Force Awakens is currently on track to bring in as much as $250 million-$260 million for the weekend, which would blow past Jurassic World‘s $208.8 million and The Avengers‘ $207.4 million, giving it the best all-time opening weekend ever.

Currently on Rotten Tomatoes, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is sitting at 95% positive amongs the critics, and 93% positive amongst the fans.

“We are obviously very encouraged by the record-breaking presales for Star Wars,” Dave Hollis, executive vice president of distribution at Walt Disney, said in statement released on Friday, as reported by USA Today.

As noted, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is also smashing overseas box office records as The Force Awakens began to rollout in 12 markets on December 16th, with the date marking the biggest box office single day of all time in UK/Ireland, Germany, Norway and Sweden.

More complete box office numbers should be forthcoming throughout the weekend.

(additional numbers and info via Deadline and BoxOfficeMojo)

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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Movie News Star Wars

20 Plus Star Wars: The Force Awakens Easter Eggs

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With Star Wars: The Force Awakens now in theaters, check out a batch of Easter Eggs featured in the movie.

Obvious spoilers follow if you haven’t seen the movie.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

 

• Simon Pegg plays the junk dealer, Unkar Plutt, who pays Rey her rations and wanted to steal BB-8.

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23375:]]

• James Bond Daniel Craig plays the Stormtrooper who Rey uses the Jedi Mind Trick on to escape.

 

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• In one scene on the Millennium Falcon, when Finn and Rey are looking for parts, Finn holds in his hand the sphere used to train Luke in the use of the Lightsaber, the Marksman-H combat remote.

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23377:]]

• Finn accidently turns on the Holochess game.

 

• JJ Abrams gave two of his friends roles as Stormtroopers: Alias and Lost composer Michael Giacchino, and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, who play Stormtroopers FN-3181 and FN-9330, respectively. 

• Poe Dameron is named after Abrams’ daughter’s toy polar bear (named Po) and his assistant, Morgan Dameron, who has a role as a Resistance officer. 

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23378:]]

• Warwick Davis, who played Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi, is featured in The Force Awakens as Wollivan, a tavern-dweller in Maz Kanata’s bar (he’s the short creature with the short, pink snout and the puckered eyes). 

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23379:]]

• Boba Fett’s flag (and others) is featured in the first scene walking to Maz Kanata’s place. I also speculate there were no bounty hunters in the movie because Boba Fett didn’t first appear until the second movie released, Empire Strikes Back (so it’s safe to assume we’ll see them in Episode VIII).

 

• 30 Rock actor Judah Friedlander plays one of the patrons in Maz Kanata’s bar.

• Another bar patron is Star Wars fan D.C. Barns, who won a background role in the movie through the Force For Change charity raffle.

• Kevin Smith is confirmed (via EW) to be a part of The Force Awakens by providing his voice for a character.

 

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• Thomas Brodie-Sangster, of the Maze Runner movies, plays First Order Petty Officer Thanisson.

 

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• Greg Grunberg, known for Lost (and Heroes Reborn) and friends with Abrams since Kindergarten, plays X-Wing pilot Snap Wexley.

 

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• Ken Leung, another Lost alumnus, plays Resistance Admiral Statura.

 

• JJ Abrams father plays Captain Cypress.

• JJ Abrams grandfather, Harry Kelvin, gets a mention with Rey telling BB-8: “Niima Outpost is that way. Stay off Kelvin Ridge. Keep away from the sinking fields to the north or you’ll drown in the sand.”

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:23383:]]

• Carrie Fisher’s daughter, Bille Lourd, plays Lieutenant Connix.

 

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• Bill Hader and Ben Schwartz provide the voice of BB-8.

 

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• Kylo Ren’s real name is revealed to be Ben —  as in “Ben Solo.” Get it? Also, possibly named after Ben Kenobi.

 

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• Snoke tells Ren to bring him the girl, which plays off the Emperor telling Vader to bring Luke to him. Fun fact: Snoke is featured as a Hologram in The Force Awakens, with the designers having said Snoke isn’t really that large, but have said Snoke stands at 7 feet tall.

 

Update:

• Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda are featured in the Rey lighsaber vision scene.

 

It could also be argued the entire movie was one big Star Wars Easter Egg as it was a homage to many other instances and scenes in the Star Wars universe ranging from the Death Star; to familiar faces (Darth Vader’s mask, Admiral Akbar, Nien Numb); New Hope‘s trash compactor gets a reference by Han Solo; General Hux and Kylo Ren argue about the Clone Army), and lots more.

Spot anything we missed?

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Movie News Star Wars

Trolls Spoiling Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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Some Jar Jar Binks fans who are obviously in need of a girlfriend are intentionally spoiling Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

A bunch of clowns who think they are important are members of some Expanded Universe Star Wars Facebook group (I’m not even going to bother linking to them) who have threatened to spoil Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

These Jar Jar trolls are said to be unhappy with “Disney establishing the Expanded Universe storylines as no longer part of official Star Wars canon.” The thing is though, George Lucas said this years ago — that only the movies were canon. So what are these guys crying about? I am glad to tell them that, too bad, your Expanded Universe stuff isn’t canon. Go ahead and spoil all you want, we all know you are still going to see the movie. That was a nice try, though.

I’ve already seen potential Star Wars: The Force Awakens spoilers posted on our Facebook page and had to ban the users. I’ll continue to do so. It probably should be noted they may or may not be connected to the group.

(via CBR)

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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Movie Trailers Star Wars

Watch: Star Wars: The Force Awakens “The Force Arrives Tonight” Spot

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Tonight at 7pm ET sees the first advance screenings kick off for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Disney released a new “The Force Arrives Tonight” spot. Check it out below.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens “Lights Out” TV Spot

All Wings report in! #StarWars: #TheForceAwakens arrives TONIGHT!

Posted by Star Wars on Thursday, December 17, 2015

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Star Wars TV News

The Walking Dead Star Wars Mash-Up Posters

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With Star Wars: The Force Awakens opening this weekend, various pop culture entities have been getting in on the fun including Zack Snyder posting Batman Vs. Superman Star Wars animated gifs, Arnold Schwarzengger showing off his lightsaber skills as Conan The Barbarian, and now The Walking Dead gets in on the action.

The official TWD social networks posted the following images featuring a crossover between The Walking Dead and Star Wars. Check out images of Daryl as Han Solo, Michonne as Kylo Renn, Glenn as a Jedi and more.

 

 

A photo posted by The Walking Dead (@thewalkingdead) on

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Movie Trailers Star Wars

Watch: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Spots #26, 27 & 28

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Check out three more spots below for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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Movie Trailers Star Wars

Watch: Stars: The Force Awakens “In 2 Days” Spot

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens officially in two days, and with that, Disney released a new spot.

Check it out below.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

 

2 Days to The Force Awakens!

Only 2 there are. We hope you have your tickets, because #StarWars: #TheForceAwakens is almost here!

Posted by Star Wars on Wednesday, December 16, 2015

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Movie News Star Wars

Watch The Arnold Schwarzenegger Conan Star Wars: The Force Awakens Teaser

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Check out Arnold Schwarzenegger getting in on the fun of the opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens as the Austrian Oak posted the following clip on Facebook featuring Conan The Barbarian wielding a Atlantean Lightsaber Sword.

Arnold will be reprising as King Conan for the Legend Of Conan movie.

Video:

 

Conan Tests a Lightsaber

A long time ago…

Posted by Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday, December 16, 2015

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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Movie Trailers Star Wars

Watch: Two Star Wars: The Force Awakens Featurettes

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Check out two new featurettes below for Star Wars: The Force Awakens with “Stunts” and “Story.”

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

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