Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Writer Returns for Episode VII

[Josh Engen]

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Writer Returns for Episode VII

Lawrence Kasdan, one of the writers behind The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, will be returning to the Star Wars franchise for Episode VII.

The last time that we had an official announcement about Star Wars: Episode VII was back in July when <a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/126381-Star-Wars-Episode-VII-Lands-John-Williams
">John Williams was formally attached to the project. Ever since, the internet buzz has been fueled almost entirely by rumors and speculation. However, today the folks at Lucasfilm have unveiled the "master filmmaking team" who will be creating the next Star Wars film.

Much of the crew is made up of people who have worked with Abrams on previous projects, but one name should stand out to anyone who's familiar with Star Wars: Lawrence Kasdan. Kasdan worked as a screenwriter on The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and will be returning to co-write the script with director J.J. Abrams.

The duo is taking over for Michael Arndt, the writer behind Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Little Miss Sunshine. Arndt was originally attached to the project last November [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/120586-Disney-Hands-Star-Wars-Episode-VII-to-the-Writer-of-Toy-Story-3], and is supposedly working on the next two Star Wars films.

"I am very excited about the story we have in place and thrilled to have Larry and J.J. working on the script," said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. "There are very few people who fundamentally understand the way a Star Wars story works like Larry, and it is nothing short of incredible to have him even more deeply involved in its return to the big screen. J.J. of course is an incredible storyteller in his own right. Michael Arndt has done a terrific job bringing us to this point and we have an amazing filmmaking and design team in place already prepping for production."

Star Wars: Episode VII will begin filming in the U.K. next spring, and it's scheduled to hit theaters in 2015.

Source: starwars.com [http://starwars.com/news/master-filmmaking-team-announced-for-star-wars.html]

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[RJ Dalton]

Nope. Can't tempt me while JJ is still attached to the project in any way. Especially not when people are referring to him as an "incredible storyteller." That has never been true.

 

[CriticalMiss]

Hopefully they ignore the prequels when writing this and don't make every other character a force user. Except Chewbacca, since the whole franchise is about him. Maybe the trilogy will be Han and Chewwie hunting down Sith and having fun adventures along the way, teaching each other important lessons about friendship and teamwork and most important of all smuggling.

 

[Josh Engen]

Hopefully they ignore the prequels when writing this and don't make every other character a force user. Except Chewbacca, since the whole franchise is about him. Maybe the trilogy will be Han and Chewwie hunting down Sith and having fun adventures along the way, teaching each other important lessons about friendship and teamwork and most important of all smuggling.

All I want to do is watch this movie.

 

[MrBaskerville]

My biggest issue with Abrams is that he can't end his movies, but that might also be a Lindelof related problem. Kasdans involment defineately gives me just a little glimmer of hope, can't be worse than the prequels atleast.

Aside from being 20 minutes too long (could have done without the punching and the crashing spaceship...), i kinda enjoyed Into Darkness, so maybe Abrams isn't that bad afterall, i also enjoyed first half of Super 8.

 

[1nfinite_Cros5]

Hopefully they ignore the prequels when writing this and don't make every other character a force user. Except Chewbacca, since the whole franchise is about him. Maybe the trilogy will be Han and Chewwie hunting down Sith and having fun adventures along the way, teaching each other important lessons about friendship and teamwork and most important of all smuggling.

Spoiler: I raise you this

Seriously though, I hope there's still some good that can come out of this. Since the prequels didn't work for a lot of people, the franchise has to do something crazy in order to make everyone fall in love with it again.

 

[Issurru]

Still rather skeptical since "Lens Flare" J.J is involved. But this gives me some hope, maybe now I won't be blinded by the lightsaber battles because J.J just decides to have a two different coloured strobe lights going on high to simulate the fight since maybe Kasdan might try to keep him in line

 

[RJ Dalton]

Nope. Can't tempt me while JJ is still attached to the project in any way. Especially not when people are referring to him as an "incredible storyteller." That has never been true.

Oh come on all they need to do is through in some Red Matter and a few out of context references and we're gold!

And lens flares. Don't forget the lens flares!

 

[Frezzato]

Dayum, Kasdan is often credited as making Empire the badass picture that it was. Here's to hoping he can make the new Star Wars into something epic.

Unfortunately, I hate J.J. Abrams, but good luck anyway, Lawrence!

 

[Veylon]

Still rather skeptical since "Lens Flare" J.J is involved. But this gives me some hope, maybe now I won't be blinded by the lightsaber battles because J.J just decides to have a two different coloured strobe lights going on high to simulate the fight since maybe Kasdan might try to keep him in line

Hopefully all the lightsabering will get toned down. Empire had one lightsaber battle plus a few non-dueling moments. When two people in the same room pull out their glow rods to have at it, it should be a big deal that's been built up to. The Prequels were way too casual about the things.

 

[Baldr]

Well, there is a huge expanded universe for them to use.

Sorry, they already said that expanded universe is out of the picture.

 

[Mahorfeus]

I've liked most of Abrams' works, the Star Trek movies in particular. I'm still extremely skeptical about this movie, but I'm going to give it a shot because it has the Star Wars name on it. I just hope to god that it won't be as bad as Attack of the Clones.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

First production meeting between Abrams and Kasdan:

Kasdan - "So what I'm thinking is starting the story with a Jedi council meeting 500 years after..."
Abrams - "Brilliant! Sounds a little boring though, and I don't think that'll allow us much use of the lens flare. And needs more lightsabers and cool-looking blaster fire. Well thanks for your help you can go now. Assistant? Bring in the 800 lighting engineers, special effects technicians, and stuntmen."

 

[Quazimofo]

I heard they are basically re-doing Arendt's script. Too bad, that man is an excellent scriptwriter.
Still, there is hope with Kasdan. Empire was the second best of the trilogy of excellent movies. I prefer the overall lighter feel of episode 4, and it was an excellent opener to a great trilogy, so it BARELY beats out Empire in my eyes.

All in all though, there's a lot riding on this, so I'll let M take this one (Man I wish I could find a clip of Bernard Lee's M).

 

[Oroboros]

Nope. Can't tempt me while JJ is still attached to the project in any way. Especially not when people are referring to him as an "incredible storyteller." That has never been true.

That's my biggest problem so far too. While I appreciate this news, the JJ + Disney side of the equation still troubles me waaay too much to be confident in this movie yet.

He did just did too big a number on one of my top five favorite SciFi franchises for me to be comfortable with him getting control over another just yet.

 

[Issurru]

Still rather skeptical since "Lens Flare" J.J is involved. But this gives me some hope, maybe now I won't be blinded by the lightsaber battles because J.J just decides to have a two different coloured strobe lights going on high to simulate the fight since maybe Kasdan might try to keep him in line

Hopefully all the lightsabering will get toned down. Empire had one lightsaber battle plus a few non-dueling moments. When two people in the same room pull out their glow rods to have at it, it should be a big deal that's been built up to. The Prequels were way too casual about the things.

I would prefer a nice middle ground to it. I liked the Obi-Wan and Anakin fight at the end of the third movie instead of the one in the original trilogy between Obi-Wan and Vader. So I'll hope they don't rely too much on the fights and focus their attention elsewhere

 

[Veylon]

Hopefully all the lightsabering will get toned down. Empire had one lightsaber battle plus a few non-dueling moments. When two people in the same room pull out their glow rods to have at it, it should be a big deal that's been built up to. The Prequels were way too casual about the things.

I would prefer a nice middle ground to it. I liked the Obi-Wan and Anakin fight at the end of the third movie instead of the one in the original trilogy between Obi-Wan and Vader. So I'll hope they don't rely too much on the fights and focus their attention elsewhere

I'll admit the duel in Episode IV was a bit underwhelming. But the one in III dragged on forever and lacked any decent conversation, which is at least half the point of a duel. Something where there's good action, it's not overly drawn out, and there's some real point to it would be great.