Star Wars VII - The Force Awakens

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
There needed to be a thread which talks about the movie itself. Not the trailers or spinoff movies, but the movie itself. Here it is! Having said that, the release date for the movie is December 18th, 2015.

Will it be good, bad or meh?

706x410q70star-wars-7.jpg
 
Last edited:

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I did not want to rant in the OP, but I really think this next movie is going to suck to me. The more I hear about it, the more I am reminded of the same clues coming from Abrams before the Star Trek movies came out. JJ does not do well within canon of an established thing, nor does he have respect for continuity or storylines. He is ONLY concerned with the appearance of things, the loudness and realism of explosions, and high movement action scenes.

This article says a lot of what I see: http://www.gstatemarketing.com/dont-underestimate-dark-side-star-wars-force-awakens-will-suck/
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
I wouldn't use that "article" as any guide. It is basically all wild and (in some cases) already disproven speculations by a blogger whose whole theme is he's upset that Disney jettisoned the Star Wars EU and instead decided to follow a different path. Note his constant harping on EU characters like Thrawn.

We really know very little about the new film. It's set 30 years after Return of the Jedi, we know who some of the cast is, that the original script was junked and a new one co-written by Lawrence Kasdan (specifically brought in by Kathleen Kennedy) and Abrams and that it has Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca in it. Outside of that all we have to go on is the trailer shown recently at the Star Wars Celebration.

Now, the trailer was outstanding. It FELT "Star Wars" and you could see encouraging things like a radical dialing back on the CGI, proper mood setting. scenes not excessively "busy" and intriguing hints at plot elements. But it is also only a short trailer.

I think wait and see is proper here. I am as suspicious of Abrams as you but also noted even back in Star Trek 2009 that his directorial style is actually better suited to Star Wars than Star Trek (and I wasn't alone in that feeling):

http://www.startrek.com/database_article/abrams

Plus, in my opinion the true culprit behind the execrable Star Trek Into Darkness is Damon Lindelof (writer of the completely illogical script just like he wrecked Prometheus) and fortunately Disney isn't letting him, Kurtzman or Orci anywhere near Star Wars.
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
I did not want to rant in the OP, but I really think this next movie is going to suck to me. The more I hear about it, the more I am reminded of the same clues coming from Abrams before the Star Trek movies came out. JJ does not do well within canon of an established thing, nor does he have respect for continuity or storylines. He is ONLY concerned with the appearance of things, the loudness and realism of explosions, and high movement action scenes.

This article says a lot of what I see: http://www.gstatemarketing.com/dont-underestimate-dark-side-star-wars-force-awakens-will-suck/

yes but 2 things that keep me hopeful-

1-Abrams is a stated fan of SW's and he was not of trek

2- Abrams is now working for one of the largest juggernauts in the entertainment industry now-Disney
they are not going to jeopardize the huge profits to be made from this movie and products based on it or the rest of the series and the SW's "sideshow" films to come just because Abrams has a hair up is butt and a eye to over tinker with established success

If the movie sucks in the newTrek way-no adult fans are going to buy all the toys and vid games for their kids that will be coming out

He is working for 'the man' now while before he was essentially working for himself through 'bad robot productions'.

just look at what disney has riding on the success of this movie:

disney infinity 3.0
upload_2015-5-22_21-25-44.jpeg


wave 1 of toys/action figures

  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 1 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 2 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 3 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 5 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 6 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 7 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Figure Wave 1 Asst. £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Wave 2 Action Figure £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 31″ Character 1 £39.99
  • Star Wars VII – 31″ Character 3 £39.99
  • SW7 3.75 Hero Vehicle £129.99
  • SW 7 Armour Force Figure Asst. £10.99
  • SW7 Battle Armour Figures £14.99
  • SW7 Jungle/Space Figure Asst. £9.99
  • SW7 Snow/Desert Figure Asst. £9.99
  • SW7 Twin Pack Figures Asst. £15.99
  • SW7 Black Series 6″ Figure Asst. £21.99
  • SW7 BS Villian Trooper Blue £22.99
  • SW7 12″ Hero Series Figure £12.99
  • SW7 Hero Deluxe Figure £16.99
  • SW7 12″ Figure & Vehicle £26.99
  • SW7 Black Series Vehicle £169.99
  • SW7 HM Attach Vehicle Asst. £29.99
  • SW7 3.75 Class I Vehicle £22.99
  • SW7 3.75 Class II Vehicle £29.99
  • SW7 3.75 Class III Vehicle £49.99
  • SW7 Villian Starfighter w/Pilot £49.99
  • SW7 Millenium Falcon £119.99
  • SW7 BS Diecast Vehicle Asst. £5.99
  • SW7 Black Series Diecast 4PK £22.99
  • SW7 Extendable Lightsabers £9.99
  • SW7 Lead Villian Extend Lightsaber £12.99
  • SW7 Foam Lightsabers £14.99
  • SW7 Electronic Lightsaber £24.99
  • SW7 Signature Lightsaber £49.99
  • SW7 Kylo Ren Ult FX Lightsaber £59.99
  • SW7 Force FX Lightsaber £149.99
  • SW7 Kylo Ren Force FX Lightsaber £219.99
  • SW7 Sidekick Alien Blaster £24.99
  • SW7 Villian Trooper Blaster £12.99
  • SW7 Villian Trooper Large Blaster £39.99
  • SW7 Ammo Refill £9.99
  • SW7 Masks £12.99
  • SW7 Alien Sidekick Electronic Mask £29.99
  • SW7 Lead Villian Electronic Mask £34.99
  • SW7 Darth Vader Voice Changer Helmet £44.99
  • SW7 BS Kylo Ren Helmet £79.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines Blind Bag £1.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines Battle Set £22.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines Hero Vehicle £32.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines Villian Flagship £44.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines 3PK £4.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines 5PACK Vehicle £9.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines Mega Pack £69.9

A new theme park experience-- JEDI ACADEMY--is in the early stages of construction at one or both of the disney parks

And, the new BATTLEFRONT game, though set just before episode 7, is being bandied as a ep 7 tie in product--that is, the battle of Jakku, the desert planet we see in the trailers and the battle that littered the planet with war debris- is a major part of the game play. Supposedly, several of the movie's new characters may be intro'd in the game's "cut scenes" as well

No,DISNEY and their business partners are not going to let Abrams stray--if ep 7 sucks bad, they will probably roast Abrams on a spit at the next shareholders meeting :icon_twisted::icon_twisted::icon_twisted:
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
I know I sound like a broken record but to me the prequels were so incredibly bad that anything not done by Lucas has to be an improvement. Personally I think that the folks at Disney know that the prequels were crap (along with everyone else) and will take steps to ensure a return to the tone and style of the original trilogy.

I could be wrong of course as I have been wrong before -- like that time I thought that our very own Bluce was transitioning to the female gender when in truth it was Bruce (Jenner) who was transitioning, go figure. But in my defense Bluce is clearly packing a D-cup (albeit a muscular one) in his pics so it was a natural mistake to make. :chuncky:
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
I know I sound like a broken record but to me the prequels were so incredibly bad that anything not done by Lucas has to be an improvement. Personally I think that the folks at Disney know that the prequels were crap (along with everyone else) and will take steps to ensure a return to the tone and style of the original trilogy.

I could be wrong of course as I have been wrong before -- like that time I thought that our very own Bluce was transitioning to the female gender when in truth it was Bruce (Jenner) who was transitioning, go figure. But in my defense Bluce is clearly packing a D-cup (albeit a muscular one) in his pics so it was a natural mistake to make. :chuncky:

I tend to agree. Disney knows all too well how lousy the prequels were, and I have to think one major reason Kathleen Kennedy called in Lawrence Kasdan is his being considered possibly THE expert on Star Wars was to make sure the script did not go wacky, and that they also are watching production closely to make sure the tone and style are correct - which judging from the trailers seems to be the case.

As to Bluce, I assumed you liked him just the way he is:

 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I wouldn't use that "article" as any guide. It is basically all wild and (in some cases) already disproven speculations by a blogger whose whole theme is he's upset that Disney jettisoned the Star Wars EU and instead decided to follow a different path. Note his constant harping on EU characters like Thrawn.

That article was not meant to be any sort of guide. It merely reflects my personal thoughts on how this next movie will play out. I posted it because it says what I think very well. JJ has predictable patterns, and is predictable to a pretty accurate degree.

We really know very little about the new film. It's set 30 years after Return of the Jedi, we know who some of the cast is, that the original script was junked and a new one co-written by Lawrence Kasdan (specifically brought in by Kathleen Kennedy) and Abrams and that it has Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca in it. Outside of that all we have to go on is the trailer shown recently at the Star Wars Celebration.

There is a LOT known about the new film. :) More than there was known about just about every previous Star Wars film before release.

Now, the trailer was outstanding. It FELT "Star Wars" and you could see encouraging things like a radical dialing back on the CGI, proper mood setting. scenes not excessively "busy" and intriguing hints at plot elements. But it is also only a short trailer.

I agree that the trailer was outstanding, but I only acknowledge that the trailer LOOKED "Star Wars". The feel is yet to be determined. There is not enough material in the trailers to know what the movie will FEEL like yet. Im cynical because I felt that the Star Trek trailers looked true to form. The characters LOOKED perfect (they still do). But the movies (both 2009 and STID) did not at all feel like Star Trek to me, which is why I am now not a fan of JJ Abrams.

I think wait and see is proper here. I am as suspicious of Abrams as you but also noted even back in Star Trek 2009 that his directorial style is actually better suited to Star Wars than Star Trek (and I wasn't alone in that feeling):

http://www.startrek.com/database_article/abrams

Plus, in my opinion the true culprit behind the execrable Star Trek Into Darkness is Damon Lindelof (writer of the completely illogical script just like he wrecked Prometheus) and fortunately Disney isn't letting him, Kurtzman or Orci anywhere near Star Wars.

Disney already let JJ Abrams dump the EU for Star Wars. They allowed him to start his movie 30 years after ROTJ not because of anything having to do with the Star Wars saga, but to remove constraints imposed by canon and to give JJ "wiggle room". This is why we have an alternate timeline in Star Trek. JJ wants to change everything and do what HE wants. Disney does not give a shit about the storylines of the movie. Star Wars is purely an INVESTMENT for Disney. For the record, Disney has never created good science fiction, so assuming they are some sort of "police" for the quality of this movie is an assumption you should not make. JJ will only be reigned in if the REVENUE of the film is threatened. Disney couldnt care less about the story.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I tend to agree. Disney knows all too well how lousy the prequels were, and I have to think one major reason Kathleen Kennedy called in Lawrence Kasdan is his being considered possibly THE expert on Star Wars was to make sure the script did not go wacky, and that they also are watching production closely to make sure the tone and style are correct - which judging from the trailers seems to be the case.

As to Bluce, I assumed you liked him just the way he is:


I disagree with the bolded. I do not think Disney knows squat about how people feel about the prequels, nor do I think they have any opinion on them whatsoever. All they know is how much money the films made, and the size of the Star Wars fanbase. Their interest is purely financial and the acquisition of the Star Wars "property" along with Marvel and expanding existing properties is 100% a financial decision and marketing project which will be maximized by merchandise sales and expansion of the property into the theme parks and toys.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
yes but 2 things that keep me hopeful-

1-Abrams is a stated fan of SW's and he was not of trek

2- Abrams is now working for one of the largest juggernauts in the entertainment industry now-Disney
they are not going to jeopardize the huge profits to be made from this movie and products based on it or the rest of the series and the SW's "sideshow" films to come just because Abrams has a hair up is butt and a eye to over tinker with established success

If the movie sucks in the newTrek way-no adult fans are going to buy all the toys and vid games for their kids that will be coming out

He is working for 'the man' now while before he was essentially working for himself through 'bad robot productions'.

just look at what disney has riding on the success of this movie:

disney infinity 3.0 View attachment 31168

wave 1 of toys/action figures

  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 1 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 2 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 3 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 5 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 6 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Character 7 £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Figure Wave 1 Asst. £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 20″ Wave 2 Action Figure £29.99
  • Star Wars VII – 31″ Character 1 £39.99
  • Star Wars VII – 31″ Character 3 £39.99
  • SW7 3.75 Hero Vehicle £129.99
  • SW 7 Armour Force Figure Asst. £10.99
  • SW7 Battle Armour Figures £14.99
  • SW7 Jungle/Space Figure Asst. £9.99
  • SW7 Snow/Desert Figure Asst. £9.99
  • SW7 Twin Pack Figures Asst. £15.99
  • SW7 Black Series 6″ Figure Asst. £21.99
  • SW7 BS Villian Trooper Blue £22.99
  • SW7 12″ Hero Series Figure £12.99
  • SW7 Hero Deluxe Figure £16.99
  • SW7 12″ Figure & Vehicle £26.99
  • SW7 Black Series Vehicle £169.99
  • SW7 HM Attach Vehicle Asst. £29.99
  • SW7 3.75 Class I Vehicle £22.99
  • SW7 3.75 Class II Vehicle £29.99
  • SW7 3.75 Class III Vehicle £49.99
  • SW7 Villian Starfighter w/Pilot £49.99
  • SW7 Millenium Falcon £119.99
  • SW7 BS Diecast Vehicle Asst. £5.99
  • SW7 Black Series Diecast 4PK £22.99
  • SW7 Extendable Lightsabers £9.99
  • SW7 Lead Villian Extend Lightsaber £12.99
  • SW7 Foam Lightsabers £14.99
  • SW7 Electronic Lightsaber £24.99
  • SW7 Signature Lightsaber £49.99
  • SW7 Kylo Ren Ult FX Lightsaber £59.99
  • SW7 Force FX Lightsaber £149.99
  • SW7 Kylo Ren Force FX Lightsaber £219.99
  • SW7 Sidekick Alien Blaster £24.99
  • SW7 Villian Trooper Blaster £12.99
  • SW7 Villian Trooper Large Blaster £39.99
  • SW7 Ammo Refill £9.99
  • SW7 Masks £12.99
  • SW7 Alien Sidekick Electronic Mask £29.99
  • SW7 Lead Villian Electronic Mask £34.99
  • SW7 Darth Vader Voice Changer Helmet £44.99
  • SW7 BS Kylo Ren Helmet £79.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines Blind Bag £1.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines Battle Set £22.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines Hero Vehicle £32.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines Villian Flagship £44.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines 3PK £4.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines 5PACK Vehicle £9.99
  • SW7 Micro Machines Mega Pack £69.9

A new theme park experience-- JEDI ACADEMY--is in the early stages of construction at one or both of the disney parks


And, the new BATTLEFRONT game, though set just before episode 7, is being bandied as a ep 7 tie in product--that is, the battle of Jakku, the desert planet we see in the trailers and the battle that littered the planet with war debris- is a major part of the game play. Supposedly, several of the movie's new characters may be intro'd in the game's "cut scenes" as well

No,DISNEY and their business partners are not going to let Abrams stray--if ep 7 sucks bad, they will probably roast Abrams on a spit at the next shareholders meeting :icon_twisted::icon_twisted::icon_twisted:

Bolded is where Disney's interests lie. They simply have no credibility in science fiction or fantasy movies on the level of Star Wars. Disney is a REVENUE juggernaut, not a bastion of artistry. They couldnt care less about the content of Star Wars or its prequels. They are only concerned about the bottom line.
 

Jim of WVa

Well Known GateFan
Bolded is where Disney's interests lie. They simply have no credibility in science fiction or fantasy movies on the level of Star Wars. Disney is a REVENUE juggernaut, not a bastion of artistry. They couldnt care less about the content of Star Wars or its prequels. They are only concerned about the bottom line.

It was when Walt still lived.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
It was when Walt still lived.

Yes it was. Perhaps the greatest ever actually realized and actually expressed in the form of magical theme parks, movies, cartoons, toys, etc. I would never argue that. :)
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
I disagree with the bolded. I do not think Disney knows squat about how people feel about the prequels, nor do I think they have any opinion on them whatsoever. All they know is how much money the films made, and the size of the Star Wars fanbase. Their interest is purely financial and the acquisition of the Star Wars "property" along with Marvel and expanding existing properties is 100% a financial decision and marketing project which will be maximized by merchandise sales and expansion of the property into the theme parks and toys.

There is that danger that Disney will insist upon a "cuteness" factor for certain characters, i.e. dumbing them down and cynically creating them to appeal to the palates of children simply for merchandising reasons. We all know that merchandising is a huge part of the process now but hopefully it wont be as egregiously offensive as it has been in the past. (Yeah, and if anyone has a bridge they want to sell me now would be a good time to make that sales pitch.)
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Actually Abrams was not the one who decided to dump the EU....

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014...-chainsaw-to-the-star-wars-expanded-universe/

That call was made shortly after the Lucasfilm sale, and indeed was a GOOD decision and long overdue.

As to setting it 30 years after Return of the Jedi, that was also pretty obvious no matter who the director is. It was dictated by the real time that has elapsed since Return of the Jedi - a 1983 film combined with using original cast members in the movie and not recasting the parts.

And yes Disney does know how badly received the prequels are. Plus remember you need to be more specific here - Lucasfilm (Kathleen Kennedy) is very aware of it. And it does tie directly in to revenue. Could they make one film that is bad and still generate revenue? Probably. But they want to make multiple films plus other media. And that means that this first one needs to be good so as not to poison the proverbial well for sequels. It also directly impacts the toy and other side item sales.
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Additionally, remember that while Disney is the owner of it all Lucasfilm is making the film. Just like Disney owns Pixar and Marvel Entertainment and other properties. Not to mention Star Wars never really has been Science fiction but rather a sort of Fantasy Space Opera instead.
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Actually Abrams was not the one who decided to dump the EU....

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014...-chainsaw-to-the-star-wars-expanded-universe/

That call was made shortly after the Lucasfilm sale, and indeed was a GOOD decision and long overdue.

As to setting it 30 years after Return of the Jedi, that was also pretty obvious no matter who the director is. It was dictated by the real time that has elapsed since Return of the Jedi - a 1983 film combined with using original cast members in the movie and not recasting the parts.

And yes Disney does know how badly received the prequels are. Plus remember you need to be more specific here - Lucasfilm (Kathleen Kennedy) is very aware of it. And it does tie directly in to revenue. Could they make one film that is bad and still generate revenue? Probably. But they want to make multiple films plus other media. And that means that this first one needs to be good so as not to poison the proverbial well for sequels. It also directly impacts the toy and other side item sales.

Cynical bastard that I am, I'm on the fence between optimism and pessimism on this one. Admittedly a lot of that has to do with how much I was disappointed by the prequels. They really were incredibly bad I thought. So much so that I have a hard time believing a new group of people would screw it up as badly as Lucas and crew did.

On the other hand, the prequels, bad as they were still made money. And the cynic in me realizes that there will be a HUGE segment of the population that coughs up money for crap because they are undiscerning sheep. So, even if Abrams version of SW is a turd there will still be millions of people satisfied with it. :(
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
I'm not saying assume it will be good. I'm just saying that based on what we know the signs are encouraging.
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
Bolded is where Disney's interests lie. They simply have no credibility in science fiction or fantasy movies on the level of Star Wars. Disney is a REVENUE juggernaut, not a bastion of artistry. They couldnt care less about the content of Star Wars or its prequels. They are only concerned about the bottom line.

thats why i say-if it goes bad,we may very well see the shareholders get "medieval" on Abrams' tasty behind
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
thats why i say-if it goes bad,we may very well see the shareholders get "medieval" on Abrams' tasty behind

But that's the thing, even if it's a turd of a movie it is guaranteed to make hundreds of millions (a billion?) in revenue. So Abrams isn't even taking a risk with this one because it's guaranteed to be a blockbuster.
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
But that's the thing, even if it's a turd of a movie it is guaranteed to make hundreds of millions (a billion?) in revenue. So Abrams isn't even taking a risk with this one because it's guaranteed to be a blockbuster.

I guess I am not as cynical precisely because Lucasfilm has so much riding on this. They need this not only to be a hit but to be well regarded, because that good regard is what will get people in theatres for the next film. Not to mention they want the film to do well in instant video and merchandise sales as well. So they know they HAVE to get this one right.

And that knowledge is why Disney has Lucasfilm keeping such a close eye on things. Why they brought in their own team around Abrams instead of him bringing in his usual buddies Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof. Why they pulled in Lawrence Kasdan and went after John Williams for the music and had it done with real instruments instead of synthetically. Why there is a HEAVY emphasis on practical effects and staying away from CGI. And so on.
 
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