Harrison Ford Sidelined Two Months Due to Star Wars Episode VII Injury
Last week, Harrison Ford (The Expendables 3) was involved in a major accident on the set of Star Wars Episode VII. While reports have been conflicted over what exactly injured him, with the most popular rumor being that a part of the Millennium Falcon fell on top of him, it's been confirmed that the 71-year-old actor has a broken ankle, a possible pelvic injury, and approximately two months away from production to heal. Of course, director J.J. Abrams and the rest of the production crew can easily move things around the schedule to accommodate any time Ford might miss. For now, no official word has come from Ford's camp, but it's realistic to imagine Ford will miss some amount of time from production.
The accident is very unfortunate for the film's production, but luckily Abrams and company are able to shuffle the shooting schedule around so as to not lose any significant amount of time for the film. Hopefully Ford will be able to heal fully and come back to production better than ever. I do like the prospect of Ford still getting his hands dirty, showing just how dedicated he is to ensuring Han Solo's legacy won't be tainted by his age.
[via /Film]
[Video] Donate $10 to UNICEF, Win a Role in Star Wars Episode VII
Do you like helping charities? Are you a massive fan of Star Wars? You can now combine your interests to both with the new Star Wars: Force of Change initiative! Thanks to Disney, Lucasfilm, and Bad Robot, Force of Change is asking patrons to make a donation to UNICEF's Innovative Labs program for all types of incentives, including advance screenings of Star Wars Episode VII, t-shirts, lightsaber replicas, and all sorts of Episode VII-related memorabilia. The biggest incentive to donate, however, is eligibility to appear in Episode VII with every donation.
For lifelong fans of Star Wars, this is almost a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be immortalized in a scene next to Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia (albeit in alien makeup). Meanwhile, the money is going to a worthwhile charity. UNICEF's Innovation Labs is a worldwide program that helps foster creativity amongst children in fun community projects. Some of the examples listed include "portable, solar-powered learning kits being built in China, Uganda, and Burundi to ensure every child in the world has access to relevant, quality learning," "mobile phone application developed in South Sudan and Uganda, and used in the Philippines, that helps reunite children with their families after an emergency," and more.
To read more about the Star Wars: Force of Change initiative and donate to the cause, visit this website.
[youtube id="XfNiC9iKM0Q"]
Disney is accepting online audition tapes for Star Wars Episode VII
A quick update on last week's news about Star Wars Episode VII auditions: Disney is now accepting audition tapes online. The role descriptions are the exact same as the ones noted in the previous post (the information is re-shared below for your convenience). This should help out aspiring actors, Jedi, and Sith that may not live near one of the major cities where in-person auditions are being held. Interested parties should submit their videos to the Open Casting Call website Disney has set up. Good luck, all!
Seeking: Young woman to play 17-18 years old. Must be beautiful, smart and athletic. Open to all ethnicities (including bi- and multi-racial).
Rachel:
Was quite young when she lost her parents. With no other family, she was forced to maker her way alone in a tough, dangerous town. Now 17 she has become street smart and strong. She is able to take care of herself using humor and guts to get by. Always a survivor, never a victim, she remains hopeful that she can move away from this harsh existence to a better life. She is always thinking of what she can do to move ahead.Seeking: Young man to play 19-23 years old. Must be handsome, smart and athletic. Must be over 18.
Thomas:
Has grown up without a father's influence. Without the model of being a man, he doesn't have the strongest sense of himself. Despite this, he is smart, capable and shows courage when it is needed. He can appreciate the absurdities in life and understands you can't take life too seriously.
[via Collider]
Casting calls for Star Wars: Episode VII in Chicago, Austin
Now that Star Wars: Episode VII is officially set for a December 18, 2015 release date, Disney and Lucasfilm are going forward with the casting process. Casting calls have been scheduled in Chicago and Austin for two roles in the film. The roles are for the same two characters, and while there are specific character traits the casting crew is looking for, there's no real word on how each character will fit into the film's narrative. Information on the two characters are as follows:
Seeking: Young woman to play 17-18 years old. Must be beautiful, smart and athletic. Open to all ethnicities (including bi- and multi-racial).
Rachel:
Was quite young when she lost her parents. With no other family, she was forced to maker her way alone in a tough, dangerous town. Now 17 she has become street smart and strong. She is able to take care of herself using humor and guts to get by. Always a survivor, never a victim, she remains hopeful that she can move away from this harsh existence to a better life. She is always thinking of what she can do to move ahead.Seeking: Young man to play 19-23 years old. Must be handsome, smart and athletic. Must be over 18.
Thomas:
Has grown up without a father's influence. Without the model of being a man, he doesn't have the strongest sense of himself. Despite this, he is smart, capable and shows courage when it is needed. He can appreciate the absurdities in life and understands you can't take life too seriously.
The Austin casting will take place on November 22nd at the Hilton, 500 E. Fourth, 3:00pm - 8:00pm. The Chicago casting will take place on November 14th at the Park West Theater, 322 W. Armitage, 3:00pm - 8:00pm. Casting veteran Maryellen Aviano (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) will be in attendance at both open castings. If you fit these requirements or know anybody that does, spread the word! Who knows, you could represent the next generation of Jedi and follow in the same footsteps as Mark Hamill, Hayden Christensen, Liam Neeson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ewan McGregor, Sir Alec Guinness, and more!
[via RedEye Chicago, via Austin Chronicle]
Star Wars: Episode VII team wanted a delay to 2016; Disney strict on 2015 release
With news that J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan taking over the Star Wars: Episode VII script from Michael Ardnt, there were worries that the film might miss its 2015 release date. Indeed, restructuring the entire script will take time, especially when it doesn't allow the creative team to properly prepare for casting and production. Word has come out that the film's producer, Kathleen Kennedy, wanted to delay the film's release into 2016. However, Disney CEO was insistent on a 2015 release. Abrams, meanwhile, is comfortable and confident in making that deadline.
Right now, it's just a matter of whether or not a high-quality film can be delivered in time for a 2015 release. Obviously, a lot of money is at stake for Disney in both ticket sales and merchandising. However, with other high-profile Disney films already set for 2015 releases (The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, The Good Dinosaur, Cinderella, and Inside Out), pushing Star Wars: Episode VII into a Spring 2016 slot wouldn't be that bad of a move.
[via Collider]
J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan are now writing the Star Wars Episode VII script
Outside of a few casting rumors (the most illustrious being Saoirse Ronan and Benedict Cumberbatch) and speculation over the new trilogy's story, no concrete information has come out regarding Star Wars Episode VII's story. Recent news has come out explaining why lips have been so tight about the film's narrative.
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy released a statement saying director J.J. Abrams and Star Wars Episodes V and VI co-writer Lawrence Kasdan will be re-writing the script that Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3) was previously working on. Kennedy states:
I am very excited about the story we have in place and thrilled to have Larry and J.J. working on the script. 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.
It's reported that Abrams wasn't happy with Arndt's script, preferring to write an entirely new script. It's unknown if any of the story's elements will be retained, but it's good to see Abrams taking a more direct approach with the film, considering how huge it will be. Because of the change in personnel, the film's production will be delayed. Its previously rumored May 2015 release may be pushed until Winter 2015. But hey, better a delay for quality control than rushing out a subpar product, right?
[via /Film]
[Video] George Lucas' son, Jett Lucas, discusses Star Wars Episode VII
So many rumors and discussions have followed the upcoming Star Wars trilogy since the franchise was sold to Disney and handed to J.J. Abrams to direct. Will it be about Jacen and Jaina Solo? Will they be as cheesy as the Prequel Trilogy? Will they be full of lens flares and explosions?
One rumor or point of discussion revolves around George Lucas' influence on the film. Since he sold Lucasfilm to Disney around Halloween 2012, many have wondered whether he would let future Star Wars films grow or would flex his muscle over any plot points or decisions he may disagree with. In an interview with Flicks and the City, Lucas' son, Jett Lucas, answered some of the behind-the-scenes questions swirling around the upcoming sequel, including Lucas' influence, his thoughts on Abrams taking over, casting rumors, and more. Watch the video below, Padawans.
http://youtu.be/lnr18AUym-o
[Flicks and the City, via /Film]