We’re back with a new year and Hero Chat Episode 6 with a lot of stuff happening in the past couple weeks—some big casting news and attachments and a lot of comic book movie rumors, so it’s time for us to catch up in our semi-regular “text podcast.”
We have a full Hero Chat today as we’re joined by ShockTillYouDrop.com’s Ryan Turek and ComingSoon.net’s own Silas Lesnick, and our special guest is Mr. Pietro Filliponi, Managing Editor of The Daily BLAM!.
Before switching to covering entertainment news three years ago he was a contributor to the Army and Air Force Times. He’s a frequenter of conventions, can quote “Jack Reacher” books verbatim and can be found randomly gallivanting around New York City in pajamas. He’s on Twitter @Poni_Boy.
So you can keep track of who is speaking here’s a quick and easy legend:
Edward Douglas
Spencer Perry
Silas Lesnick
Pietro Filipponi
Ryan Turek
TOPIC #1 – J.J. ABRAMS DIRECTING “STAR WARS: EPISODE VII”
We’ve discussed the big year that is 2015 a few times and one of the movies that really got people excited was Star Wars: Episode VII. So now we have a writer and a director in J.J. Abrams… do we think that they can possibly continue this franchise and it working? Now, I’ll preface that (after the fact) by saying that I’m not a huge Star Wars fan… anyone here a diehard?
I’d say I’m diehard.
I guess I’m a former diehard.
Not so much.
I mean, I can name just about every single alien in the original trilogy and most of the prequels.
Silas, that’s scary.
But I kind of lost interesting after Episode III.
I’m a fickle fan. I feel like I lost my fascination with Star Wars in my youth.
I think that’s when the dislike of the prequels hit me all at once.
When The Phantom Menace came along, that fandom kicked into overdrive and was killed 2 1/2 hours later.
I’m with you, Ryan. I loved the movies as a kid. Didn’t really rush out to see any of the prequels. Seen each of them once.
I camped out for all three 🙂
No prize for you.
Camped out for the first two.
I’ve never camped out for a movie ever…. I mean, if you don’t include Hall H at Comic-Con.
I was jealous of friends that got to leave school early to see them. Just to make you all feel old.
Spencer, they had friends and school when we were young too 🙂 I mean, what’s “camp out”? Like days or just a couple hours?
A day for The Phantom Menace, that was just to get tix. Waited another four hours to see the film opening day with tix in hand.
About a week for Phantom Menace and almost two weeks for the others.
Ew, what??
Good lord.
A week? Jesus, man!
But the line was seriously more fun than the movies!
I don’t feel like there’s been many movies with that kind of passion.. maybe Twilight. Okay, Silas wins… he’s the super fan here 🙂
Silas, you’re tantamount to a Twilight fan.
I’ve seen the original trilogy so many times I can’t count. Wasn’t really excited for the prequels. I think I was a junior when Phantom Menace came out. Could tell by the trailers and such it was a CGI mess.
Ed’s words, not mine.
But you went to see them, right?
Honestly, if I had time to camp out for something I genuinely didn’t care about, I probably would just for the experience. It’s fun to be surrounded by people who love things.
I’m going to get flamed for saying this but I’ve never had much patience for Star Wars fans. And my best friend is one as is my brother in law and nephews.
Oh yeah, just didn’t rush out to see them. Had to see Phantom Menace in 3D last year. That hurt my face.
I love cooking, will you wait a week outside my door for my big Saturday breakfast? It draws a line.
If I wait outside your door I get breakfast? I’m there! Yeah, I was between junior and senior year myself.
Silas, you’re also a Star Trek fan… so are you happier with J.J. Abrams?
I’ve been more of a Star Trek guy anyway.
Eh. Any excess in fandom gets obnoxious. Eventually the arguments aren’t about defending the properties but defending personal fandom.
I’ve never really been much of a Star Trek fan either. I watched Next Generation religiously.
When it comes down to Star Trek vs. Star Wars, there’s no contest for me. Trek all the way.
Was never a Trek fan. Could never get into it.
Mostly, I’m happy Abrams ISN’T doing Star Trek….and I don’t mean that sound mean.
I think my intolerance for Star Wars fans grows every year at Toy Fair when Hasbro does their presentation and there are all these characters I don’t remember or never heard of.
I like him quite a bit.
And just because Abrams did one Trek film, I don’t see the logic in “Well, if he did the Trek film, you have to be excited for the new Star Wars, right?”
But Star Trek is all about a diverse universe and one movie every four years isn’t enough.
But like Silas, I dig Abrams and I’m curious. Curious to see what he does with Star Wars.
Ryan, well some say that the problem with the first Star Trek film was that it was basically a Star Wars film.
I don’t see that at all. Don’t get that.
There were things in that movie straight out of Star Wars down to the little “Ewok” hanging out with Simon Pegg.
That’s what I hear a lot.
Well, it does turn Trek into more of a hero’s journey tale.
It was Star Wars with Star Trek characters.
And why not a hero’s journey? We can’t have that with a young Kirk?
Personally I don’t see it. Star Trek is sci-fi, Star Wars isn’t.
Pietro, right exactly. Maybe that’s why I liked it. I’ve only seen a few other Star Trek films… Wrath of Khan for one. I never rushed out to see any of them.
I’ve seen the Whale one and Khan.
And you guys call yourselves the internet!
Star Wars is sci-fi!!! 🙂
No way.
Rushed out to all, until The Next Generation flicks came along.
It’s fantasy.
It has spaceships and robots… it’s sci-fi!
And maybe Pietro’s “fantasy” comment is dead-on for me. Not a huge “fantasy” guy.
It took place “a long time ago.”
I do like fantasy… the Lord of the Rings is my Star wars I have to assume Episode VII will be a “little less than a long time ago.”
“Slighter soon than last time.”
How do we think Abrams will coexist with LucasFilm? That seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Abrams is used to getting anything he wants.
It’s gonna be great IMO.
He may have to not do press for Star Wars. Oops… I mean, Star Trek.
Oh, I’m sure it came with a bible of “do’s and don’ts.” Getting the job, I mean.
Oh I’m sure, but why would Abrams, a filmmaker who has all this control over everything he does give that up?
$$$.
You don’t enter into a “family” like that and think you can get away with anything.
Kathleen Kennedy in charge of Lucasfilm. Spielberg around whenever he needs help. It’s kind of the best care scenario.
I’ll answer that… BECAUSE HE’S A FAN.
And yes, I’m sure there’s a level of comfort, respect and trust there. So I’m sure he’s in good company.
And that’s what’s crazy to me that someone would be such a fan of this universe that they would risk their own credibility by taking on a movie that’s going to be studied with great scrutiny for the years leading up to it and years after. Not to mention the Disney brain trust. You know, the ones that brought us John Carter. 🙂
I like John Carter!
I liked John Carter ’cause it reminded me of Star Wars. I was just making a joke 🙂
Barf. John Carter.
Well he already had two trial runs with Star Trek, so the risk is minimal.
But he’s Abrams. He’ll be fiiiiine.
I would say that, in my own personal experience, Abrams is far less of a control freak about secrets than he’s made out to be.
The good thing about Abrams, which I said on Twitter, is that he’s a very fast director so if anyone can turn this around for 2015, it’s him.
I think Disney is going back to form with Star Wars. Give fans what they want on a grand scale like they did with Avengers. No more major risk taking. Tron Legacy, John Carter, Prince of Persia were all bust because of it. Lone Ranger doesn’t look way better either. Hence, Pirates 5 getting the green light.
Those are good points.
Abrams’ life is likely hell right now. Post on Trek, and he’s – guaranteed – already in the concept stages of Wars.
If I were making Episode VII, I’d take a serious look at the Harry Potter franchise,
After the last two Pirates movies, I’m not sure why anyone would be confident in a fifth one. That’s a good point, Silas.
Basically, do a Jedi school like Hogwarts.
Because the last made a billion dollars.
Noooo, no Jedi school. No “teens.” Why do we feel the need to leap to such scenarios to establish characters?
That seems too complicated… exactly.
Because you can retrace the original and use it as a guide.
Star Wars – originals – worked in their simplicity.
I think it has to have kids trying to make a movie about Luke Skywalker and then they witness a train crash…
What if Luke went to the Academy instead of joining the rebellion?
There was a time strong writers could write strong adult characters that established drama, personality and instantaneous amiability.
“There was a time.”
This movie is probably going to be PG.
Before the dark times, before the Empire.
Lucky Number Slevin reference. 5 points.
Hahaha. Nah, PG-13.
Yeah, I would avoid “kids” but they can be Luke’s age from A New Hope.
PG-13 is like all-access these days. 18 going on 25?
Exactly.
Do you guys need to see Harrison Ford, Carrie Fischer or any of them? I think they’d be too old.
The writing is on the wall. Ep 7 is a cake walk. Bring back Ford, Fisher, Hamill and everyone else from the originals for small roles. Introduce three or four new characters and take it from there.
And presumably at least one of them will be related to previously-established characters.
And they have not aged well in terms of actors. I guess they could do cameos ala Spock.
If they don’t give fans what they want the new trilogy won’t work.
Or Jedi Academy teachers 🙂
I’d prefer to see cameos as opposed to a new series all about them.
Pietro, that’s what they’ve been trying to do with GhostBusters for YEARS!
What Spencer said.
Silas really wants that Jedi Academy… I think he wishes he went there instead of Emerson 🙂
I mean, you kind of almost HAVE to have them. But I’d prefer cameos so the “Oh my gosh, they look so OLD” thing doesn’t distract you from the story.
I don’t even want it, per se. I just feel that that’s the best possible route for a company to take the franchise in,
I can’t see the Jedi Academy being a main focus,
I wonder if J.J. Abrams will call on any of his “regulars”… he does have some right?
So we can all stand in line at a theme park to buy personalized lightsabers one day.
We saw too much Jedi Academy stuff in the prequels.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Jennifer Garner as an older Leia.
Greg Grunberg?
Grunberg! Scott Speedman – Jedi.
It’s really in the hands of Michael Arndt… and considering his previous movies (like Toy Story 3), I’m confident.
Same here.
Yeah, agreed. I’m sure this whole thing will be fine.
I want Ahmed Best to get a cameo not as Jar-Jar.
I think he’s starring in a direct-to-DVD John Carter sequel. Kidding.
I’d watch that.
In the next segment, we talk about the recent announcement of Marvel Studios’ Phase 3 and what we want to see.
(Greg Gurnberg photo credit: Bridow/WENN.com)
