Tag Archives: Harrison Ford

Explosive Star Wars News – Hamill and Ford in Talks for the New Movies

February 23, 2013 Adam Parker-Edmondston Leave a comment

After the recent news about the possible Star Wars spin offs in the works from Disney (see here for more details ), we now have even more news on the subject. Total Film shared some incredible news for Star Wars fans world-wide. The first was a piece of news from scooper El Mayimbe (writer for Latino Review) who announced on Fox News that Harrison Ford was returning as Han Solo and that it was a “done deal”.

This is shocking news, especially as Harrison was famously quoted as wanting to kill of his character in Empire Strikes Back. Maybe Fords return to the Sci-Fi genre with Cowboys and Aliens got him excited about the Star Wars universe once more, or maybe he was of a mind-set “If you want something doing right, you have to do it yourself”. He could also just be in it for the money. Before too much speculation could take place however, more news was released (again from Total Film), with an Entertainment Tonight interview with Mark Hamill. Hamill had a slightly different story to tell. Though George Lucas had been in talks with him about role reprises, nothing had been signed at this time.

Hamill said in his interview…

[quote]“They’re talking to us. George [Lucas] wanted to know whether we’d be interested. He did say that if we didn’t want to do it, they wouldn’t cast another actor in our parts – they would write us out. … I can tell you right away that we haven’t signed any contracts. We’re in the stage where they want us to go in and meet with Michael Arndt, who is the writer, and Kathleen Kennedy, who is going to run Lucasfilm. Both have had meetings set that were postponed – on their end, not mine. They’re more busy than I am.”[/quote]

This shows a certain level of respect for the original actors. The fact George Lucas has spoken to Mark Hamill about what could happen in the new franchise would indicate that he really wants the original cast back to play their parts. The fact that they would write the characters out of the timeline, if no one was interested in reprising their roles again also shows a certain level of respect, but this time for the fans (as well as the actors) who are going to have trouble seeing these beloved characters played by different actors, especially when all the original cast are still alive.

[quote] “And another thing I’d want to make sure of is are we going to have the whole gang back? Is Carrie [Fisher] and Harrison [Ford] and Billy Dee [Williams] and Tony Daniels, everybody that’s around from the original [returning]? I want to make sure that everybody’s on board here, rather than just one.”[/quote]

This is also great news, with Hamill wanting all the crew on board we would have continuity throughout the series of movies. This is exactly what the fans want to see, the old chemistry of our favorite Jedi’s and smugglers all in the same movie. It is great news that Hamill knows what the fans want, and the fact he to only wants to work with his fellow Star Wars cast members. Hamill pleased the fans even more by saying he favored practical effects over CGI, something that worked against Episode 1-3.

[quote] “I’m assuming, because I haven’t talked to the writers, that these movies would be about our offspring – like my character would be sort of in the Obi-Wan range [as] an influential character.”[/quote]

A lot of the stories told after Episode 6 do focus on Luke Skywalker taking a more Obi-Wan role in the universe and a lot of the other stories focus on Leia and Hans children who are also gifted with the force. This would open up a great wealth of story possibilities as well as the fun fact we would be seeing how these characters have evolved since Episode 6. Though it is not clear if Harrison has signed or not, it is looking incredibly likely that we may see a return of the old cast, possibly with a married Han and Leia fighting over who is going to take the kids to Jedi training, while a white-haired Chewbacca plays chess with C3P0.

Keep checking Grizzly Bomb for more updates.

Movie News & Opinions

Kasdan/Kinberg Join New Star Wars Films, Vader Returns, & Other Lucasfilm News

November 24, 2012 Bree Brouwer Leave a comment

If you haven’t been keeping up with all the news about the upcoming Star Wars films, we’re not sure where you’ve been the last few weeks, but we have you covered. Quite a bit has been leaked about the films since Disney bought Lucasfilm, enough to possibly fill the hidden cargo holds on the Millenium Falcon.

For one, rumors started going around that X-Men: First Class director Matthew Vaughn would be hired to direct the upcoming Star Wars VII, and shortly thereafter the fan base exploded in excitement when Harrison Ford said he was open to the idea of reprising his role as the iconic Han Solo, despite his continual avoidance of the franchise and surrounding events. Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher had already been informed of the new films, and both have also expressed interest in reprising their respective roles as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.

Now one rumor in particular that has surfaced is causing the fan base to explode in pseudo-excitement again: several media companies are claiming that the infamous Darth Vader will appear in Star Wars VII. How, no one really seems to know yet, and details are limited if not entirely fictitious. The unidentified source involved in the film’s production merely said that the creative team considers Vader “integral” and that “the plan is for [Darth Vader] to return and play a significant role in the new films” [Screenrant].

Vader returning like a Jedi (or Sith, technically) worries many fans, who over the past few weeks have claimed that if Disney tries to physically resurrect the asthmatic villain through some sort of technological cloning process, they will lose faith in Disney’s ability to properly stay true to the Star Wars universe. Others have said that it’s only logical that Vader should reappear as long as he is shown in flashbacks and memories. No further news has been reported on this issue as of now.

The newest information about the upcoming Star Wars films has been predominantly focused around the writing and producing. The Hollywood Reporter said that Michael Arndt, screenwriter for Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3, was brought on board to write the script for Star Wars VII even before the Disney buyout of Lucasfilm. StarWars.com confirmed this is still the plan for the 2015 movie. Considering Arndt recently penned the script to the upcoming The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, his script for Star Wars VII should hopefully have good balance of drama, comedy, and action.

Finally, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi writer Lawrence Kasdan has come on the scene in addition to the writer of the new X-Men movie, Simon Kinberg. Though it’s been confirmed that the two will help produce Star Wars VIII and IX, their exact writing roles are not yet decided. The news of Kasdan returning is positive indeed; having a veteran to the Star Wars franchise should help keep it true to its roots, and Kinberg’s credentials are nothing to balk at, either.

Star Wars news is sure to keep spilling over the next few months and years. The Grizzly Bomb will do our best to act like Bothan spies and get the information out to you as quickly as possible, so keep watching for updates!

Movie News & Opinions

Star Wars VII Directed by Matthew Vaughn, Starring Harrison Ford?

November 6, 2012 Bree Brouwer Leave a comment

Star Wars introduced me to geekdom.

I was about ten years old when I first sat in front of a massive CRT and VHS setup on vacation at my cousin’s cabin in the woods. Except I wasn’t scared in the least bit. I was mesmerized. So started fifteen years of action figures, extended universe books, costumes, excitement and consequent disappointment at the prequels.

You can imagine then my surprise at the news last week of Lucas selling his empire to Disney for over $4 billion. I posted my initial reactions to that corporate decision on that day on my Geek My Life blog, but since then I have realized that this sale was probably the best thing for Lucasfilm to re-energize it. I’m assuming, of course, that Disney will re-energize faithfully to the Star Wars franchise, and with the latest rumors coming out of the Hollywood offices, I think they’re on the right track.

Several sites claim to have insider information that Matthew Vaughn dropped the sequel to the X-Men movie because he was offered directorship of Star Wars VII. Vaughn has a solid and many would even say impressive resume that consists of Stardust, Kick-Ass, and X-Men: First Class. All of these films were successful in their own ways, a hard accomplishment in the cut-throat, short-attention-span industry of movies.

Vaughn directing on the set of *X-Men: First Class*.

These films exemplified strong directing mixed with entertaining, consistent story lines and easy-to-follow pacing. If Vaughn is able to do the same thing with Star Wars VII, I doubt few Star Wars fans will find anything substantial to complain about in regards to storytelling, especially since Vaughn is a writer. “If [Vaughn] ends up directing Star Wars, we’d also be getting someone that could solve script issues on set” [Collider]. This is especially important considering that my digital media professor keeps emphasizing that the successful professionals in entertainment are the ones that know more than just one craft.

But what about the characters? What will Disney do with them? After all, people like Luke, Han, Leia, and even the non-humans like C-3PO are many of the reasons why fans are in love with Star Wars in the first place. Though the film hasn’t officially been scripted yet, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher have already gone on record to say they are excited to see the future of Star Wars. How ironic considering that when Hamill was younger he said that “[Return of the Jedi] has to be the last one, period” [Huffington Post].

Harrison Ford decided to join the ranks, kind of last-minute like when Han decided to join the Rebels. But he took it a step further, saying that he is open to the idea of being in the new film, not just supporting it off-screen. Considering that he thought Han Solo “should have died in the last one to give it some bottom” [EW], it appears that Ford’s attitude towards his character and the franchise is coming around. Ford probably “won’t go to the next level of contract talks until there’s a script and director in place” [EW], but him coming back as Han Solo for Star Wars VII could very well be one of the turning points to returning the Lucasfilm franchise to the grand old way it was.

Don’t do it, Han! I mean, Harrison. I mean, yeah… just don’t do it.

There are a lot of “we’ll see” and “what ifs?” flying around right now in the Star Wars fandom, but it’s better for them to be flying around at lightspeed like the Falcon than to not be around at all. That would mean Star Wars VII isn’t happening, which would be disastrous. Besides, many of us are just starting to get used to saying Star Wars VII without questioning the reality of it. We’re in a happy place now.

Movie News & Opinions

Harrison Ford In Talks For New Blade Runner Film

February 5, 2012 Dan Woizinski Leave a comment

Ridley Scott will be reacquainting audiences with two of his most beloved film franchises in the next few years with Prometheus drawing ever-nearer and the announcement in early 2011 that he would be directing some kind of tie-in to Blade Runner. It’s enough to get fans incredibly excited, especially because we know so little about both productions. Prometheus is only about four months away and surprisingly little has been revealed or leaked about the film, and this Blade Runner project has been flying so under-the-radar that the only thing we could say for sure was that Harrison Ford wouldn’t be reprising his role as Deckard. And wouldn’t you know it, that might not even be accurate.

Previously the film’s producer, Andrew Kosove, had said this to say about bringing Ford back, in an interview with The L.A. Tim es:

“In no way do I speak for Ridley Scott, but if you’re asking me will this movie have anything to do with Harrison Ford, the answer is no. This is a total reinvention, and in my mind that means doing everything fresh, including casting.“

However Twitch debunked Kosove’s statement this week with a report that Mr. Solo is indeed undergoing negotiations for the film. The talks are in the very early stages, however, so this is far from a confirmation that he’ll appear. It’s also worth pointing out that we don’t even know how this movie will tie in with the timeline – It may be a prequel, sequel or something else entirely, so Ford’s casting could mean anything from a role as protagonist to a minor cameo.

Having Ridley Scott behind the camera really got me interested in this project. The approach he appears to have taken with Prometheus (A wildly different story than Alien, loosely tied to the same universe) might be an indication of the route he’ll take with Blade Runner, which I would love to see. I probably would have taken Harrison Ford’s involvement as a good sign as well, had I not seen the mediocrity-fest that was Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

No Harrison Ford in ‘Blade Runner 2’

September 1, 2011 Stephen Sanchez Leave a comment

Plenty of questions arise from the announcement that Ridley Scott would be doing another Blade Runner movie. Will it be a prequel? A sequel? A reboot? But the biggest question is one of who will star in it, particularly Harrison Ford.

After this little snippet from Worst Previews your question will be answered:

“Everything Ridley does as a filmmaker is fresh,” Kosove said. “I believe he sees an opportunity to create something that’s wholly original from the first ‘Blade Runner.'”

The two are now looking for a writer and are hoping to begin shooting in early 2013. And while it’s still unknown whether the new film will be a sequel or a prequel, Kosove said that Harrison Ford will not be involved. “Will this movie have anything to do with Harrison Ford? The answer is no,” he explained. “This is a total reinvention, and that means doing everything fresh, including casting.”

So the answer is no. No Harrison Ford for this go around with the skin jobs. That doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be no Deckard, but it definitely sounds like they are trying to go in a different, fresh direction for the new movie. I’m good with that as long as we get an interesting movie that makes us question what being alive truly means… again.

Movie News & Opinions

Ridley Scott and Blade Runner 2?

August 19, 2011 Stephen Sanchez Leave a comment

Blade Runner was one of those movies everyone urged me to watch and it is always stuck with the moniker of “best Sci-Fi movie ever made”, which so many people dispute. I was of course one of the disputers saying it wasn’t that great after watching it a couple of years ago. After doing my Top Ten Killer Robots list however, I decided to watch the movie again, and this time I loved it. It was a great movie, with some great questions about what the phrase “to be human” really means. And it was absolutely way ahead of the times with the special effects in the movie. Los Angeles in Blade Runner was a place I definitely wouldn’t have minded seeing in real life. I won’t go so far to say it’s the best movie in the science fiction genre, but it is definitely one of the best.

And now Ridley Scott seems to be easing back into what made him a ‘most sought after’ director. Since delving back into the Alien world with his prequel Prometheus, Scott seems to think it’s time for him to bring another classic film with Blade Runner. Now at this point we aren’t sure if it’s going to be a prequel or a sequel to the first movie, I suppose either way they go has a bit of allure to it. Check out a little more info from Deadline below:

I’m not getting a clear sense at this point whether Scott intends to do a sequel or a prequel to the 1982 film that was loosely based on the Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Also unclear is whether they start fresh or reach out to Harrison Ford. The original took place in dystopian Los Angeles in 2019, in which organic superhuman robots called replicants escaped and are hiding somewhere on earth. Ford played Richard Deckard, a burnt out blade runner assigned to hunt them down. His tired life gets altered when he himself falls for one of the replicants and struggles to keep her from being destroyed.

At this point they could do a sequel with Harrison Ford as the Blade Runner that turned out (IN THE MOVIE ALL YOU GEEKS!) to be one of the Replicants that he was tasked in tracking down. Ford’s age factor could be explained that as a Nexus-7 model, Deckard the replicant is able to have a full life span of an ordinary human thanks to the advancements of the Tyrell Corporation. Or they could go completely the other way on that one and have him with a younger CG face as they did for Jeff Bridges in Tron: Legacy.

Another option is to have a sequel many years into the future with a new Blade Runner hunting a different group of replicants, which would seem like the easiest option. It’s always best to move forward and not have to trip over any continuity issues from the previous film. If Scott doesn’t mind navigating around continuity then he could do a prequel movie showing the development of the replicants and any problems that they had early on, or perhaps the mutiny of replicants that caused them to be banned on Earth. I favor the prequel treatment, because I’m always interested in the full story of vague, opening crawls in a movie. Plus Scott seems intent on doing prequels at the moment anyways.

What’s everyone else think? Has it been too long for a new Blade Runner movie or are you looking forward to this no matter what direction Ridley Scott goes with this new movie? I’m all for it as the first movie just brushed the surface of how replicants think and act when faced with the prospect of “retirement” or the end of their shelf life.

Conveyors of Common Sense…