Lawrence Kasdan & Simon Kinberg Writing Episode VIII & IX

[FilmNerdJamie]

Sources: Lawrence Kasdan, Simon Kinberg Lock Deals to Write and Produce 'Star Wars' Installments
4:41 PM PST 11/20/2012
by Borys Kit

Even under a secrecy of a Jedi mind trick, certain secrets — like the plans for a Death Star — can still spill out.

Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg have closed deals to write installments of the new Star Wars trilogy, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. The pair will write either Episode VIII or Episode IX — their exact division of responsibilities is yet to be determined — and they will also come aboard to produce the films.

As THR previously reported, Oscar winner Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3) is writing the script for Episode VII, the first of the new trilogy and the first Star Wars film to be made without the hands-on input of creator George Lucas.

Kasdan and Kinberg would join Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy as producers.

Word of Kasdan and Kinsberg's involvement began spilling out on Tuesday but Disney and Lucasfilm are declining to comment. Official announcements regarding the new Star Wars will appear on StarWars.com, according to the studio.

Kasdan is a Lucasfilm and Star Wars vet. He co-wrote 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, still considered the movie series’ zenith, as well as 1983’s Return of the Jedi. He also wrote the screenplay for Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Kinberg is co-writing the new X-Men movie, X-Men: Days of Future Past and was a producer on X-Men: First Class. He is currently producing Cinderella for Disney.

Kasdan is repped by CAA and attorney Robert Marshall at Greenberg Glusker while Kinberg is repped by CAA and attorney Karl Austen at Jackoway Tyerman.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hea...n-simon-393459

[terry78]

Kasdan? Man, you young'uns don't even know....you don't even know.

[georgec]

That is ridiculously encouraging news.

[FilmNerdJamie]

Very iffy.

[Octoberist]

Iffy due to Dreamcatcher, which sadly remains one of the worst (but strangely facinaing) movies I've seen. I couldn't believe my eyes because it was an utter train wreck.

The only reason why I wanted to see the film was due to Kasdan.

[Gianakin_]

Doesn't negate his other work and the fact that the best Indy 4 lines are his. So it's incredible news. And he's also a producer, so he'll keep that hack Kinberg in check. This is as surreal as the announcement of the ST itself.

[dude love]

This is good news. I can't believe we're already getting ep 8 news.

[Octoberist]

Originally Posted by Gianakin_

Doesn't negate his other work and the fact that the best Indy 4 lines are his. So it's incredible news. And he's also a producer, so he'll keep that hack Kinberg in check. This is as surreal as the announcement of the ST itself.

It doesn't. I think Kasdan has been slipping in quality but I think think in hindsight, it wasn't all his fault. He has made some forgettable rom-coms in the 90's and Dreamcatcher was a script he didn't adapt. Sadly, it was adapted by another gifted writer, William Goldsman. I think they were both guilty with that particular movie and Kasdan knows it, which explained his nearly 10 year absence from active duty in Hollywood.

But with Kennedy hovering there, I think Kasdan can bring his A game. Maybe he's like Martin Campbell, in whom looks like he's only talented at directing Bond movies. Everything else in his resme has ranged from okay to crap (Zorro was sheer luck, perhaps.)

[Max Shrek]

Originally Posted by Octoberist

Maybe he's like Martin Campbell, in whom looks like he's only talented at directing Bond movies. Everything else in his resme has ranged from okay to crap (Zorro was sheer luck, perhaps.)

Although the Mel Gibson film adaptation he directed was certainly crap, Martin Campbell's original 1980s mini-series, Edge of Darkness, remains a classic.

[Eddie Dean]

Originally Posted by Octoberist

The only reason why I wanted to see the film was due to Kasdan.

Not Morgan Freeman's amazing eyebrows?

[BenKenobi]

Originally Posted by FilmNerdJamie

Very iffy.

With how much greater A New Hope, Empire, and Jedi were than the prequels on a dialogue level, this is far from iffy. It's like saying Bryan Singer on X-Men is iffy because he made Superman Returns, somethings just work imo.

[FilmNerdJamie]

Bob Iger just confirmed Kasdan and Kinberg are penning spin-offs and working with Abrams on Episode VII.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100434935

[ThePhantasm]

Kasdan is working with Abrams? Great news!

[Gianakin_]

Ah, so Kasdan is working on both projects? That's great news.

[747]

So they are both penning a spin off each while also consulting on VII. What about the next two "episodes"? Kasdan and Kinberg together, another writer that haven't been announced yet or Arndt?

[Gianakin_]

I'm guessing Arndt will be there for all 3.