The Rise of Skywalker JJ Abrams is Writing and Directing Episode IX

[sueb1863]

I wouldn't call Solo an atrocity. At worst it was boring and predictable. I would have preferred a movie that showed us things we hadn't seen before, like his years at the Imperial Academy.

 

[blackdragon6]

Tbh I liked Solo as well. It wasn't anything special, but I was more entertained by it then I was TLJ.

 

[TheVileOne]

I think Solo is OK, but I still think Lord and Miller should've been allowed to finish the movie. I don't think they would've done a worse job than Ron Howard.

The cinematography in Solo looks awful. Looks dark and muddy.

 

[Marvolo]

Well if what was reported was true Lord and Miller were doing an awful job. Not only on a technical level but with characterization and plot.

Howard told a serviceable Han Solo story. It wasn't bad. Just kind of there. It neither insults the characters nor breaks with canon. It's like one of those random star wars books that gets published every year. I can live with that. I'm not sure I could have tolerated whatever crackpot nonsense Lord and Miller were trying and failing to cook up.

And when I factor in that Howard supposedly had to reshoot 80% of the film, redesign some things, and make the film on a truncated production schedule I'm even more inclined to give it a thumbs up.

 

[TheVileOne]

Well if what was reported was true Lord and Miller were doing an awful job. Not only on a technical level but with characterization and plot.

Howard told a serviceable Han Solo story. It wasn't bad. Just kind of there. It neither insults the characters nor breaks with canon. It's like one of those random star wars books that gets published every year. I can live with that. I'm not sure I could have tolerated whatever crackpot nonsense Lord and Miller were trying and failing to cook up.

And when I factor in that Howard supposedly had to reshoot 80% of the film, redesign some things, and make the film on a truncated production schedule I'm even more inclined to give it a thumbs up.

I've seen no proof or evidence as such. And yet Ron Howard didn't do a better one. Audiences were not enthused by his cut of the film.

For me to believe they did an awful job, I want to see the footage that made Kathleen Kennedy want to fire them.

 

[Frodo]

Frankly I prefere both SOLO and Rogue One to both TFA, and TLJ easily.

I prefer Rogue One to TFA , TLJ , and Solo.

I liked that it was a new story and new characters who weren't Skywalkers , Solo's, or friends of them, but that still tipped its hat to the OT with Tarkin, Vader and Leia ,which were sparse at best.

My hope is that going forward, i.e. post 9, Disney and Lucasfilm will truly attempt tell new stories with new characters unrelated to the Skywalker saga and which don't borrow elements from the OT, NT, or the PT.

I know there are alot of SW fans who love and hate the new films who aren't receptive to that idea, but I think its where the film franchise needs to go.

I find the potential for a whole new ball game to be much more exciting then sort of replaying beats from the OT trilogy in a new form or going back and filling in back story of legacy characters.

 

[Marvolo]

I'd really like a trilogy about the Hundred-Year Darkness.

Hundred-Year Darkness

The great schism and creation of the Sith, the Sith war, and the Sith Empire.

 

[DocterStrange]

I started the new year with my favourite movie of all time: Star Wars (1977).
Haven't seen it in about one and half years.

It was glorious.

 

[Smurphftw]

I think Solo is OK, but I still think Lord and Miller should've been allowed to finish the movie. I don't think they would've done a worse job than Ron Howard.

The cinematography in Solo looks awful. Looks dark and muddy.

I agree with this, particularly the last sentence. The color palette was very greyish and could have used some serious digital grading in post. That was my biggest beef with Solo

 

[flickchick85]

So far, outside of that awesome Vader scene in Rogue One, I haven’t enjoyed the spin-offs, and have much preferred both main episodes.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Deadline - Bad Robot: Sizing Up the Field As Race To Land JJ Abrams’ Business Enters Home Stretch

The courtship process is heating up, the one that will bring JJ Abrams and his Bad Robot banner — film, television and possibly other platforms — away from Paramount and into a big new studio deal or an independently financed alternative.

Sources with knowledge of the bake-off said that Universal, Disney and Warner Bros are the major studios battling it out, with Disney and Warner Bros. — which has housed Bad Robot’s TV division — considered favorites, but with Universal pulling out all the stops to win the deal. Apple is also an intriguing alternative, as the cash-rich company looks to make Abrams a fulcrum for its own creative content ambitions in Hollywood.

So who will win the deal? Some close to the jockeying said that it might be Disney’s to lose, for a number of reasons. The studio has a network and the most successful movie studio in town, by far, and that its theme parks also become attractive. In addition, they say that Abrams has developed a close relationship with Disney chief Bob Iger, forged in the editing room on those Star Wars films. The studio is making a strong OTT play that would allow Bad Robot to be as prolific as it desires, and the studio could give Abrams his own silo to generate theatricals. He could become Disney’s answer to Spielberg. The potential downside: Disney already has its established silo system, with Pixar, Lucasfilm and Kevin Feige’s Marvel Studios, plus a program of transferring animated classics into live-action family films that leave little room for anything else on its slate. Plus, Disney contracted to inhale the film and TV assets of 20th Century Fox, and the digestion process hasn’t yet begun. It is going to be a crowded place.

 

[Spider-Fan]

So far, outside of that awesome Vader scene in Rogue One, I haven’t enjoyed the spin-offs, and have much preferred both main episodes.

I enjoyed both RO and TFA about the same, honestly. Again, TFA didn't wow me. It was good, not great IMO. Solo was meh. I saw it only because the fiance wanted to see it and I got what I expected. The only one of these movies that I liked and revisit is the divisive one. That I think was easily the highest quality Disney era film. No question. But it is not a fun movie to discuss because of the feels it caused. Hence why I more or less avoid this forum mostly anymore.

 

[Smurphftw]

So far, outside of that awesome Vader scene in Rogue One, I haven’t enjoyed the spin-offs, and have much preferred both main episodes.

I mostly agree with this although I thought the final act of Rogue One was VERY strong.

 

[Madam-Shogun]

For what it was i thought RO was about as good as it can be as an ensemble film. My only complaint was that Forrest's character was short changed. Seriously, that character is like the Nat Turner of Star Wars. And yes it has probably one of the strongest third act's in any Star Wars film. Yeah I said it.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I mostly agree with this although I thought the final act of Rogue One was VERY strong.

For me, the last act of Rogue One is only good when the main heroes aren't on screen. Vader's moments? Fantastic. Space battle? One of the best. But the actual crew on Scarif? Pretty poor honestly. It is clear how they decided to "fix" the mess they had. They tried to give everyone a job, but they don't really do all that much. Just do this tiny little thing, then die. This is why Jyn spends a ridiculous amount of time just trying to get a file in a room. It goes on for so long, and isn't all that interesting. Especially after you have seen it a couple of times imo.

Also I just love how they just have 3 different characters die by grenade, in basically the same way. The reshoots are so obvious.

The original idea for an ending sounded so much better imo. Also my favorite part of Rogue One is Jedha. I really enjoy the time spent there.

As for the Disney movies so far. TFA is one of my favorite films. Probably seen it well over 40 times at this point. I enjoy good portions of Rogue One, but it is a film that hasn't really aged well for me. TLJ pisses me off the more I see it, and I just really hope JJ makes it more watchable for me with IX because there are things I do quite enjoy in it. I rather love Solo, with the Kessel Run being one of my favorite Star Wars sequences.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

J. J. Abrams: "The cast and crew did an unbelievable job [on Star Wars: Episode IX] and I just cannot wait for you to see what we got going for you." "No, [how people reacted to Star Wars: The Last Jedi didn't affect my approach to IX], I think that every movie is its own movie and obviously this is a trilogy. We brought to that movie all the passion and hard work that we would have no matter what so I think the story speaks for itself. I really cannot truly wait for you to see it." "You'll have to determine [your feelings after IX for] yourself. I really can't wait for you to see it. There are a lot of words that we all hope that you feel and obviously the biggest, most important one I think is 'satisfied'." "No, [I can't hint at when Episode IX's title will be announced.]"

 

[TheVileOne]

For me, the last act of Rogue One is only good when the main heroes aren't on screen. Vader's moments? Fantastic. Space battle? One of the best. But the actual crew on Scarif? Pretty poor honestly. It is clear how they decided to "fix" the mess they had. They tried to give everyone a job, but they don't really do all that much. Just do this tiny little thing, then die. This is why Jyn spends a ridiculous amount of time just trying to get a file in a room. It goes on for so long, and isn't all that interesting. Especially after you have seen it a couple of times imo.

Also I just love how they just have 3 different characters die by grenade, in basically the same way. The reshoots are so obvious.

The original idea for an ending sounded so much better imo. Also my favorite part of Rogue One is Jedha. I really enjoy the time spent there.

As for the Disney movies so far. TFA is one of my favorite films. Probably seen it well over 40 times at this point. I enjoy good portions of Rogue One, but it is a film that hasn't really aged well for me. TLJ pisses me off the more I see it, and I just really hope JJ makes it more watchable for me with IX because there are things I do quite enjoy in it. I rather love Solo, with the Kessel Run being one of my favorite Star Wars sequences.

Well they do cut out that whole sequence of them escaping the tower with the file and storming the beach and facing off with more soldiers and that AT-AT walker.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Well they do cut out that whole sequence of them escaping the tower with the file and storming the beach and facing off with more soldiers and that AT-AT walker.

That was the original ending. They'd get the files, flee through the what seems to be a holding area, and then make their way to the relay, which was in a different location. For me, that would have been a lot better then the extended claw game. Also Krennic originally got off the planet, which makes me think he had a date with Vader.

 

[TheVileOne]

I think Vader should've killed the heroes.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I think Vader should've killed the heroes.

I completely agree. I understand why they didn't do it, wanting it to be a big hell yeah moment and having Vader kill the heroes might of made it a downer for some. But I disagree with that decision making. In that hallway should of been at least Jyn and Cassian.

 

[TheVileOne]

I completely agree. I understand why they didn't do it, wanting it to be a big hell yeah moment and having Vader kill the heroes might of made it a downer fro msome. But I disagree with that decision making. In that hallway should of been at least Jyn and Cassian.

Well that's my problem. They made that scene this badass "Vader destroys some Rebel mooks" scene. Fans love that and want to see that. If they saw him killing the heroes we've been rooting for for the last two hours, fans would feel more conflicted.

IMHo there's still that glimmer of hope because you end it on that note with Leia, but I mean, Vader was not a good dude. He would've crushed those Rebels with a wave of his hand if he had the opportunity. The film basically made Vader into an antihero.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

J. J. Abrams: “To have no script [for Star Wars: Episode IX] and to have a release date and have it be essentially a two-year window when you’re saying (to yourself), you’ve got two years from the decision to do it to release, and you have literally nothing . . . . You don’t have the story, you don’t have the cast, you don’t have the designers, the sets. There was a crew, and there were things that will be worked on for the version that preceded ours, but this was starting over. And because this was such a mega job, I knew at the very least I needed a cowriter to work on this thing, but I didn’t know [then] who that cowriter would be. There was nothing.” (April 9, 2019)

J. J. Abrams: "But it was a completely unknown scenario. I had some gut instincts about where the story would have gone. But without getting in the weeds on episode eight, that was a story that Rian wrote and was telling based on seven before we met. So he was taking the thing in another direction. So we also had to respond to Episode VIII. So our movie was not just following what we had started, it was following what we had started and then had been advanced by someone else. So there was that, and, finally, it was resolving nine movies. While there are some threads of larger ideas and some big picture things that had been conceived decades ago and a lot of ideas that Lawrence Kasdan and I had when we were doing Episode VII, the lack of absolute inevitability, the lack of a complete structure for this thing, given the way it was being run was an enormous challenge. However, to answer your question—truly, finally—now that I’m back, the difference is I feel like we might’ve done it. Like, I actually feel like this crazy challenge that could have been a wildly uncomfortable contortion of ideas, and a kind of shoving-in of answers and Band-Aids and bridges and things that would have felt messy. Strangely, we were sort of relentless and almost unbearably disciplined about the story and forcing ourselves to question and answer some fundamental things that at the beginning, I absolutely had no clue how we would begin to address. I feel like we’ve gotten to a place—without jinxing anything or sounding more confident than I deserve to be—I feel like we’re in a place where we might have something incredibly special. So I feel relief being home, and I feel gratitude that I got to do it. And more than anything, I’m excited about what I think we might have.” (April 9, 2019)

 

[I Am The Knight]

Sheesh...

 

[antsman41]

For a guy who has a mystery box... he sure is taking a bit too much on the process on Episode 9.

Wondering if he’s a bit scared of the outcome, trying to get ahead. Especially since half of this fan base are tiny Nazis crying over anything that isn’t what they want.

 

[Gothamsknight]

I think JJ knows the pressure of closing an entire saga that's been going on for 40+ years. It must feel like an incredibly nerve wracking job, and then you have the rabid and disgusting toxic fandom that surrounds star wars, so that doesn't help either. I'm very confident in JJ delivering the goods.