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/heat-vision/star-wars-lawrence-kasdan-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 stannis]

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

 

[Octoberist]

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]

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]

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

Not Morgan Freeman's amazing eyebrows?

 

[BenKenobi]

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.

 

[Bim]

I dont know how reliable this is, of course, but i'll go ahead and post it here: http://universe.suvudu.com/post/arn...abrams-on-arndts-departure-from-star-wars-vii

Arndt on Episode VIII? J.J. Abrams on Arndt’s Departure from Star Wars VII!

By **************.net

There were rumors that Michael Ardnt left Star Wars back in July.
I first heard that rumor and dismissed it as more “the sky is falling” or “Abrams is quitting” type of stuff.

It raised an eyebrow, but nothing more at the time because it seemed too sensational. From those same sources I also was told that Arndt was not seeing the script to fruition but he would kick-start the work on Episode VIII sooner than later, based on his completed treatment, once the facts and story structure for Episode VII were finalized and his treatment was likely to change a bit in that process too. More than one source said the work was being handled by “consultants.” Since that time we have learned that Lucas is talking to Abrams almost everyday and now we know Abrams and Kasdan are finalizing the project and we got the big story about Arndt leaving Episode VII. It appears where there was smoke there was fire on that one.
Deadline reports Abrams informed them that:

Working with Larry Kasdan, especially on a Star Wars movie is kind of unbeatable. Working with Michael was a wonderful experience and I couldn’t be a bigger fan of his or adore him more, He’s a wonderful guy and was incredibly helpful in the process. That doesn’t preclude working with Michael again in the future. He is one of the best writers around.​

I think Abrams might actually be validating what I have heard in the recent past by saying Abrams is interested in working with Arndt again in the future.

I am simply reiterating what I have heard and drawing on the connection. I am in no way saying Michael Arndt is actually on Episode VIII, just that I have heard that. So please do not symbolically line up outside my house with pitchforks and torches via certain large forums.

I sat on this information for a bit because as I’ve said in the past, I don’t want to be a rumor site. I want to facilitate the discussion of new Star Wars. But being a fan of Arndt’s, I find this to be really exciting and I hope it happens. I also do not believe anything is finalizing on the issue at this time, but that is just because of the behind the scenes semantics on the issue.

Apparently there are more dicey rumors about bad things between Abrams and Arndt. I haven’t heard those from anyone I trust yet.

 

[Gabe99]

Rumor Patrol: ‘Star Wars 7′ Characters Based on EU; Michael Arndt Writing Episode 8

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Several trades report today that Rian Johnson will write the script for Episode VIII (as well as direct) and write the story treatment for Episode IX.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/star-wars-rian-johnson-director-next-two-movies/
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-episode-viii-sets-713726
http://www.thewrap.com/rian-johnson-to-write-and-direct-star-wars-8-but-not-9/
http://variety.com/2014/film/news/rian-johnson-to-write-direct-next-two-films-1201226481/

 

[BadrHari]

Dont think its a wise idea to let the guy who wrote Fantastic Four (2005) to have ANYTHING to do with Star Wars, imo.....