Rian Johnson Directing Star Wars VIII!

[MagnarTheGreat]

Seriously, huge thanks for the kind words of support. Having the time of my life, CANNOT WAIT for you all to see the good stuff cookin up.

https://***********/rianjohnson/status/576124422098141184

 

[Octoberist]

BTW, in the newly updated press release, they've added JJ Abrams as the Executive Producer.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Then all is right in the world.

 

[OnTheAir]

Interesting that Disney/Lucasfilm will be releasing it during the same month as Guardians Of The Galaxy 2.

 

[Solidus]

Yeah. Yesterday I was shocked by this, and completely not at the same time. I know that sounds odd. I figured that eventually they would want to get it back to May but I figured with the very tight schedule of Phase 3 that it appeared December was one of the few blank spots that they would have so there would be no cannibalization. Especially with 2017 when we have Guardians 2, Spider-Man reboot and Thor 3.

I also figured that Disney would at least want to "try out" how TFA does in December, with no real competition around it, I would have guessed that they would have made this announcement after TFA's release.

Having said all that, it will be nice to see it in the summer time (especially for standing in line) and SW will easily hold its own. But it will be cool that we will only have to wait 6 months between Rogue One and VIII.

 

[BatLobster]

Guardians should move to March or April, IMO. There should only be one space opera in May, and it should be the OG one.

 

[smappy45]

Question. When do you think VIII will start and finish principal photography?

1. Finish before TFA premiere (Dec 18)?
2. Still in the middle of shooting by Dec 18?
3. Start after Dec 18?

I'm just wondering if the main cast will start shooting VIII already by the time they have interviews to promote TFA.

 

[titansupes]

I seem to recall Johnson casually saying they'd start late in the summer. So around the same time SWA:RO will be shooting.

 

[Octoberist]

I think he meant actively pre-production in the summer. I think he'll start early 2016, or maybe even late 2015 to leave a window open for TFA promotion.

 

[titansupes]

Yeah, maybe.

 

[Great Mind(s)]

I'm real excited about how different and new this one should feel. He's hired the production designer from Sleepy Hollow... So it's gonna be weird and gothy? I hope so!

 

[Solidus]

Yeah I truly doubt it will feel that different. There will be some touches, but they will be basing a lot of it off of the feel JJ starts. Some differences but I would not expect any great changes.

 

[BatLobster]

Kathy seems to be pretty big on letting each filmmaker make it their own, so I would hope it's as different as it needs to be. After all, look at the contrast between ANH and Empire.

 

[Solidus]

There are differences, but not huge. The main differences with the OT was not as much of their artwork, but more of the cinematography. ROTJ just had really bland cinematography. With the sequel trilogy there will be some differences, but this is not going to go from one film to a Tim Burton style gothic film. That and Kathy is allowing them freedom, but there is a look to Star Wars that one must maintain, and I know that Rian knows that.

TDKT had different looks with each one, but still felt the same. My point is you can't have some radical shift. Going from a SW film to massive "gothic". ect.

 

[Marvolo]

Kathy seems to be pretty big on letting each filmmaker make it their own, so I would hope it's as different as it needs to be. After all, look at the contrast between ANH and Empire.

Well it doesn't need to look like a gothic horror story. It will likely look like the small teaser shown at Celebration. Natural color palette.

 

[Octoberist]

I'm sure Rian and his team is free with the designs for new characters and ships not established in The Force Awakens. But that's it.

 

[Brother Jack]

Johnson has a fairly distinctive visual style. I'm sure Episode VIII will look identifiable as a Rian Johnson film.

 

[Octoberist]

Oh yeah for sure!

 

[Solidus]

Johnson has a fairly distinctive visual style. I'm sure Episode VIII will look identifiable as a Rian Johnson film.

Of course. But it's still going to be in certain guidelines and not be something radical like "Gothic and weird" as mentioned above.

 

[Lord]

I actualy wouldn't mind seeing Episode VIII look more Gothic and weird, i'm certainly not expecting something like Sleepy Hollow or Batman Returns, but i wouldn't mind if they went a step further than what Empire Strikes Back already did.

 

[Solidus]

Of course you wouldn't.

But no. Not for the main Episodes. You can have twists of little things in there. But it needs to stay in the vein of SW. There used to be some concept art of more Gothic style things for ROTJ, some did not feel right. But the castles in TFA already are pulling a little from that. But you can't go over the top with it. It is Star Wars and it does have a unique style to it.

 

[Lord]

I didn't say they should go over the top with it, just that they could go a bit more gothic, and as i said, it shouldn't go as far as as Sleepy Hollow or Batman Reurns.

Star Wars can go towards a lot of places, even the main episodes, as long as you don't go too far, it still feels true to the saga, hell, your avatar has a "hellish" look that was more present in the end of Episode III and its concept arts, and was never found in the main trilogy, yet, it doesn't feel against the look of star wars.

Edit: I'm also curious, that gothic stle concepts from Return of the Jedi did you find to be off?

 

[Solidus]

Yes you can go someplace, no doubt. But as you said, you just can't go too far. I think we are on agreement with that. However my avatar is more lighting, I guess I'm talking more art styles. You can have some Gothic/different things in, but it has to blend with the SW fabric.

 

[Lord]

I agree with that, i guess i just like it when 2nd films go a bit darker, but yeah, the main films can't go way too far, or it starts seeming a bit off. I do think the most essential elements in the original trilogy when it comes to the look and feel was all that mysticism that made it feel like a fairy tale set in space. The Yoda scenes were great examples of that.

 

[Solidus]

Agreed.