Rogue One Tatiana Maslany cast as lead in Gareth Edwards spin off

You two are just trying to be difficult.

 

Stop your whining babe. I'm going to see Star Wars and Avengers and everything else practically.

 

Oh ok, haha. I guess I haven't really made it evident on these boards just how much of a Rian Johnson fangirl I am. I've stanned for the guy since Brick, he was only behind Brad Bird on my list of dream picks to direct Episode VII, and when my co-worker told me they'd just announced he got Episode VIII, I LITERALLY jumped for joy. My excitement could not be contained, lol.

I was fan of J.J. Abrams back in the Alias/early Lost days, but my interest in his work peaked with Star Trek '09. I don't think even on his best days that he's nearly as imaginative a storyteller as Rian. But I think he's a good, safe choice for getting the franchise back off the ground for a new generation.

 

No! I will not be silenced!!! I will be heard!!!

 

You get a pass because Brad Bird is at the top of your wish list.

But yeah, it is great when something like this comes true. I can't imagine how I would react if I heard Edgar Wright was making a Star Wars film, or the Flash. Heck, I am still processing Emma Waston being Belle. t:

 

I am also a fan of Johnson. Brick and Looper? Yes please.

I loved the first Trek and I like Abrams as a director but he isn't working with the best scripts IMHO. I think he is going to do a good job though, he rocks at casting.

 

Super 8 made me a JJ fan. I love me some MI:3 and Star Trek. Heck I love me some STID. But Super 8 got to me. I know it is Spielberg-lite, but in a good way. Like how American Hustle is Scorsese-lite in a very good way.

I feel like Abrams gets the characters right, even if he doesn't always nail the story.

 

That he does.

Ha, I found Super 8 to be a little disappointing, but that really is a pretty apt comparison.

 

I didn't realize you felt that strongly about Super 8. I agree that Abrams characters are some of the more likable characters in blockbuster films. He just knows that angle. I'd love to see him direct a comicbook film honestly. He seems a better fit for Marvel than DC though.

See I thought Skyfall was a Nolan version of Bond not directed by Nolan but it was good so I'm not complaining too much about. I'm not a huge fan of Super 8 (I don't dislike it though) but I never thought there was anything wrong with Abrams making his version of a Spielberg movie. I think Abrams is a good director overall but I just feel that a lot of the scripts he has worked with have been beneath his talents as a filmmaker.

 

JJ's casting ability is a good reason why it is great news he is starting the new trilogy. He will give those that follow him quality to work with.

 

I have no problem with using another director's style. I call it Spielberg-lite because it doesn't quite match Spielberg's quality. American Hustle is probably easier to explain with, considering it came out alongside Scorsese's 'The Wolf of Wall Street". One is playing Scorsese, and is very good. But Wolf was the real deal, and arguably the most "Scorsese" film this side of Casino and it shows. And to think Wolf came after he made the fantastic Hugo. Range.

Skyfall isn't Nolan-lite, it is Nolan-like. But it definitely stands on its own.

 

I agree. Ever since he started then promptly abandoned Lost (after starting and abandoning Alias to work on Lost), I began seeing a pattern in his work - JJ's a solid idea man who excels at kicking things off in spectacular fashion; he just has no long-term follow-through, so he really only works well for pilots/first installments or one-offs. So I do think hiring him to rejuvenate this franchise by kicking off a new trilogy and then letting him hand it off to someone else was a particularly smart move on the part of Kathleen Kennedy and Disney.

 

I can completely understand your view point, but I wouldn't say JJ can't continue something, I just think he is the kind of guy that likes to do it at his own pace. I don't think STID would exist if not for them basically begging him to do it. I also don't think him not returning for the sequel was solely Disney or LF's idea. JJ is very particular. Heck before the Dec 2015 release date, he stilled wanted May 2016, so there was no way he was going to turn around a sequel in 2 years. And filming in the UK is far from ideal for him. I always think he was one and done here from both perspectives. Thankfully he is being followed by quality.

 

Good for her. She's a great actress.

 

Well whether or not he CAN continue things, he typically doesn't. It's a pattern with him that started with Alias, and he hasn't bucked it yet, imo. Maybe he just has a short creative attention span - he starts something, gets bored and passes it off to someone else. Or maybe he just doesn't start things with a 3-5 year plan in mind (like Joss Whedon does). Either way, there's "working at your own pace" (see Nolan as an example of that) and then there's what JJ does. So it's very possible that it was his choice to only do one. I just think EVERYONE entered into the deal knowing that and I'm just saying I think that's probably the smartest decision for all involved, regardless of who actually made it.

 

JJ is good at starting things, but i'm glad he's being replaced for the following film, if he had the chance, i believe he would stay with Star Wars for as long as he could, it seems to be a passion project of his.

 

Disney wanted JJ to stay he denied them, mainly because of his family He seemed concern for the travel hence it's why Disney made him a post-production studio set-up at Bad Robot. Also why MSW heard that re shoots are happening in LA. I don't think it would have been bad if he would have continued. However this is a better scenario. Edgar Wright and a few of JJ's friends have said that JJ always works hard on his films, but with SW, he's dumping his heart and soul into it. Letting one director film just one film seems to be for the best. It allows each person (hope we get Brad Bird for IX) to really give it their all and not hold back with thoughts like "I should save this for the next one".

 

Did Disney realy want him for longer? I agree that this strategy is better suited and that each Director giving their all will lead into each film being a better movie on it's oun, however, i thought this was always the plan, even though JJ had already mentioned how it would be a hard time for him to be far from his family for so long.

 

The actions seem to point that way that they hoped they could convince him to stay. I mean first the gave the guy everything he wanted. Pretty much built him a new studio at Bad Robot to keep him happy, and also let him completely toss the old script out the window. In doing so it delayed the film 7 months. I believe it was the Business Insider that talked about how they really wanted him, and had to work real hard just to get him to do VII, remember he initially declined to do the film in November of 2012. All that Disney did to keep him I think they hoped he would stay on for all of them. But they knew that it may be a challenge because he seems dedicated to his family.

But regardless the way they got it now works best.

 

With the ability she has shown in Orphan Black maybe it could be "all of the above"t:

 

Exactly right, IMO.

 

Have to keep my hopes down until the bigger sources report it but god I hope this happens. I want this casting so badly.

 

Honestly, this rumor hit on a Friday afternoon, and now they've had the weekend. If the trades don't start jumping on this tomorrow, I'm gonna assume it was hogwash.

 

Maslany will play the role of the Mandalorian, Sabine Wren:

 

I can't watch the video, but how legit does this sound?