Barely a little over a month ago, we asked you how excited you were for the upcoming ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’. Since that time, the production has been beset by major setbacks. Are you still optimistic for the film and the franchise, or do you have a bad feeling about this?
As you’ve probably heard, Harrison Ford was injured while reprising his Han Solo character. At first, it was reported that he’d broken his ankle. New rumors claim that he’s actually broken his leg and may be out of commission for as much as six months. With a firm release date of December 2015 seemingly written in stone by Disney, this sounds like an insurmountable problem for the film – especially since Han Solo is supposedly the lead character in this entry.
Speculation is rampant as to what will happen next. Will the film’s release date be pushed back to 2016? Will the script be frantically rewritten to work around Ford? No one knows for certain yet. Regardless, I imagine that panic is rampant at director J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company.
Originally, it was assumed that Abrams would direct the entire trilogy of new ‘Star Wars’ sequels. Late last week, however, it was confirmed that ‘Looper’ director Rian Johnson will helm ‘Episode VIII’ and at least write (possibly also direct) ‘Episode IX’. Was Abrams fired from future installments over the Harrison Ford fiasco, or did he walk away on his own? The truth on that may take a while to come out.
At least initially, the Johnson news was well received. ‘Looper’ was a box office hit and was well regarded by both critics and audiences. On the other hand, a backlash of ‘Looper’ haters has been brewing online this week. For my part, while I mostly liked ‘Looper’, I have to admit that its time travel story made little sense and was full of sloppy plot holes. Whether this will be a problem for ‘Star Wars’ is a big question mark.
As much as I wish I could be optimistic for the ‘Star Wars’ sequels, I’m so burned out on the franchise that it’s hard for me to care anymore.
Alex
I remember in the late 80’s, early 90’s when Star Wars was looked on fondly but wasn’t as omnipresent as it has been for the last 10-15 years or so. It made the release of the Special Editions (for better or worse) a remarkable and exciting event.
I think Star Wars could do with stepping back. Take the Disney approach of locking it in the vault for a while. Build up some anticipation. I consider myself to be one of the biggest Star Wars geeks around, but I can definitely see the fatigue with the franchise. It needs just a bit of time out of the limelight.
Lord Bowler
Seems like they should have recast the roles entirely and just given cameos/homages to the original actors.
When you’re dealing with actors who are senior citizens, there are things they just can’t do and no amount of CGI can fix.
Look at X-Men: Days of Future Past. They utilize their senior citizens very well.
Maybe Episode 7 opens with our actors, then flashes back with recast younger versions, and we don’t have to worry?
Ryan
I am sort of done with Star Wars.
Star Wars (OT) was lightning in a bottle. I loved them as a child (even the ewoks), and I love them as an adult (minus the ewoks). However, the prequels were pretty terrible movies. At first, I let my love for the OT affect how I felt about the news ones…convincing myself “no, these are good, i swear!”. When I eventually took off my nostalgia goggles, I realized, just because the originals are good, it doesn’t mean anything new associated with them deserves the same love.
So no, i couldn’t care less about any new Star Wars movies. If they turn out good, I’ll give them a shot, but they will need to 100% stand on their own.
Shannon Nutt
Ughh, Josh – I was hoping we wouldn’t fall for the erroneous “six month” story that was misreported by a Star Wars (non-official) website (Force News, I believe) and picked up by a ton of others. Ford is going to be out for six to eight WEEKS, not months. Yes, he broke his leg, but it’s nothing serious and is actually a bone in his lower leg – the cast he has is actually around his foot and ankle.
Ford is already back in the States, in rehab and expected back on the set in August.
Josh Zyber
AuthorI have an aunt around Ford’s age who broke her leg earlier this year. She’s been out of commission for way more than eight weeks already. In fact, her doctor just told her that she should stay off the leg for ANOTHER four weeks because it isn’t healing as quickly as he’d like.
I absolutely believe that Ford could have been told not to run around or shoot any action scenes for six to eight months.
Shannon Nutt
It’s a bogus story. The movie may get pushed back to May of 2016, but Ford will be back on the set before the end of summer.
Josh Zyber
AuthorI guess we’ll see.
Shannon Nutt
As I predicted in June, Ford will be back on the set and filming before the end of August. 🙂
http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/13/showbiz/movies/star-wars-episode-vii-filming/
Drew
You may have an aunt who is around Ford’s age, but I highly doubt that she is in peak physical condition, like Ford is. Considering the fact that he is 71-years-old, Ford is an absolute physical specimen. I guarantee that there are 40-year-olds who wouldn’t have a chance of rehabbing as quickly as Ford probably will.
Tim Tringle
Don’t forget that access to great medical care helps. Also Ford can afford to just take it easy for as long as necessary to recover well. He’ll be fine.
Josh Zyber
AuthorAgain, we’ll see. Regardless of how fit he is for his age, or what great medical care he’s getting, the guy is over 70-years-old. Your bones get very brittle at that age, and your body is much slower to heal than a young person’s. That’s just a fact of human physiology.
Julian
Harisson Ford did survive a nuclear blast. He also drank from the holy grail.
Josh Zyber
AuthorYes, but the immortality bestowed by the Holy Grail only worked so long as he stayed in that cave. It expired as soon as he stepped outside.
Chris B
Only if those 40 year old’s have some sort pf chronic illness or auto-immune disease. Being in great shape helps alot, but it’s no substitute for being 30 years younger.
Mike
I think with doubles and effects if necessary, he could be shooting again already.
Mike
After all, Han Solo’s most discussed scene DID take place while he was seated in a restaurant booth.
Josh Zyber
AuthorYeah, but J.J. Abrams has terrible ADHD. His Star Trek movies feature a ridiculous number of scenes of characters running around here to there for no reason. So does Mission: Impossible III for that matter.
Chris B
Awwww come on man, MI:3 is so much damn fun. Same with the ’09 Star Trek. Sure Into Darkness was a letdown, but don’t let it taint your view of Abrams entire filmography.
Josh Zyber
AuthorI like M:I-3 and his first Star Trek, but honestly, watch those movies again with an eye on how many scenes they contain of characters pointlessly running all over the place. Tom Cruise does so much running in M:I-3 that he could have gotten a Nike endorsement out of it.
You might say that it’s a recurring motif in his work, like the lens flares. I imagine that’s how Ford probably broke his leg – Abrams had him running around and then shone a bright light directly into his face, causing Ford to get disoriented and fall down.
Chris B
Haha true enough, but I’ll still take the running and the lens flares over the prequel motifs. Which had the recurring themes of characters sitting and talking, slowly walking and talking, standing perfectly still….and talking.
I truly think Abrams can pull it off, he grew up on Star Wars, knows what the fans don’t want because of the Lucas prequels, probably has a blank cheque budget wise, a dream cast…etc. I still beleive he can hit a home run with this one. I just hope the screenplay is up to snuff and it doesn’t have any revisionist time-travel nonsense in it that filmmakers seem to be using as a “get out of jail free card” these days. The history of the Star Wars universe is well established, don’t mess with it. Embrace it and build upon it!
Mike
Using a double and cutting to close ups would be pretty simple. Not that I think it will come to that.
Dave M
When Lucas sold out to Disney, I told myself that these were (officially) no longer the movies i had loved in my youth. Disney had made it very clear-and unashamedly so-that they were going to turn these into a commodity and recoup their four billion dollars as quickly as possible.
So, intellectually, I understood all of this as the truth. And yet when I saw a ‘Star Wars VII – Summer 2015’ poster online, i giggled like a little girl. So I think I still love those movies and always will. Regardless.
Krawk
I am on the fence. But I would like to scold all the nay-sayers. Sure Abrams is doing part 7, and we’ve seen what he’s done with Star Trek, but Lucas is OUT. If we had the pre SE Lucas still at the helm, there would be no doubts the movie would turn out for the best. Will it all be awesome? Who Knows.
Mike
The big positive is this might give Luke a couple more months to trim down.
Julian
I’m all for a delay, actually. ‘Star Wars’ films should be released in May.
EM
And three years apart!
Tim Tringle
I agree with May but if these are any good I don’t want to wait Three years between them.
Bill
I believe Abrams will do to Star Wars exactly what he did to Star Trek. The thing that amazes me about Abrams is that he can do no wrong. He has had one critical success on TV and tons of failures. I’ve lost track of the number of Bad Robot TV series that never reached a final conclusion because the network has pulled the plug. Yet despite this record he keeps getting new opportunities. Lost was good but otherwise this guy is grossly overrated and much too adored.