Category Archives: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

John Boyega Boards the Millennium Falcon for the First Time

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Via wsj.com:

John Boyega is as big a “Star Wars” geek as many of the moviegoers who pushed J.J. Abrams‘s “The Force Awakens” beyond the $2 billion mark at the global box office. The proof is in the video above.

In the clip, provided exclusively to Speakeasy, Boyega freaks out when he sees the Millennium Falcon for the first time. Not only is it there in proper scale, a dream come true for any fan of the franchise, he will get to work inside the spacecraft, which made its debut in 1977′s original “Star Wars.”

The clip comes from the bonus features for the upcoming home video release of “The Force Awakens,” which will include an in-depth documentary about the making of the movie, a look at how the crew created the droid BB-8, deleted scenes and more.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” will be available through video on demand services April 1, and on Blu-ray and DVD on April 5.

Oscar Isaac Convinced J.J. Abrams Not To Kill Poe In The Force Awakens

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Via io9.com:

You’ve probably seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens a few times—but on April 5, you get to discover it all over again when it arrives on Blu-ray. The disc includes a great documentary called Secrets of The Force Awakens, and we’re excited to debut an exclusive clip.

In this clip, called “Poe Comes Back,” co-writer/director J.J. Abrams and star Oscar Isaac explain exactly what happened when Isaac was approached to be in the film.

They wanted him to play Poe Dameron, a cocky fighter pilot in the mold of Han Solo. The problem is that they wanted to kill him early on in the film. Isaac was disappointed by this, and told Abrams as much. Then, some time later, Abrams changed his mind.

We’re glad he did. Poe has become almost as popular as Rey, in terms of new Star Wars characters. We can’t wait to see where his story goes next, and hopefully more interactions with his best buddy Finn.

You can see the rest of the documentary on the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blu-ray, which hits stores April 5. The movie will also hit digital download on April 1. We’ll have our review and impressions of the disc later this week.

Click below to see the full article and see the video clip.

The Force Awakens on DVD: 10 Things We’ve Learned

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Via Empireonline.com:

April greets the arrival of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on DVD, Blu-ray and all other formats worth bothering with (ie not LaserDisc). With the tenacity of a Bothan and the analytical skill of a protocol droid, we asked editors Mary Jo Marke and Maryann Brandon, creature designer Neal Scanlan and concept artist Doug Chiang for some of the secrets behind the movie’s design. Happily, they obliged and no-one’s planet needed blowing up. Pick up the new issue of Empire for the full breakdown.

1. Episode VII almost opened with a lightsaber floating through space

There were early rumours that Star Wars: Episode VII would open with a floating ‘saber, and it turns out that scuttlebutt wasn’t far from the mark. “There was [some] consideration that we’d open with Luke’s lightsaber flying through space,” remembers editor Mary Jo Markey, “landing on Jakku and Maz’s hand pulling it out of the ground”. Another option was a fake-out that disguised a stormtrooper’s helmet as a planet. “We didn’t get very far with that,” adds Markey. Thankfully, neither involved Luke’s severed hand.

2. Starkiller Base has rocket boosters

What was known for a while as “the Doom Star” became Starkiller Base, a glacial planet that’s been weaponised by Supreme Leader Snoke. “We thought, ‘What would a Death Star look like with 30 years of extra technology?'” says concept artist Doug Chiang. “Terraforming has been talked about in the scientific community for a long time, and we decided to magnify that idea.” Fun facts that aren’t revealed in the film: 1) the First Order chose this planet because of its minerals, and 2) yes, it can move, since it has rocket ports on its far side.

Click below to read the full article.

BB-8 ANA JET Lands at LAX

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SW-BB8Plane

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
BB-8 ANA JET Lands at LAX

We have some exciting news! ANA, Japan’s largest airline, had the inaugural flight of the BB-8™ ANA JET (Boeing 777-300), the final of three aircrafts with special Star Wars decoration. Part of the previously announced ANA STAR WARS™ Project the aircraft landed at LAX on March 28, 2016 with special guest BB-8 on hand to celebrate.

After unveiling the aircraft in a ceremony on March 27 at Osaka’s Itami Airport, the aircraft made a one-off domestic flight as ANA22 from Itami to Haneda before departing the airport as flight ANA106 to Los Angeles, marking the start of the aircraft’s international service. The aircraft is scheduled to fly various international routes, principally routes linking Haneda, Narita and US – Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., Houston, and Singapore

Passengers on the BB-8™ ANA JET experienced the world of Star Wars with specially-designed BB-8 paper cups and headrest covers and cabin attendants wearing BB-8 aprons.

SW-BB8Plane2

The Force Awakens on VUDU Viewing Party Kicks Off Tonight – We have 10 Copies to Giveaway!

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens becomes available on Digital HD on 4/1/16 and VUDU will be hosting a viewing party to watch it via Twitter! Visit the VUDU Facebook page to RSVP and sync up your screening to engage in conversation and be eligible to win some great items!

The viewing party starts promptly at 9:00pm (PST) on 3/31/16, so don’t miss out! Pre-order now and watch it at 9:00pm (PST) on 3/31/16!  We will be giving away  10 digital copies of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (plus bonus features).

The first copy will be given away during the viewing party to one lucky follower on Facebook!

We will then give away another copy each day, for 9 more days!  Keep checking back to see how you can win one!

2016-03-25 22_07_42-(98) Star Wars_ The Force Awakens Viewing Party

Be sure to check out the viewing party, links below:

Viewing party event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/211873365843938/

Star Wars: The Force Awakens on VUDU: http://www.vudu.com/movies/content/737347

VUDU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vudufans

VUDU Twitter: https://twitter.com/vudufans

Daisy Ridley’s Audition Was Powerful!

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Via Buzzfeed.com:

We’ve all come to know and love Daisy Ridley as Rey, the scavenger from Jakku who has serious Jedi skills.

As you probably know already, she’s so strong with the Force that she’s able to out-mind-power Kylo Ren when he captures her and tries to read her thoughts. Remember? It’s AWESOME.

And as it turns out, that’s the scene Daisy Ridley read to win the role of Rey. Check out the footage of her audition below, exclusively on BuzzFeed.

“What we were looking for was someone new, ” J.J. Abrams says in the clip. “This character needed to be vulnerable and tough, sweet and terrified. And to find someone that no one knew who could do all these things took a lot of looking.”

“It wasn’t until we found Daisy that we just felt like she was capable of doing all of these things this character required.”

When Ridley read for Rey, Abrams asked her to read the intense scene when Kylo Ren tries to force his way into Rey’s mind and she resists.

“She just blew my mind. She’s reaching this depth of struggle, and tears are streaming down her face. I thought, ‘This is unbelievable.’”

No wonder she got the part. Daisy for President.

2016-03-29 12_41_26-Daisy Ridley's _Star Wars_ Audition Was So Powerful

Ewan McGregor’s ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Cameo

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Via Nydailynews.com:

Ewan McGregor kept his cameo in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” secret from everyone except his wife and children.
It didn’t take a Jedi mind-trick to convince Ewan McGregor to reprise his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi for an uncredited voiceover in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” — just a polite message from J.J. Abrams.

“He just called me really late in the day, I mean just weeks before it was being released,” McGregor recalled to the Daily News.

“(Abrams) just said that he felt like he wanted me to be a part of the film in some way,” the Scottish actor added. “I told him I was waiting for the call for a long time.”

It has been a long time: he wrapped up his turn in the “Star Wars” prequel trilogy as the Jedi warrior who would later become Luke Skywalker’s mentor with 2005’s “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.”

McGregor needed to dive back in full Force to record his one line — “These are the first steps” — for the scene where Rey (Daisy Ridley) is having a vision.

“Of course, it was very peculiar to do it because it had been years since I did Obi’s voice, so we watched quite a lot of scenes of me from the films I made, and then I said, ‘When I did it, I was watching Alec Guinness so maybe we should set up some Alec Guinness scenes.’ So that I wasn’t trying to sound like me, I was trying to sound like him.”

Click below to read the full article.

IDENTITY IN STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

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Via Starwars.com:

CHARTING FINN’S JOURNEY FROM BIG DEAL TO RESISTANCE HERO.
Studying Skywalkers is an exclusive column that investigates the characters, themes, and lessons of Star Wars from an educational, literary perspective. In part one of this installment, StarWars.com looks at identity, with a closer examination of Finn.

The Force Awakens focuses on three major new characters, Finn, Rey, and Kylo Ren. Each of these respective characters must decide who they want to be, and this inner journey is shaped through many illuminating moments that create a sense of identity for these new and compelling characters. These three, distinct character arcs create degrees of captivating internal conflict that move us to look further into the mythology of Star Wars and allow us to witness each individual as they explore the question asked by Maz Kanata in the trailer for The Force Awakens: “Who are you?”

Through these journeys, both good and evil are both present in The Force Awakens, and each of the three characters mentioned above must face personal challenges of various degrees of rigor, in order to develop a stronger sense of self. One of the crucial aspects of internal conflict means facing your fears; Finn, Rey, and Kylo Ren have steps to take in order to find their inner strength. Each has a vastly different outcome that reveals his or her paths to light or darkness. For part one of this series, we begin with Finn.

Finn starts the film as a stormtrooper, tasked with hunting down Poe Dameron, the pilot asked to retrieve a map that will lead to the last surviving Jedi Knight, Luke Skywalker. Finn receives his baptism of blood through the death of a fellow stormtrooper, and once a bloodstained handprint is placed on his forehead, Finn is transformed. This inverse blessing turns out to be just that, as Finn sees the cost that comes with being an agent of evil. Evil seeks to subvert the light, and ironically, the death of a fellow stormtrooper shows Finn that he wants no part of the death and destruction he has been raised to acquiesce to.

His realization brings to fruition a character that does not want to hurt innocents, but to escape the chaos of the First Order, and, as a result, he seeks a new identity. Captain Phasma, the commander of the legions of stromtroopers helps demonstrate how vehemently the First Order represses individuality and identity. When Finn, in a dramatic moment of reflection, gasps for air in the midst of an apparent moment of emotional crisis, Phasma admonishes him, and orders him to put his helmet back on. Finn must blend in with the other stormtroopers, and cannot, even for a moment, show a visible sign of individuality or weakness. Phasma realizes that symbolically, Finn’s removal of his helmet symbolizes his own identity as a person, and not as the personification of the First Order. Finn needs a change, to escape this control and repression.

Click below to read the full article.

Side-By-Side Shot Comparison of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the Original Star Wars

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Via Gizmodo.com:

The new Star Wars and the original Star Wars are pretty much the same movie. Everyone can agree on that right? That’s not a bad thing! When you’ve got a formula that works, you don’t have to add in a Jar Jar. Here’s a side-by-side visual comparison from Zachary Antell that shows the similarities between scenes and shots from A New Hope and The Force Awakens.

The Force Awakens on VUDU!

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens becomes available on Digital HD on 4/1/16 and VUDU will be hosting a viewing party to watch it via Twitter! Visit the VUDU Facebook page to RSVP and sync up your screening to engage in conversation and be eligible to win some great items!

The viewing party starts promptly at 9:00pm (PST) on 3/31/16, so don’t miss out! Pre-order now and watch it at 9:00pm (PST) on 3/31/16!

2016-03-25 22_07_42-(98) Star Wars_ The Force Awakens Viewing Party

And thanks to the AWESOME folks at VUDU, we have 10 digital copies of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (plus bonus features) to giveaway! Stay Tuned on how you can win one and be sure to check out the viewing party, links below:

Viewing party event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/211873365843938/

Star Wars: The Force Awakens on VUDU: http://www.vudu.com/movies/content/737347

VUDU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vudufans

VUDU Twitter: https://twitter.com/vudufans

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’: Deleted Scenes

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Via Ew.com:

Seven deleted scenes from Star Wars: The Force Awakens will accompany its in-home release in April, and here we present an exclusive first look at what to expect from the excised sequences. “There are so many things that end up getting cut because of the greater good, because of the rhythm of the sequence or the need to get on with it, a sense of redundancy,” director J.J. Abrams tells EW. “You don’t know any of these things when you’re making the movie, of course. It was sometimes after months of working on something that you realize finally — you just don’t need it.” Here’s a rundown of what’s been rescued from the cutting room floor…

Click below to see the full article.