EPISODE VII: OUR HEROES ARE BACK!

At last! The official announcement: Star Wars: Episode VII Cast Announced | StarWars.com

But where's Lando?

The amazing cast table read that took place on April 29th, 2014.

Other news related to EPISODE VII:

'Star Wars: Episode VII' Casting: It's Not Over Yet - Hollywood Reporter
Disney Chairman Alan Horn Talks Star Wars, Captain America 3 and Pirates 5 - ComingSoon.net
Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy on 'Star Wars,' 'Lincoln' and Secret J.J. Abrams Meetings (Exclusive) - The Hollywood Reporter
'Star Wars: Episode VII': Here's Who's NOT In The Cast... Yet - MTV
The Legendary Star Wars Expanded Universe Turns a New Page | StarWars.com

2/5/2014

20 Things You Probably Didn't Know About The New Star Wars Cast - Films - ShortList Magazine
'Star Wars: Episode VII': Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher send first tweets | PopWatch | EW.com
Domhnall Gleeson On Landing The Role Of A Lifetime In STAR WARS VII
'Star Wars: VII' Cast: How J.J. Abrams Kept it Secret - Hollywood Reporter
George Lucas, Star Wars & the changing state of its sequels | Den of Geek

CLASSIC IMAGE: NEW DRINKING BUDDIES!

As Ben Kenobi talks charter-business with the wookiee Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker gets an up-close look at the varied alien life forms inhabiting the Mos Eisley Cantina, in this classic scene from the original STAR WARS.

From today on the official site, and in the lead-up to EPISODE VII, watch out for a new series of spoof videos taking place on a recreated Cantina set: Star Wars - YouTube

7 Things You Might Not Know About the Mos Eisley Cantina | StarWars.com
Interview with Stormtrooper and Cantina alien Laurie Goode: Star Wars: The stormtrooper still storming, 38 years on - BBC News

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: A JEDI DROWNING POOL!

Obi-Wan Kenobi is feeling the squeeze underwater, threatened by a Super Battle Droid within a flooded area of the Invisible Hand, in this deleted animatic scene from EPISODE III.

CLASSIC IMAGE: LEIA's NEXT MISSION...

Reunited with her Rebel comrades near Sullust, Princess Leia listens intently to the important briefing linked to the upcoming Endor shield operation, in this plot-important sequence from RETURN OF THE JEDI.

THE CLONE WARS: A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF COMBAT!

From the exciting, action-packed beginning of Katie Lucas's Season Three episode Nightsisters: Anakin and Obi-Wan find themselves well-matched by the lightsaber blade work and acrobatic skills of Asajj Ventress within the confines of a destructing Separatist cruiser.

CLASSIC IMAGE: LOOKING TO THE FUTURE...

Subtly sowing the seeds of distrust within Anakin's psyche towards his fellow Jedi very early on, and building his confidence towards the borders of the Dark Side, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine congratulates the young Jedi on securing his first solo assignment, in this hard to believe last-minute filmed sequence, nicely written by Lucas and played by Ian McDiarmid and Hayden Christensen, for EPISODE II.

'TEMPLE OF DOOM' AT 30: AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENING!

One of mob boss Lao Che's vicious henchmen gets more than he bargains for when tangling with the poisoned and desperate Dr, Jones: getting skewered in the chest by a barbecue rack, in this quite brutal scene from INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM- an early-on indicator of how dark and dangerous this exciting sequel film was going to be!

CLASSIC IMAGE: ARCTIC FIREPOWER!

Out on the plains of Hoth, and ready to protect their vital power generators, an army of entrenched Rebel soldiers brave the elements, preparing for incoming Imperial attack, in this great image from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, showing the terrific costumed extras, led by veteran stuntman Bob Anderson, and the impressive props/set decorations brought from the UK to the Finse glacier location.

EPISODE I AT FIFTEEN: HIGH SPIRITS PARTNERSHIP!

Liam Neeson and Ahmed Best get to enjoy a joke whilst filming a blue screen sequence for the Pod Race hangar of EPISODE I, during Summer 1997. On set, Neeson thought that Ahmed Best was going to be a huge star beyond Jar Jar (apparently, Michael Jackson had early on wanted to play the role), as did the rest of the cast and crew, who thoroughly enjoyed Best's enthusiasm, good humour and positivity.

It was terrific news that both actors returned to the Prequel saga recently, within special episodes of THE CLONE WARS: The Lost Missions.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: PIRATEER!

Realized by Joe Johnston, in a very early design from 1975 for the original STAR WARS: Han Solo (?) emerges from the original version of the "Pirate Ship" later to become known as the Millennium Falcon (before SPACE: 1999's impressive Eagle vessel made things visually change!).

CLASSIC IMAGE: KINGDOM OF THE CYBORG!

Flanked by a Magna Droid, the cruel veneer of cyborg-created General Grievous surveys his new surroundings, within the sinkhole city of Utapau, for this early scene from REVENGE OF THE SITH.

BEHIND THE SCENES: SURPRISE!

George Lucas' day on the RETURN OF THE JEDI Sail Barge interior set gets off to a great start with the arrival of Carrie Fisher in her metal bikini.

It's a tough job being Executive Producer, but hey, somebody's gotta do it!

Image: via STAR WARS Archives

CLASSIC IMAGE: WISDOM IN WARFARE!

In his seat on the Jedi Council on Coruscant, Master Yoda prepares for the worst, as The Clone Wars now erupt across the galaxy, amidst the finale to ATTACK OF THE CLONES.

BEHIND THE SCENES: A PRODUCER's HELPING HAND...

Inside the Rebel evacuated hangar bay set at Elstree, Gary Kurtz offers some technical information to one of the Imperial Snowtroopers manning the giant laser cannon, as the films stunt co-ordinator, Peter Diamond, takes his helmet off for a breather.

A rare shot from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

EPISODE I AT FIFTEEN: THE NEXT GENERATION!

The brand new heroes of STAR WARS circa 1999 officially gather for publicity: Natalie Portman as the defiant young Queen Amidala, Jake Lloyd as gifted Dark Sider to be, Anakin Skywalker, Liam Neeson as the spirited maverick Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn, and rising star Ewan McGregor, with the most promising and audience expectant role of all, as the young Obi-Wan Kenobi. A new saga for a new and old audience, soon to enjoy a further mixture of additional new and old characters that will help fuse two histories together...

Now, in 2014, we're hopefully a few weeks away from knowing who the next stars of tomorrow, for EPISODE VII and beyond, will be...

HAPPY ISSUE 400, 'STARBURST' MAGAZINE!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO sends out its congratulations to one of the first and best British magazines covering the sci-fi, fantasy, and comics genre: STARBURST, which reaches its milestone 400th issue this month, and features a stunning reinterpretation of their original Issue One cover, by Brian Lewis, from way back in 1978. Funny, how things go around and come around...

The original Issue One art.

Out Now: Issue 400 Released

CLASSIC IMAGE: BEYOND THE MOVIE! BEYOND THE GALAXY!

Trapped on a world that law forgot, our intrepid smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca, having been robbed of their Rebel loot by the galactic pirate Crimson Jack, are now caught up in a strange new conflict on Aduba-3.

With the continuing plethora of new books, games, animation and graphic novels, no one born in the noughties has ever had a drought of STAR WARS adventures. But back when I was growing up in the UK in early 1978, before the eventual arrival of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK in 1980, STAR WARS fans didn't have much to savour past our imaginations, action figures, one novel, and seeing the original movie another enjoyable time at our local cinemas. The incoming MARVEL comics (both the UK STAR WARS WEEKLY and, when you could get them, the full-colour US monthlies), going beyond the original six-issue movie adaptation to provide all-new adventures, soon proved a joy- treading a satisfying line between George Lucas created characters and realms fused with the kind of energy, colour and excitement provided by Stan Lee's MARVEL empire. This first adventure from writer/editor Roy Thomas was particularly quirky and a fitting tribute to Akira Kurosawa's THE SEVEN SAMURAI, in much the same way that Lucas's STAR WARS had been to that Japanese film-maker's other influential classic, THE HIDDEN FORTRESS.

Next year, as MARVEL take back the STAR WARS comics publishing mantle from DARK HORSE (who did such a great job creatively and successfully with the franchise since the early 90's), it's going to be interesting to see which directions and writers/artists they select to continue our beloved Star Warriors epic journeys. Will they be bringing us the kind of lead-in adventures to EPISODE VII that IDW did with J.J. Abrams TREK films? Will they be focused on timeframes in and out of the Classic Trilogy history? Or set before and after the new films arrival?

Whatever happens, lets hope that the new series goes beyond issue 107 this time out!

Star Wars (Marvel) - You Think You Know Comics? - YouTube

CLASSIC IMAGE: SHEDDING HIS JEDI SKIN...

Now consumed with Dark Side fury, ambition and a grim determination to save his wife from death, Anakin Skywalker, soon forever known as Darth Vader, thinks on his prior act of terror on Mustafar, in a game-changing scene from EPISODE III.

THE CLONE WARS: COURAGE UNDER FIRE!

With determined Clone Troopers at his side, Jedi Master Plo Koon prepares for the next enemy confrontation, as seen in THE CLONE WARS Season Four episode Nomad Droids.

CLASSIC IMAGE: CLIMATE OF CHAOS!

As the Ewoks break cover and attack their Imperial captors, Han and his Rebel squad make the most of the chaos in this terrific image from RETURN OF THE JEDI.

'TEMPLE OF DOOM' AT 30: MOLA's MADNESS!

All good baddies like to tell their story, and Indiana Jones, now captured, beaten and chained, has to endure Mola Ram's mad ramblings for power, in this dark and mysterious scenes from INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM.

DELETED SCENE: TROUBLING TIMES...

A clouded future for the Jedi and young Padawan Anakin Skywalker are the discussion points for Mace Windu and a now departing for Kamino Obi-Wan Kenobi, in a deleted scene from EPISODE II whose plot points and dialogue would be moved to an earlier part of the film- for a newly shot scene.

CLASSIC IMAGE: AN ACTING/CHARACTER JOURNEY...

Luke Skywalker, and his alter-ego Mark Hamill, takes a break from the harsh and demanding duties of becoming a Jedi Knight in this posed image on the Dagobah swamp set, from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK...

EPISODE I AT FIFTEEN: OBSERVERS IN WARFARE!

Their duel interrupted by an energy barrier, Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and the hateful Darth Maul prepare for new conflicts within the Theed power rooms.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: "'THAT'S NO MOON..."

Our heroes in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon are soon powerless to escape the massive Death Star space station's tractor beam, in this great Joe Johnston 1976 storyboard for the original STAR WARS.

Watch out for the upcoming new STAR WARS STORYBOARDS: THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY book, published this Summer from ABRAMS: Star Wars Storyboards: The Original Trilogy: Amazon.co.uk: J.W. Rinzler: Books

EPISODE VII: FILMING IS UNDERWAY...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

A vast sea of stars serves as the backdrop for the main title. War drums echo through the heavens as a rollup slowly crawls into infinity...

As AFICIONADO previously predicted, advance second unit filming of some kind on EPISODE VII has begun, with confirmed casting almost there.

Disney Chief Reveals 'Star Wars: VII' Casting Almost Complete, Says Film Is Already Shooting (Video) - The Hollywood Reporter

May the Force be with Kathleen Kennedy and her band of film-makers on the epic odyssey that lies ahead...

Other news:

Star Wars: Episode VII Set to Roll Cameras May 2014 | StarWars.com

EXCL: Production Designer Rick Carter on Star Wars: Episode VII's Blend of Old and New - ComingSoon.net

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BILLY DEE WILLIAMS!

"Hello, what have we here...?"

Yep, its another yearly celebration for our favourite actor playing everyone's favourite Cloud City Administrator turned traitor, thankfully turning Rebel Alliance hero: Lando Calrissian.

Here's hoping he does indeed return for further Empire-bashing duties in EPISODE VII.

Happy Birthday, Billy Dee Williams!

CLASSIC ART: MAN AGAINST MACHINE!

Some nicely put together art showing Luke Skywalker facing the technological power of Darth Vader and his Imperial forces, with the Millennium Falcon thrown in for good measure, for a RETURN OF THE JEDI merchandise cover released after the film's original 1983 theatrical run.

OUT THIS MONTH: THE RETURN OF ALAN DEAN FOSTER's 'ALIEN'

The terror grows, and space gets colder. ALIEN returns.

There aren't many Seventies Classic Trilogy fans who've never read Alan Dean Foster's ghostwritten adaptation of the original STAR WARS. Fondly remembered and soon the gold standard for future novels in the universe of Luke Skywalker, its a terrific adaptation in its own right from a master translator- Alan Dean Foster, providing a unique time capsule even more interesting due to its containing material cut from the film prior to release, whilst also providing intriguing backstory and dialogue, conceived with George Lucas, for our classic heroes and villains. Going from one sci-fi franchise to another with ease, Foster's next work in adapting the 1979 Ridley Scott celluloid nightmare icon that is ALIEN is just as compelling and equally well-regarded, unsettlingly sending us into the heart of the slaughterhouse, making the most of the terrific original script and story by the sadly passed Dan O' Bannon and weaving a genuinely suspenseful and eerie translation that's almost an equal to the film- its seven core characters, possessing varied viewpoints and often fractious relationships, well rendered alongside the page-turning passages linked to the creature and its quick and violent actions towards its human reproductive prey.

If you've never read it before, this first-rate novel, which further includes unused ideas and concepts (the discovery by our heroes of an alien "urn", before the production team's eventual decision to create the now infamous Space Jockey, alongside a different explanation of the distinctive crash-landed 'derelict' craft) and several unique deleted scenes (which, though filmed, had only been partially completed), has now been re-released this 14th April 2014 by the UK's TITAN books as part of the sci-fi/horror franchise's 35th Anniversary, along with upcoming reprints of the two other Foster ALIEN film adaptations (all equally worth a look for their storytelling variety), plus all-new original fiction in and around the phenomenon, linking it all together.

Get the starship Nostromo's memorable descent into terror, here: Alien: The Official Movie Novelization Alien Movie: Amazon.co.uk: Alan Dean Foster: Books

CLASSIC IMAGE: REVELATIONS IN DARKNESS

Secretly returned to Coruscant, the fugitive Obi-Wan Kenobi contacts Padme Amidala at her luxurious apartment to find out the current location of the Sith turned Anakin Skywalker, as the truth about their enemy, and Padme's secret pregnancy, are finally revealed to the Jedi Master. An important scene from EPISODE III.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

CLASSIC IMAGE: FISHY FINE DETAILS...

Inside the bulky Mon Calamari costume, actor/puppeteer Tim Rose delivers important dialogue as Rebel leader Admiral Ackbar, during Elstree filming of February 1982, for RETURN OF THE JEDI.

He went to make an appearance in THE CLONE WARS, and here's hoping old Acky returns for more hand gesticulating, plan-making Republic-dom for EPISODE VII.

CLASSIC IMAGE: A JEDI IN THE WORKS!

In the droid foundry of Geonosis, flanked and attacked by Battle Droids and flying pest Geonosians whilst caught within lethal operating machinery at every turn, Anakin Skywalker fearlessly presses on in his attempts to find Padme, during this action-packed scene from EPISODE II.

CLASSIC IMAGE: SPLASH-DOWN!

Any landing you can walk away from is a good one, as Luke Skywalker and his socketed pal Artoo Detoo discover when they unexpectedly crash into then swampy waters of Dagobah, in this wonderfully framed image from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.