Categories
Star Wars

Can’t wait!!

Mark Hamill “contractually obligated” to grow beard for Star Wars

Actor Mark Hamill was “contractually obligated” to grow facial hair for the new Star Wars movie.

The star, who played Luke Skywalker in the original sci-fi trilogy, is reprising his role in the latest installment, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, and he has swapped his usual clean-cut look for a new shaggy bearded image.

Hamill has now revealed producers behind the movie ordered him to grow it to give his character more “gravitas”.

He tells the Press Association, “That is what I call my contractually obligated beard. Listen: I think they look fine on other people. It’s just not me. I mean, I never got used to it. But face foliage is almost a part of the costume. And it does bring a gravitas, perhaps unearned, but nevertheless, it makes a statement that they wanted to make, and I’m more than happy to oblige them.”

Categories
Rumours

Bring it on!!

‘Beetlejuice 2’ is closer than ever to happening, says Tim Burton

A Beetlejuice sequel is “closer than ever” to happening, says director Tim Burton.

Burton directed the 1988 original, which starred Michael Keaton as a so-called “bio-exorcist” trying to scare away the new human inhabitants of a haunted house so that a ghost couple, played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, can continue living there. Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones and a 17-year-old Winona Ryder co-starred as the human family members.

A slow-moving sequel has been in the works at Warner Bros since September 2011 with Burton interested in returning as director. Asked for an update on the sequel’s progress, Burton told ComingSoon: “It’s a character that I love and I miss and I miss actually working with Michael. There’s only one Betelgeuse. We’re working on a script and I think it’s probably closer than ever and I’d love to work with him again.”

Earlier this year, Keaton said he would be “more than interested” in returning for a sequel provided Burton is involved. The actor, 62, is currently enjoying something of a career revival and is considered frontrunner for next year’s Best Actor Oscar for his performance in forthcoming black comedy film Birdman.

At one point the mooted Beetlejuice sequel had a script by Seth Grahame-Smith, who also co-wrote the screenplay for Burton’s 2012 film Dark Shadows. Speaking back in May 2012, Grahame Smith said the new Beetlejuice movie would not be a “remake” or “reboot”, but “a true sequel with Michael Keaton as the title character”.