Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern join Star Wars: Episode VIII cast

Benicio Del Toro and Laura Dern have joined the cast of Star Wars: Episode VIII, Disney announced on Monday, the same day production began on the latest instalment of the sci-fi epic.

The Puerto Rico-born Del Toro, who won Best Supporting Actor at both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards in 2000 for Traffic, is also known for roles including Che Guevara and Pablo Escobar.

Laura Dern, the daughter of actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, is slated to star in the Twin Peaks series reboot coming next year. She was nominated twice for an Oscar, for her roles in Wild and Rambling Rose.

The studio hasn’t said what roles Del Toro and Dern will play, but a report in Variety magazine last year said Del Toro was offered the villain role.

Disney also announced that filming for Star Wars: Episode VIII began Monday at Pinewood Studios in London.

Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher return, along with cast members Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis.

Star Wars: Episode VIII is scheduled to be released on December 15, 2017.

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ set to surpass ‘Titanic’ at box office

New year, new record broken by Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

According to Walt Disney Studios, The Force Awakens will pass Titanic ($658.7 million) Friday to become the second highest-grossing film of all time domestically. It also will pass Jurassic World ($652.3 million) to become the No. 1 film in 2015 domestically.

Disney says that as of December 31, The Force Awakens’ domestic box office total is an estimated $652 million and the international box office total is an estimated $679.2 million. Final numbers are out Monday

Internationally, the movie is the No. 5 movie of 2015. Globally the film is the No. 4 movie of 2015 and the No. 8 movie of all-time.

The J.J. Abrams-directed movie is a big reason why the North American box office moved past a record $11 billion in 2015, which was announced Tuesday. Also announced this week: Star Wars: The Force Awakens crossed the $600 million mark faster than any other movie in history.

Disney fulfills dying fan’s wish with early screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Disney has fulfilled the wish of a terminally ill Star Wars fan with a private screening of The Force Awakens ahead of its December 18th release. Daniel Fleetwood, 32, was diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma, a rare connective tissue cancer, in 2012. The disease has subsequently spread to the point where doctors gave him two months to live as of September 2nd.

When Star Wars fans learned of Daniel’s story, they launched a Twitter campaign urging Disney to show him an early screening of the film. Star Wars actors Mark Hamill, John Boyega, and Carrie Fisher all threw their support behind the #ForceforDaniel campaign, and today, Daniel’s wish was fulfilled.

According to Daniel’s wife Ashley, Daniel watched an unedited version of The Force Awakens from the comfort of his home, and also received a phone call from its director, J.J. Abrams.

Han Solo to Get ‘Star Wars’ Standalone Film from ’21 Jump Street’ Directors

Disney had been promising a series of spinoffs to the powerful “Star Wars” franchise it acquired when it bought LucasFilm. Now the studio is preparing a new feature focusing on the life of young hero Han Solo, to be directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, the partners who gained acclaim by helming “The Lego Movie” and the “21 Jump Street” films, Walt Disney Studios announced Tuesday.

The Han Solo standalone is slated for a May 25, 2018 release date and is written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan. The story focuses on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley. Lawrence Kasdan co-wrote other franchise entries “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi,” and “The Force Awakens.” Jon Kasdan wrote and directed “The First Time,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and “In the Land of Women,” as well as writing for the television series “Freaks and Geeks” and “Dawson’s Creek.”

“This is the first film we’ve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with. We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us,” the directing duo said in a statement. “This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where you’re late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise you’ve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all.”

“We’re so excited to be working with Chris and Phil, who will bring a fresh new dimension to the ‘Star Wars’ universe,” said the Kasdans. “They’re two of the smartest, funniest and most original filmmakers around, and the ideal choice to tell the story of Han Solo, one of the coolest characters in the galaxy.”

Kathleen Kennedy, who will produce the film, added, “It’s not just any filmmaker who can tell the story of such a beloved icon like Han Solo, and I’m excited to say we’ve found the perfect team to handle the task. Larry and Jon know all there is to know about the character, and Chris and Phil will bring their wit, style, energy and heart to tell Han’s story.”

Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin will exec produce, with Will Allegra co-producing.

The next release from the franchise, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is due out this Christmas.

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.”

‘Star Wars’ museum is coming to Chicago

CHICAGO — Star Wars creator George Lucas has selected Chicago to build his museum of art and movie memorabilia.

Bill McCaffrey, a spokesman for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, confirmed the decision. McCaffrey did not have any immediate details about the much-anticipated decision by the filmmaker. But the choice is a major victory for Emanuel and the nation’s third-largest city, which was competing with San Francisco for the museum.

It was unclear for weeks whether Chicago or San Francisco would be selected. Some people thought Chicago might have the upper hand because Lucas’ wife is from Chicago and because of Emanuel’s powers of persuasion. But Lucas is a California native, his visual effects division is based in San Francisco and the headquarters for LucasFilm and Skywalker Sound is in nearby Marin County.

‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ Announces Its Cast

Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow and CGI acting wiz Andy Serkis comprise the much-anticipated cast of Star Wars: Episode VII, the franchise announced Tuesday. They will also be joined on screen — as many speculated — by the cast of the original trilogy: Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) and Kenny Baker (R2-D2).

“We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII,” director J.J. Abrams wrote on the film’s website. “It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.”

The official announcement comes after months of speculation, as well as a series of open casting calls in the U.S., U.K. and online. Along with directing, Abrams is penning the script with Lucasfilm vet Lawrence Kasdan, taking over for original scribe Michael Arndt. The film is slated to open worldwide on December 18th, 2015.

John Williams to score ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’

John Williams, the Oscar-winning composer behind “Jaws,” “Harry Potter” and “Indiana Jones,” is returning to one of his most iconic franchises — “Star Wars.”

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy announced Saturday (July 27) at the Star Wars Celebration Europe that Williams will be composing the score for “Star Wars: Episode VII,” which is set for a 2015 release.

So far, “Episode VII” has several big names attached. J.J. Abrams is directing, Michael Arndt is penning the script and rumors have been flying about the return of familiar faces from the original trilogy of movies.

Williams has five Oscar wins among a myriad of nominations to his name. He took home the hardware for “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Jaws,” “Star Wars,” “E.T.” and “Schindler’s List.” Will “Episode VII” see him win his first Oscar in over 20 years?

Frank Oz ready to return as the voice of Yoda for any future ‘Star Wars’ films

Well, we don’t think Disney is going to get anyone else for this gig.

Frank Oz knows about as much as we do when it comes to what’s going on at Lucasfilm as they plan the triumphant return of “Star Wars,” but whether there ends up being a new trilogy or a bunch of spin-off films or just a bunch of Internet parodies with After Effects lens flares (or, most likely, all of the above), the longtime “Star Wars” veteran is ready to bring back the fractured wisdom of a certain endlessly quotable Jedi Master.
“He’s in my heart,” Oz said in a recent interview with Hero Complex. “I know Yoda very deeply.”

He most certainly does, as Oz provided the voice of Yoda in five of the six live-action “Star Wars” films, missing one (“Episode IV – A New Hope”) only because the character hadn’t been introduced yet. Oz also served as Yoda’s chief puppeteer in “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi” and for a few scenes in “The Phantom Menace” before the character went all-digital for “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith.”

While Oz says he would “absolutely” be interested in returning to the mad wizard of Dagobah, there’s probably no chance that the character will ever return to its puppet roots … a format that Oz admits is probably left for the realms of nostalgia.

“The future of Yoda is likely in CGI, as he was rendered in ‘Attack of the Clones’ and ‘Revenge of the Sith,'” Oz said. “I think it depends on the story, but I think at this point you can’t go back to the puppet. The reason George [Lucas] did the CGI, which I supported, was that he wanted to tell a story that would have been hampered by the physical limitations of the puppet.”

You mean a story that involves leaping about and having a crazy lightsaber duel with Christopher Lee? Fair enough.

Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger confirmed earlier this week that there are several character-based “Star Wars” spinoff films beyond the planned new trilogy currently being developed by screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan (who’s written Yoda-speak before in his scripts for “Empire” and “Jedi”) and Simon Kinberg. A stand-alone Yoda film is rumored to be one of these projects, though the character could also return in “Episode VII” as a ghostly mentor (a trick Obi-Wan Kenobi pulled in both “Empire” and “Jedi”).

George Lucas approves, calling the director ‘an ideal choice’

It’s official: J.J. Abrams is definitely feeling the Force.

Disney confirmed late Friday night that Abrams, the Star Trek filmmaker and co-creator of TV’s Lost and Fringe, will direct Star Wars: Episode VII, the first of a new series of movies to be released from Lucasfilm under the leadership of producer Kathleen Kennedy.

“It’s very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars movie,” Kennedy in a statement. “J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the Star Wars experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture.”

Episode VII marks the passing of the torch from Star Wars creator George Lucas to Abrams. Tentatively scheduled for a 2015 release, it’s also the first movie coming out of Disney’s $4 billion purchase of Lucasfilm last fall.

“To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor,” Abrams said. “I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid.”

Lucas said he’s been impressed by Abrams both as filmmaker and storyteller – Abrams directed the recent Star Trek and its sequel Star Trek Into Darkness (out in May) as well as Super 8. “He’s an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn’t be in better hands,” said Lucas, who wrote and directed the first Star Wars in 1977 and the three recent prequels to his original trilogy.

Screenwriter Michael Arndt, who won an Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine, is penning the script, and Episode VII is being produced by Abrams, Bryan Burk, Abrams’ Bad Robot company and Kennedy under the Disney/Lucasfilm banner.

Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg have signed on to be consultants on the project. Kasdan was a screenwriter on two Star Wars films, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Kinberg was writer on Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.