As if what’s in the headline isn’t exciting enough, we also have details on which characters the J.J. Abrams-helmed Star Wars Episode VII will focus on, along with rumours about the introduction of a daughter or granddaughter for Obi-Wan Kenobi! What a great time to be a fan of Star Wars, eh?
In a new piece by THR, they confirm that Breaking Bad’s Jesse Plemons is indeed set to meet with Abrams next week, but also reveal that Michael Fassbender (12 Years A Slave), Adam Driver (Girls), and Hugo Weaving (Cloud Atlas) are all being eyed for various roles by the director. Fassbender met with Abrams in December, while Weaving is being eyed specifically for the part of an Imperial Commander. The hunt is also said to be on for an actress in their 20s who is either mixed race or black to possibly play Obi-Wan Kenobi’s daughter or granddaughter.
The site goes on to add that the focus of Star Wars Episode VII has changed dramatically since Abrams and The Empire Strikes Back’s Lawrence Kasdan took over scriptwriting duties from Michael Arndt. Apparently, the spotlight has moved to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) instead of their offspring, despite protests from George Lucas!
Their children have now been given just supporting roles in this movie, allowing them to take centre stage in Episode VIII and IX due to the fact that Abrams wanted to give audiences one more chance to enjoy the original trio before sending them off in style. This has led to many characters being cut from the original draft, with one part initially conceived as a 20-year-old male now rewritten to be a 40-year-old, and Mud’s Tye Sheridan no longer needed despite auditioning last year.
That’s a lot of Star Wars news to take in one sitting, but how do you all feel about these latest Episode VII developments? Be sure to let us know in the comment section below!
