Star Wars Episode VII Cast Revealed!!!

 

A few hours ago in a country far far away...

Hey! We've got some official Star Wars: Episode VII casting news to share with you today! After all of the rumors, talk and speculation we now know who will be star in J.J. Abrams' highly anticipated film. So without future ado, here's the cast for Star Wars: Episode VII:
John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (LOTR), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), and Max von Sydow (The Exorsist) will join the original stars of the sci-fi fantasy saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.
The photo above features the Abrams surrounded by the cast, and this is what the director  had this to say in a statement:

"We are so excited to finally share the cast of 'Star Wars: Episode VII.' 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."

We all knew the original cast would be back to reprise their roles, but it's so comforting to know that it's all set in stone. I can relax now. As for the new members of the cast… these are all great choices and fantastic actors. I seriously can't wait to finally see the story that the filmmakers are planning to tell come to life on the big screen!
The movie opens in theaters worldwide on December 18th, 2015.

Source: StarWars.com

Return of the Jedi BluRay Deleted Scene: Luke's Lightsaber Construction Faked?

So we've all seen this deleted scene by now from the BluRay release. Amongst the other scenes released from ROTJ this one seems the most obscurely… odd.  Don't I remember at some point Mark Hamill saying he NEVER remembers filming this section only to later say in front of Celebration V that (to paraphrase) "After talking to George… Yes I do vaguely DO remember shooting this… but vaguely".

Now I know that Mark Hamill is as much a fanboy as the rest of us and not likely to forget such details such as SHOOTING A MOVIE… and I wondered for some time here and there when I've seen this clip… is this Mark Hamill or is it just somebody with a cleft chin and otherwise Mark Hamill like features filling in for a Never Before Seen BluRay exclusive minute and a half of Return of the the Jedi… You know the kind that sells millions of copies selling you the same 6 movies you've been watching for 30 years now with 5% more content tucked inbetween the same 30% of bonus content you'e also been watching for the last 15 years… that kinda stuff….

Anyway, so I wonder why an actor with such a face and presence would have had such a minute entrance to this third act when he later makes such a sneaky entrance at Jabba's palace which seems to be much more mysterious and dramatic… a real hero's entrance. It just kinda displaces this clip which… ok, I totally understand why it would be deleted.

What if this was completely fabricated? What if this never happened in 1981,2, or 3? What if we were given this clip now 30 years later as a simple ploy to sell more copies of Star Wars… Now with BluRays? Where do you get a Mark Hamill doppleganger in 2013? Use a rubber mask made from a life cast? Any old fool with a cleft chin and a nose?

That was a simple enough conspiracy to cook up if it were a conspiracy and I never gave it too much more thought until this weekend when I saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier. 

Once the Winter Soldier was revealed to us completely… I was awestruck… Who is this dude? I know he's the same guy to played Bucky in the first Captain America movie, but we never really saw any intensity from this guy. Then I when the real battle took place in the last quarter of the movie it was an all out audition for a part in Star Wars Episode VII… This guy was Mark Hamill 1980 incarnate. Every slash and punch from this guy wrought this Bespin Duel/Emperor's Throne Room grimace from this guy and I was totally bought into this guy as an action star out of pure synthesized familiarity. He even has that uneven cleft chin thing going... Weird... Where was this guy for Episode II & III?

So I started thinking, "Man, this Sebastian Stan guy… He can't be flying under the radar so that no one from Lucasfilm has noticed the glaring likeness he bares… Oh yeah Marvel>Disney>StarWars… Oh yeah… wait a second… this guy COULD TOTALLY PLAY LUKE SKYWALKER."  Maybe even Luuke Skywalker for you ultra-fanboys...

Could Sebastian Stan have possibly been a "Stand-Chin" for an aged Mark Hamill in a "NEW" bonus clip for the 30th Anniversary re-release of ROTJ no less on BluRay? I don't know… but I did manage to assemble these animated Gifs using unaltered photos and screenshots from the clip in question.

So what do you guys think? Is this a total fanboy conspiracy cooked up in my head or does this seem possible? I'm asking questions here so please don't misunderstand that I think I am  correct beyond all doubt. Let me hear from you in the comment section. Trolls will be walked to the door.

May the 4th Be Kinda Awesome...

Kicking things off on May 4th, Disney will be offering new exclusive Disney Store merchandise nationwide. Coolest of which is this first set of possibly 12" figures with lights and sounds.

 

Han Solo, DarthVader, Imperial Stormtrooper, and X-Wing Luke are among the first of these that we are aware of. What's really exciting is the fact that no one has mentioned these until now, a mere 2 weeks from the release. 

Previously unlisted is also a Chewbacca figure seen in the lineup below:

Also soon to badded to the mix will be everybody's favorite nasty, Boba Fett as seen in his prototype form.

at $29.99 each with light sound interactivity and articulation more akin to the more recent 3.75" vintage collection these look to be a cool piece for the MANtle. Especially the Stormtooper... Anytime a Stormtrooper is involved you can count me in. Ooooh wait... Luke and Han as well? I smell custom figures on the way… damn you  DisneyStarWars... got me again. It looks like this is building to become a rather complete line of its own very soon…

There are many more items to be released for they're May the 4th event but I'm not as interested in those because they don't appeal to my inner Plastic Gangsta.

SDCC 2014 | Star Wars Black Series Wave 4 and Beyond

Another year has gone by and this summer is quick approaching. With exciting news of deluxe sets in the Star Wars Black Series revealed at ToyFair what else can we expect to see revealed this year?

So far we have seen pictures of Biker Scout, Jabba the Hutt, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Jedi Luke & Ep III Anakin Skywalker...

For the most part fans have been pleased with the character selection. Though the toy isles have cast their vote as well showing that Prequel characters will be the hardest sell, I think that once we have a more balanced and intuitive scheme in the works those prequel figures will be in higher demand. Episode II Anakin in itself could raise demand for Episode III Kenobi... but where are my Ep I Obi Wan Kenobi and Qui Gonn?

Similar sentiments can be felt towards the "no brainer" figures. With most releases to date being Episode IV  heavy and now ROTJ starting to take the lead, where are our main characters hanging out while they wait to be incarnated (inpolymered) for our enjoyment?

 What does the future hold? We'll just have to see. In the meantime I choose to use my imagination. It seems like the most likely news we should see from SDCC this year would be the release of the galaxy's favorite farmboy; Ep IV Luke Skywalker in his Tatooine garb. Complete with his Lightsaber, Droid Caller molded to 1 of 2 Optional Belts, and Stormtrooper blaster.

And what about figure bases? Should figures of this caliber not have a good leg to stand on? While these figures are built with incomparable sculpt quality, amazingly detailed accessories, rotating ankles for stabilty amongst other superior articulation, all inside of a sleek dynamite packaging scheme... no bases? at a $20 price point are we not worth this simplest of accessories?

I think that once things get rolling as we have seen with Hasbro's Marvel Legends line trends like this may come and go while the line itself stays onward with their figure quality. But like I say in the meantime, lets use our imagination.

This figure was built using all BS6 parts from the first 3 waves. It took 3 figures to lend the parts to this piece and in the end it looks great. With a little slicing and sculpting and texture copying I have come about this result bringing my total Luke Skywalker figure count to 5.

I also have created a Jedi Luke from the first act of ROTJ using a Darth Maul and Han Solo body as well as a Stormtrooper Luke and Han from obvious figure choices. This line has as much to offer as the 3.75" forerunner has in the past and I look forward to seeing where things go. The roadmap is pretty predictable as this is not a new part of town, we're just getting a different perspective on the place.