Star Wars VII Is 'A New Hope' For Fans of a Galaxy Far, Far Away...

By Aimee Mahmoud

In 2012, the news that a new Star Wars trilogy was in pre-production caused an international stir among fans of the multi-billion dollar Star Wars franchise, when it was announced that Disney Co. had acquired LucasFilms, the production company founded and owned by the franchise's creator, George Lucas, for a sum of $4.6 billion USD. It was later announced that Disney planned a new Star Wars trilogy, Episodes VII, VIII, and IX - taking place several decades after the events of Return of the Jedi. Lucas will continue to serve as a creative consultant, and his long-time collaborator Kathleen Kennedy would produce the films. Also announced were several "stand-alone" films, possibly based on fan-favorite characters like Boba Fett and Han Solo.

It's now 2014 and even after the revelation that J.J. Abrams (who is notorious for his secrecy) would be directing Star Wars VII, we're still in the dark with respect to details about the new film. It has been long rumored that the original main cast - Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford are set to make a comeback, casting doubts as to whether the new film will be focused on the original trilogy's progeny or an entirely different cast of characters. No official casting announcements have been made, although several familiar faces - Saoirse Ronan, Michael B. Jordan, and Jesse Plemons of Breaking Bad fame have confirmed that they auditioned for parts and so has "everyone else." Open casting calls, an unconventional approach for such a prominent film franchise, were held in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and in the U.S. in late 2013, as well as even an online platform for submitting video auditions.

Bizarre rumors and crazed fan-rants aside, Abrams confirmed yesterday to The Wrap that the Star Wars VII script was officially complete, and principal photography would begin in early May. He did not reveal any details as to the storyline, characters, or even the proposed film title. We do know, however, that the script calls for two young "beautiful, athletic, street-smart" women, a young man "who grew up without a father", and another young man who is "handsome in a non-traditional sense", so it's safe to assume that the film will have a strong focus on the Skywalker and Solo children. It's also possible that these characters are meant to fulfill the roles of Jedi apprentices in the "New Jedi Order". 

It has also been confirmed that John Williams, who composed the scores for both the original and prequel films, will be back for Episode VII. Abrams himself confirmed that cinematographer Daniel Mindel would shoot the new trilogy using 35mm tape, the same that was used to film Episodes IV, V, and VI in order to give the sequel "a very authentic and nostalgic feel". Filming will also make use of on-location shots layered over scale models and computer-generated imagery, to give the sequels the same aesthetic look as the original films, in contrast to the chroma key and CGI-laden prequels. The highly anticipated film, which will no doubt be the subject of much scrutiny and controversy by legions of die-hard fans and critics upon release, is slated to hit theaters on December 18, 2015 - breaking with the tradition of Star Wars films being released in May, keeping with the idiom of "May the Force be with you".

But what does a new Star Wars mean for millions of fans world-wide? For many, J.J. Abrams and co. are quite literally "A New Hope". It's no secret that many were gravely disappointed with the direction that Lucas chose to take the prequel trilogy, and Abram's idiosyncratic approach to film-making has been hailed as a "breath of fresh air" for many Star Wars fans that were hoping that a younger, more experienced director could meet their expectations for a new set of films. Abrams has promised to do his best to satisfy fans and make Episode VII "as authentic, emotional, and exciting as possible." And what about the hundreds of non-canon Expanded Universe novels, comic books, video games, and fan-made productions that feature convoluted story-lines and characters like Jacen and Jaina Solo and Ben Skywalker? It's true that the announcement of a new Star Wars to be produced by Disney came as a complete shock to the world of science-fiction enthusiasts, and the new set of films will pretty much be a major obstruction for the hundreds of non-canon, Expanded Universe productions that already follow a common plot and crew of characters.

The best thing that comes with the announcement of a new Star Wars is the sensation of excitement and magic that Disney perfectly brings to life, of which fans can almost surely expect to be appeased with. The Star Wars Universe is brimming with hundreds of vibrant characters, provocative landscapes, and thrilling story-lines. Star Wars has become a world-wide cultural phenomenon, with legions of loyal fans getting together for movie marathons, conventions, Cosplay, LARP games, Birthday Parties, and of course, Halloween Costume Parties.

 Fans should be able to rest assured that no matter what plot and characters the new trilogy follows, Abrams and Disney are sure to give the films the treatment they've long been due for.