UPDATE 3! Rumor: Star Wars Episode 7 to Film in UK’s Forest of Dean?

puzzlewood

*Image by Andrew Cox – uktripper.com

 

There are rumors that scenes for the new Star Wars film are being shot in the Forest of Dean. People are reporting seeing Jedi wigs, speeder bikes and wooden swords for practicing…

 

From BBC:

A huge film crew has set up camp at Puzzlewood, but so far there has been no confirmation that the force is present in the forest.

Excitement is mounting in the West Country as tourist attractions in the surrounding area are hoping that the new Star Wars film will be shot nearby.

BBC Reporter Steve Knibbs went to Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean where film crews appear to be assembling although nobody would confirm or deny these rumours.

 

 

Even more convincing details can be seen here:

 

Could this be Yavin 4, Endor or a completely new planet?

 

 

UPDATE!

 

Here’s something like confirmation of the rumor by Justine Baker (Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Bridgwater & West Somerset & County Councillor for Somerset).

 

 

UPDATE 2!  

 

Some more bits and photos from the Puzzlewood shoot from Daily Mail (via MakingStarWars):

It can now be confirmed hundreds of people in gleaming white trailers have descended on the Forest of Dean to film scenes from the hotly-anticipated Star Wars sequel. Speculation and excitement over the film site reached fever pitch in the past 24 hours with a number of clues eventually giving away the purpose of the temporary Gloucestershire community. The Forest of Dean is now awash with jedis, sith lords, caravans and set production equipment involved in filming an unknown forest scene for Star Wars Episode VII.

Puzzlewood Shoot
Stormtrooper Boots?

Puzzlewood Shoot Puzzlewood Shoot Puzzlewood Shoot

 

UPDATE 3!  

 

The Episode VII working title (AVCO) has been spotted on a shuttle bus near the set. Well I guess we don’t need any more hints.   (via JediNews)

 

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

Born on April 24, 1980.

Val Trichkov (Viral Hide)

Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

160 thoughts on “UPDATE 3! Rumor: Star Wars Episode 7 to Film in UK’s Forest of Dean?

  • July 7, 2014 at 10:53 pm
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    Won’t surprise me if they are filming there. Scotland is too far away, and every fantasy’s got to look like Lord of the Rings these days.

    • July 7, 2014 at 11:29 pm
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      Yes. Before the earth itself was built, it was based on the lord of the rings. Lord of the rings is the reason for forests. Yes. So very true.

    • July 9, 2014 at 12:30 am
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      Yes, you are right, every film ever shot in a forest looks like Lord of the rings. What an observation.

  • July 7, 2014 at 10:56 pm
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    Great. terrestrial earth trees. i wonder if this one will also have earth snakes crawling around the caves too?

    • July 7, 2014 at 11:55 pm
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      shut up

      • July 8, 2014 at 2:10 am
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        [Huge spoiler:] This is actually MUSTAFAR after the spectacularly successful reforestation campaign overseen by Darth Vader, spanning the entire imperial period.

        He inevitably hated the place, and the only way he could change it beyond recognition was by PLANTING TREES.

        There was still good in him, indeed.

    • July 8, 2014 at 4:16 am
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      Dude, this is Star Wars you dolt. In this universe there’s fire, explosions, and sound in space. It’s a fun fantasy adventure series not some scientifically accurate documentary.

    • July 8, 2014 at 11:44 am
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      Your beloved prequels had humans. Isn’t that terrestrial for you?

  • July 7, 2014 at 10:57 pm
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    Definitely not Endor, it could be Yavin 4.

  • July 7, 2014 at 11:03 pm
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    One would have to think Dagobah – which is not too far fetched…. after all Yoda was shielded from the dark side here and never discovered!!

  • July 7, 2014 at 11:04 pm
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    Pardon me for not knowing, but what is a Jedi wig?

    • July 7, 2014 at 11:10 pm
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      That was my first thought as well. A ponytail wig…? Braid? What defines a Jedi 😛

    • July 8, 2014 at 2:08 am
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      Jedi Wig. Its a Jedi that goes out socially with another Jedi. So no one realises that one of them is studying the other side of the force.

  • July 7, 2014 at 11:06 pm
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    They’re shooting the scenes there with Luke doing the Yoda thing, old Jedi hermit and all.

  • July 7, 2014 at 11:14 pm
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    Wow wow wow, someone spotted The Wig on-set??!! 😀 I wish they took a pic of him

  • July 7, 2014 at 11:19 pm
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    Real locations! Real locations! Real locations! Thank god we get the first Star Wars movie since 1983 that wont look like a video game!

    • July 8, 2014 at 12:11 am
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      “Real locations! Thank god we get the first Star Wars movie since 1983 that wont look like a video game!”
      You don’t know what you’re talking about. Episode I was shot in Whippendel Woods near London, as well as multiple other real locations. How many CGI trees do you think you saw since 1983?

      • July 8, 2014 at 12:18 am
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        And many shots had actors green-screened into the foreground of those trees.

        You’re right that people often forget how much model work and location there *was* in the PT. But his point about them looking like video games is true.

        • July 8, 2014 at 1:15 am
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          Aside from Naboo and Tatooine in Episode 1 I don’t recall any other outdoor environments used… Kamino, Geonosis, Coruscant/ everything in ROTS were sets if I recall correctly.

          Yeah lets get some more real world locations please…. but I do mirror the desire for wanting something other than terrestrial trees to look at. I mean if you think about it why would there be trees as we know them on other planets? If there were “trees” they’d probably look very different. I dug the Into Darkness approach of using those red leafed trees with dense canopy.

          • July 8, 2014 at 1:25 am
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            Lots of location shooting was done for elements of earth reality that were transformed into alien reality.

            What’s so funny of course is that small minority that you can never please because they go on about wanting practical effects then when they get them with Mustafar with the largest model shoot ever in Star Wars then they complain about that too!

          • July 8, 2014 at 2:20 am
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            Episode II had some location shooting for Naboo. Episode III was done entirely on a set, but the environments of various planets (Kashyyyk, Mustafar, Alderaan) were made possible by composite filming.

        • July 8, 2014 at 1:22 am
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          No it isn’t. I’ve seen video games they don’t look that good at all.

          I always marvel at this nonsensical idea of reality and fakeness. It’s like Yoda the more real he looks some people react to him being fake but the faker he looks (the puppet) they treat him like he’s more real.

          So the logic is that places are only “alien” when they look like Earth but the less they look like Earth the faker they are.

          Mind boggling!

          • July 8, 2014 at 4:03 am
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            Yoda looked more real as a puppet because he was real, he had a physical presence. Now days though with motion capture and all, I wouldn’t mind a CG yoda. But yeah, the CG one In the PT looked pretty bad.

          • July 9, 2014 at 2:01 am
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            No, the Yoda in the PT looked awesome. He could actually have a true physical presence and go anywhere and interact with anyone and in any environment. The puppet was great for it’s time but that time is long past.

            People need to take the rose tinted glasses off and look at what was actually done in ESB and the reality of all the things they couldn’t do and they had to cut and all the shortcuts they took to get a few barely usable minutes out of it.

    • July 8, 2014 at 1:17 am
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      LOL!!!!

      I don’t know how Mustafar, Upatau, Corsucant etc don’t look like “real” locations because they do. They just don’t look like places on Earth.

      What is even odder by that “logic” how do Naboo and Tatooine both featured in I and II do not look “real”.

    • July 8, 2014 at 9:10 am
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      dagobah was a set in a studio , bespin was a set , quite a lot of hoth was a set ……

  • July 7, 2014 at 11:26 pm
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    I got a bit of a Naboo vibe from this, actually. It looks a little too colorful to be Dagobah.

  • July 7, 2014 at 11:31 pm
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    Dagobah? .. But that’s a swamp planet not a forest planet lol. Did somebody just go OMG TRESS DOGOBAH HAD TREES

  • July 7, 2014 at 11:38 pm
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    What if eposode 7 turns out to be the best star wars Movie yet?? ( i feel inspired by what Kevin Smith had to say)& now inspired by theese Pictures, Maaan; that would sure put a lot of pressure on ep.8 & 9 (also to find new stunning outdoor locations for 8&9

    Really nice Pictures of puzzlewood, you feel that it is real & that you can touch it.

    I am glad they have decided to include a wotld with forest & i immediatley Think: “the living force” The jedi Always seemed so out of Place & in their wrong element, in the sterile Environment on Coruscant (perhaps Another reason for their diminished ability to use the force) I hope Luke sets up camp on a forestworld, regardless if he is the only jedi, or have a handful apprentices or if there are a new jedi order…

  • July 7, 2014 at 11:54 pm
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    I never new of such a thing, what is this “Jedi wig” you speak of?…

    It’s Endor, it’s gotta be Endor

    Keeping my fingers crossed that we get to see Wicket as the new Ewoks Chief and wielding a Green Lightsaber as well in Episode 7 m/

  • July 8, 2014 at 12:12 am
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    Dagobah? Having jedi training on a world that Luke himself trained on would fit right in with making a sequel that would incorporate old with new. The cave is a great way for the writers to bring anyone from the past back and give an opinion on current events or a dialogue about the past. It was featured in the last arc of the Clone Wars as a world strong in the force where Yoda went to commune with Qui Gon Jinn. Maybe that’s where Luke goes to commune with Yoda, Obi Wan…or even his father… What a great bridge between the prequels and the new trilogy that would be. It’d also be a great way to explain away some of the prequels and give Vader/Anakin more depth while giving viewers a recap of the temptation of the dark side…without Jar Jar.

    • July 8, 2014 at 1:27 am
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      Dagobah was my first thought as well. Just add some digital fog in post-production. The place can’t be ALL swamp.

      Yavin 4 was rainforest, quite distinct from a “European” forest.

      Endor … well, despite having its name ripped off from Tolkien’s Elvish name of Middle-earth, it never seemed like a very magical place to me. Also, we know that some of its inhabitants utterly failed to charm the majority of fans. No, let Endor rest in peace, I should say. The stone-age natives need a millennium or ten to catch up anyway.

      Dagobah, on the other hand, is a world of some atmosphere and mystery. That place might well be worth a second (or third) visit.

  • July 8, 2014 at 12:14 am
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    We went to Puzzlewood last Summer as we stayed nearby and it was one of the few attractions in the area. Great place, with lots of interesting moss covered ancient trees and rocks. Took a good few hours to walk all the way round and we did get a little lost at one point. We later saw it in jack the Giant Slayer, just after they climb the top of the beanstalk they use Puzzlewood as the location. It’s been used in the BBC series Merlin as well, and Doctor Who in the 2nd part of time of The Angels / Flesh and Stone. ( Link below )

    http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/25900000/Doctor-River-5×05-Flesh-And-Stone-the-doctor-and-river-song-25932092-1920-1080.jpg

    I could easily see it being made to look like another part of Dagobah with swamps added either with practical FX or in post…equally it could be part of Endor I guess although it’s kind of darker and more ancient looking than what we saw in ROTJ.

    Of course it may be somewhere completely new…maybe the same place as the scene with the ‘Wooden Fortress’ I heard mentioned around these parts. It would certainly fit in with that scenario.

  • July 8, 2014 at 12:24 am
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    Just noticed they added the radar dish from endor in the bbc clip….funny touch

  • July 8, 2014 at 12:37 am
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    Also, it does have man made stone steps and wooden bridges, there’s also a kind of ‘lookout’ bit where it’s higher above some rock formations so I’m guessing it will have to be used as a location where people live or have lived in the past…not totally remote.

  • July 8, 2014 at 12:38 am
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    This looks like something that could be Yavin 4

  • July 8, 2014 at 2:00 am
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    Luke Skywalker may be a Gandalf type figure in this series- SW was always LOTR in space, anyway..

    • July 8, 2014 at 4:52 am
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      “Star Wars has always been lord of the rings in space anyways…” Tell me exactly how this is even a somewhat sensical statement HAHAHA. I love both Star Wars and LotR, but I’m wracking my brain in how they bare any resemblance to eachother, other than the fantasy element. Possibly the ties to allegory but seriously, that statement is just silly drivel. I can understand if you mean they are simply similar in how epic they are and how much you like them both, I just don’t see it.

      • July 8, 2014 at 9:02 am
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        old man in the middle of everything convinces youngsters who know nothing about it to go on dangerous quest to return something

      • July 8, 2014 at 1:36 pm
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        A wizard, a dark lord, a farm boy, a quest..

  • July 8, 2014 at 2:19 am
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    Thick forests and long braided wigs – Dathomir?
    Witches of Dathomir/Nightsisters maybe have a big role in SW7.

    • July 8, 2014 at 11:11 am
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      Exactly! It’s probably Dathomir, with all the witches and stuff

      • July 9, 2014 at 1:08 am
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        Watch TCW. Dathomir looks nothing like that.

        • July 9, 2014 at 2:17 am
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          Dathomir has a really varied terrain, including thick forests.

  • July 8, 2014 at 3:05 am
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    Do you guys rememebr the claim of the “new planet that has already been mentioned” a few months ago? I Remember reading that in february or March maybe? This may also be corellia. But If i had to put money on a planet, I would side with Yavin, because it matches the “large stone door” set that is claimed to be built at pinewood from a week or so ago. just my 2 cents.

    • July 8, 2014 at 8:27 am
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      Interesting… Do you have a source on that statement?

      • July 9, 2014 at 2:49 am
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        I remember reading that too. It was on this site I believe.

  • July 8, 2014 at 3:07 am
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    I just realized something. We all know that Tatooine is the desert planet filmed at Abu Dhabi. We have heard that the movie is filming in Iceland, leaving the possibility of Hoth showing up on the table. And now, we have a location that looks a lot like Endor, Naboo, or Yavin IV. It sounds like the rumors of the “Search For Skywalker” could be true if the environments are of any indication.

    • July 8, 2014 at 3:28 am
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      I’d bet anything that is all about the search for Luke because an ancient foe resurfaces and he’s needed in the fight against the threat.
      Those ‘wigs’ to me look like they could hairstyles for Witches/Nightsisters. Plus Dathomir has thick forests as well as icecaps and deep valleys.

      • July 10, 2014 at 7:19 pm
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        Luke’s starship crashes on a planet. Solo and his kids are flying for a search for Skywalker. In the meantime Luke Finds John Boyega and starting to teach him the ways of the Force… But while they’re all {b-team} doin’ the work, villains are planning to take over the new republic… And doing it. Sounds good to me, but not to you cause yeah, you see, my English is even worse than old Jar-Jar that will definitely make a cameo in VII XD

    • July 10, 2014 at 8:06 pm
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      Iceland is green…and greenland is full of ice. Not hoth sorry.

      • July 10, 2014 at 9:21 pm
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        There are actually plenty of areas in Iceland that are snow-covered.

  • July 8, 2014 at 3:36 am
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    Hopefully no stupid fuckin teddy bears. People often whine about the PT but seem to forget how lame those little bastards on Endor ruined ROTJ. I agree the PT was fucked up but, I’d take ROTS over ROTJ any day.

    • July 8, 2014 at 4:09 am
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      Hey, in the Ewoks defense. They showed more emotion and acting chops than Hayden every did.

      • July 8, 2014 at 4:29 am
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        Ok, that’s true I guess . And, I’ll also give you that shave girl Leia is better than anything in ROTS but that’s it.

        • July 8, 2014 at 4:30 am
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          Sorry, didn’t catch that typo! What the hell is a “shave girl”?
          Ok, that’s true I guess . And, I’ll also give you that slave girl Leia is better than anything in ROTS but that’s it.

          • July 8, 2014 at 12:37 pm
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            I’m still going with “shave girl”. Always wondered what was under that gold bikini.;)

          • July 8, 2014 at 1:54 pm
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            “Always wondered what was under that gold bikini.;)”

            Pure 80s bush.

          • July 8, 2014 at 6:00 pm
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            Plus, in the Ewoks defenese, they will stone you to death or burn you alive, eat your flesh, and then use your head as a bongo drum.
            Ewoks are pretty cool if you think about. I think the way they took down the Empire was poorly executed. Maybe if there were more Ewoks and it actually showed them killing the Stormtroopers instead of throwing a rock at them and then they fall down, people might accept it.
            But yeah, I actually quite love Jedi. That fight between Luke and Darth is my favorite of the series.

    • July 8, 2014 at 8:58 am
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      the ewoks are cool … spending years getting ready to fight a guerrilla war only to have it jump started by the stupid rebels …. the empire would still be there if it wasnt for them …. anyway kids love them and at the end of the day they are films for 10 year olds

    • July 8, 2014 at 1:50 pm
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      “Hopefully no stupid fuckin teddy bears. People often whine about the PT but seem to forget how lame those little bastards on Endor ruined ROTJ. I agree the PT was fucked up but, I’d take ROTS over ROTJ any day.”

      No. That’s pure nonsense. Many, or perhaps most, people who dislike the PT also complain about the Ewoks being a bad idea. People easily recognize that VI was the weakest OT film.

  • July 8, 2014 at 3:56 am
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    I don’t want a return to an original trilogy location. Already going back to the desert, lets get some other locations. Maybe get to see more of Kashyyyk?

  • July 8, 2014 at 4:00 am
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    Yep, bet anything Luke returns to Dagobah for some unfinished business.

    • July 8, 2014 at 5:11 am
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      Yeah, he’s gonna go back in that cave and pick up that damn helmet with his head in it and throw it in Yoda’s old hut.

  • July 8, 2014 at 4:02 am
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    I have a question. What are the lightsaber fights going to look like? They are practicing with wooden swords but are the fights going to look like eps 1-3 or 4-6?

    • July 8, 2014 at 4:11 am
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      I’d say a combination of both. A bit more choreographed than the original trilogy but at the same time will feel more real and emotional than the prequel trilogy.

      • July 8, 2014 at 6:26 am
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        I try to respect everyone’s opinion and know you weren’t knocking the fights in the PT, but I just can’t understand why so many people HATE those fights. To me, the saber fights in the PT were one of the few truly exciting parts of it. The fights, like a lot of things in the PT took not only an imagination on the part of the viewer, but a pretty deep understanding of Star Wars. To most hardcore OT fans, it seemed like super cheesy, ballerina fighting ninjas with fake swords. To which I say “have an imagination and think logically as to what Lucas was trying to portray”. Seems pretty obvious Lucas was trying to portray these are what fully trained Jedi KNIGHTS can do. If you watch those fights and simply think “ok these Jedi, have been trained quite literally their entire lives. They are using the force, which taps into many powers like foresight into their opponents next move. They can jump much higher, run MUCH faster, and move shit with their mind” of COURSE they should be able to do those things!!!! Instead it seems people who hated those fights just expect it to be more “realistic”, or in other words, look just like it did in the OT. Which I’m thankful Lucas didn’t do. He made something new. I don’t believe it was simply to just one-up his fights in the OT, it seems that’s how Lucas always felt Jedi could fight before they died out.

        I’ve read crap like “why would anyone dance around, twirling swords like they weigh nothing, flipping like a ballerina, and seems so choreographed”. Of course it was choreographed! These actors can’t naturally come in and do those things. This is FANTASY. And who says a light saber is even heavy? It’s a sword made of light! I’ve seen people spar with real (blunted) steel swords, who can make it look like nothing but a stick you found in the back yard. I have personally trained in, and sparred with a few different sword fighting styles. All of which given time, familiarity with the sword, and muscle development, become very manageable to use. In which the weight of them seemed like nothing.

        And another point if like to make, the fights in the OT seemed less choreographed, and “real” and can easily be explained that luke hadn’t trained his entire life by masters. He pretty much learned on his own. Not to mention vader was severely limited with mobility. Read any book about how hard it was for vader to adjust to his shitty robotic limbs, and suit hinderance. Even if you couldn’t read a book, it seems pretty easy to gather that from the movies.

        Now I will easily concede there were some fights that held no emotional weight or excitement in the PT (ie any battle with dookie). But to say there were none is just ridiculous and I’d say it’s due to people’s hate for the PT. To say darth mauls fight with obi-wan and qui-gon…amazing. And quite emotional. I remember watching that and being blown away to finally see what a fully trained Jedi and Sith Lord could do. Then the two fights at the end of ROTS, were incredible.

        I know what most people will say to that too “..the fight with anakin and obi-wan was sooo lame, cause they twirled their light sabers around for no reason..” Which is a ludicrous complaint. I know so many people and fans who let that one thing destroy their appreciation for a fight. It just blows my mind that people didn’t like that fight. It was one of the very few fights where the actors did all the moves. It was not sped up, didn’t have a cgi’ed face, or anything. It took them six months to just film that fight. There was such badass detail in that fight it was incredible. To the little twirly maneuver they did, I feel like it was them simply trying to show eachother up, out maneuver, and was indicative to how similarly they fight. Being one was taught by the other. As far as the yoda vs sidious fight…if you don’t like that one or get sense any emotional gravity to it, I think you’re crazy. It’s probably one of the best parts of the PT. Seeing the two most powerful sentient beings go at it (whether or not it was cgi or not) was incredible. And was an incredibly heavy emotional moment seeing yoda being brought down a peg or two. His arrogance definitely blinded him. Which was exactly the entire theme of the PT. Just how out of balance the force was mostly on the part of the Jedi and their arrogant, dogmatic view of the galaxy. Sorry for the long comment, just wanted to throw my opinion out there.

        • July 8, 2014 at 7:13 am
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          I grew up with the OT and understand why people would make such comments about the light saber fights in the PT but I would be one that totally agrees with you on this. The fights in the PT are AMAZING and I hope to see more in the new films. I find the Anakin/Obi-Wan fight to be the best one of all. That fight was so exciting and in the end so heart breaking, making it the most powerful fight in my opinion.

          • July 8, 2014 at 11:46 am
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            The PT may have its problems, but the saber fights are certainly not among them. Even those who otherwise trashed The Phantom Menace freely admitted that the final fight with Darth Maul was great. And the fateful, furious confrontation on Mustafar will be hard to ever top. That one really is the pinnacle of cinematic art as far as light saber duels are concerned.

            The only problem is that the first saber duel of the original trilogy (old Obi-Wan vs. Vader) may suddenly look rather dull in comparison. But I think it is justified in terms of story. Apart from the fact that they are now somewhat reduced (Obi-Wan is aged and likely out of practice, Vader is now a cyborg), you could say that they are deliberately taking it slow. After so many years, they are sort of savoring the moment when they finally meet again.

            Vader doesn’t want to cut down Obi-Wan too soon; first he wants to gloat about how he has now become a “master” (the status explicitly denied to him by the Jedi, and which he has now achieved among the Sith instad). Obi-Wan is deliberately stalling, buying time for the others to make it back to the Falcon while Vader is distracted.

            So I see it as unproblematic that this duel is patient and deliberate rather than a storm of flashing light sabers. When he faces Luke in the next movie, we do see that Vader is quite capable of a far more intense saber fight if he so chooses.

        • July 8, 2014 at 8:45 am
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          The flashy-twirly-thing was explained as them building up momentum in their Lightsabers. Works for me.

          • July 8, 2014 at 1:46 pm
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            Why would they need to build up momentum with their lightsabers? ^_-

          • July 8, 2014 at 2:44 pm
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            Who cares if the faces weren’t cgi’d, or that it took months to rehearse. The problem was that the scale of it was too big and shattered the suspension of disbelief. The fight was video game shlock which ruined everything. The visuals and the fight itself took over so the actual context had zero tension whatsoever. The OT fights felt real. Like you were really there with them. They slowed down a lot for basic close ups. The prequels had very little of this and did the ‘bigger is better’ approach. It depends what you want. Good storytelling, or big budget effects.

        • July 8, 2014 at 6:27 pm
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          SW7 yippie! Can’t wait.
          Sorry about the short comment.

          • July 8, 2014 at 7:23 pm
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            Yeah, it is so wizard, hm?

        • July 9, 2014 at 2:08 am
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          What is going to be a true delight with the ST is when they do the exact same kinds of things that the PT has done. Then that small number of people who despise them so much will have to scramble to rework all the things they’ve said for years and qualify them with all sorts of absurd amendments to try and place some salt on the ice covered slopes they are sliding on.

          No doubt they’ll talk about how they are more involved with the characters or some such rubbish. I have no problem in the least being involved with them so whatever their excuse it’s a weak position.

          • July 9, 2014 at 7:17 am
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            Dude, Ryan. Have you not paid attention to any of the Star Wars 7 news? They are doing the exact opposite of what the prequels did. Using practical effects, film instead of digital, hiring good writers, hiring a director that can work well with actors, building sets, making costumes and so on and so on. The whole time, all they’ve talked about is making a film as close a possible to the original trilogy. JJ himself isn’t a prequel fan. Once you grow up, you’ll realize the amount of people who don’t care for the prequels is bigger than you think. You want to understand why people don’t like them, check this out https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ABcXyZn9xjg

          • July 10, 2014 at 11:50 am
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            Nathan knows where its at… For reals I’ve pondered on this so long, so have many others who share the view. The PT had a couple of nice things but…. *just repeat critique that has been said before*

          • July 10, 2014 at 9:02 pm
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            Not at all. The PT was a practical effects extravaganza the likes of which have rarely if ever been seen in cinema history. The number of models, miniatures, sets, matte paintings, cosumtumes etc etc dwarfs the OT.

            VII is not going to be made on film. It’ll be shot on film (which is a small backwards step in production terms) but it’s going to be done all digitally once the film comes out of the camera.

            If they make a film as close as possible to the OT it’ll be laughed at. Look at the recent huge hits like Avengers, Iron Man, The Hobbit, Transformers, Avatar etc etc. you can’t make films that way anymore and JJ didn’t for his Trek films.

            Lucas worked far better with his actors on the PT then he ever did on the OT so that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

            The truth is that the number of people who love the PT is a WHOLE lot bigger than you think especially with younger fans who don’t have that childhood attachment with the OT. I saw Star Wars in 1977 when I was 5 and love those movies and I love the PT just as much and think they complement each other perfectly. The PT makes the OT a much better, deeper story.

            I think a whole lot of people are going to be very surprised by these new films and very disappointed.

          • July 11, 2014 at 5:51 pm
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            Yes PM had a lot of practical effects, in fact it had the most model shots of any film in history. But that’s 1/3 of a trilogy. The others threw practical effects out the window. If you think ep 7 will get laughed if its like the original trilogy, then I guess people don’t like good movies these days.
            “George worked better with actors on the PT”…. Ha, that’s a good one. He didn’t even work good with actors on the original Star Wars, he just got lucky. If you know anything about GL, you would know that he hates working with actors. Mark Hamill has said that often times after a take GL would say “Do it again… But…um… Do it better” or “do it faster, more intense”.
            When this movie comes out, you’ll see that OT fans and PT fans will both love it.
            And Ryan, watch this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ABcXyZn9xjg

      • July 8, 2014 at 11:13 pm
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        The problem with the PT lightsaber fights is not the how they look (amazing) but the characters and emotion that should be present (but are lacking heavenly).
        I mean think about the fight in Jedi, when Luke just starts hacking away and the music (So beautiful, check it out here https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KQxKOlrfZKc) swells and you can feel the emotion and anger. Also it is short and sweet. I mean not every saber battle needs to be short. Whenever you want some action and fun, sure have the duel of fates type battle. But when you want an emotional response, keep it on the shorter side so the audience dosent lose intrest and forgets the danger/gravity of the situation.
        My biggest problem with any of the battles lies in the Anakin/Obi-One fight. It goes on for 15 minutes and has them flipping all over a active volcano. By the time you reach the end , you’ve lost all since of danger. Plus Obi One apparently automatically won just because he was on higher ground. The whole battle they were flipping around, swinging across lava, each have high ground multiple times. Why does all the sudden he thinks hes won just because he has the high ground.
        This leads up to the hilarious scene where (teenage) Darth Vader is finally revealed and the first thing he does is ask about his girlfriend… And then screams NOOOOOooooOoo! Like a cartoon character.

        • July 8, 2014 at 11:18 pm
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          Exactly my thoughts. That’s why I said the Ep7 battles will have the flashiness of the PT with the emotion of the OT.

        • July 10, 2014 at 3:30 pm
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          yeah , after he beat maul, 2 movies earlier ,who had the high ground .

          • July 13, 2014 at 7:04 am
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            So… he learned in Ep. 1 to swing at somebody if they jump over you and not just stand there like an idiot., so…basically he learned common sense. And he never thought it would be a good idea to teach Anakin this (although none of the prequel characters have any common sense or else Palpitine being a sith would have been seen from a mile away) or even tell him how he defeated Maul?

        • July 10, 2014 at 9:26 pm
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          If you think emotion is lacking in them I can’t do a thing about except to say I don’t find then lacking at all when it’s needed. People seem to forget there are only 3 duels in the OT and none had quite the same stakes as the PT ones ie true enemies facing off in a kill or be killed fashion. Obi-Wan was more concerned with distracting Vader than saving himself while the other 2 were father and son fighting (even if Luke didn’t know it for the first one).

          If I have to really explain the high ground to you I don’t think any explanation I give will satisfy you because you’ve already blocked out that no answer will satisfy you. If you were really open to it the answer would be readily evident. The emotion I feel for that whole battle especially the beginning and end of it is to me a high point of the entire series.

          Vader isn’t asking about his girlfriend he’s asking about his pregnant wife. The woman who he gave everything he was as a Jedi up to save and he failed. THAT is moving, THAT is emotion but it’s not what you wanted. I guess you didn’t like Luke screaming like a cartoon character when he learned Vader was his father then?

          • July 10, 2014 at 10:38 pm
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            Ryan you’re talking utter rubbish.

            “Lucas worked far better with his actors on the PT then he ever did on the OT so that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
            in particular, literally made me laugh out loud.

          • July 11, 2014 at 10:01 am
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            Thank you Ryan for pointing out such easily grasped concepts. I think that the people that simply chuckle at darth vaders “noooo” or try their hardest to come up with new things to laugh and mock about the PT are people that can’t think for themselves in a way.

            Before people get mad, or offended I am not saying their distaste for the PT is unwarranted, or they’re not allowed those opinions they have…but I feel like half the time, they either let other PT bashers influence their opinion in some way. Like the second someone snickered at vader’s “noooooooo”, or pointed out how lame a cgi’ed yoda was, they were instantly like “YEAAA yoda was so much better looking as a puppet” and from there jumping on a nit-pick everything they can about the PT instead of just thinking to themselves…these are a new set of movies. With a new direction, new effects, and a totally different age in Star Wars.

            We had never heard vader yell in complete utter heart break before. In the OT he was a complete shell of a man. He was fully beat down and given into the dark side and the emperor. So of course he was going to cry like a baby when he realized just how much he had single-handedly ruined. So my question is, why let such silly little things like that ruin movies? Because every other person whines about it? Or cause they’re all trying to outdo the others “witty” little joke and Bash of the PT? I have gotten this impression from countless fan-boys and fan-boy friends that I have or know. I read people pretty damn well and it always seems pretty obvious. And furthermore gauran-damn-tee, that nearly every single one of them, sits back down, while none of their friends are around, watches the PT and thinks “this really isn’t that bad at all”. They’re just too cool to admit to it.

            Yes there are problems with the PT but there are a lot of problems with the OT too that people nitpick. No matter how you slice it, Star Wars, will always be the coolest damn universe human beings imaginations can come up with. Every single one of us wishes we were a Jedi/Sith Lord/ or Han Solo. Had a light saber. Could twirl it around, be a bad-ass, shoot force lightening out of out fingers, and go toe-to-toe with some storm troopers, cut up some stupid battle-droids, then go to a cantina to watch some oddly hot Twi-lek chic with lekku on her head dance around half naked.

          • July 11, 2014 at 5:29 pm
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            Yes, the Vader “NOOooo” thing could be considered a nit pick and some of the other things I mentioned too. And I wouldn’t those nitpicks or the CG Yoda if the movie was good. Just like how I don’t mind the Ewoks because the overall movie was really good. The reason you mostly see people only pointing out small things wrong with the PT is that we don’t want to spend 5 hours typing 66 pages worth of the major things wrong with the PT. The major reason is the plot. It doesn’t make any sense. I mean you can get away with a nonsensical plot if the characters and dialogue is interesting, but that’s also lacking. I could go on but I’ll stop myself here and link you to a video that covers everything I could possibly say better than I ever could https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ABcXyZn9xjg

  • July 8, 2014 at 9:57 am
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    Are there not martial arts styles based upon the spinning of blades? Not a huge PT fan but the duels were not really the problem

    • July 8, 2014 at 7:35 pm
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      If the scene needs any “justification” beyond looking way cool (which is quite enough, in a fantasy movie), I guess Obi-Wan and Anakin are both seeking an opening, but they are so evenly matched and attuned to one another that they just end up chasing the other’s blade. To me, that scene is one of many highlights in their fateful duel, and I can’t understand why some would be nitpicking. If it is not “plausible” … well, neither is sound in space, or telekinetically powered pseudo-Samurai for that matter. Perhaps you just picked the wrong movie to watch.

    • July 8, 2014 at 2:57 pm
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      It’s my understanding that incest is common in the forest of dean.

      • July 8, 2014 at 7:40 pm
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        Luke and Leia sorted out things decades ago. Nothing to worry about.

  • July 8, 2014 at 12:44 pm
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    WUT?!?

    • July 8, 2014 at 6:57 pm
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      Can’t read your post. Unable to decrypt it.

  • July 8, 2014 at 6:14 pm
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    Not that I have the foggiest idea as to what planets we’ll actually see in Episode 7, but to me this suggests either Kashyyyk or Yavin 4.

    Could easily be a completely new planet, though. It’s got a great look, that’s for sure!

    • July 8, 2014 at 8:30 pm
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      did they say speederbikes?

  • July 8, 2014 at 9:31 pm
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    Another good article, another stupid argument. Business as usual.

  • July 8, 2014 at 10:33 pm
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    There’s really a place called Puzzlwood in Englang?
    omg england is so magical

    • July 9, 2014 at 10:18 am
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      No, it’s Puzzlewood in England.

      Yes, it is magical. It’s full of people who can spell.

  • July 9, 2014 at 12:48 am
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    Yavin 4 is my prediction.

  • July 9, 2014 at 5:18 am
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    For all those people who say that practical effects people are contradicting themselves for saying real world locations should be used but shouldn’t look like Earth… well here’s the thing about film production… You can really make an Earth like environment seem very alien by adding a few touches… or you can film outdoor scenes and add CGI backgrounds later, it looks cool sometimes. (Spock fighting Khan at the end of into darkness)(The intro scene from into darkness… as convincing an alien environment as I’ve ever seen).

    As for CGI yoda looking better than puppet Yoda… I would almost agree if his flesh tone wasn’t sterile as ****. They couldn’t even make it look like the puppet. Yoda in Episode I looked *completely* different than he did in Episode II… it was like, what the hell? Did he age like 50 years in that 8 year period?

  • July 10, 2014 at 12:02 pm
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    the lols when ppl find out its not CGI vs practical effects eveyone thinks they are defending/arguing. It is simply a filmmaker using tools to make a good movie.

    When Episode VII comes out, you will see what the PT lacked (and I wasn’t an initial ‘hater’ and I ‘like the bits I liked’, but there were a *lot* of mistakes, lazy cinematography, overall handling and not getting a proper team of experts together).

    That is all 😉

  • July 10, 2014 at 12:48 pm
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    ST or SW….. Mmmmm ?

    Deanna Troi discarded the bun after one season. Princess Leia still has those donut braids.

    Worf’s speech is at least intelligible, but Harrison Ford has to translate for Chewbacca.

    Star Trek villains do NOT have asthma.

    Star Wars spawned “Battlestar Galactica.” The worst Star Trek ever did was “Babylon Five.”

    Spock– ’nuff said.

    Star Trek– the first space shuttle. Star Wars– a hare-brained nuclear defense system.

    Kirk met “God” and told him off; Sisko met Q and decked him flat; Luke Skywalker met Yodaand was speechless.

    Star Wars androids look like electronic trash cans on wheels. Star Trek androids look like somepeople’s ideal in masculine beauty.

    Star Wars: Princess Leia. Star Trek: Lt. Uhura, Nurse Chapel, Yeo. Rand, Lt. Saavik, Cmr.Troi, Dr. Crusher, Lt. Yar, Ens. Ro, Dr. Pulaski, Nurse Ogawa, Amb. K’ehleyr, Amb. Lwaxana Troi, Maj. Kira, Lt. Dax, Kai Winn, Lursa, B’etor, Cmr. Sela, Vash, Adm. Netcheyev, Cpn. Janeway, Lt. Torres, Kes. Hmm. . .

    • July 10, 2014 at 1:08 pm
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      Except Star Trek sucked.

    • July 10, 2014 at 2:27 pm
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      Star Trek’s all about… talking, debating and analyzing.

      Star Wars is about a war between light dark… in space with magic!

      Star Wars wins in my book 😛

      • July 10, 2014 at 8:58 pm
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        Star Trek is a soap opera set in space. Star wars is a fantasy set in space. It depends what you prefer. For me, fantasy is far more interesting than science.

  • July 10, 2014 at 1:26 pm
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    Oh, goodie. Let’s compare apples and oranges next.

  • July 10, 2014 at 2:31 pm
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    Stormtrooper boots!? STORMTROOPER BOOTS!?! *Squeal*

    In all seriousness it could be Scouttrooper boots.
    *Squeal*

  • July 10, 2014 at 2:54 pm
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    The boots are from a trooper, that seems certain.
    This guy looks too good to waste his face into a mask.
    If he has been chosen for something else, it could be a friend of Boyega’s character (rumoured to start as a Imperial).
    We have this photo of Boyega: http://instagram.com/p/oVzSjMGSWC/?modal=true
    The suit that he wears looks to me pretty similar to the one this guy has… could Boyega be playing a storm/scout trooper?

  • July 10, 2014 at 3:37 pm
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    I just drove by again (I live 45 minutes from location) and at least hoped there would be a crowd of fans I could hang out with for an hour or so. Where are they? Nothing to see, I guess. But what about taking along walkie-talkies to hear what’s being filmed? Today it looks like half the trailers have moved out and weren’t many parked cars. So crowd scenes are probably finished. I registered with casting agency in Bristol 2 weeks ago and was told by a friend of a Stormtrooper on the film that EWOKS will be in this film.

    • July 10, 2014 at 6:34 pm
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      I wouldn’t be surprised if Ewoks are in VII. Disney allowed them to join Lando on stage for DWTS.

  • July 10, 2014 at 4:45 pm
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    Just FYI. The blonde with the trooper boots is Dixie Arnold. He is listed on IMDB as playing a trooper in SW-VII

  • July 10, 2014 at 5:48 pm
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    I don’t want any Stormtroopers to take off their masks in the film!

    They should look half machine and half zombie, if they have to.

  • July 10, 2014 at 5:54 pm
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    I hope if the Ewoks return they sing the yub nub song.

    • July 10, 2014 at 6:50 pm
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      Amen!

  • July 10, 2014 at 6:33 pm
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    It’s Endor!!!!!!!

    1.Darth Vader’s helmet sightings
    2.Sightings of Ewoks
    3.Stormtroopers/Scouttroopers sightings
    4.Speederbike sightings?

    All this points to Endor to me…Also seems to fit since episode 6 ended on Endor so episode 7 Starts on Endor?

    Also 1-2 weeks of filming = short time on screen.

    Thoughts?

    • July 10, 2014 at 6:41 pm
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      Will the stormtroopers get revenge for their fallen elite comrades who perished 30 years ago? Will we actually see Ewoks being slaughtered by the dozens?

    • July 10, 2014 at 10:45 pm
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      Definitely not Endor because there are no redwood trees.

  • July 10, 2014 at 6:52 pm
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    I’m a little confused by the stormtrooper boots… the guy looks more like a sith or jedi with the robe right? Or am I missing something? Or is he playing 2 parts? haha

    • July 10, 2014 at 7:03 pm
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      Well bare in mind that stormtroopers wear black underneath the white armour. He just didn’t have the white armour put on and was wearing a coat. Obviously was wearing the shoes because he was going somewhere, and you typically wear shoes when you are outside lol. I don’t recall sith wearing huge white shoes with a black soul that happens to be identical to a stormtroopers shoe lol

      • July 10, 2014 at 7:18 pm
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        I was thinking about the white shoes as being an oddity for a sith as well, but at the same time they could just do waist up shots… it just doesn’t seem to look like a regular coat to me… more like a cross between a trench coat and a winter coat with the hood.

        But the wearing of black underneath does make a lot of sense, I’ve got no doubts that he’s a stormtrooper… just a weird coat for someone to be walking around in. (unless if a sith actor lent him that to stay warm… but is it cold in the UK right now?)

        • July 10, 2014 at 8:20 pm
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          The coat is just his personal coat to protect from the cold (I’m living in France and can tell you it’s quite cold nowadays). The armor is put somewhere else, probably to avoid paparazzis to get photos of the new stormtrooper.

          By the way, the guy is Dixie Arnold, listed in IMDB as a stormtrooper.

          • July 10, 2014 at 9:00 pm
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            Ahh ok that makes more sense. I’m not used to seeing coats in the summer… I’m in Chicago and it’s generally very hot. I also haven’t seen that type of coat before, maybe it’s more of a European thing?

  • July 10, 2014 at 7:11 pm
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    “Glad JJ Abrams is using some fresh locations in EP VII.”

    “They’re filming in Forest of Dean.”

    “WTF???!”

  • July 10, 2014 at 7:22 pm
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    Luke’s starship crashes on a planet. Solo and his kids are flying for a search for Skywalker. In the meantime Luke finds John Boyega (and probably his sister Lupita Nyong’o) and starting to teach him the ways of the Force… But while they’re all {b-team} doin’ the work, villains are planning to take over the new republic… And doing it.

    Sounds good to me, but not to you cause.. yeah, you see, my English is even worse than old Jar-Jar that will definitely make a cameo in VII XD

  • July 10, 2014 at 7:58 pm
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    Do you guys remember that rumor that went around about the jedi fighting on the way to the falcon? And there was a fire? I think this may be the planet that they were talking about if it is true. I believe that they said it was a foresty area. For everyone speculating about what planet it is. I don’t believe it is the forest moon of Endor because it had huge red wood trees not these normal trees, Degobah (Sp?)was a swamp so it probably isn’t that, chances are it is in fact Yavin 4 or a new planet entirely. We are not limited to only planets we already know or have seen

  • July 10, 2014 at 8:03 pm
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    If it’s meant to be the forest of Endor, I hope 50% will be shot in California redwoods.

    • July 10, 2014 at 9:17 pm
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      I don’t think it’s Endor… I don’t even think it will be an OT planet… this looks like something new.

      • July 10, 2014 at 9:22 pm
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        Though even if it is Endor… who’s to say that the whole forest moon would look just like the california redwoods? Why not go to a different part of the moon instead? Earth sure does look different in other locations doesn’t it?

        • July 10, 2014 at 10:12 pm
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          Endor in the 2 spin-off Ewok films had a very Northern California feel about them, which I would miss if this were supposed to be Endor. They’re only filming in Puzzlewood for 4-5 days, so not many pages to film there.

          They could do some filming in Blackpark right outside Pinewood Studios, but that might not be so easy for security to patrol. I don’t know if they were there for the nightshoot scenes a few weeks ago.

  • July 10, 2014 at 10:30 pm
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    AVCO is not the working title. Please stop mentioning it as such.

    • July 10, 2014 at 10:42 pm
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      Seems like the AVCO is in Star Wars font too! I believe in Viral Hide!

  • July 11, 2014 at 2:18 am
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    Could AVCO be the abbreviation for the real actual title?

    • July 11, 2014 at 2:44 am
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      “Star Wars VII: A very cold October”

      What d’yall think?

      • July 11, 2014 at 3:30 am
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        A Very Cinematic Opus!

        • July 11, 2014 at 5:43 pm
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          A Very Cool Offering.

          • July 11, 2014 at 6:52 pm
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            AVCO is the initials of the new protagonist, the love child of Leia and Lando.

            Anakin Vader Calrissian Organa.

            That or it’s the title for the ultimate battle…Anakin Vs. Christ Omega

    • July 11, 2014 at 10:51 am
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      The official explanation is that it’s named after one of the 43 movie theaters that showed A New Hope on the opening weekend (back when nobody was counting on the movie doing well).

  • July 11, 2014 at 1:36 pm
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    This is Mandalore!

  • July 11, 2014 at 3:06 pm
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    Reports of Millenium Falcon on a low loader? I’m off to investigate!

      • July 11, 2014 at 5:08 pm
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        It’s a wrap! My uncle lives up the road and saw spaceship / section on low loader this morning on his way to work. I just got back from location and all the trailers have gone. They’re clearing up now. So 4 days shoot for 1 or 2 scenes..

        • July 11, 2014 at 5:13 pm
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          Cool! I’m going to update the story with your report. Want a credit?
          By the way, are you the same Anon who said this:

          “I registered with casting agency in Bristol 2 weeks ago and was told by a friend of a Stormtrooper on the film that EWOKS will be in this film.”

          Was that a joke?

          • July 11, 2014 at 5:25 pm
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            Yes, me. No joke. Mark from Abergavenny. I’m too short to be a Stormtrooper and too tall for an Ewok.

        • July 11, 2014 at 6:25 pm
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          Anon at 17:08: “My uncle lives up the road and saw spaceship / section on low loader this morning on his way to work. I just got back from location and all the trailers have gone.”

          We have just witnessed the greatest cover-up since Roswell. British authorities recovered a downed alien craft in Puzzlewood and made everybody think it was just Star Wars filming there.

  • July 11, 2014 at 5:49 pm
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    I was waiting for my photo and asked a full time extra if he was working on AVCO and what my chances were. He said his mate was a Stormtrooper on it and there was only a shortage of little people for this big battle scene they wanted to film. I was surprised to hear this, as I know many people will object to seeing Ewoks again.

    • July 11, 2014 at 5:55 pm
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      Really interesting. New article coming shortly.
      If you remembers something else interesting don’t hesitate to share. 🙂

      • July 11, 2014 at 6:06 pm
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        Sorry, I got that wrong. The Falcon was seen being delivered yesterday morning.

        When I drove by yesterday lunchtime I couldn’t see anything. I didn’t bother picking up my camera because better shots were already online. Traffic cones were placed right where local observers were seen standing earlier.

        • July 11, 2014 at 6:12 pm
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          Are you sure it was the Falcon? You said that your uncle saw a spaceship / section on low loader.

  • July 11, 2014 at 8:55 pm
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    Unsure

    • July 11, 2014 at 8:59 pm
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      And no one really mentioned Ewoks, right?

      • July 12, 2014 at 9:28 pm
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        A friend of an extra I met mentioned Ewoks.

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