Episode VIII to Explore Kylo Ren’s Humanity

At this point, the only things known about the next chapter of the Skywalker Saga, the untitled Episode VIII, is that the film will break Star Wars tradition and rather than taking place months or years later, the film will pick up immediately where The Force Awakens left off with Rey’s plea-turned-demand for Luke to return to the galaxy with her in an effort to restore balance to the force. That and the film will include a larger role for Carrie Fisher than she had in Episode VII.

A trailer isn’t due to drop until the spring but Adam Driver has given fans a small tidbit to chew on until then. While speaking with Larry King, Driver told King fans can look forward to seeing Kylo Ren’s humanity explored in Episode VIII, or what little he has left of it:

“I think, I mean this is such a general answer, but you know, humanity. Even though it’s very much a blockbuster movie, and I’m aware of that, there was no taking that for granted in that we were forced to be general. You know, there were a lot of plot points that we knew were operating in the first one that we get to explain more in the second one that kind of make the both of them make sense. They do kind of feel kind of socially active to me. In that they’re – this is a long answer, but George Lucas originally – you know a lot of Star Wars was in response to Vietnam and I think a lot of what the, I remember talking to JJ and Ryan with this idea of terrorism and two sides kind of being morally justified to behave however they wanted to to get what they thought was absolutely correct.”

Back when Star Wars was created, the world was much simpler. Things were much more black and white than the rather gray world we live in today. As we just saw with Rogue One, Lucasfilm is doing their best to address that and have the films of this new Star Wars era represent the world as it is today. As far as Kylo Ren’s humanity goes, I don’t think he has much of it left. Some fans have speculated we’ll eventually see him redeem himself in the final chapter of the new trilogy, however. I don’t think that is possible and it’s not because he killed his father. It’s what killing his father meant. The test Kylo was facing was when he killed his father essentially the same test Vader faced in his final confrontation with Luke. It was a test to extinguish the light within himself and commit himself to the dark side for good. I don’t think there is any coming back from the dark side for Kylo.

SOURCE: LKN

JJ Abrams Reveals CG in ‘Star Wars’ You Never Noticed

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is getting ramping up to its 3D blu-ray collectors edition which will feature several deleted scenes as well as a commentary track with director JJ Abrams providing new insight into the production of the incredible film.

The Force Awakens struck a perfect balance between visual and practical effects to the point that it was able to trick your eye into believing a visual effect was actually practical and vice versa. Plenty of scenes featured visual effects that you would have never guessed were CGI and this morning it has been brought to our attention thanks to io9 (h/t CBR) just exactly what one of those scenes were.

In a clip, which you can view over at io9, Abrams discusses how Kylo Ren’s face was to first be revealed in the scene that introduced Supreme Leader Snoke, however. It was later decided to add Ren’s mask back onto Adam Driver in post production. This marks the second scene where Ren’s face was going to be revealed instead of when he removed his mask to show Rey he was not a monster, but a human underneath what was simply an intimidation device. The shot when he slammed his mask down into what I believe were the ashes of Darth Vader, was actually shot for the scene when Ren spoke to Vader’s mask in his chamber. The shot was lifted and then placed back into the interrogation scene later in the film. This has me wondering what other scenes Ren’s mask could have been a visual effect in but I don’t think when he spoke to Vader’s mask was one of them. I believe they actually shot that scene twice, once with Ren’s mask on and once with it off as they were still trying to figure out when the right time for the reveal was going to be. Hopefully, the 3D blu-ray will shed more light on this.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens 3D blu-ray collectors edition hits shelves November 15^th.

SOURCE: io9 (via CBR)

JJ Abrams Talks ‘Star Wars’: “The Force Awakens” Reshoots

The 3D collections edition blu-ray for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is getting ready to hit shelves on November 15. Just a few days ago Lucasfilm released a clip from the film’s commentary track featuring director JJ Abrams commenting on that heartbreaking scene that left many fans with their guts ripped out.

Today Yahoo! has got the exclusive on another preview of the film’s commentary track featuring Abrams discussing one of the film’s most iconic moments when Rey (Daisy Ridley) takes a moment to focus and find the strength of the force within her as she duels with Kylo Ren.

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/star-wars-force-awakens-exclusive-125500342.html?format=embed

It’s interesting that JJ mentions the shot featuring Rey in her fiercest moment — no doubt channeling the dark side — was actually a reshoot added into the duel at a later point. This is most definitely an attempt to ease audience’s minds who are feeling a bit trepidatious over the infamous reshoots for the upcoming Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

In addition to the reshoots for the duel in the snow, JJ Abrams has already gone on record stating that the chemistry between Rey and Finn (John Boyega) was not working after he reviewed dailies from the shoot in Abu Dhabi. At first, there was too much hostility between the two characters. Some scenes were completely reshot including much of what happened on the Millennium Falcon after the two escaped from Jakku. Harrison Ford’s on-set injury allowed Abrams to go back and rewrite the scenes he felt needed improvement.

Head on over to IGN to watch another clip from the commentary where Abrams describes the differences between what was originally shot for Rey and Finn’s first meeting compared to what was reshot for the film’s final cut.

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JJ Abrams Talks Kylo Ren and That Heartbreaking Scene

Ahead of the 3D collector’s edition blu-ray release for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, Lucasfilm has released a clip from the film’s commentary track via USA Today that features director JJ Abrams providing his thoughts on the film’s pivotal scene which cemented Ben Solo’s journey to the dark side.

People have asked me if I think that Kylo Ren was just playing with him the whole time if he meant to kill him from the beginning, and the truth is I think that Kylo Ren in this moment is actually being convinced to walk away from this. Snoke is, as Han says, using him and I think that somewhere Ben knows this.

You can listen to the full clip here.

Ben absolutely knows that Snoke is using him for his power. Snoke is terrified of Luke Skywalker and knows the only chance he stands at defeating the Jedi Master is by using someone else in his bloodline against him. Only a Skywalker can defeat a Skywalker. Ben was on the edge the whole time as he felt drawn back towards the light throughout the film. But as it has been mentioned in the new canon novels, Snoke saw Vader’s final choice to turn back to the light and save his only son as the mistake that doomed the Empire.

Ben was on the edge the whole time as he felt drawn back towards the light throughout the film. But as it has been mentioned in the new canon novels, Snoke saw Vader’s final choice to turn back to the light and save his only son as the mistake that doomed the Empire. Ultimately, I don’t think Ben wanted to make the same mistake.

We know that Ben didn’t learn the truth about his grandfather until he was at least in his early twenties which is still a very impressionable age. Given that Ben resents his parents for their absence in his younger years and for being sent off to train to become a Jedi with his Uncle, it would make sense for Ben to latch onto a figure of such power in his family.

What we still don’t know is how exactly Snoke seduced Ben to the dark side. But one thing is for sure whether he was on the edge or not, his choice to kill his father and extinguish the light within him solidified his commitment to the dark side.

The 3D collectors edition of The Force Awakens hits shelves November 15.

SOURCE: USA TODAY