Tag Archives: george-lucas

George Lucas Says Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher & Harrison Ford Signed For ‘Episode VII’

It sure looks like Star Wars creator,  George Lucas , dropped a bombshell in a fascinating Bloomberg Businessweek feature on how Disney acquired Lucasfilm late last year. When the article’s author, Devin Leonard, asked Lucas if the original Star Wars cast will appear in the J.J. Abrams -directed Episode VII , the Force Father replied: “We had already signed Mark and Carrie and Harrison —or we were pretty much in final stages of negotiation. So I called them to say, ‘Look, this is what’s going on.’ ” He pauses. “Maybe I’m not supposed to say that. I think they want to announce that with some big whoop-de-do, but we were negotiating with them.” Then he adds: “I won’t say whether the negotiations were successful or not.” George Lucas Backtracks On ‘Star Wars Episode 7’ Cast Spoiler I love that little Jedi Mind Trick that Lucas attempts at the end. You will not think that I have just thrown a giant hydrospanner into Disney’s Star Wars marketing efforts.   It sure sounds like backpedaling to me, and when I contacted Leonard to ask him whether Lucas left with the impression that Hamill, Fisher and Harrison are indeed on board, he replied: “I took it as a confirmation.” That’s not the only revelation contained in the feature, which you can read here . Lucas also reveals that the negative Internet chatter over his Star Wars prequels got to him. “He found it difficult to be creative when people were calling him a jerk,” writes Leonard, who then quotes Lucas saying: “It was fine before the Internet….But now with the Internet, it’s gotten very vicious and very personal. You just say, ‘Why do I need to do this?’ ” Lesson learned:  The Dark Side controls the Internet, but The Force lives on at the Magic Kingdom. And here’s hoping Harrison Ford finally gets that Han Solo death scene he wanted in Episode VI . More on Star Wars Episode VII: Harrison Ford Might Return As Han Solo − And Die Happy [ Bloomberg Businessweek ] Follow Frank DiGiacomo on  Twitter . Follow Movieline on  Twitter .

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George Lucas Says Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher & Harrison Ford Signed For ‘Episode VII’

George Lucas: Engaged to Mellody Hobson!

Engaged to Mellody Hobson, he is. Legendary director George Lucas announced today that he’s engaged to his long-time girlfriend, who is the president of a Chicago-based investment firm and someone who has accompanied Lucas on red carpets around the world for years. Hobson often appears on Good Morning America as a financial analyst. This will mark the second marriage for the Star Wars creator and after selling Lucasfilm to Disney for a cool $4 billion, let’s just hope he got Hobson one heck of a ring. Or at least prime seats to the Star Wars Episode 7 premiere.

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George Lucas: Engaged to Mellody Hobson!

Celebrity Resolutions! Funny or Die Has George Lucas Atone For ‘Star Wars’ Sale & We Imagine Russell Crowe Not Singing

George Lucas  apparently has much atoning to do for his decision to sell LucasFilm to Disney. The Star Wars creator and film mogul comes in for a heavy tweaking in the list of 10 Celebrity New Year’s Resolutions posted by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s Funny or Die website.  The resolution, one of 10 posted by A General Nonchalance, does not exactly suggest that hopes are running high for Disney’s reboot of the Star Wars franchise. Not all of the resolutions are movie-related. But those that do have a connection to film, however tenuous, are: That doesn’t sound so much like a resolution as it does large-scale fantasy fulfillment for potential Baby Goose stalkers out there. Meanwhile, Katy Perry’s “credibility” and Meryl Streep’s “modesty” are also in the crosshairs. Funny stuff, but the post left me wanting more. So, I invite all you wicked wits out there who read Movieline to submit your own movie-related barbs in the comments section. For instance, I could see Russell Crowe resolving: “More time menacing public with phones. Less time assaulting them with my singing.” Your turn. [ Funny or Die ] Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

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Celebrity Resolutions! Funny or Die Has George Lucas Atone For ‘Star Wars’ Sale & We Imagine Russell Crowe Not Singing

Rachel Weisz Surprise Winner Of New York Film Critics Circle Best Actress Award (UPDATED: 1:45 P.M. EST)

The New York Film Critics Circle Award winners are well underway.   Movieline will keep you updated as the honorees are announced.  The list begins after the jump:  Best Actress: Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea Best Foreign Film: Amour Best Animated Film: Frankenweenie Best Supporting Actor: Matthew McConaughey , Bernie, Magic Mike Best Supporting Actress : Sally Field , Lincoln Best Non-Fiction Film:   The Central Park Five ,  Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon Best First Film:   How to Survive A Plague , director: David France. Best Cinematographer:  Greig Fraser, Zero Dark Thirty Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter.  Follow Movieline on Twitter. 

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Rachel Weisz Surprise Winner Of New York Film Critics Circle Best Actress Award (UPDATED: 1:45 P.M. EST)

Marvin Gaye’s Son Not Thrilled By Lenny Kravitz Planned Biopic

Singer and actor Lenny Kravitz is planning to take on playing late performer Marvin Gaye in a feature that has caught the eire of the “Let Love Rule” musician’s former classmate, Marvin Gaye III. “The producers and directors of this film are very wrong and shameful,” Marvin Gaye III told TMZ . “[They’re] trying to do a film about a low period in his life. They don’t even know the whole story.” Kravitz will play the late singer under the working title, Sexual Healing , which reportedly centers on Gaye’s life in the ’80s, a period in which he battled drug abuse and depression. Gaye’s father shot and killed him in 1984. Gaye III said that he and Kravitz are schoolmates and continue to be friends, but said he wants to meet with Kravitz and “talk to him about why he would do this.” Family members including Gaye III have reached out to lawyers to try and halt production and expressed his hope that Kravitz is pursuing the project without realizing the extent of opposition coming from the Gaye side. “I would hope [Kravitz] doesn’t have any idea that we are against this film being done,” said Gaye III. Kravitz, whose credits include Precious and more recently in The Hunger Games is taking on the role of Marvin Gaye for director Julien Temple ( London: The Modern Babylon ). [ Sources: Huffington Post , TMZ ]

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Marvin Gaye’s Son Not Thrilled By Lenny Kravitz Planned Biopic

George Lucas Does Not Have ‘Much To Do’ With ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’

George Lucas will take some part in the planned Star Wars: Episode VII planned by new Lucasfilm owner Disney, but it will likely be a minimal role. Speaking at the Governor’s Awards Saturday, he gave some insight on his duties in the next Star Wars installment being guided by Disney. “[If the filmmakers ask],’Who’s this guy?’ I can tell them,” he told Access Hollywood at the event in Los Angeles. “I mean, they have a hundred encyclopedias and things, but I actually know a lot. I can say, ‘This is this and this is that.'” Continuing, Lucas added, “Basically I’m not — I don’t really have much to do.” Lucas recently said in a more official capacity following the sale of Lucasfilm: “… Now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime.” He also said he’d like to do “little personal films” going forward . Speculation has continued to swirl over who will direct the next Episode VII , though Lucas’ longtime friend, Steven Spielberg, nipped any rumors he’s in the running recently saying Star Wars is not his ‘genre.’ “I’m pretty sure he’d never want to do that!” Lucas said when asked if he’d give his approval should Spielberg ever change his mind. “I don’t think he’d want to.” Star Wars: Episode VII is slated to hit theaters in 2015. [ Source: Access Hollywood ]

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George Lucas Does Not Have ‘Much To Do’ With ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’

Harrison Ford Might Return As Han Solo − And Die Happy

Yes, Mara Jade, it’s possible for Harrison Ford to be “open to the idea” of reprising his role as Han Solo in Disney’s  Star Wars Episode VII  and still hate the character, as Movieline noted back in 2010 . The key here is that the actor may finally get the opportunity to kill off the character that has bedeviled him throughout his auspicious career, which is something he wanted back in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.   A “highly placed source” told EW.com  that  “Harrison is open to the idea of doing the movie and he’s upbeat about it,” but the story also notes, “don’t be surprised if his contract includes a mandatory death scene for the sly old space smuggler.” Now, there’s a reason to be upbeat!  Ford gets to chew some scenery in a death scene and   cut his ties — symbolically, psychically, joyously — to the role he can’t seem to shake, or love. Even though, two of the video clips seemed to have suddenly been pulled from Movieline’s 2010 post,  Ford’s not-so-fond feelings for the space cowboy character that made him a box-office boss have  been pretty apparent over the years. As EW also reported, Ford said in a 2010 ABC interview that Han Solo “was not so interesting to me” and that  “I thought he should have died in [Episode VI] to give it some bottom.” I also would have much preferred a Solo death scene instead of watching Ewoks dance. So, I hope Ford gets his wish. Then, the next time a talk-show host asks him about his iconic role, he can finally say:  “Han Solo — he’s dead.” Related Stories: Harrison Ford’s Long History of Hating Star Wars Luke Skywalker & Princess Leia Knew Of More Star Wars Stories; Surprised By LucasFilm Sale Disney Buying LucasFilm For $4.05 Billion, Promises New Star Wars in 2015 (UPDATED) Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter. 

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Harrison Ford Might Return As Han Solo − And Die Happy

Jay-Z, Anne Hathaway, Jake Gyllenhaal & More Campaign For Obama; Anheuser-Busch Not Thrilled With Flight: Biz Break

Also in Tuesday morning’s news round-up: Osama Bin Laden raid pic Seal Team Six is a big Nat Geo hit; Cate Blanchett heads to Middle East jury duty; And Imodgen Poots eyes a Zac Efron romantic comedy. Stars Campaign For Barack Obama at Election Finale Jay-Z, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway, Eva Longoria, Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal, Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt, Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson and many other stars have been lending their support to President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, Yahoo and US report . Anheuser-Busch Not So Thrilled By Flight “Anheuser-Busch InBev, maker of Budweiser, has asked Paramount to remove the beer from its hit film Flight , which centers on an alcoholic pilot who guzzles alcohol and takes drugs both before and after he prevents a malfunctioning jetliner from crashing,” THR reports . Seal Team Six Lures 2.7M to Nat Geo The number gave the National Geographic Channel its top broadcast of the year. The Weinstein Company backed project recalls the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden, Deadline reports . Cate Blanchett To Head Dubai Film Festival Jury She will head the jury that will pick the winner of the Dubai International Film Festival’s IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker script award, which carries a $100K cash prize. The award, which began earlier this year, is intended to help the winning filmmaker transfer their vision to the screen. IWC Schaffhausen is a Swiss watchmaker, THR reports . Imogen Poots Eyes Are We Officially Dating? She will star opposite Zac Efron in the romantic comedy about three male friends in New York who make a pact to stay single as each of them begin to fall in love. The project is being sold at the American Film Market, currently underway, Deadline reports .

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Jay-Z, Anne Hathaway, Jake Gyllenhaal & More Campaign For Obama; Anheuser-Busch Not Thrilled With Flight: Biz Break

George Lucas To Pursue ‘Little Personal Films’ Post-Sale

, Indiana Jones , what do you do when going from being raised on a walnut ranch to launching some of the biggest movie franchises of all time spanning decades and then selling your film company for billions to Disney? Well, one might try making “little personal films” for one. George Lucas ratcheted up headlines and a bit of shock and awe last week when the announcement came in he sold his Lucasfilm to Disney for $4.05 billion. He said that a recent film he executive produced had a tough time getting on the big screen and that his next pursuits will be even tougher. “I barely got Red Tails into theaters,” he is quoted saying on BBC while speaking to reporters in NYC. “The ones I’m working on now will never get into theaters.” Lucas will continue at the company he founded as a creative consultant, but overall control is going to Kathleen Kennedy who produced Jurassic Park and War Horse . “I’ve turned it over to a wonderful producer, Kathy Kennedy, and I’ve known her for years,” he said. “She’s more than capable of taking it and making it better than I did.” He added, “It’s very sad. It’s 40 years of work and it’s been my life, but I’m ready to move on to bigger and better things.” [ Source: BBC ]

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George Lucas’ $4 Billion ‘Star Wars’ Haul Will Fund Education, Not Evil Empire

Lucasfilm will donate chunk of Disney haul to charity. By Kara Warner George Lucas Photo: Chip Somodevilla/ Getty Images

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George Lucas’ $4 Billion ‘Star Wars’ Haul Will Fund Education, Not Evil Empire