Star Wars Episode 7 News

Friday, January 24, 2014

Star Wars: Rebels to Embrace the Spirit of the Original Trilogy.

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Star Wars: Rebels producer Simon Kinberg spoke with Entertainment Weekly discussing the look of the new animated TV series, how it all started and what it is about. The show is expected to premiere on Disney XD this fall...




From Entertainment Weekly:
So how did you land on the premise for the show?
 

Really there was no predetermination going in. It could have been a prequel, sequel, a stand-alone universe. The main thing for us is how do we tell a story that enhances this universe, that answers questions that audiences may or may not have had but at least will make it feel like the world is fuller after watching the show. We pretty quickly got to this idea that though Rebel Alliance that was such an integral part of the movies, we know next to nothing about the formation of at least in terms of the movies and The Clone Wars. There was nothing in the canon that had delved deep into it. That’s where it started — let’s tell the story of the formation of the heroes in the original movies. And that put us in a time line between episode III and IV. You don’t want to be too close to New Hope so that it feels like it’s repetitive, you want to feel like you’re watching the earliest seeds of what will sprout into a full-blown rebellion.
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How will this look or feel different from Clone Wars?
 
It will look quite different. The intention of what I’ve seen so afar, and we’re pretty far down the line, the intention is for it to feel quite different from Clone Wars. The place we went back to as to a visual template was Ralph McQuarrie, who was one of the original concept artists for the original Star Wars films. His art is softer, a little more figurative, more of a feel of being drawn, less computer generated. The first few movies had a bit of a hand-made quality. We wanted the show to have that. There’s also in the archives where [creator George] Lucas keeps all the original art and props, there’s tons of art that’s McQuarrie’s musing on the Star Wars universe that was never used in the films. There’s places where we’ve quite literally taken world-creation or vehicles or creatures from his original art that was never used in the films and made that part of show.
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That’s fantastic. What about story-telling differences? How dark can you go on Disney XD?
The world we’re creating is an Imperial world. You’re seeing the impact of the Empire, of stormtroopers around the galaxy, abusing and oppressing people. Thematically and politically, it goes to some dark places. But for the tone of the show we took our cues from the original movies, which had fun and adventure and swashbuckling with emotion and grounded human characters. We took all our cues from the original films. Obviously there are slight tonal differences between New Hope, Empire and Jedi. But I think the closest intended voice of the show is A New Hope. So there are places where we get into darker backstories, there are places we see how cruel and malevolent the Empire can be, but for the most part it’s a fun and character-driven story. Again taking our cues from the original films, it’s less maybe political than the prequels and more personal. It starts with a few character introductions that will precede the show. I wrote the first two episodes, they’re like a one-hour story across two episodes where we introduce the main characters in the show.
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You’ve created a new villain, the Inquisitor, what makes him special?

That was probably the most daunting part of this process. George obviously created the best villain of our time. So we spent a lot of time brainstorming and working with the artists to come up with the Inquisitor. You’ve seen that image of him. We wanted somebody terrifying, a nightmare character for a kid but not somebody too foreign, too creature-ly. We didn’t want him to have a helmet for obvious reasons — the comparison [to Darth Vader]. We talked about a character who was cold and calculating and could tap into people’s emotional weaknesses as much as their physical weaknesses, and had a specific relationship to Jedi and the ways of the force. He would be somebody that the remaining Jedi would be especially scared of.
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Will you include characters from the expanded universes, like Admiral Thrawn, or just the films and your own creations?
We have characters from all the different parts of the universe. One of the awesome resources is Pablo Hidalgo he’s the resident Star Wars genius and he knows everything of every possible word or image that was created for Star Wars. So we utilize him a lot and he’s very integrated into the process. He will say there’s a cool cantina in this comic book from 1994, or a cool creature that not all of us know. He will bring that stuff to us. Or we’ll task him we’re trying to create a muscle for this villain with a cool backstory. Sometimes it will be a character or a planet we don’t know about. Instead of being just an Easter egg, sometimes it will turn into an a whole episode.
Is Darth Vader and the Emperor in the show? And if so is any possibility of the original voice talent being used?
 
I don’t think I’m allowed to answer that. I can say that wherever possible we would want to use the original talent.
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Can you say plot-wise what’s the inciting incident that kicks off your story in your first episode?
Um, I’m going to be a little vague about it. It’s less because I want to be secretive but more because part of the fun for me, and I know this will sound very nostalgic, part of the fun of the original movies is not knowing too much about it. I will say when we pick up the show when the Empire is in power and the inciting incident is the Empire doing their bad-Empire thing and our heroes meeting up.
Are those heroes familiar?
 
There’s a lot of new characters in the show. The prequels were centered around the origin of familiar characters, there’s a lot of new characters in this show. The main characters are new characters.

39 comments:

  1. I'm excited for the show. The art direction, look, style, tone of the show looks like much more of an actual tv show, rather than some star wars spinoff show. I mean it sounds like it will actually be more character and story based, instead of mindnumbing kid stuff and lightsaber overkill. Although the villain is going back to the kiddy lightsaber stuff which is a bit of a disappointment.. But it looks exciting overall.

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  2. It sounds like a great concept, and I really like the fact that they're going back and using Ralph McQuarrie's art as the foundation for the show's visual style.

    My only concern is the early rumor that the "swashbuckling heroes" of the show are going to be a bunch of teenaged kids. Even when I WAS a kid I didn't particularly like shows where other kids tried to act like adults, and I'm really hoping this isn't the actual direction they're going with this program.

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  3. Just hurry up and get it on our screens!!!!!!

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  4. They keep citing McQuarrie's original artwork as the basis for the look of the show. But the Inquisitor is clearly in the vein of TCW (is virtually a copy of the son from the Mortis trilogy).

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    1. Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. And let's face it... costume-wise he really does look an awful lot like Darth Vader without a helmet.

      Why not just bring Darth Vader into it, since (at least back in the pre-prequel days when continuity with the original trilogy actually counted for something) Vader famously "helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights"?

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    2. I don't really want Vader to be the villain. But I'd still prefer Vader to be the bad guy as he was the one who hunted down the Jedi's. I guess it would be cool to see an animated vader and it actually respects the continuity of the story instead of this inquisitor guy

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    3. That's what I thought too kane 1138. They definetly copy/pasted that guy from the Mortis episodes.

      This is nitpicky but why is he being referred to as "The" Inquistor. Does he really stand out that much above other Sith acolytes (if they still exist in the canon of the day)? Or is he so good at the art of inquisition that they end up assinging him to track down a group of teens (how they address this is very important)? Long story short I would have just labeled the character as "Imperial Inquisitor" (or just given him an actual name, which I guess is still a possibility).

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    4. Maybe there is a connection from TCW to Rebels with the Inquisitor that unfolds when we eventually see Rebels. If people don't like TCW they are not going to like Rebels.

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  5. "Again taking our cues from the original films, it’s less maybe political than the prequels and more personal."

    That's exactly what I wanted to hear from Kinberg. I'm so glad we're going to have something good to hold us over until episode VII's release. Although, what he said about basing the design of the show primarily on the concept art by Ralph McQuarrie doesn't exactly apply to the new villain and I agree with DEKKA129 that his character isn't too far off from Vader's look, but nevertheless, I feel I'm going to enjoy this a lot more than I did the Clone Wars series. Hopefully, if there are Wookiees is Rebels, that they don't look like chocolate iced cream and the saber battles aren't overdone. I can completely understand and respect the fact that a lot of fans really enjoy the Clone Wars, I just always felt that it was very difficult for me to get passed the animation and really take the meat of the show seriously. Rebels sounds like it's going to be exactly what I've been waiting for in an animated Star Wars series; more drawn, less computer generated. Sounds awesome! Can't wait to see the pilot in fall.

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    1. I cannot wait to see the real might and molevolence of the Empire's iron-fist rule over the oppressed galaxy. That was something I felt could have been broadened in the OT. Besides the fact that they destroyed Alderaan in episode IV, we didn't get a chance to see how the galaxy as a whole aside from the rebellion was effected. I'm kind of glad of that though because it probably would have drawn attention away from the plot.

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    2. If we see everything mentioned, then the Star Wars galaxy becomes narrow and convoluted. Understand not seeing the galaxy as a whole leaves for IMAGINATION. Use yours, Lucas always felt his style of film making was visual tone poems.
      We do not need everything spelled out!

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  6. The stormtrooper helmets look a bit skewed. Why do they feel the need to do this? Present the designs the way they are supposed to be presented.

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    1. They are trying to sell toys ... I mean use Ralph McQuarrie's conceptual artwork as the basis of the show.

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  7. This all sounds pretty good to me. I hope the character deaths are as brutal as the clone wars and not toned down for the Disney audience.

    That said I agree with mostly everyone else. The villain is so generic it's not even funny. He literally looks like rent a Sith. Which is fine I guess if they manage to make his personality stand out. There were so many directions they could have gone though... shame.

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    1. If they were going for a nightmare-ish look to the new villain as Kinberg has stated above, they've come sadly short. I'm hoping there will be other elements in the show that make up for his poor design. It just looks way too easily thrown together, much like I felt the Clone Wars was developed in earlier seasons.

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    2. "Hello? Central Casting? Okay, look... what I need is a Sith Lord? Got any? Nothing too fancy-schmancy, just your average, vanilla, ya-seen-one-ya-seen-em-all Sith Lord. Bald, maybe. Whaddya got for me?"

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    3. Hahahaha DEKKA129,
      I could see that call being made.

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    4. My question is, are they going to do what we all think they're going to do and have one of the primary teenaged characters somehow be given a lightsaber? I mean, who else would the inquisitor need a saber to battle if Obi-Wan and Yoda are the last of the Jedi post-order 66 and have gone into hiding? Vader probably didn't need use his lightsaber in battle for decades until he battled Obi-Wan in episode IV.
      I'm curious to see how they'll attempt to make sense out of that bit.

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  8. Honestly, this is the first thing I've read about this show that actually has me excited about it.......

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  9. I like the part when he says
    "Ralph McQuarries art had a less computer generated look to it" he probably meant to say a less "artificial" look.
    But it's nice to hear it the straight ahead ;)

    Too bad that the show reliying heavity on cgi will probably have a very computerized look to it, despite the concept plans.
    It's still nice to hear the honesty.
    Also it seems like Episode I-III are simply omitted and completely obliterated. Thats good. You know the last sentence in the movie Fanboys "what if it sucks?" ...

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    1. Not exactly obliterated, but referenced as passed events with the primary focus being looking ahead to what's in store after episode 3 ends and before the rebel alliance has been entirely established.

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    2. I hope you're right, dopeyjoe.

      As an individual who grew up with the prequels, I am not liking the way this new show sounds. Sounds very.... safe. No risks are being taken.

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  10. why the fuck cant they just use the greatest villain ever darth vader?!?!?!? instead of this white ass freak

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    1. Because they are afraid of Clowns not Trains.

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  11. I hope some of these chars will appear in the show :

    Boba Fett
    Han Solo
    Chewie
    Kyle Katarn ( Imperrial Service )
    Rahm Kota
    Ahsoka Tano
    Halagad Ventor
    Starkiller
    Grand Moff Tarkin
    Conan Antonio Motti

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    1. Kyle Katarn would be a good choice for a supporting character. Personally I'd like to see this show have a bit of a "Dark Forces" flavor to it.

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    2. Would love some others being in it too, such as:
      Vos
      K'kirk
      Mara Jade
      Corran Horn
      Thrawn
      Ozzel
      Mon Mothma
      Bail Organa
      Hondo
      Cad Bane
      Etc...

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  12. this will be awesome for sure... I can't wait

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  13. "The Inquisitor"?
    Really?
    That's the best you could come up with?

    All in all, I'd say it could be worse. It COULD be Clone Wars. But from the image we have up there I'd say this guy is going to be the major aspect that brings the show down. I wish someone would notify the TV execs that a 3D cartoon character does NOT have to be made out of boxes and Phong tags. That seems to be all that we do these days.

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    1. If you don't like Clone Wars then you are not going to like Rebels... just wait for the movies so you can be more upset.

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  14. As a fan of clone wars and the prequels (and yes, there are many of us out there,) I feel insulted. It seems like Lucasfilm is turning their back on canon and milking the 70s and 80s to death.

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    1. As a fellow fan of the clone wars and the prequals, I feel over joyed. First off the Clone Wars and Episode are safe canon wise and will always exsist (just as the EU will always exsist, even if now just an alternate universe). Second off Lucas himself wanted the PT era to evolve into the OT era, this series is just the logical choice to follow up Clone Wars. Its a great way for all the kid fans of the clone wars to become fans of the OT era too.

      Disney CEO also said EU characters, locations, and timeperiods would be used by their writers. So EU characters could crossover just as much as Clone Wars characters could be in the show. Of course I'm fearful of favs of mine being cut or written badly, but in the grand scheme Star Wars will be discovered by a new even younger generation and it makes me happy a franchise I love will find new fans

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    2. ^Thank you for saying you are a fellow prequel fan. I no longer feel so alone in this forum full of bullies.

      With that said, how do you feel about the sequel trilogy? (ST) Will it evolve from the Origianl Trilogy or will Disney play it "safe" and regurgitate the same old spaceships/designs just to keep original fans happy?

      The reason I ask is because everything (from the tidbits of Episode VII to the premise of this lackluster show) seem to point to Disney going the safe route. And this does not make me happy.

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    3. I doubt Rob Iger is making decisions on plot and character development, That's what JJ and Kasden is for,I doubt Kathleen Kennedy is saying hold back for further installments. that's what George did purposely in PT.
      In OT it was Excelsior all the way!!!
      On the new trilogy every project needs to be onward and upward!
      Not going with big three could be viewed either way as safe a safe bet, depending on your point of view, so everything now is all ASSUMPTION.

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  15. Mara jade will be introduced in Rebels, sometimes appearing with the Inquisitor, and we'll be getting two original characters for the ST, An Imperial, and a future Jedi

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    1. What source do you get this exciting information?

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    2. Its an extra on the new Smurfs Blu Ray

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  16. That has to remain secret, LFL has been tightening up since Bad Robot joined the team.

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    1. How tight? are you a janitor for LucasFilm?

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