Star Wars Episode 7 News

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Billy Dee Williams to Participate in the New Season of Dancing With The Stars. Still Uncertain About Star Wars: Episode 7.

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ABC has just announced the celebrity cast for the new 18th season of Dancing With The Stars. One of the contenders is surprisingly Lando Calrissian himself...




ABC Entertainment News | ABC Business News

The show starts on March 17 and usually one season spans over 2 months. According to one of our members SSP, Billy Dee Williams was asked on live national TV if he was going to be in the new Star Wars. His reply was a sullen "I don't know".

So far the rumors are that Episode 7 starts filming in April or May. If they start in April then Williams' involvement is questionable. 

By the way all of Williams' comments so far about Episode 7 sounded similar. I really think that still no one has talked with him about a possible return. This is just my personal opinion so I might be wrong.


76 comments:


  1. Slutty much if it is not in VII. Unfortunately the production of Star Wars VII this wound.

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  2. there always is Episode 8 or 9
    for Lando to make an appearance

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    1. I'd much prefer that to be honest.

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    2. I'd like to see an old Lando in VII. In fact, I'd like to see everyone return, including Jar Jar. Before you guys kill me, just think: wouldn't an old, mellowed-out gungan with wrinkles on his face look kinda cool?

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    3. No. There would be nothing cool about that. What would be cool is an old, mellowed-out Lando showing up in Episode 8, dressed like the flyest pimp in the galaxy while he's cleaning house at the sabacc table.

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    4. While seeing an old and depressed gungan in an iron lung would actually be kinda cool, Jar Jar dies soon after the Emperor takes over. It'd be nice if we got to see that too....

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    5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    6. I'm assuming the anonymous above me took the blasting of jar jar too far?

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  3. What happened to the new comment system?

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  4. Ali Arikan tweeted that Lando was back

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  5. That would be shitty if they didn't even think to write something into the new film for Billy Dee. No, I don't think the new trilogy should be all about the OT cast. But clearly there needs to be some transition from the old cast to the new, and I don't see why Lando wouldn't play at least some tangential role in that.

    I would hope that Billy Dee is just being tight-lipped about his involvement, rather than that they genuinely haven't even approached him about it yet.

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    1. It's possible that they may mention his whereabouts in episode VII and reintroduce him once the new threat has already been introduced and etsablished in episode VIII. He could swoop in and help save our heroes last minute from a near-fatal encounter.

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    2. That could work, sure. But I would think that they would probably want to take care of most of the OT callbacks in Episode VII so that they could focus primarily on the new cast by the time Episode VIII rolls around.

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    3. He's not one of the main three though. He should really only be mentioned, or maybe not mentioned at all and have a surprise return in epiosde 8. Imagine if they were to keep that a secret and first seeing in when watching the film. It would be epic. Episode 7 needs to re-eintroduce the main three and their role, and get introducing the new characters and story. Having Lando there too in ep7 will be too much I think.

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    4. By reintroducing the main three in episode VII to show the audience how far they've come, it'd be an awkward way to line up continuity by not at least mentioning Lando's whereabouts by default. It wouldn't be the worst thing if he wasn't in EpVII and just kinda came out of nowhere in EpVIII, because he may not have to be vital to the new plot, but it'd do the fans some good to at least hear the guy's name. It'd almost be a little disrespectful to leave Billy's character completely out of it and some audience members may see that as a rascist notion (Billy Dee Williams being the only african american with a speaking role in the OT). I'm certainly no PC fascist, but there are quite a lot of those kind of people in the world, unfortunatly. Disney has to take those things into consideration to avoid controversy.

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    5. Well, and the thing is, as far as the "Big 3" goes, Lando was right there standing with them in that last shot in ROTJ. It's not like we're talking about bringing back Wedge or Lobot or some side character like that. Lando was a main character in the OT, and PC considerations aside, it just wouldn't resonate properly to have everyone except him back for Episode VII and just make a passing mention of how he ended up running a Rodian whorehouse or how me made a fortune in blue milk futures and bought himself a planet to retire to way out on the Outer Rim where the trains don't run.

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    6. I agree with you, my point is that it'd be better than nothing and it could be worse. Lando is most definitley a primary character in the OT, but it depends on what direction they're going in with the ST. The new plot could be incredible and have nothing to do with Lando. At this point, it's just impossible to presume accuratly. Although, it'd certainly be an easy crowd-pleaser to bring him back with the rest of the returning cast, especially now that it's been years since they've all been seen on the big screen together. The theater audience would errupt in applause every time a familiar character walked into the shot, like a 70's/80's sitcom.

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    7. The problem is, if they stretch the OT main character appearances out over the course of the trilogy, the sitcom applause thing you mention will be extended to the other movies too. IMHO, they ought to get the "SW reunion special" vibe taken care of in Episode VII.

      I say this as somebody who would like to see the new films incorporate the OT characters in whatever way makes the most sense. But if the new story and new characters are worthwhile, then I think we're going to find ourselves wanting Episodes VIII and IX to focus more specifically on them without the distraction of more OT characters being given their victory lap.

      Not that they shouldn't also include OT characters in VIII and IX if the story demands it, but I think they ought to get the novelty of seeing them again out of the way in VII.

      As always, just my opinion. ;^)

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    8. That's a good point about stretching out the OT characters. Yeah, as much as it hurts to say, I wouldn't have Lando come back. Although it kills my fanboy heart to admit it, it would be best for the films if he wasn't there. Lando is definitely the odd one out and will just be completely overshadowed and really forced for him to still be there, when they could use the time for much better purposes. And a pointless shoehorn/cameo or a random mention would just be so corny and stupid.

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    9. Well, of the OT characters who have been on wish lists, Lando's hardly the worst that could turn up in EPVII. Boba Fett is a popular that people seem to want, but he's dead. Although, I see the point in overcrowding EPVII with too many OT characters. When you try to do too much, you wind up doing very little. I think that's one thing that happened with the PT.

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    10. AnonymousMarch 4, 2014 at 7:40 PM
      You must not have read or fully understood what DEKKA129 and I were discussing...

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    11. Oh sorry dopeyjoe for having my own opinion. I don't think you have read or fully understood what I said..

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    12. You seemed to be insinuating agreement with our statements that Lando's appearance in EpVII would really be best for the new installment in view of the circumstances, but your statement is in opposition. I'm sorry if I offended you or questioned your right to your own opinion. It was not my intention. If you could provide more insight to your speculation, I'd like to try and gain a better understanding of it because the points you provided didn't fully clarify. I'd like to try and see this from your point of view, if I may.

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    13. Speaking of how much of a role each character is going to have, I believe Luke will have a bigger role than to just handing off the baton to the new generation. With all the excercising/getting into shape he's been doing, he could have a very prominent role throughout the trilogy. It's possible he's killed off in the first movie like Obi-Wan and Qui-gon in the first installments of each of the prior trilogies. However, I don't believe they're going to do that. I think he will be one of the main protagonists, if not the main one. All of this "handing off to the new generation" could be smoke and mirrors.

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    14. I agreed with -"I think we're going to find ourselves wanting Episodes VIII and IX to focus more specifically on them without the distraction of more OT characters being given their victory lap."
      Which is why I said "That's a good point about stretching out the OT characters."
      I think if they are going to introduce characters in later episodes it would be much wiser and to just introduce new characters that would be interesting because of their role, and not for the the fact that we've seen them before, so therefore I wouldn't have him crop up in ep8 or ep9. But then I wouldn't have him in ep7 either as I think the focus on OT characters would be much better if it was just on Luke Leia and Han, plus they would overshadow Lando anyway. So putting two and two together, I have to come to the conclusion that I wouldn't have Lando come back at all, despite my racing fanboy heart.

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    15. I agree about Luke. If he dies he will come back as a ghost. There's no real reason for him to not be in ep8 or ep9. Leia and Han on the other hand, it will be very interesting to see what role they will play. I want to see Han back and I am especially DYING to see Leia back, but I have to admit I'm struggling to see what role they will play other than the parents to the new kids. But maybe that is all their role is and they won't get much screentime at all, which would be kind of sad. But yeah Luke, as not only a Jedi, but the last jedi in the galaxy, will be much more important to the story and wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to see him in ep8 or 9. But yeah, Leia and Han I have no idea where their destinies lie. Perhaps they sacrifice themselves or something and die *cries*

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    16. Well, by the end of EpVI we learn that Leia has the power to become a strong Jedi as well. Perhaps her power in the Force partains more to her political position. It all depends on the overall drive of the plot.

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    17. I doubt Leia will be a jedi, I just think it will mean her kids are a jedi. I think all the main characters will be jedi to be honest. I think Leia and Han will have twins, a girl and a boy, who are both trained as Jedi by Luke (I'm guessing one probably goes dark side in ep8 or something) and then I bet Luke has a kid too who is also trained as a jedi. People love lightsaber stuff so I bet they'll really tap into the jedi/sith stuff as much as possible instead of the politics/empire/rebel stuff. Just my guess. Not that I'd have it this way, I much prefer the story and characters of star wars than the fighting but I think I'm probably the only one. I much prefer the spiritual/mystery/force side to the jedi so I hope I'm not too bombarded with endless lightsaber twirling. But this is all just my guess of course.

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    18. I can certainly see the validity in the argument that loading the ST with too many OT characters would tend to be counterproductive to the story. IMHO, much depends on what the actual story is (both the Ep VII story and the ST story as a whole.)

      However, since I assume that we will see the ST take place against the backdrop of the New Republic, or whatever form of galactic government ends up having replaced the Empire in the new movies, it stands to reason that the heroes of Endor would all tend to either have positions in that government, or else be "highly valued consultants" to that government.

      It wouldn't necessarily require any shoehorning to include Lando, in that case. And if we're looking at a story about the next generation of the Skywalker clan, then it also makes it perfectly simple to justify Lando making an appearance. To the Skywalker kids, he'd be "Uncle Lando", wouldn't he? ;^)

      So really, unless the ST story is a dramatic departure from the general flow of the SW films and is nothing at all like what any of us would logically expect it to be, I see no reason why Lando couldn't have a cool little role in Ep. VII alongside the rest of the main OT cast.

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    19. We are all assuming that everything has been hunky dory for the past 30 years. What if they're not? What if we open up and the galaxy is in as much turmoil as it was at the beginning of EPIV? The spin off movies could delve into what has been happening the past 30 years without involving the main characters of EPVII. Just sayin'. We really know nothing at this point.

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    20. Just keep in mind that EPVII taking place 30 years after ROTJ is just a rumor. It could be 5 or it could be 50 as well. Until the original cast is confirmed this is just speculation.

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    21. By the same token, it could be 300 years after ROTJ. Impossible to see the future is.

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  6. Ace film producer J.J. Abrams has picked up an amazing $14.47 million home in L.A.’s swanky Pacific Palisades neighborhood

    http://radaronline.com/category/tags/star-wars-vii/

    http://radaronline.com/photos/the-force-is-strong-with-star-wars-director-j-j-abrams-14-5-mil-home-in-pacific-palisades/photo/628594/

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    1. I read that like last week or something

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  7. Who owns ABC? Disney
    Who owns Star Wars? Disney
    Coincidence? I think not.

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    1. My thoughts exactly. If they're putting him back into the public eye then it seems to increase the odds that he has a role in VII (perhaps a very small role though).

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  8. I'm glad the old comment system is back!

    I'm reading this website on my mobile daily, during dinner with all the comments.
    When the new Comment system was introduced it would unfortunately depend on Java and take 2 minutes to load all comments, also it won't show how many comments there are on the front-page

    I hope it will stay that way

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    1. I prefer PHP scripts to java scripts, myself. The PHP script will run on the host server instead of being dependent on the client system having the necessary prerequisites. That being said, a Jedi could just use the Force and use whatever script he wanted to.

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  9. My guess is that If he is to be in Episode 7 then it will be a very small cameo, maybe only a couple minutes screen time.
    If so then his involvement could be wrapped up in a day or two of filming, so no big deal.
    But lets get realistic here, I think we will be lucky just to have Ford, Fisher and Hamill back as they are not getting any younger but are still passable but Billy Dee Williams is the oldest of the cast and will be 77 in April, and way to old by the time they get around to shooting Episode 8 and 9. They should kill him off early in Episode 8 if he is to be in it at all.

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    1. I meant kill him off early in Episode 7 not 8, lol

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    2. Well, I beieve someone is going to die. It just is a matter of who.

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    3. I think it will be Luke or Han. Or perhaps both. A 70 year old han solo can't be too important to the story and his death by the hands of the villain would be a 100% guarantee of getting the audience invested in the villain. Plus Lawrence Kasdan wanted someone to die in ROTJ but George said no. and Harrison Ford asked him to die in ROTJ, so with Lawrence Kasdan writing and George no longer calling the shots, I'd say this is the perfect opportunity for Han's death, then he can pass down his torch (the millenium falcom) to the main characters to go on adventures. And then Luke can come back as a ghost so they can easily afford to kill him off too. I really doubt it will be Leia, but maybe that's the reason why they would pick Leia to die. But who knows- after all, we (still) don't officially know if the big three are actually back or not.

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    4. It would be good if Han dies. I have a feeling Harrison Ford is going to phone in any performance he gives anyway. He's never been in love with the character and it seems like recently he's just been doing any role that he's asked to do. His appearance at the Oscars demonstrates that he can't even feign excitement. Maybe if they give Han a minor role as a grizzled grumpy old war vet it would be ok, but based on his recent role in Ender's Game I'm not even sure he can do that.

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    5. Harrison has certainly lost his acting way a little bit. He's said that it takes him ages and loads of takes nowadays to get it right. So hopefully JJ isn't too intimidated by the big three to really try to take the time to get some great moments out of them. I believe Mark and Carrie could really outshine Harrison.

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  10. Mark Hamill also said recently he hadn't been approached...yet. The rumor about the 1st script that got re-written apparently only had Han Solo out of the Original 4.

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    1. Hamill actually is on record as saying he has had talks with Lucasfilm re. returning for SW7. Also, actor Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger) confirmed Hamill had started gym training for SW7 sometime last year. I would say the big 3 are almost certainly in, though not Lando necessarily. I just wish Disney would hurry up and announce the casting so we can start talking about something else..

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    2. Hamill just finished shooting a film with Samuel Jackson recently, he said he still hadn't been approached, since he had originally met with George Lucas before the sale to Disney, this was around a month ago.

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    3. A few months ago it was pretty much a certainty that the big three were coming back. But with the script changes and the rumours of the auditions and recasting, we could be in for a shock. All the weight-loss and negotiation talk was before the script rewrites. And rumours do say there is a big change in terms of the big three, plus there are rumours around that there have been auditions for these characters..

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    4. I should also add, I really hope I'm wrong. I'm clinging onto the fact that Hamill said they wouldn't recast the characters. But as I say, you have to take into consideration this was ages ago, and Kennedy has said before that they were in story meetings day after day after day, and then there was an announcement about the screenwriter shuffle. Who knows what's happened.

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  11. That whole thing about them not being approached is obvious contractual obligation. If they weren't, they would talk about the fact they aren't in it.

    Lando could very well have a small role in the film. Compared to the other six, he had the least screen-time in the first-place.

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  12. honestly Billy Dee has aged the worst of everyone (cept Hamill :/)
    I dont think they will trot out everyone from the originals just for nostalgias sake
    Lando is non essential

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    1. Yeah Lando was important to the story but he was not in the main group of characters, he should be left at the end of ROTJ.

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  13. i reckon there will be a sentence during a conversation along the lines of " ......when lando died ...... /in the battle of ..../ jealous husband / gambling debt/horrible disease" in passing , like some of the other major events we never actually get to know anything about in the films..

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    1. I could possibly be explained in the opening crawl, like a lot of other things.

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  14. Lando is not nearly important enough to be mentioned in the opening crawl..

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  15. I'm wondering if we will get some official announcements about the original cast and other news about Ep7on Star Wars Day, May 4th.
    It is on a Sunday this year though so maybe they'll announce on the Saturday before or the following Monday.
    Just seems a logical move to me and it's at the right time just when they start shooting.

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  16. I really think if the Big 3 were not set for a return in Ep 7 (with the original actors) we would have heard by now. Certainly Hamill or Fisher would have spoken of their disappointment, they would have no need for secrecy. Their low profile of late and silence speaks volumes.

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    1. I HEARD LAST YEAR A TEASER WAS GOING TO COME OUT WITH MARK HAMILL IN IT, A YEAR LATER THEY HAVEN'T EVEN CONFIRMED HE IS IN THE FILM, A MONTH AGO HE TOLD SAMUEL JACKSON HE HADN'T BEEN APPROACHED.

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    2. Most likely he didn't tell Jackson is because Jackson is a big mouth!

      I would of done the same thing!

      Jackson wanted back into the franchise which is just stupid, and Mark agrees!

      Redski

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  17. Harrison would be happy to have someone else play Han, and he is a professional, if they want him not to talk about a recast. He's not the type to spoil other people's work.

    Carrie Fisher would be having fun with the fans and she'd be playing along with the Mystery Box.

    Mark Hamill and Robert Englund are friends with JJ,plus they both love the Mystery Box.

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  18. I BET BILLY DEE IS PRAYING HE GETS A ROLE IN THE NEW MOVIE, IT'S THAT OR DANCING WITH THE STARS. THEY SHOULD GET CARRIE FISHER ON THERE AND THE 2 HAS BEENS CAN TANGO.

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    1. What a load of rubbish. Carrie Fisher is in no way a has been. She's in huge demand but she doesn't want to be a part of it anymore. She gets offered stuff all the time but 99% of the time she says no. She prefers to be busy doing stuff off camera. She does a stage show called wishful drinking and is mostly a writer, both books and scripts. Plus she is a 'script doctor', so she's brought onto a lot of scripts all the time for little uncredited touches and rewrites. Plus she does still do acting now and then if she wants to. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think she plays Peters boss in family guy.. Do you play a character in family guy? Plus she is pretty busy with her personal life.. with all her personal battles, the last thing she wants is to be on camera and in the public's eye all the time.

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    2. God, why do I even spend the time to reply to idiots and trolls..

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  19. Leia, Han, Luke, Chewie (portrayed by a new actor), Lando, 3PO and R2 are all back in, you have all been sucked in, if you entertain for a moment that the lineup is different then you have too much time on your hands..

    Poor Billy Dee aint ben in the spotlight for a while, that's why hes on the damn show.. sheesh

    Redski

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    1. <<< Chewie (portrayed by a new actor),>>>

      and your confirmation comes from which source?

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    2. well there we have it guys. a thorough run through with what's happening thanks to 'Redski'. And with all the those non-existent sources that he's backed up with his points too. So everybody calm down. Calm down guys, you 'have all been sucked in'. Well there we have it folks. I'm so glad that we have official word now. No need for any more speculation is there. Poor Lucasfilm and Disney have had the news crushed by Redski's valuable insight. The internet will be in shut-down thanks to this official word that we have witnessed right here.

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    3. Anonymous March 6, 2014 at 2:31 PM

      That has got to be one of the most funniest posts that I've read on this site. Thank you.

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  20. People are questioning if Harrison Ford is a good enough actor these days, and that he needs quite a few takes to get scenes nailed down. Well he's going a little deaf these days folks. He tries to hide it by playing the clown or deadpan. I guess he finds it a little hard to hear directions from Directors or sometimes might miss his cue. With a little patience from the crew this is easy to deal with.

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    1. I don't think it's his hearing. I just literally think it's his age. It's not really a problem. It happens to all of us. It just takes more time nowadays for him to get the ball rolling and get a good performance. But the one thing he is still 100% brilliant at playing is being angry and wisecracking. Watch his little 'bit' he did on Jimmy Kimell when he refused to answer star wars questions and started shouting at Chewie. His comic timing and angry badassness was just on point and very Han Solo. But yeah he's definitely a little rusty when it comes to personal moments with a lot of humanity. But Han was never really that kind of guy, so we should be fine here, depending on the script of course. Hopefully Han is still written as the wisecracking person he was all those years ago.

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  21. Crap, I hope he doesn't have a heart attack before he can do the films.

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