Star Wars Episode 7 News

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Rumor: Tatooine to be Re-Created in the Moroccan Desert.

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Just a few days ago badassdigest broke the story that Star Wars: Episode VII starts filming on May 14 in Morocco. Now THR adds some more bits to the rumor and make it even more credible...


From THR: 
Sources tell THR that J.J. Abrams and Disney are planning an extensive re-creation of the desolate home of Luke and Anakin Skywalker in a Morocco-like environment (the original was built in Tunisia).

If the Morocco filming rumor is true then probably the Cairo - Abu Dhabi rumor isn't. I don't see a reason for them to go to three different dessert like destinations, but who knows maybe they'll use only plate shots from Cairo and Abu Dhabi.

61 comments:

  1. They might still be shooting plates in both countries to account for different types of Tatooine desert landscape.

    It is really beginning to sound like we haven't seen the last of Tatooine though, isn't it?

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  2. I wonder why they would go back to that planet.

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    1. Me too. What reason would they have to go back? Luke always said he hated it there, and there's not much else besides gangsters, space pirates, smugglers, tusken raiders and moisture farmers there. What's on tatooine that they'd need? I'm sure JJ and Kasdan will provide a good explaination. It's not right to assume too much when so little information concerning the topic is a available.

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    2. Definetly not much to go off of but if I had to guess I'd go with someone exploring Anakin's fall to the dark side. But like Joe said, there seemingly isn't much there and it really could be anything at this point. Obi-wan's buried treasure anyone???

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    3. I don't know about that, but it'd be cool to see Luke visit Tatooine exploring the origins of his fathers fall to better fortify himself against the deception of the dark side.

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    4. Maybe it's not Luke on the planet. Maybe someone hiding out. Tatooine seems to be a place people go to hide.

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    5. That's an idea. I'd also point out that its where we last saw Boba Fett (whose character is an established fan favorite). Maybe he returns in some form. Tatooine is remote and isolated so if he evolved into some sort of local legend/myth it might be some time before anyone in the Core picked up on it. How that would tie into the main story I have no idea at this point. I'm not saying it's likely, just that it's plausible.

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    6. Now THATS an idea: bringing back Fett in an unclear way. Have the locals mention some feared legend who became known by destroying that sarlacc. It'd be a pretty cool indicator to re-introduce Boba as the Sarlacc Slayer. A very rough idea but I could see them bringing back a fan favorite in that manner.

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    7. How old would that make Boba Fett? ROTJ was 4 ABY and he was born 31 BBY, Sor 39 (35 years after ROTJ + 4) + 31 = 70. That's not exactly butt kicking age. Wouldn't he be retired from Bounty Hunting even if he survived the Sarlacc?

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    8. It would stand to reason that he's old. But he was the only unaltered clone of Jango Fett so it might not a given that he ages normally. Odds are he would be relying on his skill and cunning though. As for his occupation he could be anything from a vigilante to a cult leader to an old dude who frequents the cantinas unable to live down the shame of being beaten by a blinded Han Solo.

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    9. I know they might retcon this but, as far as I have know Mandalorians live to be atleast150 years old and he is an unaltered clone so he should be alive and kicking. I hope he is Mandalore hahaha that would be awesome. I know They could change this but as far as my knowledge goes he should still be able bodied.

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    10. If I remember correctly Canderous Ordo From the first KOTOR game was at least 100 years old when you first met him. I love Mandalorians and If The best of them is back I will be very happy :)


      "You had us outnumbered five to one. You had more ships, more troops, more supplies and the Jedi on your side. And we still made the Republic tremble before we fell!" Canderous

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    11. Do you know what planet we really need to return to? Dagobah. That dream cave thing needed to be explored more, particularly since the saga seems to be heading towards the "spirituality" side of the Force, with the Force ghosts appearing in the end of VI.

      The EU explored the Dream Cave... and that's all I'm saying about the EU before some aggressive person bashes me for mentioning it.

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  3. I wonder if Luke lives on tatoine. In the OT he doesn't sound interested in living there at all but maybe that was a young Luke filled with piss and vinegar. Yoda and obi wan chose quiet surroundings with less than ideal climate in their old age but they were hiding out. Glad to hear it will be present though.

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    1. I've always thought Luke would end up back on Tatooine. Maybe he's succeeded in restarting the Jedi, and left the Order in other, capable hands. Now living a quiet hermits life as a moisture farmer...until his retirement is interrupted because his help is needed one more time. His son comes along for the ride, and Luke is killed by the end of the movie, leaving his son to carry on Luke's mission for him for episode VIII and IX as the main antagonist (with Luke playing the mentor/Obi-Wan role).

      Big Daddy Dave

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  4. Not sure why people are moaning just because Luke didn't like the planet.. Baring in mind he moaned about everything including the milenium falcon and was clearly exaggerating when he said Tatooine was no use. It was just insignificant to his life so he was going to say that. The plot will come first. If they see fit that the plot will need to include Tatooine, then great, I'm for it.

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  5. "Well, if there's a bright center to the universe, you're on the planet that it's farthest from." - Luke.

    I sure hope Luke kept some property rights because apparently it's the new galactic center! The prices must be skyrocketing with all the activity going on in this distant place :P

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  6. Not on the topic of the possible storyline. But why they have to go shoot there, why not turn parts of the desert we have in the US and build sets there which they can bring 'home' to Disney after the shoot. Wouldn't that be cheaper?

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    1. I think it's actually cheaper to shoot abroad. That's why Canada is such a hot spot for filming.

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  7. It's not cheaper to build sets in the US anymore. That's why everyone is starting to film more in the UK instead of Hollywood.

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    1. It's not a recent development. It's been going on for years.

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  8. I have this vague notion that EP7 is going to be a reflection of EPs 1 and EP4: Space battle near the beginning the kick-start the McGuffin, stop-over at rough and desolate frontier planet before high-technology centrepiece (Death Star/pod-race, etc), then short hop to sanctuary to discuss retaliatory tactics before the big climactic battle.

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    1. Except there was no space battle at the beginning of EP1 - unless you call Obi-Wan and Qui Gon battling battle droids inside a space ship a space battle.

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    2. JJ doesn't strike me as being willing to go the cookie cutter route.

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    3. This, to an extent, is how it should be. Episode I and IV mirror each other, just as II and V, as well as III and VI mirror each other. They are all unique but they have similar themes.

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    4. "JJ doesn't strike me as being willing to go the cookie cutter route."

      Yeah right. Then there was the Star Trek reboots which took everything special out of Roddenberry's vision and turned it into "Star Wars Lite."

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    5. @Rebel Scum

      I wouldn't exactly call that little shootout at the beginning of IV a space battle either.

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    6. Super 8, JJ's cookie cutter movie!

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  9. Well they could want to use all of Egypt's pyramids and ruins to help recreate a desolated Sith home world. It truly would be the best place in the world for that.

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    1. Yep. The Empire helped build the pyramids. They were built a long, long, time ago!

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  10. You guys are awesome,I love the ideas!
    This is one if the best parts preceding a Star Wars movie.
    The speculation and ideas. Dedication to a movie and
    Ideas shared among fans is what makes it fun!

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  11. Maybe Tatooine could be a start location for a fast action scene where they reveal Luke Skywalker for the first time in the movie or, as someone said, a later investigatione site about past events in the Skywalker family.

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  12. ♫ It would be ironic if Luke Died on Tatooine, remember in ROTJ Han told him he was going to Die there. Maybe they go back for some Power Converters. ♫

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    1. I was thinking the same thing about that line, but Luke needs to go back for Treadwell ...cause that droid is just too cool !!!

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  13. The teaser trailer for this is gonna break youtube. Im calling it now

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  14. Returning to Mos Eisley, I like the idea even if overused.

    "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious."
    Whoever is taking place on Tatoonie is sure to "getting into some local trouble"
    Star Wars is taking place between the frontier, at a dirty rotten place and the adventure is a glimpse into a bigger world, but never going full head on.
    Thats what Star Wars is about and JJ Abrams approved.

    But the downside is probably that it is just "fan-service" and even if JJ Abrams tries to be original and being a true fan, there is just that big chance that the producers are gonna crawl up a fan's backside deeper than ever before.

    I really god hope that they will not go like, oh Star Wars is all about lightsabers, blasters and epic space battles. So I like the idea of revisiting Tatooine because it could mean that they go back to the "western style" of showing common people in a grand, far away universe

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    1. Y'know, I've been waiting for another truly epic space battle since the original film in 1977.

      Not just epic in terms of visuals, of course. Obviously the visual effects have continued to improve and there was some great stuff especially in that opening battle in ROTS. But in terms of the space battle itself being the focal point and the outcome of that battle deciding the fate of the galaxy, they really haven't had THAT kind of epic battle since ANH.

      Closest they've come was ROTJ, but the space battle there was only a third of what was going on. Its impact was diluted by the forest battle on Endor, and especially by the face-off between Luke, Vader and the Emperor. If you cut together all of the space battle scenes in ROTJ, it really only lasts a few minutes and it's the death of the Emperor that really saves the galaxy this time.

      In ESB we really didn't have one of these space battles, although the walker battle on Hoth did tend to fill that role to a certain extent.

      TPM... the space battle was in support of the diversionary battle out on the Naboo plains that was to draw the droid army away from the palace so that the Viceroy could be captured and the Trade Federation blockade broken. The outcome wasn't even particularly important on a galactic scale, and the space battle was only a fraction of what drove that outcome.

      AOTC... no real space battle other than Jango Fett chasing Obi Wan.

      ROTS... a VISUALLY epic space battle, but the battle itself was basically just an obstacle course for the Jedi to run in their effort to rescue the chancellor. This space battle was amazing-looking window dressing more than anything.

      What I HOPE we see in Ep 7 or at some point in the ST is a space battle that is, in and of itself, the thing upon which the fate of the galaxy hinges. An extended battle where we kind of get to know some of the pilots, where tactics and strategies are refined as they go along and where the outcome is really an all or nothing proposition.

      THAT'S the kind of "epic" I'm hoping we see again. ;^)

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    2. Good points, a focus on a space battle would be a good nod to ANH. And, instead of the Rebel Alliance/New Republic/Good side winning, how about the Empire/Dark side win in the end. It would be a total reversal of ANH. It would leave you crushed and waiting for the next movie like at the end of Empire, too. That, of course, would go against Lucas' story telling/first act introduces characters/second act is the big problem/third act is resolution.....But the reversal of ANH is interesting.

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    3. That's like saying the light saber battles were not epic in the prequels. People were not over critical when the originals came out, because you were children. Now everyone is anal about everything and hate everything that wasn't from the 80's. Did you watch the space battle in the prequels? They destroy the space battle in the OT.

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    4. No the OT space battles destroy the prequels. Models and precise camera work is impressive. The prequels was just about shoving as much crap on the screen as possible is not. Again, the prequel fights were rubbish. They were the same as the originals, but way too faster, no emotional context, music to ruin the tension and suspense of when it's going to surprise you and climax.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0mUVY9fLlw

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    5. "I really god hope that they will not go like, oh Star Wars is all about lightsabers, blasters and epic space battles."
      "What I HOPE we see in Ep 7 or at some point in the ST is a space battle that is, in and of itself, the thing upon which the fate of the galaxy hinges."
      Yes. Cannot agree more. I don't want action simply for action. I want high stakes for the story and emotional context. JJ always says that that's what he likes, but he's never really shown it in his films. JJ likes star wars, but all his films just kind of seems like cartoon characters put in action. Hopefully Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt have had a lot more say than JJ in terms of what the action set pieces are going to be like. I just prey that JJ isn't going to make the lightsaber duels 10 minutes long even though it has no impact on the overall plot and then fill it with music and ridiculously fast editing and ridiculous choreography like the prequel fights.

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    6. Actually, Anon @ 1:53 AM, the Darth Maul/Qui Gonn/ Obi Wan fight was one of the best in the entire saga. Maybe not as good as the showdown when Luke sliced off Vader's arm, but still exceptionally good. If you weren't able to see this, you are truly lifeless.

      Also, there were some pretty lame lightsaber fights in the OT. Example? Episode IV between Alec Guiness and Vader. Neither man seemed to raise their heels and Guiness was so stiff he didn't have the flexibility to touch his toes.

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  15. I keep visioning some kid being chased by a rancor or krayt dragon or something and then suddenly when it's about to kill the kid it's starts floating and is thrown back. Then it cuts to a shot of a hooded figure who then uncovers his hood and dun dun dunn it's luke skywalker. It would be a nice echo to when Obi-wan chased the tusken raiders away from Luke and lifted his hood up there. They could even cross the line and make Luke say "Hello there" ;) ;)

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    1. Sounds good, but maybe not a floating the pursuer and throwing it back it could be something else. Yes, "Hello there" could be a bit much.

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    2. I really hope they don't change the look of aliens and Tatooine. I thought the sand people looked fine and consistent throughout the saga, it would just be weird if they decided to "update" the look of sand people, or banthas, or Tatooine.

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    3. I agree about the sand people, but how about some Wampa fights in an arena on the outskirts of Mos Eisley! Talk about some insanely jacked Wampas on a hot afternoon under the twin Tatooine suns. Along with some Jawa tossing ta boot! Some "new" Gangster runs the event except he has a Hutt for a pet!
      Tatooine needs some change ups. And Warwick Davis needs to be a Jedi as well. Willow with a lightsaber!

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  16. i personally could go the entire new SW series and never see Tattooine again and be fine...not complaining as it is not a big deal, but i would just rather see a new planet as this one has been visited so often in the saga. i do like the idea of Fett returning from there, that would be boss!

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    1. Going to Anchorhead and Luke finding some of his old friends, then runs into Fixer and says...Nice chest plate!
      Oh this half rotted thing, I just extracted it from a Sarlac carcass last week, but I sold the helmet.
      NOW THAT! ....would be way better.

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  17. Tatooine is obviously the center of the universe. Forget Coruscant! Everything important happens on Tatooine! They can't do a trilogy and NOT use it. Even if it's only in episode VII.

    As long as they don't bring it back just to blow it up with a third Death Star...

    Big Daddy Dave

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  18. New casting rumors suggest that unknown british actress Maisie Richarsdon-Sellers is up for lead role.

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    1. "A new report from The Hollywood Reporter suggests that British actress Maisie Richardson-Sellers is now a front-runner to play a lead role in Star Wars Episode VII. According to THR"

      Saw this on Star Wars Underworld site.

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  19. Considering they're about to start shooting, sets are already up (outside Ouarzazate.) / They don't just throw the set up the week of. These things take time. I'm just surprised no one has snapped a photo yet.

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Hello. I am from Melilla. North of Ouarzarzate.
      I would like to ask you. Where did you get this information?.

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  20. Why go back to Tatooine.

    Jar Jar is still getting on everyone's nerves, and the Sarlacc is always hungry...

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  21. Although Tatooine is always marked as the cesspool of the galaxy, it is after all where Anakin was born and Luke grew up.... Perhaps there could be a more powerful link to the planet, like it gives Jedi's born there more power? Dunno

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  22. maybe it will show tahiri veila's beginnings since they are going back to tattoine, or how the vong got their start in the galaxy! i would like to see luke & co. face off against grand admiral thrawn on the big screen! cannot wait to see this, i am almost sure that they will at least cameo vejer before turning things over to the twins and the "new blood" of the galaxy!!!...awesome, awesome, AWESOME!!!

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