Yesterday I posted a few of my initial thoughts on the announcement of
Star Wars Episode VII, as well as some of my reasoning for being
cautiously optimistic. In particular I made note that, if the right
talent can be gathered, we might get something special.
What do I mean by “the right talent”, though?
Obviously
the choice of writer and director will be utterly essential. Below are
some of my top picks for directors, and the probability of them even
being in the running. Most of these are dark horses, but I think they’re
the kind of visionaries that Star Wars needs to move forward beyond the
shadow of Lucas.
Joss Whedon
Most Popular Films: The Avengers
Most Relevant Films: The Avengers, Serenity
Odds of Involvement: 0% (too busy making Avengers 2, Episode VII), 50% (for Episode VIII and/or IX)
Danny Boyle
Most Popular Films: Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire
Most Relevant Films: Sunshine
Odds of Involvement: Maybe 5%
Guillermo del Toro
Most Popular Films: Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth
Most Relevant Films: Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Pacific Rim (probably)
Odds of Involvement: 15%
Gore Verbinski
Most Popular Films: Pirates of the Caribbean, Rango
Most Relevant Films: Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy
Odds of Involvement: 35%
Ryuhei Kitamura
Most Popular Films: Godzilla Final Wars, Versus
Most Relevant Films: Godzilla Final Wars, Midnight Meat Train
Odds of Involvement: 1% (if even that much)
Alex Proyas
Most Popular Films: The Crow, Dark City
Most Relevant Films: Dark City, I Robot
Odds of Involvement: 10%
Steven Spielberg
Most Popular Films: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park
Most Relevant Films: Indiana Jones franchise, Minority Report
Odds of Involvement: 30%
Peter Jackson
Most Popular Films: Lord of the Rings trilogy
Most Relevant Films: Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit trilogy
Odds of Involvement: 0% (Episode VII), 20% (Episode VIII and IX)
Let’s
not forget that different directors all tackled Episodes IV, V, and VI.
Lucas only technically directed IV. Sure, his fingerprints are
everywhere, but this means that any combination of people might be
involved in the upcoming trilogy. Will we see a single director helm all
three, as was the case with Episodes I-III? Or will this series follow
the footsteps of other franchises like Harry Potter. Could we see slight
variations in the artistic stamps of each film? Might we wind up with
work that we can spend hours debating over, deciding the merits and
faults of each film in the trilogy?
Imagine what might happen if a
completely unexpected director, Oscar winners probably still grew up
with wide eyes as they watched A New Hope, took the helm. I imagine that
Disney will want a younger voice though, someone with fresh ideas. Even
so, how amazing would it be if Martin Scorsese or James Cameron decided
to go outside of their on wheelhouse to work on these films?
I
would say the choice of director is the single most crucial piece to the
puzzle. It will instantly announce Disney’s intentions to us, just like
when Joss Whedon was hired to direct the Avengers. If they can pick
someone that inspires a similar wave of fan enthusiasm for Star Wars,
then it will show us that they intend to give us another iconic trilogy.
Well
that’s all for today. But expect the final part of my Star Wars Episode
VII reactions soon! In the meantime, why don’t you go to my Facebook
page and click “Like”? You’ll get lots of information and updates on my
current projects!
*******
Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
“Ghosts of Sorrow: Excerpt” or “Happy Halloween!”
To celebrate Halloween, here is an excerpt from “Ghosts of Sorrow”.
This is a book I wrote quite a while ago, and I still consider it one of
my finest stories. I hope to one day have the free time to go back and
edit the whole thing. For now, enjoy this little tease. I hope you get
to read the rest someday!
*******
The storage unit was very cluttered. There were stacks of boxes in disorganized piles. Furniture covered in either sheets or dust was strewn about. She could see a number of old, and likely broken, appliances. The arrangement felt like a claustrophobic maze.
Miki navigated slowly, and the whispers began once more. This time they were jumbled and busy. Saying more than they could manage, speaking all at once, none of the voices distinguishable from the others. It was impossible to find the exact words being said, and so it all drowned into an odd white noise.
Something caught Miki’s eye, a particular suitcase. It was a very large green suitcase covered in stickers. When she moved over to it for a closer look, they were all bumper stickers representing various countries. Dozens of languages and designs from everywhere a person could imagine were laid out colorfully. Miki reached forward and unclasped the case. She felt a moment of intense unease. A part of her, a dark survival instinct in the back of her head, screamed for her not to look. The whispers all urged her onwards. She slowly pulled the suitcase open.
Inside were four prisms made of crystal, one in each corner. At the center was a single bundle of white cloth wrapped around something. Miki hesitated as her hand hovered above the bundle of fabric.
But the voices kept lingering along her ear and she had to continue. She began to slowly unravel the fabric. It was woven both intricately and tightly, making this a much longer process than one might have expected. Every new layer brought a faint and unique odor into the air. Ages of particles found themselves freed after an untold amount of time. The musty scent brought a roil to her stomach. The bundle grew smaller and smaller, with the pile of fabric gathering at her feet becoming larger in comparison, until finally she reached what was hidden inside.
Miki had no idea what it was at first. The object was small, maybe the size of a tumb. It looked like a piece of dried fruit. She held it in her hand and stared at it, puzzled. Clarity came when she turned it around in her palm, and instantly the shape took on an entirely different significance. Eyes and a mouth on one end. This was a very old, very small, fetus. One which had been left in here for a long time…
To Be Continued
*******
Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer
*******
The storage unit was very cluttered. There were stacks of boxes in disorganized piles. Furniture covered in either sheets or dust was strewn about. She could see a number of old, and likely broken, appliances. The arrangement felt like a claustrophobic maze.
Miki navigated slowly, and the whispers began once more. This time they were jumbled and busy. Saying more than they could manage, speaking all at once, none of the voices distinguishable from the others. It was impossible to find the exact words being said, and so it all drowned into an odd white noise.
Something caught Miki’s eye, a particular suitcase. It was a very large green suitcase covered in stickers. When she moved over to it for a closer look, they were all bumper stickers representing various countries. Dozens of languages and designs from everywhere a person could imagine were laid out colorfully. Miki reached forward and unclasped the case. She felt a moment of intense unease. A part of her, a dark survival instinct in the back of her head, screamed for her not to look. The whispers all urged her onwards. She slowly pulled the suitcase open.
Inside were four prisms made of crystal, one in each corner. At the center was a single bundle of white cloth wrapped around something. Miki hesitated as her hand hovered above the bundle of fabric.
But the voices kept lingering along her ear and she had to continue. She began to slowly unravel the fabric. It was woven both intricately and tightly, making this a much longer process than one might have expected. Every new layer brought a faint and unique odor into the air. Ages of particles found themselves freed after an untold amount of time. The musty scent brought a roil to her stomach. The bundle grew smaller and smaller, with the pile of fabric gathering at her feet becoming larger in comparison, until finally she reached what was hidden inside.
Miki had no idea what it was at first. The object was small, maybe the size of a tumb. It looked like a piece of dried fruit. She held it in her hand and stared at it, puzzled. Clarity came when she turned it around in her palm, and instantly the shape took on an entirely different significance. Eyes and a mouth on one end. This was a very old, very small, fetus. One which had been left in here for a long time…
To Be Continued
*******
Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer
"The Potential of Star Wars Episode VII: Part 1" or "Why I'm an eternal optimist"
The news was announced yesterday that Disney had purchased Lucasfilm (and by extension, Star Wars and Indiana Jones). On top of that they confirmed a Summer 2015 release date for Star Wars Episode VII, with Episodes VIII and IX to each debut two years later in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
To put it mildly, the internet went into quite an uproar. How could it not? This is the kind of news which sends fans into a frenzy. Whether that frenzy was positive or negative remains unclear. I’ve heard a lot of opinions. I decided to throw in my two cents today for a very specific reason - I wanted to give everyone some time to mellow out.
Let me start off with a disclaimer: I am one of the few people who genuinely enjoyed the prequel films.
… still reading?
Okay then.
Were the prequels perfect? Lord no. We had Jar Jar Binks, fart jokes, midichlorians, the wooden acting of Hayden Christiansen, terrible writing (the “love story” of Episode II is almost as bad as Twilight), and a reliance on visual spectacle over core character development.
However, there are many things to praise in the prequels, as well. Liam Neeson’s presence in Episode I, Darth Maul (and by extension, the invention of the double bladed lightsaber), Yoda becoming an even bigger badass, Mace Windu, Ewan McGregor growing so well into the role of Obi-Wan, and Anakin’s fall from grace (which brought a genuine sense of darkness to Episode III).
When all is said and done, I do not consider the prequels masterpieces in any sense, but I also do not view them as irredeemable.
That being said, I am filled with very reluctant optimism for Episode VII. What gives me that optimism? A few things really.
First of all, it sounds like George Lucas will not be directing the film. This gives room for a director with a passion for the material, as well as a stronger sense of character and tone, to try their hand. Maybe we’ll even see a different director for each respective sequel.
According to the press release there is an “extensive treatment” for Episode VII, VIII, and IX. For those who are unfamiliar with filmmaking jargon, a treatment is a detailed summary of a script. This means the storyline is generally worked out, allowing for a (hopefully) cohesive trilogy to be created from the content. After the disjointed feel of the prequel trilogy, this is a very promising possibility.
With a solid director chosen, and a competent screenwriter finishing the treatment, we could be looking at something special here. Only time will tell if that’s what we get, but I imagine we shall all be following every scrap of information with unwavering scrutiny.
A few people have, unwisely, lamented the fact that Disney will be making this sequel trilogy. These people seem to have forgotten the fact that Disney’s recent live-action films have been largely wonderful. And the ones of lower quality have been, at worst, entertaining.
Consider the fact that The Avengers was hailed, by many, as the kind of film that the older Star Wars movies used to be. A lot of reviews compared it favorably to the original trilogy, saying that it held a sense of adventure and a spark of awe that is so vitally lacking in most modern entertainment. The Avengers was made by Disney (partnering with Marvel).
Also look to the first Pirates of the Caribbean film, a collaboration with Jerry Bruckheimer, which proved to be an absolutely elative piece of film. Maybe not high art, but certainly high fun. Even the sequels, while inconsistent, had their moments.
John Carter and Enchanted were both quite a bit enjoyable as well. And the upcoming Lone Ranger looks promising.
Pixar has thrived under Disney, producing their best film yet (in my opinion at least, this would be Brave). Marvel is working better than ever, with Phase 2 of their cinematic universe set to utterly stun us.
So why wouldn’t this partnership work well for Star Wars? If they can assemble the right talent to the project, then we may just get the most amazing thing of all - the modern Star Wars trilogy that we’ve always dreamed of. To me, that is worth taking a chance on.
There is still quite a bit more to say on the matter. I do not wish to ramble on too long, and not all at once. As such, look forward to further speculation from me in the coming days! Tomorrow I will be naming a few of my top picks for directors who could potentially shape the future of Star Wars in new and exciting ways.
*******
Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer
To put it mildly, the internet went into quite an uproar. How could it not? This is the kind of news which sends fans into a frenzy. Whether that frenzy was positive or negative remains unclear. I’ve heard a lot of opinions. I decided to throw in my two cents today for a very specific reason - I wanted to give everyone some time to mellow out.
Let me start off with a disclaimer: I am one of the few people who genuinely enjoyed the prequel films.
… still reading?
Okay then.
Were the prequels perfect? Lord no. We had Jar Jar Binks, fart jokes, midichlorians, the wooden acting of Hayden Christiansen, terrible writing (the “love story” of Episode II is almost as bad as Twilight), and a reliance on visual spectacle over core character development.
However, there are many things to praise in the prequels, as well. Liam Neeson’s presence in Episode I, Darth Maul (and by extension, the invention of the double bladed lightsaber), Yoda becoming an even bigger badass, Mace Windu, Ewan McGregor growing so well into the role of Obi-Wan, and Anakin’s fall from grace (which brought a genuine sense of darkness to Episode III).
When all is said and done, I do not consider the prequels masterpieces in any sense, but I also do not view them as irredeemable.
That being said, I am filled with very reluctant optimism for Episode VII. What gives me that optimism? A few things really.
First of all, it sounds like George Lucas will not be directing the film. This gives room for a director with a passion for the material, as well as a stronger sense of character and tone, to try their hand. Maybe we’ll even see a different director for each respective sequel.
According to the press release there is an “extensive treatment” for Episode VII, VIII, and IX. For those who are unfamiliar with filmmaking jargon, a treatment is a detailed summary of a script. This means the storyline is generally worked out, allowing for a (hopefully) cohesive trilogy to be created from the content. After the disjointed feel of the prequel trilogy, this is a very promising possibility.
With a solid director chosen, and a competent screenwriter finishing the treatment, we could be looking at something special here. Only time will tell if that’s what we get, but I imagine we shall all be following every scrap of information with unwavering scrutiny.
A few people have, unwisely, lamented the fact that Disney will be making this sequel trilogy. These people seem to have forgotten the fact that Disney’s recent live-action films have been largely wonderful. And the ones of lower quality have been, at worst, entertaining.
Consider the fact that The Avengers was hailed, by many, as the kind of film that the older Star Wars movies used to be. A lot of reviews compared it favorably to the original trilogy, saying that it held a sense of adventure and a spark of awe that is so vitally lacking in most modern entertainment. The Avengers was made by Disney (partnering with Marvel).
Also look to the first Pirates of the Caribbean film, a collaboration with Jerry Bruckheimer, which proved to be an absolutely elative piece of film. Maybe not high art, but certainly high fun. Even the sequels, while inconsistent, had their moments.
John Carter and Enchanted were both quite a bit enjoyable as well. And the upcoming Lone Ranger looks promising.
Pixar has thrived under Disney, producing their best film yet (in my opinion at least, this would be Brave). Marvel is working better than ever, with Phase 2 of their cinematic universe set to utterly stun us.
So why wouldn’t this partnership work well for Star Wars? If they can assemble the right talent to the project, then we may just get the most amazing thing of all - the modern Star Wars trilogy that we’ve always dreamed of. To me, that is worth taking a chance on.
There is still quite a bit more to say on the matter. I do not wish to ramble on too long, and not all at once. As such, look forward to further speculation from me in the coming days! Tomorrow I will be naming a few of my top picks for directors who could potentially shape the future of Star Wars in new and exciting ways.
*******
Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer
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