Rarely is it deemed "Breaking News" when a script on a massive blockbuster is concluded. Heck, audience members wander out of too many blockbusters wondering if they had any script at all. But when J.J. Abrams goes on record to reveal that the shooting script for Star Wars: Episode VII is finished, you can understand why the Internet is kind of on fire right now.
The director opened up to The Wrap over the weekend, telling the site they are underway with the sequel.
"We’re working really hard and we’ve got our script and we’re in deep prep. Full steam ahead, y’know."
Of course we know, J.J. We’re contractually obligated to cover every baby step you take with this sequel, the first since series creator digitized the dream universe of Star Wars fanboys in his cold, clinical and emotionally detached prequels. Say it with me, kids:
We linger on the issue of a script because reports surfaced recently that Abrams has chucked the initial draft penned by Oscar-winning screenwriter Michael Arndt, and that the writer had left the project over creative differences. Abrams is said to have wanted to shift the focus of his Episode VII storyline back to Luke, Leia Han, giving the original trio one last romp in a galaxy far, far away before handing over the lightsabers to a new generation of Jedi. Did that happen? No one outside of Bad Robot really knows yet. Very few rumors pertaining to Star Wars get confirmed.
Abrams DID confirm a casting note to The Wrap, though. In the process of stating that they have a finished script, Abrams said Breaking Bad co-star Jesse Plemons is being considered for a role.
"He is one of the actors that we’ve talked to, yeah. But, you know. It’s not often that I read about actors that I’m going to be meeting … that I get to read articles about actors who are going to come in. And so I get to see someone and say, ‘Oh, I read that I’m going to see you.’ … It’s usually agents talking to people about what’s happening. It’s a lot of noise."
That notion of "a lot of noise" came up often in the Abrams conversation, when he talked about online rumors and the idea he might shoot some of Star Wars in IMAX. Not a lot of new news came out of it, but it’s nice to hear SOME items from the horse’s mouth. (No offense, J.J.) So Team Wars is hard at work, and they are gliding toward a December 18, 2015 release date. Stay tuned for more details soon … we hope.
