Disney has big plans for a Star Wars universe to rival Marvel’s Marvel Universe (which Disney also owns, incidentally), and the first step is the JJ Abrams-directed Star Wars VII (yes, Star Trek and Star Wars are directed by the same guy now). It’s set for release December 18th, 2015, and Disney just revealed the cast:
John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver [pictured, left], Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join original stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in “Star Wars: Episode VII.”
That is, the dude from Attack the Block, this chick, Adam from Girls, Llewyn Davis, Gollum, this Irish dude, and… well, Max von Sydow. No word yet on what parts they’ll play, but I really hope Andy Serkis gets to jump around in his little spandex dolphin suit pretending to be an alien creature because then if the movie sucks, at least the featurette will be hilarious.
In a recent earnings called, Disney chief Bob Iger said this latest installment will be set 30 years after 1983′s “Return of the Jedi” and will feature new and familiar faces. [Variety]
I don’t particularly care how faithful this version is to your dumb childhoods, and let’s be honest, if it wasn’t raped by Episodes I through III, it’s pretty much rape proof. I just enjoy that Star Wars and Star Trek are directed by the same guy, the same company who owns Marvel owns Star Wars, and that actors from Inside Llewyn Davis and Girls are in huge budget sci-fi movies. Entertainment is like a hundred cigarette brands all produced by the same tobacco company right now.