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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 7 december 2017
The Last Jedi’ aims to capture that old Star Wars feeling

‘By LINDSEY BAHR for training from the missing some cute little creatures
AP Film Writer Jedi. Luke and Rey are just called Porgs.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Han one of the new pairings His script, which he was
Solo is dead. Luke Skywalker promised for the film, which able to write while “The
is back, but changed. And finds every character out Force Awakens” was being
Leia Organa’s story will of their comfort zone and made, took some of the
soon be coming to an end. facing new challenges as cast aback at first.
The Star Wars that inspired the Resistance organizes “I was going, ‘Uh, I’m not
four decades of passionate to go up against the First sure about this,’” Ridley
fandom appears to be Order. says. “It just took us all a
slowly but surely fading as “It’s got so much going second to be like, ‘Ok
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” on,” Hamill adds. “You can this is where the story is

This image released by Lucasfilm shows Mark Hamill as Luke prepares to descend on cut from the more somber heading.’”
Skywalker in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” in theaters on Dec. 15. Dec. 15, giving way to scenes I have to the action/ Johnson jokes that he’s
Associated Press a newer generation of adventure, the suspense, like the new boyfriend at
intergalactic rebels and the humor ... I’ve only seen Thanksgiving dinner who
their foes, like Rey and Kylo it once but I thought, ‘This everyone has to get used
Ren, and a fresh voice is too much information to to.
behind the endeavor in process.’” “(Rian) had a different
writer-director Rian Johnson The marketing campaign, challenge which was to
(“Looper”). no doubt playing into the expand the Star Wars
J.J. Abrams’ “The Force tone set by “Empire,” has universe further with more
Awakens” set the stage for focused on the darkness inventive ideas, taking
this new era of the franchise, and intensity of “The Last more risks,” Boyega says.
but “The Last Jedi” has to Jedi,” but Johnson says “He was a real fan. I feel
move it forward and keep that’s only one element. like he ticked off his Star
audiences interested for He stresses that it is, first Wars fanboy theories just
the next one too. and foremost, a Star Wars one by one with this film.”
After all these years and movie. To him, that means That fandom has also
billions of dollars, Star Wars capturing that thing that helped Johnson, who
isn’t exactly a scrappy makes you want to “run out Hamill refers to as his Obi-
underdog anymore, but of the theater and into your Wan, reach a sort of zen-
the franchise is in somewhat backyard” to play with your like state with the film. It also
uncharted territory. The spaceship toys — even doesn’t hurt that Lucasfilm
prequels did their own without the curmudgeonly president Kathleen
damage, but at least no wit of Harrison Ford’s Han Kennedy, who has not
one had to say goodbye Solo. been afraid to make tough
to their original heroes. “That’s what everyone was decisions and fire or bench
And then there’s the concerned about going in: directors if something isn’t
seemingly impossible How do you do it without working, was so pleased
standard set by that other him?” Johnson, 43, says. “I with their collaboration
Star Wars sequel, “The saw so much potential for and the resulting film that
Empire Strikes Back.” humor in it. I was looking at she has already enlisted
Besides the main cast, every single character and Johnson to develop a new
filmmakers and some trying to find opportunities Star Wars trilogy separate
Lucasfilm and Walt Disney to break the tension. I think from the Skywalker saga
Co. brass, no one will see people are going to be (he’ll write and direct the
“The Last Jedi” until the Los surprised by how fun and first).
Angeles premiere on Dec. light on its feet it is.” Now it’s just a matter of
9. And determining what In addition to Luke and Rey, putting “The Last Jedi” out
exactly audiences should the film brings back Carrie in the world. Financially,
expect is a bit like trying Fisher as Leia in her last film there’s not much to worry
to assemble a puzzle with role (Fisher died after filming about — it’s tracking to
no picture and most of the had wrapped), Adam open somewhere in the
pieces missing. The cast Driver’s Kylo Ren, fresh $200 million range (far below
has left some adjective off murdering his father “The Force Awakens’”
breadcrumbs (“intense,” Han Solo, the mysterious $248 million debut, but
‘’emotional,” ‘’intimate,” Supreme Leader Snoke stunning nonetheless).
‘’cinematic”) but for the (Andy Serkis), Domnhall Also box office and the
most part, it’s a mystery. Gleeson’s General Hux, expectations and hopes of
“For me, ‘The Last Jedi’ is not the ace pilot Poe (Oscar a loyal fanbase, who have
a particularly happy story Isaac), the ex-Stormtrooper been burned before, are
to tell, but it’s just my part,” Finn (John Boyega) and his two very different things.
Mark Hamill says cryptically. old boss Captain Phasma “Having been a Star Wars
Hamill, 66, returns to play (Gwendoline Christie), fan myself for the past 40
Luke Skywalker after being Chewbacca, the droids years, I know intimately
seen in only a few frames and a host of newcomers, how passionate they are
of “The Force Awakens,” like Laura Dern’s purple- about it and how everyone
which ends on a wind- haired Vice Admiral Holdo, has stuff they love and hate
swept cliff as the young a maintenance tech, Rose in every single movie. That
protege Rey (Daisy Ridley) (Kelly Marie Tran), a hacker takes the pressure off a little
approaches him looking (Benicio Del Toro) and bit just thinking, .q