Home Entertainment Finally! Official STAR WARS: EPISODE VII plot details and timeline revealed!

Finally! Official STAR WARS: EPISODE VII plot details and timeline revealed!

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Ladies, gentlemen and Darryn, it’s finally happened! After nearly a year of nothing but wild conjecture, backroom gossip and just plain bovine manure, we finally have something concrete to report about Star Wars: Episode VII. Phew. I was starting to think this movie doesn’t actually exist. But not only does it indeed exist, but it we now even know when it exists!

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Disney CEO Bob Iger held a conference call with investors yesterday to provide them an update on how the House of Mouse is doing. This includes Lucasfilm – which investors are obviously interested in – and their current biggest project, the heavily anticipated Episode VII, which thus far has been very close to vaporware. But according to Iger, not only is development on the first installment of the new trilogy proceeding well, but Lucasfilm actually plan to start shooting in May.

Iger also spilled on the film’s story, revealing that Episode VII will take place 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi and will see “a trio of new young leads alongside some very familiar faces”. We know that the “familiar faces” are probably Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo respectively. The “trio of new young leads” is one more than most people expected, as the last few rumours had it pegged for just two leads. As for who those leads are? Well, they could be just about anybody, as director JJ Abrams has seemingly met with everybody who fits these two categories: is alive, is an actor/actress.

The most interesting aspect is the “30 years later” angle. In the Expanded Universe, this is right at the tail end of the New Jedi Order era and the beginning of the Legacy era, during which the Skywalker and Solo offspring took the centre stage in all the action. This unfortunately all but confirms the hints and rumours that Lucasfilm will indeed be tossing out the Expanded Universe as canon, as that era has just been too thoroughly mined by other books already to allow the movies enough wiggle room to tell their own stories, while still not contradicting any other existing tales. Like I said before, chopping the EU makes the most logical sense, as it allows the new movies to truly surprise audiences, but there are so many amazing tales in the EU whose impact may be lessened now that they are nothing more than glorified fan fiction.

As disheartening as that may be to an EU fan such as myself, I’m just bloody happy that I finally don’t have to type the words “Star Wars” and “rumour” next to each other again.

Last Updated: March 19, 2014

12 Comments

  1. Man – I do hope they keep some of the Expanded Universe – otherwise my book collection is going to come to nought…and also there are really some amazing stories that have been told and are yet to be told in the EU!

    Reply

    • Kervyn Cloete

      March 19, 2014 at 10:41

      You and me both. This actually reminded me that I never finished the New Jedi Order books, so I’m starting with them again. Which just makes me sad as I realize we won’t see those stories adapted.

      Reply

      • WhiteRock

        March 20, 2014 at 07:49

        The New Jedi Order is what got me hooked on the books in the first place – started collecting from there. I wonder what they might do with things like the Thrawn Trilogy and so on – also very good stories!

        Reply

  2. SheHulkNigri

    March 19, 2014 at 10:01

    *SPOILER ALERT* After seeing Mark Hamill’s creepy/evil turn in Criminal Minds, I won’t be surprised if Luke Skywalker goes all Darkside on us…

    Reply

    • RinceIsIngwer

      March 19, 2014 at 10:31

      Oh, which ep of Criminal minds?

      Reply

      • SheHulkNigri

        March 19, 2014 at 10:41

        Season 8 is all I’m going to say…

        Reply

        • RinceIsIngwer

          March 19, 2014 at 10:42

          We’re on season 9 now right? Maybe I did see it and just forgot as I think I’ve seen them all literally).

          Reply

  3. Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

    March 19, 2014 at 18:22

    *sqweeeeeeeeee* much excite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I hope some EU comes in to play here

    Reply

  4. Gareth L (That Guy)

    March 19, 2014 at 20:50

    If the plot details and timeline reveal is “Episode VII will take place 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi and will see “a trio of new young leads alongside some very familiar faces”” then I’m confused.

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is – and has been – known for quite some time now. Am I missing something in this article, bud?

    Reply

    • Kervyn Cloete

      March 19, 2014 at 22:08

      Latino Review had a completely unsubstantiated rumour last year that it would be taking place 30 – 40 years after ROTJ. Other than that, we had zero official idea of the timeline. And up until now, the rumours/hints has always been that we would be focusing on the two Solo twins, a boy and a girl. There’s never previously been said that it would be 3 young leads.

      Also, even that talk about the young leads was ALL just rumour. This is the very first time anybody actually involved in the production has actually said anything officially. In fact, before this, the ONLY – and I mean this literally – thing we officially knew about the movie, was that JJ Abrams was directing and that he and Lawrence Kasdan had rewritten Michael Arndt’s script. Even the reasons for the rewrite, or the original trio’s involvement, was all just unconfirmed speculation.

      Reply

      • Gareth L (That Guy)

        March 19, 2014 at 22:43

        I see your point. Yeah, the stories and reports have really just been based on leaks and speculation, and, although somewhat accurate, weren’t actually official reports.

        Cool, thanks man. I wasn’t trolling, even though it may come off that way when I reread my original post.

        Reply

        • Kervyn Cloete

          March 20, 2014 at 07:07

          You? Troll? Never! 😀

          Reply

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