Star Wars: The Marketing Awakens
Monday, May 4, 2015 at 4:00PM Manuel (and Yoda!) here to talk more Star Wars!
I have been an avid Star Wars fan since as far back as I can remember (blame my mom who was obsessed with Harrison Ford!) and so I couldn't let this celebration go by without throwing my two cents.
Nathaniel already wished you all a Happy May the Fourth, but as if intent on making sure the franchise isn't resting on nostalgia, Vanity Fair has just released a number of beautiful portraits of the new recruits of The Force Awakens and I couldn't not share three of them with you:
Oscar Isaac: woofworthy since 2011 (and probably even before but I do love him in Drive)
The helmet is off and we get a first glimpse at bad guy Kylo Ren (Adam Driver)
And I saved the best for last:
Lupita: luminous even when doing motion capture (her character is apparently a pirate named Maz Kanata)
Which of these pics will you be framing and swooning over until December when the film opens? Do these portraits give you hope, or do they just give you flashbacks to the equally glossy and gawk-worthy ones that greeted Episode One?
Reader Comments (12)
Lupita is all CGI? Ehh...
BD - that was my reaction too. (sigh)
Manuel -- i couldn't love this photo of you and Yoda more :)
I want to put on my best Meryl voice and shout "Lupita Nyong'O my GOD somebody give her a movie!!"
Hollywood...you've got an Oscar-winning, Yale School of Drama graduate on your hands. Get to it and do right by her.
Americanah isn't on her IMDB, which makes me nervous.
I also don't think her Star Wars part is very big at all.
Hollywood...you've got an Oscar-winning, Yale School of Drama graduate on your hands.
She does not fit their agenda.
I'm not surprised Lupita is all CGI for... reasons. However, I'm somewhere in the middle of people's reaction to it. I definitely understand the disappointment - how could you not? - but I also just want the role she's playing/her talent to the serve the film in whatever way it needs to. Also, and this is blind optimism I'm sure, who's to say she can't also play a Live-Action character in Episode 8 and/or 9? Anyway, I like the pictures; particularly the one of Captain Phasma (that's one of the pictures that couldn't be shown, I'm assuming).
At least she has her own castle, if the Variety report is right, the pic of all the aliens.
"Galactic travelers, smugglers, and other assorted riffraff fill the main hall of pirate Maz Kanata’s castle."
So, probably not a HUGE role, but someone of importance. Personally, Im still digging the idea of the new heroes being lead by a woman this time around, with a black guy and Cuban American in tow. And they aren't just some PC choices meant to make happy us ranty liberals, I mean John Boyega and Oscar Issac are fuckin' awesome choices. Everything else, like Adam Driver and Gwendoline as those badass Empire folks is just gravy to me.
It kind of seems to mirror the original in a lot of ways doesn't it? Oscar Isaac is Han (giving me those 70s Harrison Ford swoons), John Boyega/new girl are Luke/Leia, Adam Driver is Darth Vader, Gwendolyn Christie is Boba Fett, Lupita N'yongo is Jabba.
Not that I mind in the least bit. What a cast!
I was sad to hear she's CGI. I had heard she might be a villain and I was super excited to see it, but now it seems like a much smaller, not as important role. And we can't even see her amazing face. *cries*
I'm not following the hype on SW. I like all the pics, but the one of Driver is telling me more.
Excuse me, but it must be said: Manuel, you're gorgeous!
Paul: Haha, why thank you! You'd be surprised what good lighting and various Instagram filters can do! ;)