Arndt also conceived of the world as the site of a major battle, and had the Rey character living in the wreckage of an AT-AT walker.Īrndt’s Episode VII would have also featured very different locations for planets like Takadona, and did not feature a Starkiller Base. Arndt’s Jakku would have featured bubbling lakes and fountains of molten lava alongside glacers and snow. One of his more arresting concepts envisioned Jakku as a volcanic ice world, similar to a real world location like Iceland or parts of Norway. Arndt became fascinated by the idea of a fire vs. Because the planet Jakku would play such a pivotal role in the film’s first act, his ideas for the world underwent some crazy iterations. Micahel Arndt experimented with a number of different plot points and environments during his work on the film. Vaughn also insisted on casting Chloe Grace Moritz in the lead role, while Kennedy preferred a wider talent search. Vaughn wanted a darker, more violent film than Kennedy did, which made her uncomfortable with hiring him. Negotiations fell apart, according to reports, over two issues: casting and violence. Vaughn had several meetings with Kennedy and even dropped out of directing X-Men: Days of Future Past to helm The Force Awakens. Matthew Vaughn did come very close to signing on as director, however.

With a busy schedule, high asking price and a difficult reputation, Fincher’s negotiations never got beyond the initial meeting.

Fincher said that he always regarded Star Wars as a story about how slaves observe the folly of their masters. Kennedy met with David Fincher regarding the project.

Kennedy has not disclosed all the names that crossed her desk, but at least two have come to light. It should come as little surprise that Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy met with just about every director under the sun in the six or so months between the Disney purchase and the announcement of a director. Besides wondering what story the new movies would follow, and if the original cast would return, all speculation hinged on one question: who would direct the new movies? The announcement that a full trilogy of new Star Wars films would hit theatres in 2015 sent Hollywood and the internet into a frenzy.

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