New Photos: Vanity Fair Covers Star Wars: The Force Awakens

In some parts of the world it is still May the Fourth and with a new Star Wars film landing in theaters this Christmas, Vanity Fair displayed the first look of several new characters in the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Photographed by the legendary Annie Leibovitz, Star Wars next-gen features Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong'o in their upcoming June issue.

 Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) leads snowtroopers to their secret base. (Photo: Annie Leibovitz/Vanity Fair)

Lupita Ngong'o plays a CGI character, pirate Maz Katana. (Photo: Annie Leibovitz/Vanity Fair)

 Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and his X-wing fighter. (Photo: Annie Leibovitz/Vanity Fair)

Director JJ Abrams with Rey (Daisy Ridley) on the desert planet Jakku.

Also featured on the cover along with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega are old friends Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew).

Head on over to Vanity Fair to find out more production details and behind the scenes photos from the set of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Happy Star Wars Day!

New Trailer: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

This Christmas... just seeing those words onscreen made it actually real that by the end of this year, we'll have a brand new Star Wars film featuring some beloved characters and some which we have privately and publicly speculated quite a bit.

The newest trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released with much fanfare. The event was hyped online at the Star Wars Celebration panel where producer Kathleen Kennedy, director JJ Abrams and most of the cast (Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels and minus ailing cast member Harrison Ford) assembled to introduce to the world, the next chapter in the Star Wars saga.

The new trailer really feels like the next generation is taking over and as Abrams himself clarified at the trailer launch, this latest film will be the story of the three leads, Poe Dameron, Rey and Finn having new adventures.  Then Luke Skywalker himself talks about the Force being strong in his family and possibly referring to his offspring having it too! And the last shot where old buds Chewbacca and Han Solo make an appearance, declaring that 'they're home'. I think I would have pretty much lost it if I had been at that panel. Talk about having all the feels! The countdown to Christmas starts now. May the Force be with you!

Movie Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

Every film in a franchise comes with big expectations and Star Trek Into Darkness is no exception.  However this time, the weight of those mighty expectations rest more onto director J.J. Abrams who has recently been named director of the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII as well.  As we have yet to see how Abrams will handle the Star Wars universe, let’s take a look at his second outing in the Star Trek universe.

Star Trek Into Darkness opens with a wonderful sequence on a primitive planet that shows us the differing approaches between Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto) of the Starship Enterprise.  Of course, the crew of the Enterprise hangs just over the edge until it gets that boost and rights itself back on the correct path.  That's the fun of space adventure according to Captain Kirk.

But Spock's Vulcan instincts ground the crew until two horrific terrorist attack on Starfleet put Kirk and his crew right back in the middle of action pursuing a crazed maniac, John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) in the worst kept secret of the film.  Yes, he is exactly who you suspected him of being.  Yet Cumberbatch fits those sinister boots well, all pale and deeply intense with his voice.  

The crew, of course, are all back from the first film. Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Chekov (Anton Yelchin), Dr. Bones (Karl Urban), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Sulu (John Cho) are the dependable glue on which the ship stands.  Speaking of the Enterprise, the ship also gets some great footage in 3D as it hurtles through space at warp speed. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of some character development of the Enterprise crew and the core trio of Kirk, Spock and Uhura. I had hoped for a larger role in the film for Saldana than that of constant worrying girlfriend.

There are some great interactions early on between Kirk and Spock and again of the two with Uhura which had me chuckling with affection but then the film got intense, fast.  The action sequences were surprisingly good for post-conversion and had me jumping in my seat at times.  Overall, the film is enjoyable trip to the cinema for Trekkies and Abrams most likely last directorial venture in this film universe (I hope not!) will leaves us wanting more at the end of the film. 

Directed by J.J. Abrams; Screenplay by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof; Based on 'Star Trek' created by Gene Roddenberry; Cinematography by Daniel Mindel; Editing by Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey; Music by Michael Giacchino

Additional cast: Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller, Alice Eve, Noel Clarke

Rating:

News Update: Cinderella, Elizabeth Bennett fights Zombies and JJ Abrams visits Downton Abbey!

Meet the new Cinderella!  Walt Disney Pictures' new live action film on Cinderella cast its lead actress in Lily James (Downton Abbey) after their first choice Emma Watson passed on it.  The film has 2014 release and features Cate Blanchett as James' evil stepmother and will be directed by Kenneth Branagh.  Although my personal favorite Cinderella film still remains 1998's Ever After: A Cinderella Story featuring a kickass Drew Barrymore (bad English accent notwithstanding) in the Cinderella role and Angelica Huston as her stepmother.

The zombies live to see another day!  The Universe does want to see Elizabeth Bennett and her beloved Darcy become zombie hunters. And I will get to see a Regency zombie apocalypse.  Huzzah! Lily Collins (formerly Snow White in Disney's Mirror Mirror) will star and director Burr Steers (17 Again, Charlie St. Cloud) will helm Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, based on Seth Grahame-Smith's best-selling novel. 

He reinvented Star Trek and he's on his way to do the same to Star Wars, so what's filmmaker extraordinaire J.J. Abrams doing in the Downton Abbey kitchen? Can he introduce time travel into the show and bring back Matthew Crawley? Pretty please!!!

Summer's Hottest Trailers: Man of Steel and Star Trek Into Darkness

Are we sure Man of Steel is not really directed by Christopher Nolan and not just produced by him? Because this trailer bears all his marks. This origin story of Superman looks incredibly promising with first looks of  Krypton, his father Jor-El (Russell Crowe), his adoptive father on Earth (Kevin Costner), Zod (Michael Shannon) and Lois Lane (Amy Adams).  Could this Superman film do what Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy did for the Batman brand? And what does the 'S' stand for? We’ll find out June 14, 2013.

 

The final trailer for this summer's most anticipated sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness, shows Benedict Cumberbatch's John Harrison luring the impulsive Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and the Enterprise crew into a trap.  Will they survive?  I'd put some pretty good odds on it. Star Trek Into Darkness hit theaters May 17th 2013