abrams and kasdan : will they continue to write for episode 8 and 9 ?

I'd say Body Heat and The Big Chill also did quite a bit to establish his reputation. Silverado is an immensely fun flick, and Mumford is a pretty great little movie. He's also written a couple excellent work-for-hire scripts that ended up not being made (his epic, pantheistic take on Clash of the Titans being a good example).

 

I think your point about Kasdan working well with Ford and Kennedy speaks to what made the OT so good: it was a COLLABORATIVE effort.

If you read Rinzler's Making Of books this is the key insight: Lucas did a great job curating talent, and providing an atmosphere for that talent to flourish. The individual creativity of everyone from the art directors to production designers etc is on display, blending synergistically into a cohesive whole. Kasdan is a big part of what made ESB great, but so is Kershner (wrangling nuance out of the script) Joe Johnson (Boba Fett etc design), Frank Oz (Yoda characterization), and many others. I haven't read the Making Of for the PT, but I did read a great article about the end of LucasArts, and how Lucas was less a facilitator of collaborative design and had more of a confused dictatorial style (not giving input for months, then swooping in to arbitrarily change things, often for the worse and with no explanation).

Anyway to this point, Kathleen Kennedy is the single biggest reason to be optimistic about SW moving forward. She gets it. It was her idea to build out the story group, to establish a cohesive, collaborative approach to world-building, and to seek out the right talent (chasing JJ to direct TFA because it's a set-up film for a whole new ensemble, and that's precisely his strength as a director, harnessing that group dynamic).

Based on reports about how the script-writing process has gone so far (there was a story at some point about the major players -- JJ, Rian Johnson, et al -- gathering together earlier this year to discuss the creative direction of the ST) I suspect both Kasdan and JJ will be involved in a consulting capacity for the remainder of the ST (likely as an associate producer type role).

 

I think he'll be a producer on the next two films. Any decisions including story will probably go through JJ and KK. It'll be great knowing how collaborative JJ and KK are. Lucasfilm hired two competent guys to Direct the next two films but I think that's what they want; guys that can do a job well and not try and force "their vision" and reek havoc on production.

 

I trust JJ and Kasdan.Not sure if i trust Trevorrow.

 

Interesting that Michael Arndt got a co-writing credit!

 

I believe Michael Ardnt has written the overarching story for the trilogy, but might have a clause where he can discredit and distance himself from things if he wants. He is known to use pseudonyms for movies (e.g. Oblivion and others)

My theory is he wasn't done with the episode 7 script or screenplay, but he didn't have enough time to finish it due to episode 8 needing help. He left it to J.J. and Kasdan to finish off. Technically they would also have to take the credit if they changed a lot..

Lucasfilm's creative brain trust includes Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Kinberg and I believe Michael Ardnt is their George Lucas. I believe they come up with the main story, and writer-directors like Rian or J.J. simply take the reigns to make it fit into their film-making styles.. perhaps its also part of the job to take main writing credits. That is why J.J. hesitated so much.

Just a theory.

 

The entire trilogy has been mapped out in terms of major beats. Episode 8 likely had its beginning middle and end set in a stone-like substance, and Rian Johnson (and later Colin Trevorrow) will be able to flesh out the details in their own fashion. Much can be said about Kasdan's output in the last 25 years or so, but the fact remains that he totally clicked with the Star Wars universe (and the Indiana Jones universe), and excels at stories with big, broad arcs. JJ Abrams has also shown a fantastic ability to make huge stories resonate on a personal level, in spite of some big missteps in those films (I'm looking at YOU, Khan). But the two of them together? I have complete confidence that they will balance out each others negatives. The trailer only confirms that much like the original trilogy, this trilogy is on the right path towards big, grand (and occasionally silly) space opera with characters that we really care about.

The "And" part of the "And Michael Arndt" specifically indicates that he worked on the screenplay, but that others came after him and rewrote parts (or all) of it without his cooperation. When you see an ampersand ("Lawrence Kasdan & JJ Abrams") that indicates that those two writers worked together on the script. So what this likely means is that Arndt did his draft which was ultimately abandoned and re-written from scratch by Abrams & Kasdan, but that there are probably some big ideas or overall set pieces that remain from his draft that were incorporated into the new script. I find it more interesting that George Lucas wasn't given a "story by" credit of some kind. Arndt's version was rumored to be MUCH more based on Lucas' ideas for a new trilogy, so the fact that Lucas doesn't get any sort of story credit means (to me) that any and all Lucas influence was ultimately jettisoned (thank goodness!!!)

 

Which means JJ and Kasdan used at least one 3rd of Ardnt's draft \m/
And if Arndt's draft was based on George Lucas's original story treatments purchased by Disney, then some of GL's idea's for episode 7 were used .
\m/ \m/

 

Interesting WM. Is that just dividing it up into thirds or is there a legal/copywriting rule/law that suggests you need to contribute X amount (33%) to be credited?

Also I believe they scrapped Lucas's ideas along time ago.

 

@WookieeMonster

Sounds fascinating. Yes, I would be surprised if they used nothing at all as I recall there was a brain storming session with Abrams, Kasdan, Arndt and another 4th writer (who happened to be a friend of all theirs and he was the one that revealed this in an interview). I am sure that Kasdans/Abrams idea generation sessions were influenced to some degree by the work of Arndt. However I do know that JJ said at the end of the day when they kicked Arndt off the project they said something like 'Day 1, blank page, what do we desperately want to see?' so I can only imagine. Given the timing however I doubt that they had nothing to work at all though at this point with production already under way.

 

The Screen Writers Guild of America, last I knew a writer was to be given credit only if a third of their script/draft is used. Since I don't see Disney or Lucasfilm giving credit on a film like Star Wars to someone who's draft they totally threw out. I assume they did keep a third of his draft of Episode 7. I could be wrong but last I knew that was the rule for giving credit to a screen writer.
\m/ \m/

--- Double Post Merged, Oct 27, 2015, Original Post Date: Oct 27, 2015 ---

I re wrote the post and left my friend out of it lol..... If you look it up the WGA has the rules written I believe on their site \m/

 

Last I read was that the director of Ep. 8 was writing the screenplay for Ep. 8 and possibly Ep. 9. I think Kasdan and his son will be penning the Han Solo spin-off film. As far as I know, the only involvement Abrams will have with any future Star Wars movies will be as a producer. Incidentally, I find it interesting that Kasdan turned down offers to write 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' and 'The Phantom Menace'. The latter certainly could've benefited from Kasdan writing it.

 

That's what I've heard to.
\m/ \m/

 

I don't think Kasdan is finished after 'The Force Awakens', I think there are arcs he is establishing where his input is needed to finish them. From what I understand J.J is serving as producer on Episodes VIII and IX.

 

Also Rian Johnson

--- Double Post Merged, Oct 31, 2015, Original Post Date: Oct 31, 2015 ---

Abrams in not producer of VIII and IX.

Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman are only producers for VIII and IX.

 

I think he might be used as an advisor at times but nothing more

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 1, 2015, Original Post Date: Nov 1, 2015 ---

Couldn't agree more with you I felt exactly the same way. I really don't know what they were thinking? I hope they have more insight than us and had good reasons for their decision but it seems unlikely. I can think of so many other directors that have made lots of film that have all had high ratings on rotten tomatoes. Colin Trevorrow has had one in "safety not guaranteed". Does that really make him qualified to make a star wars movie? In fact the other two aren't as qualified as other directors out there but JJ seems to make inspired decisions and has an understanding of the franchise. Rian Johnson is an interesting choice and seems intelligent enough to bring something unique to the franchise. Colin....I just don't get it?

 

The Accidental Tourist, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Big Chill, and Body Heat are GREAT movies, IMO. I thought Wyatt Earp was very good, too. I'm not a fan of the genre, but people loved The Bodyguard.

I wouldn't be ashamed to have his track record at all.

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 2, 2015, Original Post Date: Nov 2, 2015 ---

Credit for writers is very strictly monitored by the WGA. If he got a credit it's because at least 33% of the final script was determined to originate with him. As far as using pseudonyms, that has to be determined in advance and is vetted by the WGA. Honestly, writers have little say in whether they receive credit or not unless they insist they want to be removed completely.

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 2, 2015 ---

If the draft were rewritten from scratch he wouldn't get credit at all. The "and" just determines who worked as a team and who did not.