SPECULATION How big a role will R2-D2/C-3PO play?

Yes they are the soul of Star Wars IMO. I think I remeber a statement of George Lucas himself explaining that the doids would have crossed all the trilogies creating continuity.
R2D2 is very important because, apparently, unlike c3p0 his memory was never erased... so he knows! R2D2 has lived many adventures with Anakin (during the clone wars) and witnessed key scenes of his path to the dark side ... he has never revealed his knowings, which for me is still a bit strange but R2D2 showed in more than one occasion a sort of self-determination that exceeds that of an ordinary droid ...
For all these reasons, I expect that he is still next to Luke ... maybe we could even attend a flashback through its projector ... he knows so much of Lukes past!!!

C3pO will obviously stay with Leia. Maybe they meet after years like Luke and Leia do ( as rumors suggests) ....
C3P0: "R2D2... how good is it to see you again!"

 

I assume BB-8 is the 'new' R2D2 and that it will perform the same dramatic function. R2 and 3PO may be peripheral, in the possession of Leia and not any more involved in the film than she is. Possibly no next generation analogue for 3PO, but he was never an action-orientated character so there's no real motivation to replace him.

 

I'm mixed as to how they will be used. Mind you, I could see R2-D2 being used often and sensibly, but bringing up SWToyscapes' point, they do have the "new" R2-D2 so perhaps he might be used less than I believe.

As for C-3PO... well, I'm hoping where they use him, it makes sense. Hopefully no "action" scenes as we saw in the PT, which worked for R2 but were just forced with 3PO.

 

At the very least, R2-D2 needs to be present throughout the main Star Wars story "arc" (that word is so overused on this internet site) so that "The Journal Of The Whills" can be written. And of course, what's R2-D2 (Costello) without his C-3PO (Abbott)?

 

This big

 

I agree about the dramatic function of R2 now performed by BB-8. But I still think the two droids will have a lot of space. IMO R2 will have a different rule this time... as I said, he knows so much about Anakin and Luke... he is like an old friend. I think that idea will show up in the movie.

 

Dunno that I would qualify the pair as the 'soul' of the Star Wars films. They're more like unintentional heros/narrators... whose misadventures seem to always center around the most important events in the galaxy. For me the 'soul' of Star Wars is something beyond droid or Skywalker... It's the Force itself.

 

R2-D2 is Whils his memory is the journal of Whils

 

As always they will be ancillary observers to the main storyline.

 

Deactivate them and store them for future cameos. It would be really really sad to see them both get killed. :-(
All tho I hope that they will only have a little cameo - I mean Anthony was done filming so early that this would make sense.

 

For the totally anal among you, here is how long it takes the droids to appear onscreen in the respective films:

TPM
Artoo - 24m20s
Threepio - 37m05s

AOTC
Artoo - 2m55s
Threepio - 1h08m32s

ROTS
Artoo - 2m53s (well, a bit earlier as a couple of pixels on Anakin ship)
Threepio - 23m

ANH
Both - 2m27s

TESB
Both - 6m32s

ROTJ
Both - 4m45s

It's kind of easy to forget how integral they were to the OT - I mean, as well as having the burden of easing the audience into ANH before any human characters had been established, they were also our introduction to Jabba's Palace and the first act of ROTJ... not just as bystanders but as a bona fide part of the mission to rescue Han. And even TESB is careful to introduce them early on, with their own brief scene between each other.
If the rumours about TFA are true, then it looks like they may well have to wait until after the first act to appear onscreen - what role they play after that is hard to say.
I'd like to think they will be used as characters with a role to play - however small - rather than just being bystanders tagging along for no reason...
(EDIT: Just so long as they aren't involved in any Geonosis droid factory style shenanigans again - good grief...)

 

Judging by the teaser I don't see the R2 type droids in the X-wings anymore. That could cut down some screen time.

 

They are sort of the Forrest Gump of the series...always being where the action is. My hope is that BB-8 is the 'new' R2 for the film. but that the heroic 'thing' at the end is resolved by R2.

Sort of a 'take THAT b1tches! You know what's up!'

DBH

 

Heh. Funny you should mention FG... I was about to post a status claiming Forrest Gump is a name George Lucas would have thought perfect for Star Wars. Lolz

 

Yeah I wasn't sure whether or not the new X-wings had droids either. I had a look at a few set pics of Greeham Common and it looks like one or two of them do.

 

Lucas always said that he intended the audience to see the films through the eyes of the droids. The only film that doesn't do this is The Phantom Menace as we're introduced to Artoo. The others, one of them, usually Artoo, arrive pretty quickly. If Lucas was at the helm, I'd have no doubt the droids would have a large part in this, though perhaps they also will be passing the torch in some form? Personally, I'm happy as long as Artoo is around. He's always been in the loop from day one.

 

Couldn't see any in the trailer but you are right about the set photos. There seems to be serversl similar but different x-wings now. Having droids in them is always a big part of the fighter scenes so I'm not surprised

 

I'd say they will be back to as signicant as they were in the OT just maybe not quite as much screentime.

Would be nice to see 3PO annoying Han again. And R2 being his helpful self and causing trouble.