There is going to be a lot of practical effects in JJ Abrams’ STAR WARS: EPISODE VII; a return to old with set pieces, puppets, and models. Like many of you, I was also wondering how some of our favorite STAR WARS characters would be brought to life in the upcoming series. Sure there will be performance capture via Andy Serkis‘studio The Imaginarium, but are we getting more heavily animated characters like we did in the prequels? C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels comes to mind and he recently gave an answer as to whether or not he would be in a costume or a recording booth; the good news is that he will be in both!
JJ Abrams called C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels and asked him if he would like to voice the droid in the upcoming movie. Daniels voiced and played the part of C-3PO in the original movies but was drastically animated in the prequels; Entertainment Weekly interviewed Daniels and he revealed all we needed to know:
I will tell you that when [director] J.J. Abrams rang me to ask about filming Episode VII, one of the first things he said after he told me how wonderful I was — and that didn’t take long — but he then said, “Would you be interested in being in the film just doing the voice?” I said, “No,” and he said, “Right!” He knew I’d say that. There’s no way I would just do the voice. I also said that it can’t be the same suit. I will tell you that the team then got together and built a new suit. They made an entirely new look-a-like with changes that you will never notice [on screen] that made my life a lot easier. I can get it on and off very quickly. [During the prequels], the only time [Threepio has] been CG was when it was very dangerous [to act in the scene in a suit] — and it wasn’t very good. In fact, I’m going to say it was awful. One of the difficulties is with a character that you know and love so well is that, as a member of the audience, you go, “Oh no, that’s not right. No, he doesn’t move like that.” With me [in the suit], he’s always going to move the same way and have the same reactions, timing, and so on. With CG, you’re working with some brilliant person on the keyboard who is trying to pretend to be me. The only time that has worked without doubt is Disney’s Star Tours: The Adventures Continue [theme park ride]. There’s an element in the pre-show which is digital and I cannot tell it’s not me. It’s brilliantly done by Disney. In a cartoon series like Rebels, you accept it because it’s not trying to pretend to be reality. It’s an extension, it’s an exaggeration. On that basis, it’s utterly acceptable — providing the characterization is correct.
Daniels being a suit is going to be set off goose bumps and applause in theaters around the world, I can’t even wait! In addition to spilling beans about his role this time around, the one-hour Star Wars Rebels television movie was brought up when EW writer James Hibberd said it has “that sort of early Star Wars feel to it, which is elusive to capture”, Daniels added some more about Episode VII:
It’s very elusive and I’ll tell you: It’s where we’re going now with Episode VII. We’re all back. And it’s great, actually, that Rebels is set before Episode IV because that film is quintessential basic, “This is Star Wars.” And you know George always used to say every time I arrived on set, I would always arrive for the first time back on set in costume, and during the prequels George would say when I arrived on set that “Star Wars has arrived” — because I was the old fashioned link. Rebels is an old fashion link to the old fashion film, which we all loved. And you will love Episode VII — I have electrodes strapped to my head to zap me if I say anything more about it.
STAR WARS: EPISODE VII arrives on December 18, 2015; that's 458 days. Take away sleep, bathroom breaks, and meals, it's a few days really. Sigh, I'm reaching.