Speculation can finally come to an end regarding what Expanded Universe elements will be making their way into J.J. Abrams‘ STAR WARS: EPISODE VII. The answer is: none.
At WonderCon this weekend, screenwriter Simon Kinberg was asked by IGN for some new information related to STAR WARS: EPISODE VII and the planned solo films for characters such as Han Solo, Boba Fett, Obi-wan Kenobi, and Yoda. Kinberg, who is working on one of the standalone films and not the J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan sequel, said the following.
“I’m definitely not allowed to talk about the content of the Star Wars stuff,” Kinberg said. “I can say that I’m a ridiculously huge fan, I love Boba Fett and I love, obviously, all of the characters in that world. For me — and I know it was true for J.J [Abrams], and Larry Kasdan and Kathy Kennedy and Michael Arndt — it was all about honoring the original movies, and yet wanting to take a step forward, too, and tell a new story.”
But that new story could include characters from the Expanded Universe such as Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Solo and Skywalker children, and more, right?
You know, it’s not off-limits, and it’s certainly inspiring — I’m working on an animated show for [Lucasfilm] as well, Star Wars: Rebels, that will take inspiration from everywhere, but — I know for the movies, the canon is the canon, and the canon is the six films that exist.”
Rumors have the children of Han Solo and Princess Leia as main characters in the new film along with the supposed daughter of Obi-wan Kenobi, but they may be original creators from Kasdan and Abrams instead of what we have seen in the comics and novels officially authorized by Lucasfilm. It seems a little odd to fore go all of the hard work to build those characters for fans to just ignore them and create something new, so Kinberg could just be playing dumb regarding the question.
If the Disney film will be ignoring all of the EU plotlines, we truly have no idea where STAR WARS: EPISODE VII may be headed and will have to wait until December 18, 2015 to find out.