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Rumor: First 'Star Wars' Spin-Off to Focus on Death Star Plans Heist
by Ethan Anderton
November 24, 2014
Source: SlashFilm
Hot on the heels of news when the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer will arrive, a new rumor has popped up about the first spin-off that will come one year after Episode VII hits theaters. We already know the film will be directed by Godzilla helmer Gareth Edwards with a script from Book of Eli scribe Gary Whitta. Now SlashFilm has learned from a variety of sources that the first Star Wars spin-off will focus on one of the most important plot points in the saga's history. However. this is something that we've never seen played out or discussed in detail on the big screen: the heist to obtain the plans to the original Death Star.
This is just a rumor for now, so don't take this as fact, but the scoop says that the film will focus on a group of bounty hunters who are recruited to get the plans to the Death Star for the Rebel Alliance. Many have probably assumed that it was the rebels themselves to got the plans before handing them off to Princess Leia and R2-D2, but again, because we don't know the details of how the plans were obtained, anything can happen. So it sounds like we'll be getting Ocean's Eleven in the Star Wars universe, which sounds like a pretty promising concept, at least in theory.
This is certainly outside of the possible spin-offs we've heard about, which included movies focusing on younger Boba Fett, Han Solo, Yoda and even a squadron of rebel pilots, but at least one of those characters has the potential to pop up in this film. Boba Fett could even make for an interesting adversary for this ragtag team of new bounty hunters tasked with the very event that results in Luke Skywalker joining the fight against the rebellion. We're assuming they're not the same line-up of bounty hunters we saw in the original trilogy, because it wouldn't make sense for the Empire to hire the same bounty hunters to find our heroes in The Empire Strikes Back if there was a chance they also stole the Death Star plans. But of course, they're bounty hunters, so doing work for the highest bidder would make sense, no matter what side it was for. The source doesn't know if Boba Fett is involved, so this is all speculation, but there is one interesting detail they've heard.
Reportedly, the Millennium Falcon will be involved in the film somehow, but considering Han Solo wasn't working with the rebels before he encountered Luke (he was pretty adverse to the idea if you remember correctly), then that means someone else would have to be in command of the Falcon., because Han Solo is not a character in this movie. There's a chance that maybe in this time period the ship still belongs to Lando Calrissian, but considering that the plans would have to be stolen and then handed off to Princess Leia, that doesn't leave much of a time window for Han Solo to win the ship off Lando after this heist takes place. These foggy details are why this is just a big rumor.
In addition, another piece of information that seems incomplete is that of a new character from Episode VII who will be involved in this spin-off. That means it wouldn't be one of the iconic heroes, and it likely also leaves off the younger characters in Episode VII because it would be a little over 30 years before the events of The Force Awakens. SlashFilm theorizes that it could be Max Von Sydow's character who ends up being utilized in this prequel, but we don't know anything about his character to consider that a viable theory.
Anyway, this gives us some food for thought when it comes to what kind of stories we can expect from these Star Wars spin-offs. Personally, I'm glad that with this first one they're not just focusing on the origin of a single character, because we've seen how prequels can go awry an ruin the mystique of various franchises, even outside of Star Wars. This pivotal event in the Star Wars timeline is a great adventure story with the opportunity to introduce a new cast of characters and deliver some unique action in the form of a heist, something we really haven't seen in Star Wars before. Sound good?
21 Comments
1
I'm keeping fingers crossed that there is a bad-ass role for Boba Fett to be found in this movie. Also, I LOVE the idea of these kinds of stories being the focus of the spin-offs. I'd love for more spin-offs focusing on events 'between films' and 'around' the films, etc etc. Someone suggested a Boba Fett spin-off focusing on him getting frozen Han to Jabba...where other bounty hunters are in pursuit, trying to obtain Han and cash in with Jabba. So Boba is caught in all kinds of scenarios where he has to battle and out-run other Bounty Hunters while keeping his 'cargo' safe and secure
Chris Groves on Nov 24, 2014
2
There's no need for Boba Fett in a heist movie. There's 100% need for Boba Fett in a Boba Fett kicking ass movie.
TheOct8pus on Nov 24, 2014
3
Fuck that. Boba Fett only LOOKS cool... he's never NEVER done anything cool.
Kento on Nov 24, 2014
4
Boba is a character who really took off for no real reason when you look at it. He truly did nothing, but if he gets a spin-off they'll be sure to retcon that and make him a badass like everyone says he is. I'm personally hoping for spin-offs that expand the universe and not focus on existing characters :/
ColtNoir on Nov 24, 2014
5
All the more reason to have him come in and do something cool. Also, seeing through the trick the Falcon played in Empire was pretty cool.
Chris Groves on Nov 25, 2014
6
I disagree Mr. Groves. By doing the prequels and constantly going back to this stuff it takes away my imagination.
Angry Lester Jackson on Nov 25, 2014
7
Each to their own.
Chris Groves on Nov 25, 2014
8
I agree. The idea of 'between films' is really not too shabby i must say. Doing a heist movie for the plans would be awesome!
Sascha Dikiciyan on Nov 24, 2014
9
I think this sounds like a weak plot. Am I the only person who is sick of prequels? We know how the story ends, so we don't need to see the drama that happens before the ending....and speaking of prequels, why do the writers/filmmakers feel the need to artificially wedge in known characters that have no logical purpose in the film? For example, the Millennium Falcon has no business being in a film about the Death Star plans heist, yet some writer will think it'll connect better with the audience to have a well known character in there.... If you're going to do Star Wars spinoffs, why make them direct prequels to the "saga" films? Make them spinoffs that exist independently of the saga. It's much more cinematic and the story can be much more organic rather than shoehorned into some plot to appease some fanboys. As a fanboy myself, I don't want to see Lando Calrissian or the Millennium Falcon in a movie about rebels doing something that happened pre-A New Hope.
TheOct8pus on Nov 24, 2014
10
I agree and disagree. Usually I would feel bored of an idea like this, but I equate this to learning some new historical evidence of a world figure we never knew. Or, I'm just a fanboy like you dreaming of more Star Wars than I can handle.
Quanah on Nov 24, 2014
11
I agree without you writing a book about it. OLD REPUBLIC!!
Angry Lester Jackson on Nov 25, 2014
12
Will we finally know how many Bothans died?
HarryFiddleSticks on Nov 24, 2014
14
Guess we'll never know then
HarryFiddleSticks on Nov 24, 2014
15
haha!! good one!
Angry Lester Jackson on Nov 25, 2014
16
Kyle Katarn got the plans for the first Death Star in Operation Skyhook which had a large amount of diversionary battles to take the imperial forces off Katarn's back as he stole the plans. 1st level of Dark Forces... Oh but... now that doesn't matter.
Kento on Nov 24, 2014
17
You're right, it doesn't matter.
Angry Lester Jackson on Nov 25, 2014
18
Sweet. But we would go back in time? Maybe...or maybe they could focus on another one of the major weapons in the arsenal.
DAVIDPD on Nov 24, 2014
19
Eh, Whitta doesn't inspire much confidence. And Edward's is an incredibly boring director. Finding it hard to get excited over this one.
Trey Wilson on Nov 24, 2014
20
Why?? Enough with this era, let's get some Old Republic or something!!
Angry Lester Jackson on Nov 25, 2014
21
also "many Bothams died to bring us these plans"
Mark Stephen Baker on Nov 28, 2014
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