J.J. Abrams production company Bad Robot posted this tweet of an IMAX camera on the ‘Tatooine’ set in Abu Dhabi. The photo confirms that at least part of the sci-fi/adventure/fantasy film will have the vaulted IMAX format.
Bad RobotVerified account@bad_robot
#bestformatever pic.twitter.com/fs6JcTALmZ
Abrams is quite familiar with the use of this technology. He filmed approximately 30 minutes of Paramount’s 2013 “Star Trek Into Darkness” in IMAX. So, shooting the highly anticipated Star Wars sequel in IMAX (a first for the franchise) should be of no surprise. The key issue is: How much of the movie will be filmed in IMAX? It appears the desert scenes will be covered, but how about the scenes shot on the sound stages in England?
In a related piece of news, Nuke the Fridge has learned that Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly the Mann’s Chinese Theatre) will hold the screenings for “Star Wars: Episode VII” when it hits theaters in December of 2015. This will trumpet the return of the Star Wars franchise back to this particular location. The last time this occurred was when “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” opened in May of 2002. In 2005, the producers of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” abandoned the Mann’s Chinese theater in favor of the inferior Arclight on Sunset Boulevard. Fans at the time were not happy, because pop culture tradition dictated that fans would line up in front of the Chinese theater four to six weeks before any Star Wars film opening.
Finally, as an aside, with the tight shooting schedule for the film and Harrison Ford’s leg injury, “Star Wars: Episode VII” will have no representation at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.
Stay tuned to Nuke the Fridge for more Star Wars news.
“Star Wars: Episode VII” will open in theaters on December 18, 2015. The film will star Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Billie Lourd, Harrison Ford, Gwendoline Christie, Domhnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, Peter Mayhew, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Adam Driver, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, Max von Sydow, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Sayed Kassem, Neil Bishop, Billy James Machin and Carlos Pires. Lawrence Kasdan and J.J. Abrams wrote the screenplay based on characters created by George Lucas. John Williams will return to compose the film’s score. J.J. Abrams directs.
Sources: Bad Robot, nukethefridge.com, comicbookmovie.com