Much has been made of Mark Hamill’s Star Wars opinions lately, what with the fan unrest about Star Wars: The Last Jedi and his comments about his initial uneasiness with how Luke Skywalker had changed. But Hamill having strong opinions on his character isn’t new, and with all the meddling George Lucas has done in the original movies over the years, the actor naturally has some thoughts on what’s been done to his performance. But what do I mean by the worst change to those movies, out of all the questionable decisions, up to and including replacing old Anakin Skywalker’s Force ghost with Hayden Christensen? No, it’s not that (honestly, that’s one of the less obtrusive ones), and it’s one that was so poorly conceived that it was later reverted in a subsequent release. While changes with Han Solo and Greedo’s interaction in A New Hope may be more famous—and more awkwardly edited—Luke got his own … [Read more...] about Mark Hamill Is on the Right Side of History on the Worst Star Wars Special Edition Change
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Star Wars: 8 Performances That Ruined The Prequels (And 8 That Saved Them)
The Star Wars films will always have an important place in pop culture. Over forty years later, the franchise is alive and doing as well as it ever has, with Disney now releasing one new Star Wars film a year — both episodic films and stand-alones.It’s easy to see why so many people connect with these stories in a galaxy far, far away. These films are not just sci-fi epics; they are stories about hope and fear, life and death, friends and family. They depict conflcits that nearly everyone can relate to in one way or another. Yet, as beloved as this franchise is, there are a few films that some fans look at less fondly: the prequel trilogy. At the time, these films ushered in a new iteration of Star Wars to show what this world looked like before Luke Skywalker came around. Fans often criticize these films for their messy CGI, clunky dialogue, and overall bad performances. To be sure, there are plenty of awful … [Read more...] about Star Wars: 8 Performances That Ruined The Prequels (And 8 That Saved Them)
19 Stars Who Flopped After They Left Disney Properties
Disney has a habit of creating some of Hollywood’s biggest (and longest-lasting) stars. Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, and Selena Gomez– the list of superstars who began their careers as fresh-faced, mouse-eared child actors is seemingly endless.The studio has been responsible for everything from megastar actors to high-powered producers. However, not every Mouseketeer is guaranteed such a bright future. Some actors have a rough time finding quality work after their Disney Channel (or Marvel or Star Wars) franchises come to an end, either from being unfairly stereotyped or due to backlash aimed at Disney’s frequent over-saturation of their biggest stars. Others rebel against the House of Mouse’s squeaky-clean image and unbearable rules and end up quitting acting altogether. Sadly, at least a couple former Disney stars went on to suffer from seemingly endless personal issues. From Hayden Christenson’s faded career after the … [Read more...] about 19 Stars Who Flopped After They Left Disney Properties
Hayden Christensen to Star in Paramount’s ‘Marco Polo’ (Exclusive)
Hayden Christensen is making a return to the studio world. The actor, who famously portrayed Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels, will star in Marco Polo, the co-production between Paramount and China Film Group. Also involved are Chinese firms Yuehua Entertainment and Huahua Film & Media Culture, as well Phoenix Entertainment, who all are co-producing the project. Rob Cohen is directing the feature, which is being positioned as a fantasy-action movie. Polo was the Venetian merchant who embarked on a 24-year journey into China in the 13th century. His adventures later were chronicled in a book that is widely considered to be the introduction of Chinese culture to Europeans. Polo is one of history’s great figures who also has great currency in China. Polo’s early years in China currently are being dramatized on a Netflix series. The last time Christensen acted in a studio movie was with Screen Gems' 2010 crime-thriller Takers, which also starred Paul Walker and … [Read more...] about Hayden Christensen to Star in Paramount’s ‘Marco Polo’ (Exclusive)
Should Anakin Skywalker Return in ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’?
This will be a controversial opinion, but hear it out: Hayden Christensen should return as Anakin Skywalker for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. At least, that's the argument writer and critic Chris Hartwell lays out in a new video essay, which chronicles how the return could actually enhance the current trilogy — even for those most opposed to the prequels. After all, it's now canon that yes, Christensen and not original Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi actor Sebastian Shaw, is the definitive Anakin Force ghost thanks to some tinkering from George Lucas. Here are a few of his main points (but watch the video at the bottom of the post for the full effect). — The Force Awakens establishes that Anakin's story is not yet done, thanks to Kylo Ren's obsession with his grandfather Darth Vader. It makes sense that at some point, Kylo Ren should learn that Darth Vader turned back to the light before his death. — Obi-Wan and Yoda called out to … [Read more...] about Should Anakin Skywalker Return in ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’?