As expected, the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII reboot will feature more of what made the original movies smash hits and less on what made the more contemporary ones such duds. 

Star Wars CastThe first cast photo released before other members joined the party

Rian Johnson, who is set to pick up the directorial mantle from J.J. Abrams once he’s finished with Ep VII, confirmed as much while talking on the latest Girls in Hoodies podcast. 

“They’re doing so much practical building for this one. It’s awesome,” Johnson. I think people are coming back around to [practical effects]. It feels like there is sort of that gravity pulling us back toward it. I think that more and more people are hitting kind of a critical mass in terms of the CG-driven action scene lending itself to a very specific type of action scene, where physics go out the window and it becomes so big so quick,” he explained. 

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“I probably sound like a grumpy old man talking about it,” Johnson continued. “I do wonder because I think kids are growing up watching those and that’s the thing that they love now, so I don’t know whether it is a generational thing, and it could be.”

And of Episode VIII, the film following – and this is a turn of genius – Episode Vii, Johnson said it’s “boring to talk about, because the only thing I can really say is, I’m just happy,” adding “I don’t have the terror I kind of expected I would, at least not yet. I’m sure I will at some point.”

But Johnson isn’t the only one waxing lyrical about the upcoming reboot, which came about when Disney purchased LucasFilm and everything Star Wars-related for a touch over $4b. On a set visit, Kevin Smith was moved to tears, even teasing us to some vital nuggets of information. You can read about all of that here. 

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