By “Bazingirl” Jackie Zwirn

Lawrence Kasdan (Photo via IMDB.com)

And it looks like the Force is back on track.  With the ousting of Michael Ardnt and the insertion of Lawrence Kasdan, it looks like there is a New Hope for Star Wars.

For those of you who don’t know, Lawrence Kasdan is best known as the co-writer of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.  According to an article on GeekExchange.com, what started as rumors that Kasdan would do some script consulting has turned into confirmation that he is in fact, involved in the actual script writing.

The fans were worried enough as it was what with The Walt Disney Co taking over the franchise, and the internet memes worrying that Disney would take away Princess Leia being a bad ass and make her a “Disney Princess” and the worry that the cast would end up with Disney kids (such as Justin Bieber, Salena Gomez and Zak Efron) cast as either Luke, Leia ad Han respectively or their progeny.  We already know that the original trio of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fischer and Harrison Ford have all signed on for the project, and with Kasdan taking a leading role behind the scenes, I know this Padawan feels much better about the outcome of the rest of the film.

I never doubted J.J. Abrams in the director’s chair as he handled the other big space adventure series, Star Trek, with true Trekkie greatness.  If anyone can pull off the newest incarnation of Star Wars, it’s Abrams.  The other good news is that George Lucas is being a bit more hands-off this time around, which we all know makes for much better Star Wars films.  Because when he gets involved, we get Jar-Jar Binks.  The Jar-Jar Binks of the Star Wars world…wait…um…yeah.

In an article from the Los Angeles Times, Kasdan is quoted as saying that he will be “…trying to start fresh. There are certain pleasures that we think the saga can bring to people that they’ve been missing, and we’re hoping to bring them that, and at the same time, have them feel that it’s all new.”

So what’s this new feeling going to be like for the old fans?  The article at Geek Exchange eludes to some leaked information that “the film will take place in the future, after the Empire has fallen, so a new version of the much loved Star Wars universe, no longer under the oppression of the Galactic Empire, is expected.”  But it seems it won’t be too far in to the future as the original trio will still be there, whether in Jedi vision form or alive, we don’t yet know.  We [the fans] were also promised a heroine this time around, but no news on who or what she is has been leaked…yet.  The film is still ensconced in pre-production and we will just have to wait to see who else end up attached to the film.

I, for one, have relaxed a bit knowing that Abrams and Kasdan will take the script in the right direction, future or no future.  The rest?  Only time, and belief in the Force,  will tell.

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