The Boba Bounty

RebelForce Radio broadcasted live from C2E2 over the weekend, where they caught up with actor Daniel Logan. His interview can be found 36 minutes into the episode.

• Logan speaks on a number of topics include:
• His growing up around conventions
• Toying with the idea of getting a tattoo
• Recalling the day he became an honorary member of the 501st
• How he views Tuemera Morrison as a role model
• Thoughts on the future of Star Wars cinema
• He addresses unanswered questions about Boba Fett and The Clone Wars

Listen to Logan’s interview, and those of numerous other actors, by downloading RebelForce Radio through iTunes for free or hear it for free at http://www.shotglassdigital.com/release/april-28-2013

Lucasfilm officials announced yesterday four of the men who’ve portrayed Boba Fett on-screen will attend Star Wars Celebration Europe this July in Messe Essen, Germany.

This will include Daniel Logan, Jeremy Bulloch, Dickey Beer and John Morton. The latter two performers worked as stunt men during the filming of Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Rumors of a Boba Fett spin-off circulate the web, and actors like Jeremy Bulloch, Daniel Logan and Temuera Morrison have been making more public appearances and giving more interviews.

Could this be a slow build up to a major announcement about a Boba Fett project? If it were, is there any better place to unveil the project that during a reunion of the Fett family this summer in Germany?

We already know George Lucas initially planned to make an announcement about Episode VII at the last Celebration, but it was postponed due to continued negotiations with Disney.

Five months ago Entertainment Weekly included Logan, Bulloch and Beer in their double-sized reunion issue. Starwars.com reports the four performers will be giving autographs at Celebration, but the first hint at something larger is the mention they’ll also be on the Celebration Stage.

This begs the question - what will they be doing on stage? Will it be a panel? A tribute reel? Or perhaps, the announcement of a future project - whether that’s a spin-off film, news about Episode VII or a new television series.

Actor Jeremy Bulloch was interviewed by the guys at Bombad Radio, where he talked about his career as an actor, his interaction with fans and whether or not he believes Boba Fett survived the Sarlacc at the end of Return of the Jedi.

The interview can be found around 32 minutes into podcast #75.

The conversation treads some old ground, but it also shed light on new insights about the character I have yet to hear from Bulloch.

With the sequel trilogy coming in a few years, and rumors of a Boba Fett spin-off, questions relevant to this topic were posed to the actor.

Bulloch said he never believed the bounty hunter’s fate was sealed in the belly of the Sarlacc. The actor said that would be like an amusement park to Boba Fett, who would be protected by his armor, bide his time to calculate an escape with a cool head, and easily survive the ordeal by escaping with the use of his weapons and tools.

For 30 years, Bulloch shared he’s held the belief that Boba Fett should never show his face – that in the Star Wars Universe, that would give enemies leverage against the bounty hunter, something he’d never do. However, while he thinks nowhere (in universe) should know much about Fett, the back story fleshed out in Attack of the Clones makes the character more engaging and interesting.

Bulloch also shared he is good friends with Daniel Logan and Temuera Morrison – who when together are nicknamed “The Three Fetts.” He said, he and Logan have spent time together, recently at Disneyworld, where they held a competition as to who could ride the most rides – Logan won.

Also discussed was:

• Bulloch’s acting history, including early roles on “Dr. Who” and James Bond films
• His plans to attend Star Wars Germany
• How his half-brother assisted him in landing the role as Boba Fett
• The legacy of his character and its effects on fans
• His cameo in “Revenge of the Sith”
• Insights into the character’s relationship with Darth Vader, Han Solo and Jabba
• Brief mentions of Boba Fett in the Expanded Universe
• & More

You can download Bombad Radio #75 for free on iTunes.

Disney announced today it would not be going forward with anymore seasons of The Clone Wars on television.

It is still unclear whether or not they’ll release more seasons, currently in various stages of production, through DVD releases or web exclusives.

Hours after the announcement, actor Daniel Logan shared his thoughts about the cancellation via is Facebook page:

“With the announcement today of the winding down of Star Wars: The Clone Wars I just wanted to say a few things. I am very proud, honored & thankful to have been a part of The Clone Wars over the years. I want to thank George Lucas, Dave Filoni, Cary Silver, Meagan Finnerty, Tracy Cannobbio, all the cast & crew and especially the fans for making this so fun & fulfilling to be a part of. Star Wars has been a huge part of my life since I was 13 & I am thankful for all it has given me. I am sure my journey with Star Wars has many more adventures & I look forward to all that is in store for the future. There are still a few epic story arcs of The Clone Wars that will be available this year. It is some of the best work Lucasfilm Animation has produced, so stay tuned. MTFBW!”

If we look past Logan’s comments thanking the cast and crew of The Clone Wars, there’s an intriguing aside about future story arcs that will be available later this year. It’s interesting he made the remark as if it were a sure thing. My speculation is he’s referring to the rumored Boba Fett story arc that was pushed to what would have been the next season.

Earlier this year an image of Boba Fett in his Mandalorian armor was released with promotional images for this last season, but quickly removed, but not before it was snatched up by fans. Word is, the story arc showed a matured Boba Fett and how he reclaimed his father’s armor and ship – Slave I. Last we saw Slave I, it was in the possession of Hondo during the Young Jedi story arc.

What could Boba Fett’s story arc have been? Was it tied to the fall of Mandalore? The most disappointing thing about the cancelation of The Clone Wars, is we at the very least, will be delayed in seeing this tale – which could have been the most promising story arc for Boba Fett of the series.

Let’s hope they release these episodes and these questions can get answers. Comment on this post to share your speculations.

On-screen father and son duo, Temuera Morrison and Daniel Logan, reunited during a television spot last week to promote Con Nooga – an entertainment convention based out of Chattanooga, Tenn.

During their appearance on WDEF News 12, Morrison was asked about his thoughts on the rumored Boba Fett spin-off film. Morrison, who lives in New Zealand, started by saying he loves the opportunity to attend conventions state-side, because it gives him a chance to see his son (read, Daniel Logan.)

Morrison said when he heard Disney had bought Lucasfilm, that he figured this was a good time to show his face around. It was noted that Morrison’s age falls in line with how old Fett would be post-Return of the Jedi.

He also said he’s seen fans lobby for him to play the role of Boba Fett in new movies through social networking sites. The primary reason being Boba was a clone of Jango, so of course he’d look like his father.

It should be noted though, this isn’t necessary a requirement. In the comics, such as Twin Engines of Destruction, Boba Fett is shown to have his face scarred and destroyed by the digestive acids of the Sarlacc. Therefore, in theory, any actor could play the bounty hunter – since their face would be disfigured, not having to resemble Morrison’s likeness from Attack of the Clones.

I finally got the chance to sit down, plug in and listen to Smuggler’s Gambit – an audio drama performed live at Celebration VI on Aug. 22.

The story pulls you back to the era of the original trilogy. Han Solo and Chewbacca are assigned with finding a new base for the Rebel Alliance, but when Solo and Chewie runs into an old acquaintance that aims to claim Jabba’s bounty, they fear being hunted could complicate things for the rebellion.

Han Solo and his Wookiee companion record a message for Luke Skywalker then sneak away, planning to return to their former line of work. Trouble soon follows them, when Solo is captured by an aspiring smuggler named Ro Kurota and held for auction to the highest bidder – including representatives from The Black Sun and Jabba’s Palace.

This original script is penned by Kyle Newman of Fanboys and F.J. DeSanto. The tantalizing script, paired with more than 100 sound effects engineered by Jimmy “Mac” McInerney of ForceCast.net make for a fun adventure in the same spirit of the original films.

On an edition of Star Wars Transmissions, host Christ Gore interviews Newman, who sits on stage with the entire cast of Smuggler’s Gambit. Newman said he was shocked at the reception of their project. He aimed to provide fun entertainment for fans, but never expected the people to embrace the audio play with such rigor.

With the help of Dave Filoni, supervising director for The Clone Wars, Newman was able to secure a lot of The Clone Wars cast for the performance. According to Newman, the cast only had about a half hour between receiving the scripts and going on stage – illustrating the chemistry they’ve built and their performance power.

When asked if further audio adventures are on the horizon, Newman throws the question to the cast – who all smile, raise their hands and cast their votes in favor for more. So, we should expect more of these in the future, possibly at the next Celebration.

When a hefty bounty is in play, you can expect Boba Fett to make an appearance. Daniel Logan once again performs the role of our favorite bounty hunter. Logan has played the part of a young Boba Fett in the prequel trilogy and in The Clone Wars. This is our first time experiencing the actor performing an older version of his character.

Logan’s voice work is on key, but not overused – supplying logic and calmness in a scene where the characters are running high on emotion and caught up in personal rivalries.

I’ll save the spoilers, but recommend giving a listen to the full audio, which runs about 35 minutes.

http://starwarsblog.starwars.com/index.php/2012/11/28/smugglers-gambit-full-audio/#more-18597

Boba Fett is NOT dead.

After Disney announced its acquisition of Lucasfilm, speculation and rumors flew across the Internet. What continues to get under my skin is the notion from journalist and bloggers that Boba Fett died in the stomach of the Sarlacc.

Those who are familiar with the Expanded Universe, and recent interviews with George Lucas, know Boba Fett is far from dead.

The question remains though: who should be cast as Boba Fett in upcoming Star Wars sequels? I’ve come up with three likely suspects.

Jeremy Bulloch - The Original Man Behind the Mask

Jeremy Bulloch brought a subtle nuance to his portrayal of Boba Fett, which endeared the bounty hunter to audiences worldwide. The way he cradled his blaster while standing on the command deck of the Death Star; the slightest nod awarded to a disguised Leia in Jabba’s Palace; or his commanding presence in Cloud City are examples of how Bulloch used body language to define his character.

The fact that Bulloch is approach age 65 doesn’t necessarily mean he cannot suit up for the sequel trilogy. In a recent interview, Bulloch expressed his willingness to pick up his role as Boba Fett for Episode VII. He said he remains spry, and because Boba Fett wears a helmet, the more action oriented scenes could easily be performed by a stunt man – as they were in the original trilogy.

Boba Fett is a walking arsenal. It’s easy for an actor to appear stiff underneath all that armor and heavy clothes, but Bulloch has the chops to emote from underneath all those layers. There’s one problem though – Boba Fett is a clone of his father, Jango Fett – who we’ve seen unmasked in Attack of the Clones. Therefore, the film would be handicapped by having to explain how Boba Fett grew to look nothing like the template he was created from in Episode II.

Daniel Logan - Not Like Other Clones

We were introduced to Daniel Logan when he played the child Boba Fett in Attack of the Clones. It was good casting, because he carried a familial resemblance to his one screen father, Temuera Morrison. When Lucasfilm launched The Clone Wars, they brought Logan on to continue his role as young Boba Fett when appeared during the last story arch of the second season.

Over the last decade, Logan has grown a strong fan base of younger Star Wars fans and owns the role in that right. He is the Jeremy Bulloch of what I like to call, “the clone generation.” Logan’s involvement with Episode VII would keep continuity with George Lucas’ revised vision of the Star Wars Universe.

The problem arises in this casting choice because Logan is twentysomething, making him too young to appear in a film that assuming takes place years after Return of the Jedi. The filmmakers could parry this by saying his DNA was altered to slow aging, in contrast to Clone Troopers, whose aging was sped up. However, that seems too convenient.

Temuera Morrison - From Jango to Boba?

Ironically, the actor I feel is best to play Boba Fett in upcoming movies is none other than Temuera Morrison. This New Zealand-born actor first wore the Mandalorian armor in Attack of the Clones and for the first time on screen, we got to see the full capabilities of its weapons inventory.

Morrison gave a great performance in Attack of the Clones and was the highlight of the prequel trilogy for me – yeah, I’m biased. He made the character of Jango Fett his own and his performance earned continuing storylines from Mandalorian space in comics, books and television.

I believe Morrison would be a great casting choice because of several reasons. Being an unaltered clone of his father, you can only conclude Boba Fett would grow to look exactly like Jango Fett. Also, his age would seem more appropriate for the era the sequel trilogy will most likely take place in. The actor could actually remove his helmet in the film without a retcon being applied.

Daniel Logan was in the news today after photos surfaced of the actor assisting an elderly couple after a nasty car wreck. Here’s an excerpt from TMZ:

“A rep for Daniel Logan tells TMZ, the 25-year-old actor was driving in Orange County last week when he spotted a completely wrecked SUV sitting on the side of the road, we’re talking real bad, like half-the-car-ripped-off bad.

We’re told that Logan pulled over to help, since no emergency vehicles were on scene yet, and found an elderly couple trapped inside with their grandchild. Daniel’s rep says the actor started to clear the wreckage to get to the trio, and about the time Daniel broke through, the paramedics arrived.”

In this week’s Entertainment Weekly, the three men who’ve played Boba Fett in featured films were brought together for a special double sized reunion issue.

Staff writer Matthew Salacuse spoke with actor Jeremy Bulloch, stunt man Dickey Beer and film/voice actor Daniel Logan about their experiences playing the most popular bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe.

“He muttered only four measly lines in the original Star Wars trilogy. But badass bounty hunter Boba Fett still became a fan favorite from the minute Darth Vader summoned him to hunt down Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back. In order to properly fete the Fett, we used a tracking device to locate and reunite three of the men who played the supercool (and super-quiet) criminal,” – Matthew Salacuse, Entertainment Weekly.

Bulloch shares his oddest fan request and biggest regret, Beer tells how he performed stunt fighting for both Luke Skywalker and Boba Fett (therefore, battling himself in Return of the Jedi) and Logan speaks on how he first thought he’d get to wear a jet pack – but then discovered he would only wear a blue jumpsuit that looked like pajamas.

Those are just a taste of the interesting stories explored in the two page interview. If you’re not a subscriber to Entertainment Weekly, I highly recommend snatching this issue up at your local grocery store or newspaper stand.

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