The Boba Bounty

There’s been speculation whether or not the Star Wars spin-off films will be related to the series proper. If the latest plot rumors have a kernel of truth, as reported by SchmoesKnow.com, this very well may be.

According to the “leaked” information, the plot centering on Episode VII will involve the characters of Jaina and Jacen Solo – the twin children of Han Solo and Leia Organa. The New Jedi Order has been established, but tensions rise when Jacen turns to the Dark Side.

Fans of the Expanded Universe are familiar with this story, especially from the “Legacy of the Force” novels. Jaina was trained by Luke Skywalker and her brother, Jacen, becomes one of the most powerful Jedi in the universe, rivaling Luke, himself.

In the novels, Jacen is seduced to the Dark Side as a way to better the world. He becomes convinced he can learn this side of the Force without falling into the same trappings his grandfather, Anakin, had. In the novels, it becomes left to Jaina to stop her brother – and to do so, she seeks out Boba Fett to train her.

Jaina’s time spent on Mandalore, training with Fett, becoming comrades with Mirta Gev, Boba Fett’s granddaughter, and fighting beside Mandalorians, was a pivotal piece of her readying to take down her brother.

Therefore, if the plot of Episode VII is truly about the Solo twins – we’ll likely see a heavy amount of Mandalorians – even if this isn’t fleshed out until Episode VIII or IX.

I wouldn’t be shocked if Disney wants to include more Mandalorians in the sequel trilogy. The popularity of Death Watch and Mandalore-centered episodes in The Clone Wars has proven fans embrace Mandalorian factions as much as Jedi and Sith.

This also would open Boba Fett’s rumored spin-off, especially if Episode VIII is when they land Jaina on Mandalore.

They could set up the fall of Jacen in Episode VII, and then release the Boba Fett spin-off, which centers on Boba Fett’s survival from the Sarlacc, reunion with Mirta Gev and becoming Mandalore.

Then we have all the information we need to lead into Episode VIII – which shows Jaina arriving on Mandalore and her experiences with the people.

What are your thoughts?

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.

Yahoo! UK & Ireland caught up with Jeremy Bulloch during his appearance at MCM Midlands Comic and Entertainment Expo earlier this month. The interview expanded on Bulloch’s previous statements that he’s more than willing to strap on the Mandalorian gear and reprise his role as Boba Fett.

Bulloch has been very vocal about Episode VII, ever since the announcement was made last year. He’s been quoted in multiple articles, but since rumors have begun about a Boba Fett film, reporters are chopping at the bit to get their exclusive interviews.

Bulloch has had his thumb on the pulse of fans for decades, so hopefully those at Lucasfilm are listening to his input – namely, don’t bastardize the Expanded Universe. There’s very little G-level canon regarding Boba Fett. The character was introduced with great bravo around the time of Empire Strikes Back, but fans unanimously agree, the character was shafted in his treatment in Return of the Jedi.

George Lucas made up for this a little in the prequels, giving Boba Fett an engaging origin story in Attack of the Clones. Still, the story shed more light on the clones and Jango Fett than Boba. While the Clone Wars has given fans further adventures of the young Boba Fett – the majority of his story has existed in comics and books.

For thirty-some years we’ve had to rely on novels and comics to turn to Star Wars literature to get a taste of the bounty hunter. Much of what we most appreciate, love about Boba Fett comes from the Expanded Universe.

If Lucasfilm and Disney completely discard these stories and adventures, there’s a strong potential of fan backlash – if stories like Twin Engines of Destruction or the Bounty Hunter Wars are said to never have happened.

Fans are more prone to accept a compromise of two alternative timelines, which can only happen if the present Expanded Universe is continued and not retconned to fit with the film universe.

We don’t need to see an exact adaptation of the Expanded Universe, but it should at least be respected when making these films. After all, those are the stories that kept fandom alive and made these new movies possible.

Most importantly, Disney needs to redeem Boba Fett in the new films. No more defeats by blind smugglers like we saw in Return of the Jedi, or swapped in place of a slave bride as in his last appearance in Clone Wars.

The good news is Lawrence Kasdan is rumored to be the one scribing a Boba Fett film. Kasdan penned Empire Strikes Back, which was the closest film to flesh out Boba Fett in the badass fashion we’ve seen him portrayed in the Expanded Universe. Therefore, I have faith he is the man that can resurrect the character that for thirty years has had casual fans believing Boba Fett is still in the belly of the Sarlacc.

Kasdan can put the rumors to rest, Boba Fett is alive and well.

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.