Star Wars Bits: Jimmy Kimmel Interviews, Star Wars VR, Starkiller Base Blueprints

It was I who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the Star Wars Bits. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band. This edition of news from a galaxy far, far away includes:

An extended scene from The Force Awakens was screened.
30 minutes of The Force Awakens score not in the movie will be released.
Carrie Fisher talks about how Leia has changed in The Force Awakens.
Empire has six collectible The Force Awakens covers for their December issue.
Wired has the blueprints for Starkiller Base and a gallery of dozens of props.
Jimmy Kimmel‘s interviews with the cast of The Force Awakens.
Bandai‘s new riot control First Order Stormtrooper looks awesome.
New Journey to the Force Awakens book covers featuring new aliens.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios isn’t getting Season of the Force.
Google Cardboard getting Star Wars VR in December.
Costume designer Michael Kaplan talks extensively about work on The Force Awakens.
Video from inside Gallery 1988’s The Art Awakens exhibition.

Journalist and film critic Brent Simon recently attended some kind of event where an extended scene from Star Wars: The Force Awakens was screened. He’s under embargo for the time being, but he did say this:

Under embargo, obviously, but will say it's heartening #StarWars will seemingly not have GENISYS' Emilia Clarke problem. #TheForceAwakens

— Brent Simon (@SharedDarkness) November 20, 2015

I suppose he’s saying the film doesn’t have as hard of a time creating a new direction for the Star Wars franchise as the Terminator sequel did. Seems like a strange comparison to make since the franchises couldn’t be more different, but as long as the footage looks good, that’s all that matters.

In addition, Simon revealed that J.J. Abrams says there’s about 30 minutes of John Williams‘ score for Star Wars: The Force Awakens that isn’t in the movie, but it will be released for fans to hear at some point. Perhaps that will be in the deluxe version of the soundtrack release next month. [MakingStarWars.net]

Carrie Fisher recently sat down for an interview with TIME Magazine and opened up a bit about the transformation of he character Princess Leia in the original trilogy to General Leia in The Force Awakens.

Oh my God, she got so much older. I tried to stop her, but apparently that includes death so that didn’t seem like a good solution. Along with aging comes life experience so in every way that is consistent with even being human, Leia has changed.

Read much more of the interview with Carrie Fisher at TIME.

Empire Magazine has six new covers showing off the cast of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, just in time for their December issue to hit shelves on November 26th. Here’s each of the covers encouraging you to buy the same magazine six times:

We’ll likely have plenty more to talk about when the issue is available, since it is said to have interviews with J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and even Mark Hamill. Stay tuned for more from that special feature.

Over at Wired, they have an exclusive look at the blueprints for Starkiller Base, the stronghold for the First Order which houses a new superweapon of devastating capabilities. It’s a very detailed look at the villains’ base which measures 6,800 square feet and was referred to as “Evil Castle” on set. Read more about Starkiller Base over in Wired’s full story.

In addition, Wired also has a gallery of a few dozen props from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, from Captain Phasma’s helmet to Kylo Ren’s lightsaber, First Order trooper helmets and much more. Check it out right here.

In addition to all the Star Wars fun that Jimmy Kimmel had with Harrison Ford and Chewbacca, the late night talk show host also sat down with cast members Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Carrie Fisher, along with director J.J. Abrams to talk about making the movie, without revealing any of the secrets. Here are two of the clips featuring all the guests: