Star Wars: Episode VII actor Oscar Isaac has revealed there are “hundreds of Stormtroopers” on the set of JJ Abrams’ film, suggesting that the evil Empire of the original trilogy has a part to play once again. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Isaac was detailing Abrams’ adoption of old-school production techniques when he dropped the potential bombshell.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasm [on the set] and it’s being done with a lot of heart,” said Isaac, who plays an unspecified role. “There’s nothing cynical about the way we’re doing this. Even in the way he’s shooting it — he’s shooting on film and actually building the sets, so you’ve got hundreds of Stormtroopers or whatever, and hundreds of extras and all the ships. You actually see it. It’s all real.”
The Stormtroopers were the standing army of the Empire, created using cloning technology by the Emperor Palpatine and seen throughout the classic Star Wars trilogy released between 1977 and 1983. With the defeat of the Empire at the end of Return of the Jedi, their future as a fighting force was cast into doubt.
Isaac said the return of classic Star Wars iconography was not the only factor moving into place to help cast members ground themselves in nostalgia for the early films. “I’m constantly looking for a cheesy line to say to harken back to the old ones,” he said of the film’s screenplay. “What they’re trying to do and what’s really great is JJ’s been loosening it up a little bit and trying to make it alive and energised. It’s not formal. They’re messy, energised people. We’ve all intentionally tried to do that. Just make it a little more fiery and messy.”
Abrams has already revealed that Episode VII will feature an updated version of the iconic Rebel X-Wing fighter, while leaked shots of Han Solo’s returning Millennium Falcon have hit the web and there have been rumours of a new Death Star. Kevin Smith has talked of witnessing “a shot right out of a fucking Star Wars movie” during a brief visit to the set. Meanwhile, Anthony Daniels, who plays garrulous protocol droid C-3PO, said last week that the new film would entirely forgo CGI for his character.
The 68-year-old actor said he detested being replaced by a digital version of C-3PO for action scenes in the much-derided prequel films. “It wasn’t very good. In fact, I’m going to say it was awful,” he said. “With me [in the suit], he’s always going to move the same way and have the same reactions, timing and so on. With CG, you’re working with some brilliant person on the keyboard who is trying to pretend to be me.”
Star Wars: Episode VII will see Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford returning to the classic roles of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo from the original trilogy. Isaac joins British newcomers Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, along with Adam Driver, Max Von Sydow and Andy Serkis, who were all confirmed by studio Disney in April. Abrams’ film is due for release in December next year.
