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Unless you've been sleeping under a rock/tauntaun/sarlacc for the last few months, it's likely you would've heard a little something about a new Star Wars movie .
With J.J. Abrams now attached to helm , the ball/Ewok is well and truly rolling - but there's still a lot of rampant fanboy/girl hearsay and cinematic wishlists to compile.
So we threw the question out to all our followers on Facebook , Twitter and on our Forums .
What do YOU want to see from Star Wars: Episode VII ? Using hi-tech investigate techniques (scrolling through comments and tallying everything up), we recorded everything you said (yes, even the crazy stuff).
Here are the results in order of popularity…..
WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE FROM STAR WARS: EPISODE VII
MOST POPULAR PLOTS
Bring back the original characters/actors/John Williams
It was clear from the off that there was still a LOT of love out there for seeing Han, Leia, Luke, Chewie and co (and the actors who first played them) return. Additionally, even the idea of omitting John Williams' iconic score was seen as sacrilege.
Female Jedis
While Princess Leia was a respectably feisty, gung-ho and strong female role model, the prequels failed to deliver on female leads to match. So it's no surprise that in a movie world full of Ellen Ripleys, Sarah Connors and Trinitys, fans are crying out for a kick-ass female Jedi - and possibly even as the trilogy's lead.
Less CGI
While the prequels certainly looked very shiny, their CGI-heavy visuals didn't go down too well with the fans. 'Less CGI' was one of the most common and succinct comments fired our way.
New characters/more Sith
While an appearance/allusion to the original cast was deemed a necessity (see above), there was still a healthy appetite for new midichlorian-laden blood. It's notable that, as one of the most notable new characters from the prequel trilogy, Darth Maul seems to have inspired a Sith love-in.
Kick-ass lightsaber fights
Of all the commonly clamoured for additions, this category provided the most diversity. Variations on the type, number and deadliness of lightsabers prompted enjoyably geeky speculation, but we'll leave it to Twitter's @scott_forrest88 to sum up the possibilities: "more lightsaber variations - tri and quad-bladed, really long ones, light daggers, light-skiing dus, light nunchucks and more".
Kill/maim/explode/torture Jar Jar Binks
Oh, Jar Jar. We knew thee well.
Unsurprisingly (but highly amusingly), our Facebook and Twitter fans were out for Gungan blood. Notable soundbyte from our Twitter friends over at @metal_hammer on what they'd want to see: "Jar Jar getting his ears torn off".
Introduce Luke/Han/Leia's children
Rumours are already rife that this is the direction the series will take, and it'd certainly make sense in regards to the familial linking already connecting the existing trilogies. We'd just like to add that we're pretty sure you were referencing Leia and Luke's individual children - not the offspring of a polygamous three-way.
Follow the story of the Thrawn Trilogy
Fans of the wider Star Wars universe will recognise the name of this early '90s expanded universe book trilogy, whose name popped up a few times along the way. Written by Tim Zahn, it follows the adventures of Luke, Leia and co, five years after The Empire Strikes Back , as they come under attack from a deadly new bad guy intent on destroying the New Republic.
Bring back Boba Fett!
Because we never properly saw him die, alright?
Other notable mentions
No more midichlorian or trade embargo talk.
Explore the idea of a Jedi Academy.
Three words - Jedi. Civil. War!
MOST POPULAR ACTORS/CHARACTERS
Chloe Moretz (as a female Jedi)
Tom Hardy (as a Sith Lord)
Michael Fassbender (as anyone)
Morgan Freeman (as a Sith Lord)
Nathan Fillion (as Han Solo II)
Tony Jaa (people didn't seem to mind as who, as long as lightsaber fights were involved)
Scarlett Johansson (in some vague homage to Princess Leia's Jabba bikini)
COMMENDABLE/TERRIFYING COMMENTS
@Kingkeir: "A three hour Jar-Jar Binks monologue"
@monkeesblood: "A Jedi Ewok"
@rednosepirate: "The cantina band behind the scenes rockumentary"
@fictionaladdict: "A face-off between Han Solo and Indiana Jones"
@kenny_the_broon: "Ewoks taking over the entire Star Wars universe"
Daniel Saul on Facebook: "C-3PO on acid"
Bravo, Total Film readers.
With all that in mind, we give you, YOUR Star Wars: Episode VII movie poster….
WHAT TOTAL FILM WANTS TO SEE FROM STAR WARS: EPISODE VII
Your comments got us thinking (and debating) around the office on what we'd love to see from a new Star Wars -ian adventure. Turns out the Total Film team weren't thinking too dissimilar to you….
Jane Crowther - Editor-in-Chief ( @totalfilm_jane )
I'd love a charismatic, and devil-may-care lead that's able to match up to Harrison Ford's chivalry. Actors that are able to channel darkness, moral conflict and screw-you selfishness, but with eye twinkle (grumpy but charming leads like Robert Downey Jr. or Joel Edgerton would suit that role perfectly).
Jamie Graham - Deputy Editor ( @totalfilm_jamie )
The main thing I'd like to see is a return to the 'lived-in' quality of Eps IV-VI . I wasn't a fan of Eps I-III 's gleaming, antiseptic visuals. Any old-fashioned derring-do was smothered by the cold-to-the-touch CGI. The original trilogy was gloriously ramshackle and gone-to-seed despite taking visual effects forward at warp speed.
Rosie Fletcher - Associate Editor ( @totalfilm_rosie )
1. Under two hours. Seriously. UNDER TWO HOURS!!!
2. A sense of humour (and we're not talking the Jar Jar Binks school of comic relief, either). Self awareness and a bit of fun rather than po-faced reverence.
3. Panache and charisma. Harrison Ford as Han Solo had it, Chris Pine as James T Kirk had it, Hayden Christian as Anakin? Not as much.
4. A new monster. Because I like monsters.
Matthew Leyland - Reviews Editor ( @totalfilm_MattL )
Humour!
Real-world locations (ie not wall-to-wall greenscreen).
Less exposition - or at least delivered by grandfatherly RSC actors like Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart etc.
Blokes in costume with subtle CGI embellishments for the aliens.
A less-is-more aesthetic - not the "there's a space, fill it!" approach of the prequels.
Proper war-of-the-sexes, sparks-flying, snappy-banter old-school romance between sexy people.
More exploration of what you can actually do with the Force.
No boring middle bits.
Matt Risley - Online Editor ( @spliggle )
Abrams did wonders balancing fanboy nostalgia and new audience expectation with Star Trek , so I'm hopefuly he can achieve the same with Star Wars . Essentially though, I'm just after witty, sparky banter, electrifying lightsaber fights, epic spaceship dogfights, and some decent casting and writing.
Throw in a hot property cast (Ryan Gosling and Jennifer Lawrence propelling the main romance, anyone?) and I'd be happy.
Sam Ashurst - Deputy Online Editor ( @samashurst )
Why, I'm happy you asked. I wrote a whole feature on who and what I'd like to see right about.... here .
Matt Maytum - Online Content Producer ( @mattmaytum )
A big thing for me would be real sets and locations, and minimal CG greenscreen settings.
I'd want to see a super cool bad guy - I'd want a red lightsaber in there somewhere - maybe a spin on Starkiller from The Force Unleashed II (although he wouldn't really fit in the new film's chronology).
An older Luke Skywalker (played by Mark Hamill) as the mentor-type figure.
Ewan McGregor back as a slightly older, perhaps slightly bitter Obi-Wan.
Jennifer Lawrence as a kick-ass (non-princess) character.
And lo, we give you a movie poster based on our thoughts….
