December 18, 2015 will be a historic day. I know that is a very bold statement, but I am no psychic, nor am I a prophet or a soothsayer or any other kind of mythical creature that believes he can see the future. So how do I know history will be made on that day?
Well, it is quite easy, that is the day that Star Wars Episode VII is set to be released.
For those of us old enough to remember when Episodes IV, V and VI were released, this is the day we have waited for since 1983 when Return of the Jedi was released into theaters.
Yes, since then Episodes I, II and III have all been released, and while good, none of them can measure up to Jedi, Empire Strikes Back or the original – now known as The New Hope.
When it was announced that famed director JJ Abrams was taking over the franchise, Star Wars freaks freaked. Abrams is the director who saved the Star Trek franchise, and now he will do the same for Star Wars.
The Force Awakens will now continue where Jedi left off, with all the characters, Luke, Leia, Han, Chewy, R2D2 and C3PO back in action. The trailers have already been met with cheers and adulation, so this becomes a can’t miss movie.
Believe it or not, though no script is complete, no title has been given and no real casting has been done, there is now a release date for Episode VIII , May 26th 2017. What we do know is that the much underrated Benicio Del Toro is rumored to be signed on as the villain and that Oscar Isaac will reprise his role from The Force Awakens as the hero, Poe Dameron.
The next question is who will be his leading lady? Which woman will be lucky enough to land the role of a lifetime and be the next woman who is a real “force” to be reckoned with?
Well, if you believe the Hollywood rumor mill, there are three and only three names that are being considered to help rule the galaxy and destroy the Empire.
First is Gina Rodriguez, she is the Golden Globe winner for her leading role in the CW series Jane the Virgin. While she has several television shows to her credit, nothing would be as big as this.
Second is Olivia Cooke, who is the least experienced of the three actresses. Since 2013 she has done great work on the small screen with a key role in the Psycho-based television series Bates Motel, but this summer she earned high marks from critics for her performance in the indie drama Me And Earl And The Dying Girl.
Finally is what many are considering the favorite to land the role, Tatiana Maslany. She is a name that may be familiar to Star Wars fans that haven’t seen her show Orphan Black. Back in January, a report circulated saying that she was in contention with Rooney Mara and Felicity Jones for the lead role in Star Wars: Rogue One. Jones ended up getting the part, but apparently Maslany impressed enough people who now she is up for and is considered the favorite to be the most powerful woman in the entire Galaxy.
In the long run, whichever of these three women land the role, it will change their lives forever, and if she has to wear the Princess Leia bikini from Jedi, it will change ours too.