Tag Archives: Simon Kinberg

Kinberg: First season of Rebels will be 16 episodes

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How about an actual bit of news for your Friday afternoon? Rebels producer Simon Kinberg sat down with Collider today to talk about the new show. One of the first questions posed was whether or not Rebels would have the traditional 13-episode introductory run or something more.

KINBERG: It’s 16 episodes.  And so I wrote the season finale.  And then as the executive producer, I will read all the scripts.  I will sometimes run a pen through them and rewrite stuff in the scripts that lots of other really talented writers have worked on.  I will watch cuts of the show, I will give notes on whatever I think about performance or score or animation, but they have such an amazing team of people, many of whom are Clone Wars alums like Dave Filoni, who’s as much of a creative voice on the show as anybody.  So they put a great team together.  They really know what they’re doing.  And I will come in, and look at stuff, and give input, and occasionally write episodes.  So the first season I’m responsible for writing three episodes—the first two and the last one.

Additionally, Rebels will be featuring characters from the original films. Which ones? Well, apparently Lando is one of them. So, who’s getting excited?

Simon Kinberg discusses Rebels

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Producer Simon Kinberg sat down with StarWars.com in a video interview to discuss Rebels and Star Wars. In his words, Rebels is going to be a “wholly original tapestry” that’s going to feature different stories and different characters than the films. The goal is to be an entry point for a generation of new fans and a “point of return” for existing fans.

Kinberg also discusses the Inquisitor, noting that a challenge was figuring out how to create a character that can live up to the likes of Darth Vader. Additionally, Kinberg’s favorite film? Empire Strikes Back. Take that however you want.

Kinberg and Kasdan Talk Episode VII, Standalone Films with IGN

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Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi writer Lawrence Kasdan as well as Simon Kinberg sat down with IGN over the weekend to discuss Episode VII and the subject of standalone spinoff films. The first question, of course, was how did Kasdan feel being asked to come back and do more Star Wars:

Kasdan: I was pleased that there would be new ones, that there was a chance to capture some of the spirit of the original trilogy that I’d worked on. I thought there’s an audience out there — my grandchildren, lots of original Star Wars people — and there always will be. It’s only good that we try to do some more great ones.

On what the new trilogy will be like:

GN: What can you tell fans about this new version that you’re working on? There are so many rumors going around.

Kasdan: They’re going to be fun. J.J. (Abrams)’s a great director for the first sequel. Perfect. We’re very happy to have him. The writers I’ve been working with — Michael Arndt, who’s going to write the sequel, and Simon Kinberg, who has, like me, been sort of consulting — they’re great. I’ve never really collaborated a lot, and I’ve never been a room with a bunch of writers thinking, “Well, what should this thing be?” It’s fun. It’s really fun. And J.J.’s a writer. Yeah, lovely guy. I’d met him but didn’t know him. But now I’m totally enamored by him. He’s really funny and so enthusiastic.

Simon Kinberg was also asked about whether the standalone movies would work with established characters or try something different:

IGN: Is there anything you can say in terms of working with established Star Wars characters, or are you coming from a whole new plot and characters for your standalone movie?

Kinberg: This is what I would say: as a fan, I wouldn’t want to know too much. I know that’s impossible because it’s not the ’70s or ’80s anymore, but part of what was so exciting about A New Hope for me was I was entering into a universe I didn’t know. Even in Empire, I was surprised by a twist I never would have seen coming. But it’s different nowadays. I understand the excitement, and I’m happy that people are interested, obviously. But I’d rather people have something left to discover when they go in.

For more, head to IGN to read the full interview.