Do We Really Need a Movie Studio in Space? A Christmas Story Sequel & New Star Wars Video Games

On the January 25, 2022 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editorial director Peter Sciretta is joined by /Film news writer Ryan Scott to discuss the latest film and tv news, including new Star Wars video games, a film studio in space, A Christmas Story sequel and Star Wars nerdiness. 

In The News:

• Ryan: Three New Star Wars Games Announced, Including Jedi: Fallen Order Sequel
  • What are these games?
  • Who’s involved?
• Peter (og Jeremy): A New Film Studio Is Being Built In Actual Space
  • Space Entertainment Enterprise, the UK company co-producing that ambitious Tom Cruise movie scheduled to head to space and film on the International Space Station (ISS), has announced their plans for a brand-new, wholly unprecedented film and television studio that will operate in lower Earth orbit. Called SEE-1, this orbital studio would somehow be able to host film productions, television, music, and even sporting events(!), all while doubling as the one-stop shop for "the development, production, recording, broadcasting and live-streaming of content" ... in spaaaaace!
  • [they] are planning to accomplish this feat by attaching their production module to the Axiom Station, a proposed space station that will essentially be the private sector's spin on the International Space Station. In fact, the new space station will actually be built as an extension of the ISS before splitting off and functioning as its own orbital platform … these grand plans won't come to fruition until December of 2024, at the earliest. 
  • What kind of movies really need to shoot in space?
• Ryan (og Sandy): A Creative Disagreement Saved A Major Star Wars Planet From Destruction
  • According to a since-deleted tweet posted by Lucasfilm executive Pablo Hidalgo, "The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams had intended for the First Order to destroy Coruscant in the film, but he was overruled and came up with the idea of Hosnian Prime being targeted by Starkiller Base instead. "Basically [J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot] wanted it blown up; [Lucasfilm Ltd.] didn't. Hosnian Prime was the unsatisfying middle ground. It happens," Hidalgo explained, later adding, "(I should say 'some folks at' because it's not like companies have points of view)." 
  • He later clarified that it was because the planet was needed in other projects in development. What could those be?
• Peter (og Jenna): A Christmas Story Is Getting A Sequel With Peter Billingsley Returning As Ralphie
  • This film will be called "A Christmas Story Christmas,
  • Peter Billingsley will return to play Ralphie and produce. 
  • Directed by Clay Kaytis ("The Christmas Chronicles," "The Angry Birds Movie")
  • Script by Nick Schenk ("Gran Torino," "The Mule").
  • An adult Ralphie heads back to the house he shared with his family on Cleveland Street, "to deliver his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had growing up,” whil allowing him to "reconnect with childhood friends, reconcile the passing of his Old Man," and will include "callbacks to the initial film." 
  • The original film was based on Jean Shepherd's book "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash."  He narrated the film as the adult Ralphie. Sadly, he passed away in 1999.
  • There have been a couple sequels already:
    • 1994: "My Summer Story," which takes place in the summer after the events of "A Christmas Story," and was directed by Bob Clark. Jean Shepherd narrated that one, as well, with Charles Grodin playing the Old Man, Mary Steenburgen playing Mrs. Parker, and Kieran Culkin as Ralphie.
    • 2012: “A Christmas Story 2”: billed as an "official sequel”.. Directed by Brian Levant (Beethoven, The Flintstones, Jingle All The Way) and Daniel Stern plays the old man. Ralphie is now fifteen years old, and all he wants is a used 1939 Mercury Eight convertible for Christmas.
  • Love for A Christmas Story?
  • Can a sequel be good without Jean Shephard? 

 

Also mentioned: 

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All the other stuff you need to know:

• You can find more about all the stories we mentioned on today’s show at slashfilm.com, and linked inside the show notes.

• /Film Daily is published every weekday, bringing you the most exciting news from the world of movies and television as well as deeper dives into the great features from slashfilm.com. 
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