WookieeLeaks: ‘Star Wars: Episode 7′ May Be Filming, But No One Knows Anything

ScreenCrush’s WookieLeaks is a weekly roundup of everything 'Star Wars'! From 'Star Wars: Episode 7,' to the upcoming spinoffs and the TV shows, if it pertains to that long ago, far away galaxy, we’re covering it here, bringing you our expert analysis. This week, the rumors start to die down, another 'Game of Thrones' star joins the cast and more previews for 'Star Wars Rebels'.

A Myriad of Minor 'Star Wars: Episode 7' Rumors

'Star Wars: Episode 7' resumed filming last week and the production has seemingly repaired all of those leaks that were releasing story details onto the internet. The J.J. Abrams mystery box is currently operating at full capacity. We know very little and and he wouldn't have it any other way.

So we've resorted to rummaging through scraps, but they, when you're talking about 'Star Wars,' even the scraps are pretty interesting. Let's turn out attention to new buzz surround Skellig Michael, the stunning and ancient Irish island that is home to at least a few key scenes in 'Episode 7.' We know that Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley filmed scenes there, but that's about it, really.

Or (cue the dramatic music) is it? According to the folks over at Latino Review, the production will be returning to Skellig Michael in a few months and the seasonal change will leave the island looking completely different. What does this mean? Well, according to their educated speculation, this is evidence that the island is standing in for the Sith home world, which has figured prominently in many drafts of the script. Read on:

I’m starting to feel weird about Skellig Michael Island, that pretty place in Kerry, Ireland where they filmed a few days in late July with Mark Hamill and probably Daisy Ridley. I’m starting to feel weird about it because they’re going back to shoot there in November - local vendors have already been contracted out. And November in Kerry does NOT look like late July in Kerry, this landscape will be grey and dark and - ARGH! What is it?

I’m hearing Skelling Michael Island is the location for the Sith Homeworld. Like in the Expanded Universe, the Sith were founded by a Jedi who practiced moral relativism thousands of years ago (a long LONG time ago in a galaxy far, far away). He met up with Plagueis and started going by the Sith name Darth Ruin. He split off to unite the Sith tribes under the Dark Side of The Force. I don’t know if all of that is going to be in the movie, but it’s going to get called back as we’ll have a new Ruin in the movie, whomever fancies himself the biggest threat (might this be my “Sith Inquisitor?”).

Now, we at LR know that the Sith Homeworld was in the re-tooled Michael Ardnt draft of the script, so this next part might be old info we’re getting pushed back at us, but: Skelling Michael Island is the Sith Homeworld, the stone hut ruins on that island are a control center and the planet itself is somehow the weapon. That’s no moon! That’s no planet! MASSIVE BAD THINGS.

So that lovely Irish landscape may very well be the birthplace of the greatest evil in the galaxy and home to a weapon of mass destruction. Okay. Well then.

But here's the wrinkle! According to another source, the production is not returning to Skellig Michael and that rumor is just plain untrue. To quote:

Contrary to the rumours that we wrote at about yesterday, Star Wars Episode VII will NOT return to Skellig Michael, off the Kerry coast, in November. The Irish Film Board have confirmed that there is no filming scheduled for Skellig Michael in the coming months.

This was backed up by the Irish Examiner, who say that, if anything, a skeleton crew will be present to film helicopter exteriors and nothing more:

“Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board can confirm that no filming has been scheduled for Skellig Michael in the coming months. Any comment on the international blogs with regard to this matter is pure speculation at this stage,” said Louise Ryan, the board’s marketing and communications manager.

Lying about 12km off the coast, Skellig Michael contains monastic ruins dating to the sixth century and is a Unesco world heritage site.

It is essentially a barren rock exposed to the full rigours of wind and wave and can be difficult to access even in summer, never mind in winter when it is usually closed to visitors by the Office of Public Works, the State body responsible for it.

However, movie buffs are saying the production team need not necessarily be wishing to get on the rock — they might instead be focusing on exterior scenes that could be filmed from a helicopter and would not necessarily call for the presence of actors.

Yes, this is how desperate we are for anything 'Star Wars,' ladies and gentlemen. We're digging through Irish newspapers to confirm or debunk scoops and we still have no idea what's true. Why does this feel like 1999 all over again? Well, at least the end results won't be that bad, right?

Right?

'Star Wars Rebels' Releases Three New Videos

The fourth 'Star Wars Rebels' preview short arrived this week and it shows off the character of Ezra, the street smart punk who has an unexpected affinity for the Force. Although he'll team up with the rest of the cast and go on big, grand adventures in the series proper, this quick preview has him picking a fight with a downed TIE fighter pilot with funny and wacky results:

If you want a look at something a little more substantial, Disney also released this clip from the series, which gives us an extended look at a finished scene. It's certainly talkier than most of what we've seen before and that's a good thing. We can only care about action and noise if the characters are interesting enough to carry conversations.

And finally, there's this goofy video explaining exactly when 'Star Wars Rebels' takes place. If you're reading a 'Star Wars' news column, chances are strong that you don't need to click play on that.

'Star Wars: Episode 7' Casts Another 'Game of Thrones' Veteran

The internet lost its mind when 'Game of Thrones' star Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth) was cast in 'Star Wars: Episode 7' and for good reason. First of all, she's fantastic. Secondly, it's always delightful when two major geek franchises cross over, giving fans of both something to celebrate.

Well, they've gone and done it again: Miltos Yerolemou has joined the cast.

If you don't recognize that name, don't worry. Unlike Brienne of Tarth, Yerolemou only appeared on the first season of 'Game of Thrones,' playing Arya Stark's "dancing master" Syrio Forel. Although it was a small part, it left a huge impression on audiences, mainly because the lessons he instilled in young Arya are still being felt in the latest episodes.

That role utilized Yerolemou's skills as a swordsman, so it's easy to imagine he was cast in 'Star Wars: Episode 7' for similar reasons. Could he be playing a Jedi, or at least someone capable of wielding a lightsaber? Then again, it's just as likely that he's playing a character who fights with traditional bladed weapons. All we know for sure is that his part is minor -- he was cast too late to be playing anyone of genuine importance to the plot.

And the Rest...

Yep, that's Adam Driver appearing on the latest issue of GQ. And yes, his wardrobe is eerily similar to Han Solo's classic black and white get-up. Suddenly, those rumors that he's playing the villain in the film feel shaky. Could he be playing the son of Han Solo and Princess Leia?! Maybe?! Or are we just overreacting because Abrams' mystery box is killing us?

Meanwhile, the Ultimate Collector's Series edition of the LEGO Slave 1 is one the way and the screenshots below depict a toy that just begs for your to salivate over it like some kind of space opera-obsessed dog. That's gross. Stop it.

If you think you know a lot about 'Star Wars' (and considering you're reading this column, we'll guess that you do), you can test your knowledge with our new video feature "You Think You Know," which compiles some random trivia about the original 'Star Wars' movie.

That brings us to the silliest non-story of the week. It seems that director Duncan Jones, currently hard at work on his 'Warcraft' movie, was visited by screenwriter Gary Whitta and and director Gareth Edwards, the two men currently hard at work on the first of the 'Star Wars' spin-off movies.

And they gifted Jones with a little toy Yoda.

DOES THIS MEAN THEY'RE MAKING THAT RUMORED YODA MOVIE?

No. No it doesn't. They're making that rumored Boba Fett movie. Maybe. Possible. No one knows anything. Sorry.