MF Abu Dhabi Set • High-Resolution • Spy Photos

[Mike_Droideka]

TMZ have over 45 shots from the Abu Dhabi set.
Some familiar things in there caught my eye!

NEW: It's the Millennium Falcon and what appears to be an advanced X-Wing Fighter.
Z-95 Headhunter perhaps? (tmz)

[bearvomit]

This security gate was originally concept art for the gate into Jabba's Palace in ROTJ

[pjvader]

WOW that's excellent repurposing old mcquarrie designs (i was fortunate to meet him too many years ago )



nothing quite says tatooine but a moisture vaparator and pile of billowing smoke

[Bandersnatch]

McQuarrie Set

[Duke]

Full resolution versions:

[Mike_Droideka]

Looks very much like a Pod Racer's Engine

[E_CHU_TA!]

So far, the images seem to invoke quintessential Star Wars.

I'm going to guess that Abrams is going the "Where the Wild Things Are" route with creatures. I'm prepared to see Muppets plus CG enhancements.

[CoGro]

Amazing pull on the McQuarrie design, bearvomit.

Incredible to see his concept work adapted nearly one-to-one. It already feels like classic Star Wars.

[BobTheGoon]

Posted by the official @starwars twitter account about 20 mins ago:



Star Wars ‏@starwars 23m
#McQuarrieMonday - A beautiful concept for the entrance of Jabba's Palace. pic.twitter.com/d8ma8rkC1G

BTW, hi everybody

[Mike_Droideka]

NEW: It's the Millennium Falcon and what appears to be an advanced X-Wing Fighter.
Z-95 Headhunter perhaps? (tmz)

[Topeka]

Well fuck me sideways, that's a sight now! Looks like the old bird hasn't changed much. They're using the ESB 32-inch model as reference judging by the paint scheme.

[Alexrd]

I hope I'm wrong about this, but it's 30 years after RotJ, I really don't see the point of the MF (an old smuggler's ship of someone trying to make a living in the universe) taking center stage other than easy fan-service.

[seeker]

It's like a 60's Corvette. It has power and it's a classic. Ageless.

[Bandersnatch]

I hope I'm wrong about this, but it's 30 years after RotJ, I really don't see the point of the MF (an old smuggler's ship of someone trying to make a living in the universe) taking center stage other than easy fan-service.

Or maybe if it does take center stage, it's because of something to do with the story.

[Alexrd]

Or maybe if it does take center stage, it's because of something to do with the story.

Let's hope so. But for now it looks shoehorned to me.

[Cryostar]

Mutha Fscking X-WING!


Oh HeLL YEAH!

[Mike_Droideka]

Or maybe if it does take center stage, it's because of something to do with the story.

Let's hope so. But for now it looks shoehorned to me.

Oh come on, you can't have Han Solo and Chewbacca without the Falcon. Solo would have been the type of guy who would hang on to that ship until his last dying breath.

[Bandersnatch]

Solo would have been the type of guy who would hang on to that ship until his last dying breath.

And for all we know, that could be exactly what he does.

[Ternian]

Cannot wait to see this movie! Totes excited!

[Evil_Elvis]

JJ's playing the game, and that game is Dejarik!

Love this so much!

[Alexrd]

Or maybe if it does take center stage, it's because of something to do with the story.

Let's hope so. But for now it looks shoehorned to me.

Oh come on, you can't have Han Solo and Chewbacca without the Falcon. Solo would have been the type of guy who would hang on to that ship until his last dying breath.

He would, but this implies that either they have a large role in the movie (when originally they were supposed to have cameos that could have been easily written off from the script) or that the "new generation" will use the ship without them. Either way, I don't like it.

[CoGro]

JJmessage.jpg

JJ's playing the game, and that game is Dejarik!

Love this so much!

In JJ I trust.

Awesome post.

[Bandersnatch]

JJMessage.jpg

[TroyObliX]

Okay, I'll be the asshole, it comes so naturally to some of us I suppose.

Either way, I don't like it.

Okay, this I don't even 'almost' relate to.

What. The. Fuck.

How, in holy fucking hell can you be a member of "Millennium Falcon" dot fucking com and NOT like the idea of seeing the Millennium God Damned Falcon on screen again?? Wholesale, not because it WAS clunkily shoehorned into the story considering NOBODY KNOWS what the story actually is but that either way, you just "don't like it".

This isn't me having a different opinion, this isn't me berating you because our ideas or preferences do not match, this is me thinking you have some kind of screw loose in your navicomputer. That ship is quintessential 'Star Wars'. Period. If you say it isn't, then I wonder how you ended up getting here, let alone bothering to join.

I for one hope it isn't as distractingly horrid as Alexrmeh, I presume, believes it will be. If I am wrong, and a few years from now I look back and think "Yeah, that Portuguese madman was right", well then I will apologize.

But I'm pretty sure it's gonna be

[Treadwell]

an old smuggler's ship of someone trying to make a living in the universe

I think we may have been watching different movies...

Lando: "I know how much she means to you, I promise I'll take good care of her."

Han is in the movie - then his beloved, specially modified, fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, Kessell Run dominating, chosen by General Calrissian to pilot in the Battle of Endor in favour of any of a fleet of Rebel warships at his disposal ship is probably going to feature too, yes?

Why not ditch Artoo while we are at it (an old Astrodroid which has been passed from owner to owner for the past 70 years)? He feels shoehorned in.

[CoGro]

I didn't want to say it, but I'm pretty baffled about how someone could be defensive of Anakin building 3P0 or Boba Fett being a clone yet that same person is perturbed by the idea of seeing the Falcon again; especially when the guy who pilots said ship is also in the movie.

The Falcon represents all that is right with Star Wars.

[Treadwell]

This is possibly the most optimistic I have felt about this movie since it was first announced.

And the Falcon "being in it" is not really a factor in that at all. The fact that it is in it and seems to have been realised as a faithful, nicely finished recreation of the original Falcon set, however, is.

Likewise, I didn't really care or need to see X-Wings in this movie - but the fact they are there and very subtly reference the original Joe Johnston sketches without being a complete over-the-top "evolution" of what we saw in the OT is a good thing.

And Tatooine? Do we need to go there yet again? Of course not, but seeing those McQuarrie inspired elements I can't help but feel a little bit warmer towards this whole venture than I previously did.

Of course - this is all moot if the story itself fails to tap into the same "modern myth for a new generation" feel that Lucas was aiming for with his original trilogy of films...

For now, I'm pleased with the way Abrams and Disney are playing ball, and having fun at the same time... Those "leaked" pics are surely coming straight from the top.

It's win-win: the fans get the pics they crave, something to discuss; hype around the movie builds; and the pics serve to, in a sense, "distract" fans from sniffing around for some bigger, plot-based spoiler for the time being.

My guess is these leaked pics will become a surprisingly regular thing, and it's exactly how the stupid "Hyperspace" feature on the official SW site should/could have been run during the prequel build-ups, rather than being some bizarre elitist club ruled with an iron fist... all for the sake of seeing a concept sketch, and a crappy photo of some extra's elbow every now and again.

[VT-16]

The Falcon is a shoehorn, aiming for nostalgia. They shouldn't let things from the old movies dominate the picture if they want it to stand on its own. You can't make a good movie by banking on nostalgia.

It's the same with these Tatooine shots, people fawn over physical sets and models, forgetting they did the same thing 16 years ago when TPM sets were photographed. That turned out to be a swell movie, didn't it?

And don't get me started on the X-wing with a stunted nose.

[Treadwell]

The Falcon is a shoehorn, aiming for nostalgia. They shouldn't let things from the old movies dominate the picture if they want it to stand on its own. You can't make a good movie by banking on nostalgia.

That side of it I understand, to a degree.

In simple terms - this film follows on from what has come before. The original cast are still around in this movie. The ship those characters had their adventures in is still around. So, I'm cool with that. The Falcon hasn't "dominated" any of the movies it has appeared in so far, it has just looked pretty f**king cool.
It becomes shit if they decide to reveal that... I don't know... the radar dish was replaced by one hand-built years ago by Biggs made from pieces of General Grievous' salvaged armour, using plans drawn up by Yaddle.

It's the same with these Tatooine shots, people fawn over physical sets and models, forgetting they did the same thing 16 years ago when TPM sets were photographed. That turned out to be a swell movie, didn't it?

No, you're right, it pretty much stunk. But we've still got to at least go through the motions of liking all the pretty pictures of real sets and crap before we get the rug pulled from under us when the concept sketches for Cardinal Pigmott eventually leak, sat atop his garish, hovering CGI steed...

[CoGro]

A character, a reference, a vehicle, etc. is shoehorned in when it doesn't serve the story or plot at all; when their presence or existence is completely extraneous.

First of all, nobody but a select few knows right now whether or not any of the OT components are shoehorned in.

Second, I would argue that where it's tasteful they SHOULD shoehorn OT elements in so long as it's not distracting.

Chewbacca was shoehorned into ROTS.

The Fett "family" was shoehorned into the PT.

C3P0 was "shoehorned" into the Anakin Skywalker story.

Remember that we knew the protagonists and the main antagonist of the PT long before they were ever announced: we knew Anakin, Yoda and Obi-wan would play a central role in the drama and that the trilogy would show the emperor's rise to power. We know absolutely nothing about this new group of characters; it's completely uncharted territory.

I'm pretty sure that Han, Luke and Leia aren't going to be the "heroes" of the ST. Episode VII is as much as trilogy bridge as the first instalment of a new series and as such, will require the passing of the torch so that the audience can get its bearings before joining this new cast on a new adventure.

[Alexrd]

How, in holy fucking hell can you be a member of "Millennium Falcon" dot fucking com and NOT like the idea of seeing the Millennium God Damned Falcon on screen again??

Wholesale, not because it WAS clunkily shoehorned into the story considering NOBODY KNOWS what the story actually is but that either way, you just "don't like it".

Selective memory, I see... When did I ever say I don't like to see it on screen? I certainly don't mind a cameo.

The Falcon is being built as an whole set, which implies it will have a large role in the movie. I don't like it, because I believe the ship belongs to Han and not to the "next generation".

Unless Han is going to have a large role in the movie, which I also don't like (not because of the character, but because the roles of "the big three" were originally supposed to be cameos).

The ship those characters had their adventures in is still around. So, I'm cool with that.

My point is that I feel this trilogy should belong to the new generation, and be as both different and similar as the PT was to the OT. I don't want an OT v2.0, that's all...

yet that same person is perturbed by the idea of seeing the Falcon again; especially when the guy who pilots said ship is also in the movie.

I believe I've explained my opinion well enough to avoid any strawman accusations...

[Treadwell]

... not because of the character, but because the roles of "the big three" were originally supposed to be cameos.

My point is that I feel this trilogy should belong to the new generation, and be as both different and similar as the PT was to the OT. I don't want an OT v2.0, that's all...

Sorry to keep going on about this, but surely that self-imposed restriction on your own acceptance is rectified by a simple "but what if they are not?"

I just can't quite get my head round your reasoning, that's all - it's like someone told me there is only supposed to be pizza on the menu... so for that reason alone I will not order anything but pizza, even after seeing the menu and finding there are other options that I like after all...

Surely a good film should just belong to whoever likes good films, whatever generation they happen to belong to?

I'd rather the film was aimed squarely at film-lovers than tailored to meet expectations of how arbitrarily similar/different it needs to be from the films preceding it to succeed.

Just because new things we see in these movies are, well, new, doesn't also mean Solo must have bought a new ship, or jazzed up his existing one with go-faster stripes, purely to tie in with the agenda of newness.

Because last time out he was almost moved to tears contemplating that he might not ever see his ship again, despite the fact he had an important mission to focus on, right?

[Alexrd]

Sorry to keep going on about this, but surely that self-imposed restriction on your own acceptance is rectified by a simple "but what if they are not?"

Surely a good film should just belong to whoever likes good films, whatever generation they happen to belong to?

Just because new things we see in these movies are, well, new, doesn't also mean Solo must have bought a new ship, or jazzed up his existing one with go-faster stripes, purely to tie in with the agenda of newness.

If they are not, then (again, apparently) they are changing the story from what Lucas set it out to be, which in my opinion is the most important thing.

By new generation I'm talking about the younger cast.

I'm not saying that Han would have bought a new ship. I'm saying that the construction of the Falcon as an whole set seems to imply it will play a large role in the movie.

This either means that Han will play a large part as well since he's the owner (which apparently means the story was changed from its original intent), or that the next generation will take/inherit it.

[SI]

Han without the Falcon?

Bitch please

[Treadwell]

If they are not, then (again, apparently) they are changing the story from what Lucas set it out to be, which in my opinion is the most important thing.

By new generation I'm talking about the younger cast. I'm saying that the construction of the Falcon as an whole set seems to imply it will play a large role in the movie.

This either means that Han will play a large part as well since he's the owner (which apparently means the story was changed from its original intent), or that the next generation will take/inherit it.

I'm always wary of "originally intended" though. Where do you draw the line?

"Empire and Jedi were what that first film was supposed to be. And after that, I can tell another story about what happens to Luke after this trilogy ends.

All the prequel stories exist: where Darth Vader came from, the whole story about Darth and Ben Kenobi, and it all takes place before Luke was born.

The other one - what happens to Luke afterwards - is much more ethereal. I have a tiny notebook full of notes on that. If I'm really ambitious, I could proceed to figure out what would have happened to Luke."

-George Lucas, circa 1990

"Everyone said, 'Well, are you going to do sequels to the first three?' But that was an afterthought; I don't have scripts on those stories.

The only notion on that was, wouldn't it be fun to get all the actors to come back when they're 60 or 70 years old and make three more about them as old people. That's how far that has gone, but the first six will definitely get finished."

-George Lucas, 1997


Or here even?



Seems to me there is a strong case for the "original intention" to be for the films to focus on the original cast's exploits after ROTJ.
But we'll never know for sure.

I think the original casting announcement covers any fears in that department really.

Either way, the fact that they are building a full-scale Falcon set is neither evidence that it will feature heavily, nor an indication of how much they are "changing" a vision of something we knew nothing about, to something else we know nothing about.

If the script calls for just one scene taking place on that set, then they are going to build it. It doesn't give any indication how heavily the Falcon features in the script.

The flipside of that is, you could argue the Falcon featured heavily in the final act of ROTJ, but we didn't need to see the interior set at all in that movie.

[Alexrd]

Seems to me there is a strong case for the "original intention" to be for the films to focus on the original cast's exploits after ROTJ.

I think the original casting announcement covers any fears in that department really.

Either way, the fact that they are building a full-scale Falcon set is neither evidence that it will feature heavily, nor an indication of how much they are "changing" a vision of something we knew nothing about, to something else we know nothing about.

Original intention of the story he recently wrote and sold to Disney, not the original concept of the sequels from the '80s.

I don't question that there is a new generation.

I said from the start that it's all my assumption and that I hope I'm wrong. However, my assumption isn't baseless. Logistically, they wouldn't build the ship full size (inside and out) for just one scene.

And Lucas said to Hamill that if they, for some reason, couldn't get the original three back, they would be written out of the story (a very hard thing to do if their roles are prominent).

[CoGro]

George's original plan was for Anakin to be 12 in Episode I. He planned for Han Solo to make a cameo appearance on Kashyyyk in Episode III (thank God this didn't happen). You want to know what George probably didn't plan? For Vader to be Luke's father until he sat down with screenwriters to pen the Empire Strikes Back. Ditto for Luke and Leia being revealed as twins in ROTJ.

See: George's master plan that never was

The point is that no movie, no story, no script ever goes according to what was originally planned. George handed over ideas, likely including the characters we will see in Episode VII, but that's about it. He probably had in his mind very long character and narrative arcs and not much else more. He never did. That's why there's so much inconsistency with what he says and does, decade after decade.

So really, how could you even be the slightest bit concerned about Abrams or Kasdan "diverting" from George's "original plan?" Until 2 fucking years ago there wasn't even a plan to make sequels...or at least that's what George had said over and again for the last decade.

Based on some of the lazy and sloppy storytelling I saw in the prequel trilogy, I'd prefer they diverted as far away from whatever George's plan was anyway.

[Alexrd]

So really, how could you even be the slightest bit concerned about Abrams or Kasdan "diverting" from George's "original plan?

Because he's the one who created the franchise, and the story of the sequel trilogy that Disney got from him is his last take on the whole series, forever. I would like them to at least respect that and be faithful to it. Of course I probably won't mind any proposed changes as long as it's approved by Lucas.

[Treadwell]

It's a good to be able to discuss something tangible at last. Just like the good old days.

Original intention of the story he recently wrote and sold to Disney, not the original concept of the sequels from the '80s.

Logistically, they wouldn't build the ship full size (inside and out) for just one scene.

And Lucas said to Hamill that if they, for some reason, couldn't get the original three back, they would be written out of the story (a very hard thing to do if their roles are prominent).

The point is that no movie, no story, no script ever goes according to what was originally planned. George handed over ideas, likely including the characters we will see in Episode VII, but that's about it.

Lucas probably had in his mind very long character and narrative arcs and not much else more. He never did. That's why there's so much inconsistency with what he says and does, decade after decade.

If that were true, could you not equally see the chain of events as being this story reverting back to Lucas' "original" vision?
You can't put such great empahsis on the importance of original intent in one breath, and then redefine what "original intent" actually means in the next.

Which is exactly my point, it's a veritable minefield - conflicting and contradictory information from 1977 right through to present day. It's really best not getting caught up in what the original intent was... ultimately it counts for nothing if people can't agree what even constitutes "original intent".

Beside which, I thought Lucas simply handed over "story treatments" for the next Star Wars films as part of the Disney deal. I don't recall any official line on when these treatments date from or how they breakdown in terms of content...

"Logistically", they can build the ship full size (inside and out - or as much of it as was required for ANH) and not necessarily have it featured heavily.

Decades of conflicting quotes from all concerned.

And I don't blame him for the inconsistency either. It's only because we scrutinize every single thing he has ever said, trying to find some kind of reason to it.

The simple fact of the matter is, his ORIGINAL idea about some specific aspect of the saga may have come to him while he was sat taking a dump one morning. It might have been absolutely amazing too. By the time he got to be interviewed by Starlog, and that issue came up, he may have changed his mind completely. And we will never know his original intent.

It's not like every thought the guy has ever had has been recorded. All we have is some things he happened to have said over the years while a camera was pointing in his direction of a journalist's dictaphone was in his face. This quest for some crystallized form of his original vision is just flawed, because I doubt he even knows...

What this all boils down to is there is no way in the world that anyone could jump to the conclusion the treatments handed over to Disney did or did not require the building of a Millennium Falcon set.

It's that simple. You either approve or disapprove. Which is fine.

However saying you disapprove because it is "straying from what Lucas wanted"? C'mon, stop holding out on us and share that copy of those treatments you are obviously sitting on - we all want to see...

[Alexrd]

If that were true, could you not equally see the chain of events as being this story reverting back to Lucas' "original" vision?

You can't put such great empathasis on the importance of original intent in one breath, and then redefine what "original intent" actually means in the next.

Beside which, I thought Lucas simply handed over "story treatments" for the next Star Wars films as part of the Disney deal. I don't recall any official line on when these treatments date from or how they breakdown in terms of content...

"Logistically" they can build the ship full size (inside and out - or as much of it as was required for ANH) and not necessarily have it featured heavily.

Decades of conflicting quotes from all concerned.

I'm talking about Lucas' original intent with this latest version of the story (the only one that was actually developed), since the original vision ceased to exist or be relevant when he started to write the current story.

The term may not have been the most appropriate.

Filoni said in some interview that he started to write it after being inspired for his involvement in The Clone Wars, and Jett Lucas told in some interview that he recalls when George told him that he had started to write the ST, so it's fairly recent.

It was the central hub for the heroes for most of the movie.

We don't know much about the original 12 episode saga. What we do know is that he recently wrote the story of the ST (and had hired Ardnt to write the screenplay) and later sold it to Disney (along with the whole company) for them to develop and release.

[Treadwell]

Filoni said in some interview that he started to write it after being inspired for his involvement in The Clone Wars, and Jett Lucas told in some interview that he recalls when George told him that he had started to write the ST, so it's fairly recent.

It was the central hub for the heroes for most of the movie.

We don't know much about the original 12 episode saga. What we do know is that he recently wrote the story of the ST (and had hired Ardnt to write the screenplay) and later sold it to Disney (along with the whole company) for them to develop and release.

Cool, I didn't know that.

Still I don't see how that proves this new treatment is A) non-compatible with any previous ideas he may have had for the saga after ROTJ or B) that any of that dictates the need for a Falcon set to be built or not built.

You're missing my point, that still isn't this movie.

Yet Lucas is still on-board as a consultant, isn't he? All we know is Kasdan and Abrams have reworked Ardnt's script. None of which proves or disproves a Falcon set would also have been a feature of the Ardnt script none of us here know anything about.

[bearvomit]

from what I've read, the initial script was a transitional script, relying heavily on the new actors, little on the old actors. When Harrison was approached, he wanted much more screen time. This jived with Abrams' idea of using more old cast, introduction to new characters. Thus the old script was jettisoned from low orbit and you have whatever it is you have now.

[E_CHU_TA!]

You want to know what George probably didn't plan? For Vader to be Luke's father until he sat down with screenwriters to pen the Empire Strikes Back. Ditto for Luke and Leia being revealed as twins in ROTJ.

Luke and Leia as siblings is a well documented change of direction for ROTJ.

However, there is no evidence that Vader was not Luke's father at the time the original film was shot. In fact, Vader's "Dark Father" name and Obi-wan's "I lean back when I lie" face seem to support Lucas' contention that this was always his plan. (Brackett was largely left to her own devices for her draft of the Empire script, btw.)



Anyone else see this:



Mark Hamill says the last day he shaved was the day after the @StarWars cast table read. Beard is for EVII.


Since I'm a bigger fan of Luke than Han, the news above gets me more hyped than the Falcon appearing in the film.

[Alexrd]

Cool, I didn't know that. Yet But I still don't see how that proves this new treatment is A) non-compatible with any previous ideas he may have had for the saga after ROTJ or B) that any of that dictates the need for a Falcon set to be built or not built.

And he's still onboard as a consultant, isn't he?

All we know is Kasdan and Abrams have reworked Ardnt's script. None of which proves or disproves a Falcon set would also have been a feature of the Ardnt script none of us here know anything about.

Like I said, it's all speculation on my part.

Yes, and as such his involvement is limited compared to the other six movies. Personally, I would like to know more about the extent of his involvement on the making of the movie.

I know it doesn't prove anything, that's why it's all assumption.

from what I've read, the initial script was a transitional script, relying heavily on the new actors, little on the old actors. When Harrison was approached, he wanted much more screen time.

This jived with Abrams' idea of using more old cast, introduction to new characters. Thus the old script was jettisoned from low orbit and you have whatever it is you have now.

I know it's all a rumor, but that's what I'm worried about the most.

[Treadwell]

Like I said, it's all speculation on my part. I know it doesn't prove anything, that's why it's all assumption.

I know it's all a rumor, but that's what I'm worried about the most.

I guess all I'm trying to say is, you are worrying about something we all know little or nothing about being changed to something else we all know little or nothing about.

Lucas has indicated his role is to advise on what can and can not happen in his universe...

From what has been said, it would seem to be the case that if Lucas says character X is not able to do something then Abrams and co have to take heed or risk him pulling out and not endorsing the project at all.

Until the day that happens - and the press would be all over it if it did - then I can't see you having anything to fear on that front...

[bearvomit]

what if it's really Vader's severed hand that Luke cut off in ROTJ ???

[VT-16]

it will have defeated the sacrifice of the saga's main character (Vader) and made Luke's victory feel hollow.

Only because the Prequels made Anakin a messiah. This didn't exist before and most people didn't assume he was destined to end anything. Makes Kevin Smith's line about 7 feeling like a sequel to ESB more than ROTJ did, more interesting, imho.

[CoGro]

Only because the Prequels made Anakin a messiah. This didn't exist before and most people didn't assume he was destined to end anything. Makes Kevin Smith's line about 7 feeling like a sequel to ESB more than ROTJ did, more interesting, imho.

I agree with that, but the reality is that Episodes I-III happened, no matter how much people want to believe they didn't. You have to account for that part of the story too in ST. It was also common knowledge before the prequels existed that Darth Vader / Anakin Skywalker was the central character of a 6-picture arc. It's part of cinematic conscience now and can't just be brushed away. This is Episode 7, not a reboot.

[VT-16]

You have to account for that part of the story too in ST.

No, because it wasn't invented as such in the OT films and never referenced there. It needn't be referenced ever again. At the most, the Prequels said he'd restore balance. Never said for how long. There's literally no reason to bring it up again, since the OT characters (that survived) never knew about any prophecy.

[CoGro]

No, because it wasn't invented as such in the OT films and never referenced there. It needn't be referenced ever again. At the most, the Prequels said he'd restore balance. Never said for how long. There's literally no reason to bring it up again, since the OT characters (that survived) never knew about any prophecy.

Intended or not, there is character continuity in all 6 Star Wars movies. Unless the major villain from the PT and OT appears or directly influences the threat in the ST, the villain will either have to be ret-conned into the saga (as rumoured) or will feel extraneous.

Palpatine was the Joker, Sauron, etc of Star Wars. You can't just make up another big bad and expect the audience to be as invested.