'Star Wars 7' Casting News, Plot SPOILERS & Title Rumors: J.J. Abrams Using Very Little CGI In 'Episode VII' - Director Rian Johnson Talks Practical Effects

One of the biggest complaints about the Star Wars prequel trilogy was the overuse of CGI as opposed to practical effects. With the new trilogy (staring with the yet-to-be titled Episode VII from J.J. Abrams) coming out in the next handful of years, fans assumed CGI would play a big part considering the advances we've had in filmmaking. But after seeing some behind-the-scenes videos, we know that practical effects have been built, too. Now a new interview with Episodes VIII and IX director Rian Johnson has confirmed CGI will not be the main focus for effects!

Back in July, we got a huge taste of a few practical builds in a "Force for Change" contest update video from the set of Episode VII. Abrams spoke to the camera, which slowly zoomed out to show that he was standing next to an actual X-Wing. A pilot climbed into the spaceship, proving that it wasn't CGI and then a tiny robot zipped by. This is reportedly just a taste of what we can look forward to in the new Star Wars trilogy.

"They're doing so much practical building for this one. It's awesome," Johnson told podcast Girls in Hoodies this week, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "I think people are coming back around to [practical effects]. It feels like there is sort of that gravity pulling us back toward it. I think that more and more people are hitting kind of a critical mass in terms of the CG-driven action scene lending itself to a very specific type of action scene, where physics go out the window and it becomes so big so quick."

He added: "I probably sound like a grumpy old man talking about it. I do wonder because I think kids are growing up watching those and that's the thing that they love now, so I don't know whether it is a generational thing, and it could be."

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(via The Hollywood Reporter)