Unpopular Jar Jar Binks won't appear in new 'Star Wars': producer

[December 07, 2015]  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Jar Jar Binks, a goofy amphibious character who irritated many "Star Wars" fans in the 1999 film "The Phantom Menace," will not appear in the new movie "The Force Awakens," producer Kathleen Kennedy said on Sunday.

The filmmakers have declined to share much about what audiences will see when "Force Awakens" opens in theaters on Dec. 18, but Kennedy did answer a question at a news conference about what is not in the film.

"Jar Jar is definitely not in the movie," Kennedy said to applause and cheers.

An online poll of movie fans in 2006 found Binks to be the most annoying film character of all time.

Audiences of the new film also won't see any Ewoks, the furry creatures from 1983's "Return of the Jedi," Kennedy said. "That's because Harrison insisted on it," she joked, referring to Harrison Ford, who returns to play Han Solo in "Force Awakens."

"The Force Awakens" is the seventh episode in the sci-fi franchise created by George Lucas. Walt Disney Co took over the series when it purchased the Lucasfilm studio in 2012.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

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