Another thing I like about the EU is the thought of the Thrawn Trilogy being made into films. Loosely connected, non-Lucas stories, taking place after the mess that Star Wars has become. Casting would be tough for sure because so many iconic characters would have to be recast. However, as Star Trek so perfectly demonstrated in 2009, it can be done. Personally, one would be a given. Bryce Dallas Howard as Mara Jade. To me, she's the first woman I've ever seen who actually looks the way Mara is written.

All the other depictions I've seen of her seem to be off somehow. Weirdly enough, the "official" Mara Jade seems to be Shannon McRandle and she couldn't be further from how I picture Mara. McRandle is all style, no substance.

When I'm reading the novels, Mara doesn't look like the book covers, the trading cards, the comics, etc. Something is always missing - tough but not angry - pretty but not tough - mean but no inner struggle, dark but no mystery, etc, etc. The closest to my mental version is the drawing on the cover of Survivor's Quest. A more mature Mara (my preferred version of the character).

Then I saw a picture of Bryce Dallas Howard while I was double checking some information for a movie review I'm going to post in off-topic. The moment I saw her, my mind instantly connected her to the character I'd read in those eight novels. Bryce has Mara's je ne saia quoi.