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Watch How BB-8's Voice Was Created For 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

BB-8 Voice Featurette - Ben Schwartz Recording
By Ethan Anderton

By now all Star Wars fans have heard that development for the voice of the beloved ball droid BB-8 in Star Wars: The Force Awakens started by using comedians Ben Schwartz and Bill Hader to record dialogue that would later be replaced by sound effects. However, this process has only been explained to us by those two actors, both in a Reddit AMA video and in a separate interview. Now a clip from one of the featurettes you'll find on the Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D collector's edition Blu-ray shows Ben Schwartz recording dialogue for BB-8, and it's thoroughly entertaining.

Watch the BB-8 voice featurette clip after the jump.

Here's the video posted to the official Star Wars Twitter:

Since this is just a clip from a featurette on the Blu-ray, I'm hoping that there's actually more explanation about BB-8. But since the featurette is called "Sounds of the Resistance," it probably jumps around to the various sound effects efforts on the movie. There could be an entire featurette showing how they created the sounds for BB-8 and I would watch the hell out of it, mainly because I also want to see footage of Bill Hader working on the voice too.

In fact, seeing footage of Ben Schwartz recording dialogue for BB-8 as if he was voicing a character in an animated movie makes me want to watch the whole movie with his recorded lines in place of the bleeps and bloops. It might not be quite as entertaining as having BB-8's dialogue replaced with lines from Ben Schwartz's character Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Recreation, but it would still be fantastic.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D collector's edition Blu-ray hit shelves on Tuesday and it comes chock full of new special features, including commentary from director J.J. Abrams. We've already learned some details from the commentary, such as the fact that Kylo Ren and Rey never met before their confrontation on Takodana. Plus we heard about a deleted scene where Chewbacca does something that Wookiees are infamous for doing.

If you're interested in the rest of the special features, here they are:

  • Audio Commentary with J.J. Abrams – Enter the mind of visionary director J.J. Abrams as he reveals the creative and complex choices made while developing the first film in the new Star Wars trilogy.
  • Foley: A Sonic Tale – Foley artists, consisting of old pros and new talent, unite to bring the world of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" alive through the matching of sound to action.
  • Sounds of the Resistance – Hear how the epic sound design of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" moves the Star Wars legacy forward.
  • Deleted Scenes – View never-before-shared scenes that didn't make the film's final cut.
  • Dressing the Galaxy – Costume Designer Michael Kaplan reveals how the costumes of the original Star Wars movies were re-envisioned for a new generation.
  • The Scavenger and the Stormtrooper: A Conversation with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega – The two new stars share the thrill of working together on the adventure of a lifetime and becoming part of the Star Wars legacy.
  • Inside the Armory – Take a fascinating tour through the design and creation of the weaponry in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
  • Classic Bonus Features – These offerings from the April release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," include the complete story behind the making of the film, an unforgettable cast table read, insights from legendary composer John Williams and deleted scenes, as well as features that dig deeper into the creation of new characters such as BB-8, the design of the climactic lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren, the film's remarkable digital artistry and the Star Wars: Force for Change global aid initiative.

    • You can pick up the Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D collector's edition Blu-ray now.

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