Star Wars Episode 7

[bjornolf]

The best part about Disney taking over Lucas? The newest Disney Princess... Leia!

[JasonEvans]

*sigh* They are going to screw it up. But whatever... bring on Admiral Thrawn!

As soon as my 15 year old son heard the news about new Star Wars films yesterday, he said, "Please tell me they are going to make the Dark Force Rising books into a movie!!"

Admiral Thrawn would be a great bad guy character to build around. A fine successor to Darth Vader.

-Jason "I agree with others that cameo kinda roles for Hammil, Fisher, and Ford makes the most sense" Evans

[cato]

*sigh* They are going to screw it up. But whatever... bring on Admiral Thrawn!

I could write for pages and pages, and not say it any better.

[kingboozer]

In a recorded statement (or maybe from a press conference), Lucas said "we can make Star Wars for another 100 years". Looks like we'll be starting with another trilogy to test that theory.
As far as Disney taking over, I don't mind. It's not like Star Wars is a rated R franchise, and Disney does not put out bad movies. I bet if they were on board when the "first 3" came out, we might have seen a better product.

Oh I agree, Disney puts their all into projects to make them quality, I'm sure these movies will be better (fingers crossed) than the prequels, but Disney has a tendency to get a little...greedy when it comes to sequals. I read about a possible TV series could be in the works, I'm down with Star Wars heading in that direction, so long as its good!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2045746.html

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Somewhat related, I'm now faced with the choice of whether I indoctrinate my toddler son with Star Wars or not. I grew up a huge fan, but like many am now disillusioned and bitter. I'm leaning towards not endorsing any of it. If he stumbles across it some day, so be it. Has anyone else had to make this choice?

[cato]

I'm leaning towards not endorsing any of it. If he stumbles across it some day, so be it.

FWIW, in a suddenly relevant tangent, this is the approach my wife and I are taking with the whole Disney Princess thing for our toddler daughter. Our anti-Princess feelings run deep, but we don't want to impose our baggage on her. We're silent on the subject, and keep Princess stuff out of the house (sorry Aunt Jenny, I don't know what happened to that sticker book). But she's a girl, likes dress up, and this is America. We are resigned to the fact that she will be exposed, and can only hope that our lack of interest will have innoculated her against the worst of it.

[Wander]

*sigh* They are going to screw it up. But whatever... bring on Admiral Thrawn!

The Thrawn books were awesome. They might even make great movies. But, and I know I'm in the minority, I'm not sure they're appropriate for Episodes 7, 8, and 9. Aside from introducing the best non-movie characters (Thrawn, Mara, Jacen, Jaina), not enough really happens. The characters and the SW universe are exactly the same before the story as they are after it, at least in comparison to the original or prequel trilogy. And of course the Thrawn story is still about Luke, Han, and Leia, which most of us seem to agree is not the best idea.

I think the way to go is to make Episodes 7, 8, and 9 an epic story starring the third generation of characters. Then have other Star Wars movies that are not of the format "Episode ___," but are just good movies that can depict cool stories like the Thrawn stuff, fill in some of the gaps between other films, and/or have the freedom to veer away from the traditional formula.

[OldPhiKap]

Somewhat related, I'm now faced with the choice of whether I indoctrinate my toddler son with Star Wars or not. I grew up a huge fan, but like many am now disillusioned and bitter. I'm leaning towards not endorsing any of it. If he stumbles across it some day, so be it. Has anyone else had to make this choice?

My son found it on his own once he got to kindergarten or first grade; it is difficult to avoid. And, as I said upstream, he likes II, III, and the Clone Wars more than "our" Star Wars movies. Jar Jar Binks, to a youngster, is not as offensive as it is to you and me.

FWIW, in a suddenly relevant tangent, this is the approach my wife and I are taking with the whole Disney Princess thing for our toddler daughter. Our anti-Princess feelings run deep, but we don't want to impose our baggage on her. We're silent on the subject, and keep Princess stuff out of the house (sorry Aunt Jenny, I don't know what happened to that sticker book). But she's a girl, likes dress up, and this is America. We are resigned to the fact that she will be exposed, and can only hope that our lack of interest will have innoculated her against the worst of it.

Now, the Disney Princesses are truly evil and the spawn of Satan himself. A more dastardly and vile force has never been visited upon the youth of our Nation. A nauseating cavity that rips through the very minds and souls of young girls everywhere.

Except Jasmine. She's kinda hot.

[PensDevil]

Top movies of Summer 2015:

Star Wars VII
Avengers 2
Justice League
Pixar movie

Is Avatar 2 still scheduled for 2015? If so I'll take these 5 right now.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Top movies of Summer 2015:

Star Wars VII
Avengers 2
Justice League
Pixar movie

Is Avatar 2 still scheduled for 2015? If so I'll take these 5 right now.

As soon as I heard 2015 for the next Star Wars movie I thought "so it will be released in 2019". Hell, I'm still waiting for the TV show that was supposed to air in 2007 or so.

[kingboozer]

Top movies of Summer 2015:

Star Wars VII
Avengers 2
Justice League
Pixar movie

Is Avatar 2 still scheduled for 2015? If so I'll take these 5 right now.

Cameron says it won't be ready until at least 2015, my guess is they'll either hold it and release it when the market isn't as saturated or release it and go head to head with all these summer blockbusters. Either way, my Saturday evenings are booked up for the summer of 2015!
http://www.hitfix.com/news/avatar-2-...-james-cameron

[Lord Ash]

The Thrawn books were awesome. They might even make great movies. But, and I know I'm in the minority, I'm not sure they're appropriate for Episodes 7, 8, and 9. Aside from introducing the best non-movie characters (Thrawn, Mara, Jacen, Jaina), not enough really happens. The characters and the SW universe are exactly the same before the story as they are after it, at least in comparison to the original or prequel trilogy. And of course the Thrawn story is still about Luke, Han, and Leia, which most of us seem to agree is not the best idea.

I think the way to go is to make Episodes 7, 8, and 9 an epic story starring the third generation of characters. Then have other Star Wars movies that are not of the format "Episode ___," but are just good movies that can depict cool stories like the Thrawn stuff, fill in some of the gaps between other films, and/or have the freedom to veer away from the traditional formula.

Yeah, I am not entirely sure they would work (they definitely have weaknesses, those stupid force-stifling creatures being the perfect example) but with a bit of work he would be a great bad guy, and there are certainly bits they could make into great story. I remember particularly liking the bit about the Emperor basically exerting control over all of the Imperial Navy, and when he died they fell apart (leading to the loss of the Executor). There were some neat ideas there.

[OldPhiKap]

An article I read indicated that there was already a pretty advanced narrative for the three movies. My guess is that they go in a direction different than the books, if for no other reason than to avoid a six hour build-up to a known ending. And also avoids the whole "book is better" argument; Lucas was pretty vocal that he was tired of getting beaten up by purists for just trying to make a damn movie. (I know he is not the ringleader anymore, but he has creative input and helped develop the planned arc).

[Olympic Fan]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but just before the release of The Empire Strikes Back, Time Magazine did a big spread on the Star Wars saga, revealing for the first time that Lucas had planned from the beginning to make a multi-part saga and not a one-shot deal.

He claimed to have outlines for nine episodes -- Star Wars was No. 4, Empire No. 5 and so on. He explained that he had planned three trilogies. So far, he appears to have stayed on plan.

I wonder if the next three correspond to his original outline? He did say at the time that the only two characters to span all nine episodes would be the two droids.

[bjornolf]

I wonder if the next three correspond to his original outline? He did say at the time that the only two characters to span all nine episodes would be the two droids.

Well, the only characters I can think of that span the first six other than the droids are yoda (dead in VI), Obi Wan (dead in IV), Annakin (dead in VI), and Palpatine (dead in VI).

[Wander]

Well, the only characters I can think of that span the first six other than the droids are yoda (dead in VI), Obi Wan (dead in IV), Annakin (dead in VI), and Palpatine (dead in VI).

Even then, Palpatine and Yoda weren't in 4, right?

I would guess that the sequels don't really correspond to his original plans for them given how much time has passed and how many other stories have been written, except for the loose theme of "passing down your knowledge" (I think I remember Lucas saying he'd want a sequel trilogy to be about Luke training a new generation, or something along those lines).

[JasonEvans]

Lucas' original 9-episode story that he outlined many years ago is out the window. The 3 prequels that were made most recently did not correspond to the supposed stories he had laid out and there is no way he can do 7-8-9 as he planned them back then because everyone says Luke, Han, and Leia are not likely to be main characters in the new movies (many folks believe Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher have no desire to revisit the characters, even for a boatload of money).

I agree that making the Thrawn trilogy, while cool, is not going to happen. Lucas is going to exert a fair bit of creative input on the new films and you can bet he does not want his new Star Wars to follow the vision of someone else. It would be an admission that Lucas is out of ideas and has nothing of value to add any more. Not going to happen.

-Jason "by the way, I spoke to some plugged in Star Wars watchers today for an article I am writing. I'll link it when it gets published in the morning" Evans

[Dukeface88]

Lucas' original 9-episode story that he outlined many years ago is out the window. The 3 prequels that were made most recently did not correspond to the supposed stories he had laid out and there is no way he can do 7-8-9 as he planned them back then because everyone says Luke, Han, and Leia are not likely to be main characters in the new movies (many folks believe Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher have no desire to revisit the characters, even for a boatload of money).

As I understand it, Jedi actually put the kibosh on most of the alleged ideas for the sequal trilogy - Leia wasn't going to be Luke's sister, Palpatine wasn't going to show up until IX, etc. Of course, Lucas has also been claiming for the last 15 years that there were never any plans for a sequel trilogy, so meh.

[94duke]

As I understand it, Jedi actually put the kibosh on most of the alleged ideas for the sequal trilogy - Leia wasn't going to be Luke's sister, Palpatine wasn't going to show up until IX, etc. Of course, Lucas has also been claiming for the last 15 years that there were never any plans for a sequel trilogy, so meh.

He must have forgotten about the Introduction that he wrote for Alan Dean Foster's Splinter of the Mind's Eye.

It wasn't long after I began writing Star Wars that I realized the story was more than a single film could hold. As the saga of the Skywalkers and Jedi Knights unfolded, I began to see it as a tale that could take at least nine films to tell—three trilogies—and I realized, in making my way through the back story and after story, that I was really setting out to write the middle story.

[moonpie23]

with a great story and excellent casting, they COULD bring back all the main characters AND have cameos by the originals....who would have EVER thought chris pine would be captain kirk? Star Trek proved that it can be done...

let joss write it....lol