Lucasfilm sold, new Star Wars films coming

[Goose]

Did NOT expect to read this today.

Lucasfilm is sold, Disney is actually going to make Eps 7-9, and Lucas isn't going to be directing?  I'm in shock.  Given that I just finished Timothy Zahn's Hand of Thrawn books, I'm really hoping that Eps 7-9 follow the story that's being set out in the Expanded Universe books.  Having the Thrawn trilogy mixed down into Eps 7-8, and Hand of Thrawn as Ep 9 would work really well.  The article even mentions more movies after that, so I'd say just keep going into the New Jedi Order.  I'm looking forward to reading those, and I bet the Yuuzhan Vong war would make for excellent films.

[r00]

lol  I was just coming here to start the same thread!!

My thoughts on this 10 years ago would be along the lines of "PLEASE GOD NO,"  but since Lucas has done a decent job of ruining the franchise himself, I am actually looking forward to new Star Wars movies again. 

I hope they follow the original three Zahn books for eps 7-9.  I loved those.

Hopefully they can keep Lucas in the role of creative consultants and out of the director's chair.  I am willing to bet something to the like was written in the contract. 

Another possible piece of good news is that this could pave the way to the original theatrical releases of eps 4-6 being released on Blu-Ray.  \m/

bonus pissibility:  Being able to punch a  life-size Jar Jar Binks character at Disneyland.

[Goose]

Being that Lucas actually said, himself, that he's handing Star Wars over to other filmmakers, he won't be directing.  I'm pretty sure he's said he's done directing major films in general now.

As well, Disney's been doing some things to actually gain my respect recently.  Tron: Legacy had the potential to be a terrible nostalgia cash-in, but it wasn't.  It was a really good film that pulled no punches when dealing with the material at hand, and if you didn't know the first film you were probably really lost.  Wreck-It Ralph also has been gaining a lot of critical cred for dealing with its source materials in a sophisticated manner, and I'm really looking forward to seeing that.  If this company starts doing Star Wars, we could well be on our way to some films of Empire Strikes Back quality in a hurry.

I never considered your bonus possibility.  I like it.  I fully endorse it.  Repeatedly.  With a mace.  Right in wherever Gungans keep their babymakers.

I'm going to start my campaign to get Scarlett Johansson cast as Mara Jade now.

[r00]

a funny I recently came across...

[Static]

From what I read, Lucas has already written treatments for 7-9 despite not directing anything from this point.  So whether that comes in the guise of what happens in any of the books, who knows, but I can see Lucas ignoring it completely - what this will mean with Disney now being the driving force behind the franchise is anyone's guess.

[TPD]

the best star wars film had writers and directors who weren't lucas. heck, even ep 4. had a lot of guidance of spielberg and coppola; the initial edit was an alleged mess.

star wars has been relatively dead to me for the last 10 years anyway, so this can only be good news. can't be worse.


disney bought marvel and marvel ended up making a kickass avengers film. i have nothing but faith.

[Static]

I think there's far too much concern over "zomg Disney", like you said, they're responsible for Avengers and also Tron which I absolutely love.  Didn't Lucas only direct the original Star Wars our of the main trilogy anyway?

[Goose]

The only one of the six Star Wars movies not directed by Lucas was The Empire Strikes Back.  As such, Lucas hates it, but its pretty universally considered the best of the six.

[TPD]

The only one of the six Star Wars movies not directed by Lucas was The Empire Strikes Back.  As such, Lucas hates it, but its pretty universally considered the best of the six.

nope.

jedi was directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan.

afaik, the "and" denotes kasdan did a rewrite.
"&" would have represented a more collaborative work.
given that he produced it and oversaw it, he probably fucked it up after kasdan fixed it.
as he often does.

[Goose]

Well, colour me corrected.

[rynne]

Word is EpVII will be directed by JJ Abrams.

[r00]

lol I was just coming here to post this.  It excites me.   

[Goose]

I don't know.  JJ did good things with Star Trek, but having the same guy at the helm of Star Wars makes me hesitant.  Mostly for the fact that I don't think there should be a directorial monopoly on the "Star *" franchises.

I'm still mostly hesitant due to the fact that I don't know what's in the script.  I'm still scared they're just going to slash out all the history put out in the novels and try to do something stupid.

I'll just keep my fingers crossed it all turns out good in the end.

[rynne]

And in a surprising move, Benedict Cumberbatch's character in Star Trek: Into Darkness is revealed to be Darth Khan.

[Goose]

rynne, if I could deliver a backhand slap across TCP/IP, you can be sure that your cheek would be rosy right about now.