What to watch for now that Disney owns Lucasfilm
Anything's possible in a world where this deal actually came together
This really is just the tip of the iceberg.
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Disney now owns the Muppets, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. In breaking news, they are currently in negotiation with my parents to buy the rest of my childhood for an undisclosed six-figure sum.
And we don't get the first new "Star Wars" film until 2015, eh? Guess I'm going to have to start exercising and eating right after all.
First, I think it's a safe bet that all of your poring over your "Star Wars" expanded universe novels to figure out if he's doing the Thrawn movies or the New Jedi Order series can relax. They won't be adapting books. They mentioned today that Lucas has written treatments for three new films, and there is no way he's going to let those films say "based on a story by Timothy Zahn". Those stories exist, fans are able to enjoy them now, and simply translating them to the screen is a losing proposition on all sides. The general public has no investment in those books, and for filmmakers who become involved with the series moving forward, there's no up side to simply adapting someone else's "Star Wars" story when there is almost limitless room to invent new stories that take place in that universe and even in that continuity.
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What is tremendously exciting is the notion that Lucas is finally out of the mix creatively. I don't have the same crazy hatred of him that so many vocal online folks do, and I get weary of the bile directed towards him. I know people don't like the prequels, and I would never try to argue with someone about that and tell them that they're "wrong," but when I say it's exciting that he's leaving the series, don't confuse that with a hatred for him. What excites me about that concept is that "Star Wars" has always felt gigantic to me, like one of the biggest boxes of Legos imaginable, and up till now, it's been one kid controlling all of the Legos. Now it sounds like other artists are going to be able to come in and play, and with Disney planning for the first new "Star Wars" film in 2015 and then a new film every two years after that, this isn't a question of one person getting a shot at it, or even one style of film that we'll see. It's Disney. We could see animated movies that tell stories that have nothing to do with the Skywalker family. We could see the far-flung history of the Old Republic. We could see Jedi stories, or Sith histories, or just movies set against this amazing backdrop that establish all new ideas.
The point is that we don't know yet what sort of things we'll be seeing. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the news. When it broke today, I was at a press event for another movie, and it was funny to see how even the filmmakers I was there to speak with were suddenly completely distracted by thoughts of new "Star Wars." We decided to build out a quick gallery to explore some of the things you might see happen now that this partnership is in place.
Now all we need to do is remind Marvel that with Lucasfilm also under the Disney banner, they now own Howard the Duck again. So can we expect to see him standing side-by-side with Rocket Raccoon in "The Avengers 2"?
Only if we're lucky. Only if we're very, very lucky.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupKlarkKent
October 30, 2012 at 9:11PM EST Reply to CommentHoward the Duck! Wooo! I hadn't even thought of that...
Anyway, this news brings incredibly mixed feelings for me. Part of me is excited to get new Star Wars stuff. Part of me is a little worried we could end up with the style of hodgepodge that has always marked the expanded universe. Regardless, I hope this means we'll finally get Mara Jade introduced into the movie canon proper.
DAGOBAH Duncan Jones would be interesting, or Edgar Wright.
October 30, 2012 at 10:11PM ESTRian Johnson? He's shown his sci-fi chops.
Or Brandon Cronenberg? He's just made his THX with antiviral.
& yes, meant ep VII
sc
October 30, 2012 at 9:20PM EST Reply to CommentPlease, we know the brass at Disney is never going to let a Star Wars movie get made without Darth Vader involved. This is probably going to be same tired Clone Wars or Old Republic BS that we've been seeing over the last decade.
As far as the Thrawn Trilogy is concerned - some of the best works of cinema in recent years let alone of all time have been adaptations of other works. There's plenty of wiggle room in adapting Zahn's work for another artist to have his say.
Intellectual Ninja Can only do Thrawn as animated if you want to use original cast.
October 30, 2012 at 9:30PM ESTThe are far to old.
Unfortunately, they're also too old for the outstanding, landscape-changing New Jedi Order, which for my money, are the best Star Wars stories ever told not named The Empire Strikes Back.
You could do Legacy.
And Legacy ties-in nicely with the history of Star Wars, with Jacen flow-walking into the past, witnessing his grandfather's turn, murdering all of the Jedi students, etc, only to fall into the same traps of anger and power lust.
But if 7-9 is really to be off of an outline from Lucas, it'll ignore the EU. And that's fine.
But get Joss Whedon on that shit, stat, because I never, ever want to sit through Lucas's unedited writing.
"I truly. Deeply. Love... ... ... you." Yech.
Zach R.
October 30, 2012 at 9:26PM EST Reply to CommentZachary Levi to play a rebooted Han Solo
Joyeful Hmmm...depends where Episode VII falls in the story line, Solo may not be that young. But...if possible, dammit, he'd be an awesome Han Solo.
October 30, 2012 at 10:02PM ESTJoyeful AND - Disney loves him (Tangled AND Thor 2).
October 30, 2012 at 10:03PM EST
October 31, 2012 at 3:52AM ESTIntellectual Ninja
October 30, 2012 at 9:26PM EST Reply to CommentUmm... Drew, the ONLY thing we should all be looking forward to about Disney-Lucasfilm, is a full 4-K restoration of Han-Shot-First Star Wars on blu ray.
Because that's ALL we want. If Disney gives us this, they will own our love forever.
I don't "hate" George, either, but his outright refusal to understand that we, the consumer, owned his "art" as much as he did, and that his continued tinkering with our attachment to his art caused many hurt feelings, is one of the biggest missteps in entertainment history.
He just didn't, couldn't, or refused to understand that.
Disney can heal this 15-year wound. Han shot first. I know it. You know it. And if Disney knows it, then it doesn't matter anymore if George forget it.
The REAL Original Trilogy. Touched-up special effects (the lightsabers, painting out the TIE Fighter mattes, etc) ONLY. No stupid animals. No "funny" droids acting like The Three Stooges. No dumb "shockwave." Just minor touch-ups that improve, not wholesale changes that detract.
They give us this, on blu ray, fully restored and touched-up in 7.1 surround, and it will heal the rift.
Dave I Umm... Drew, the ONLY thing we should all be looking forward to about Disney-Lucasfilm, is a full 4-K restoration of Han-Shot-First Star Wars on blu ray.
October 30, 2012 at 11:08PM EST[snip]
The REAL Original Trilogy. Touched-up special effects (the lightsabers, painting out the TIE Fighter mattes, etc) ONLY. No stupid animals. No "funny" droids acting like The Three Stooges. No dumb "shockwave." Just minor touch-ups that improve, not wholesale changes that detract.
...Yeah, that would be nice.
-Cheers
John On the other hand, refusing to release the unedited original trilogy is pretty brilliant marketing, better even than the "Disney Vault." If there were no special editions, the only releases for Star Wars would have been cassette, DVD, and Blu-Ray, and there wouldn't be a rush to the stores before Episode VII in 2015. Now Disney can release the unedited original trilogy in 2014 and have them fly off the shelves.
October 30, 2012 at 11:10PM ESTAmerican Jedi No, "we" did not "own his art as much as he did." He owned it. You, as the consumer, could choose to consume it or not consume it, but you didn't own it and he didn't not owe a duty to tailor his films to meet your particular tastes.
October 31, 2012 at 12:34AM ESTThere are millions of Star Wars fans and they don't all like or dislike the same things. Lucas couldn't make everyone happy with the prequels or the Deluxe Editions, but he did make some people happy with those (mostly younger people). Like it or hate it, it was his prerogative. "We" were not entitled to a vote because we didn't make it.
Intellectual Ninja Sorry, America Jedi, that is not how art works.
October 31, 2012 at 1:07AM ESTWhen the artist presents the art to the world, it is no longer their's alone.
It belongs to EVERYONE who has an emotional reaction to it.
Consumers of art own the art they comsume. ESPECIALLY when it comes to visual media.
I literally own hundreds of films that have elicited a gamut of emotional reactions from me.
Many of these films have shaped who I am today. They are just as much mine as they are anyone else's.
The artist cannot own his art if he wishes to share it with the world.
It's not the way it works.
Paul S I agree with a blu ray release of the original trilogy without the enhanced effects, but I believe in the creative vision of the storyteller/ director....a fan base should not be allowed to dictate what should happen..."too many cooks spoil the broth" etc.
October 31, 2012 at 8:23AM ESTDave I @Paul S, I agree, we should not dictate what should happen. However, in the case of the original trilogy, that was released. In this case, we liked the recipe, the cook revised it, and like Coke we want the Classic version, not the New version. As for what came afterward, the cook lost his touch, a/o got rid of his assistants that made the first two movies so good. We still like the franchise, just want to give another cook a chance at the oven.
October 31, 2012 at 10:07AM EST-Cheers
DAGOBAH
October 30, 2012 at 9:27PM EST Reply to CommentWho will direct ep IIV? Spielberg and Whedon are with Disney already...
Eyes Let's hope it's someone who has proven they know their stuff, like Blomkamp, Bird, Fincher, or GDT. Hey, give them a movie each!
October 30, 2012 at 9:52PM ESTSpielberg seems like the obvious choice, but his recent record is as patchy as Lucas'. I doubt that Disney wants Andrew Stanton anywhere near it.
Here's the other fanboy suggestions that won't happen:
- Chris Nolan, because he's with WB and is still learning how to direct action;
- James Cameron, because he's not a rent boy and has his own rival mega-franchise;
- Peter Jackson, not just because he won't work for anything less than a half-billion package, but because Lucas doesn't seem to think very highly of Jackson. I find it hard to believe that Lucas won't be sounded out on the big decisions.
October 31, 2012 at 3:56AM ESTLet fincher take the "Underworld" idea and run with it. Man id love to see a Mandalorian War movie directed by him
Paul S Fincher would be great!
October 31, 2012 at 8:35AM ESTRyan
October 30, 2012 at 10:03PM EST Reply to CommentSo this means that in 2015 we will have Episode VII, Avengers 2, and Justice League. Holy crap.
Bill You forgot Avatar 2
October 30, 2012 at 10:24PM ESTEyes
October 30, 2012 at 10:20PM EST Reply to CommentKathleen Kennedy, new boss of Lucasfilm, has a long history of collaboration with Steven Spielberg, so I'd bet that he gets first crack at a new movie. Whether or not that's a good idea is another question. I think we can expect something like 'Crystal Skull' if Spielberg is on it.
Intellectual Ninja That's a lazy assumption.
October 30, 2012 at 10:24PM ESTIt's pretty much well-known that Steven and Harrison were not happy with the quality of Lucas' story and did their best with what they had.
The only person who had the balls to speak honestly about it was Shia. And he's been shunned by Steven because of it.
Spielberg hasn't lost a thing. As you will see when Lincoln debuts.
Eyes Spielberg is still capable of good work, but his involvement doesn't come close to guaranteeing success. His inability to transform Lucas' terrible story into a watchable movie is a warning sign. I strongly suspect that Spielberg will be offered it, but what they need is someone more on top of their game.
October 30, 2012 at 10:45PM ESTIntellectual Ninja It's really not a warning sign.
October 30, 2012 at 10:52PM ESTSteven had to shoot the film as Lucas wanted it. It's the only way Lucas would agree to the film.
The film looked great. The action set-pieces were impeccably directed.
There is only so much you can do to polish a turd. At the end of the day, it's still a turd.
It's an outlier in Spielberg's career.
jim I just dont think Spielberg would want to work on his close friends project, it woulw be awkward a little would`nt it?
October 31, 2012 at 1:46PM ESTLogo Lou
October 30, 2012 at 10:25PM EST Reply to CommentHoward didn't revert to Marvel? Can't imagine Lucas even wanted to hold onto the rights...
Jeff Mclachlan Howard reverted to Marvel years ago. Drew was kidding.
October 31, 2012 at 3:02AM ESTjason
October 30, 2012 at 10:28PM EST Reply to CommentAs a dad to a toddler who loves star wars i am stoked. As a dad who's first movie ever as a kid in 1977 was to see Star Wars this is frightening!
TimB
October 30, 2012 at 10:31PM EST Reply to CommentI fell in love with the original trilogy in the mid-90s when I was 7 or 8, but I had kind of moved on from that rabid fanboyishness by the time the prequels came out. I was able to enjoy them for what they were, at face value... some really high points, some really low points, and the rest being generally passable... essentially what I'm saying is that I've never been passionately anti-Lucas or anything like that. I love the original trilogy for what it gave me in elementary school, and I'm "okay" with the prequels.
That said, I think the singularly most interesting facet of this entire development is just WHO Disney chooses to hand the reigns to for this next trilogy. Even as someone who has kind of "moved on" from Star Wars fan-hood, I'm going to be frothing at the mouth for every development about who Disney chooses to craft this ship, creatively.
BigAl6ft6
October 30, 2012 at 10:54PM EST Reply to CommentI do want to see a Steven Spielberg Star Wars movie quite badly. I don't think it's entirely entirely out of the realm of possibility. I do, however, buy that Star Wars is really Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader's story so I'm not quite sure where you can go with that. Either that, or lots and lots of Anakin Skywalker Force Ghost.
Dave I I hope you are wrong. Darth Vader is a great character. However, you can only milk that so far. They've been doing so for thirty-five years. What more do they want to do with him?
October 30, 2012 at 11:23PM ESTMove on already.
-Cheers
Jordo
October 30, 2012 at 11:14PM EST Reply to CommentThe craziest possibility I can think of is Cloud Strife and Luke Skywalker taking on Sephiroth in a Kingdom Hearts game. This is actually a doable thing now.
Dave I
October 30, 2012 at 11:17PM EST Reply to CommentWell, this is interesting. I should not be surprised, Lucas had to pass the torch at some point.
Still, my initial excitement was soon replaced by . . . well, apathy. Star Wars was great. Empire was great. Jedi was, well, I was a kid so it was great. It has aged terribly though. Still, two out of three ain't bad. Then the prequels. They were decent to me. The first two have aged terribly. Revenge of the Sith was great though.
After that? Clone Wars (both renditions) has been pretty good. I lost interest and stopped watching though. If my kids get into Star Wars I'll probably watch the movie & series. I never bothered with the expanded universe. And the long-rumored Episode VII and beyond? I came to grips I'd never see that and every actor from the original series is probably too old to be directly involved in the main stories.
So, honestly, what's next? Prequels or historical Jedi/Sith stories? If they're cool I'll watch them. I'm certainly not clamoring for them. Even worse, at this point I do not really care. Sequels? Anakin/Darth a/o Luke were the chosen ones in some Jedi prophecy. What could top that? It's like writing a Biblical sequel to Jesus. Where do you go from there?
If they write good movies, they will sell, and I'll probably watch them. And Disney just bought a Lamborghini. Of course they're going to take it out of the garage and run it. Still, I find it hard to get excited about the continuation of the series just for the sake of there being new movies. I'll wait and see, however if it does not look great, maybe I'll catch it on video when my kids get older. If not, I'll write it off as something whose time has passed it by.
-Cheers
John
October 30, 2012 at 11:19PM EST Reply to CommentI'm sure they'll have their choice of directores. Who wouldn't want to direct a star wars movie? Hope George's stories are interesting.
vicdigital
October 30, 2012 at 11:37PM EST Reply to CommentI'm getting the feeling that they are just humoring Lucas and fans/media by saying that Lucas has been working with writers on Episodes 7-9. I'm sure he HAS been working on them, and I'm sure Disney will take a look at them before taking it into the Pixar cave/clubhouse to let them have a go at stripping the carcass clean of any usable ideas and then rebuilding it from scratch. I'm sure the most that will survive from Lucas's ideas are "Luke, Leia, and Han are in their fifties and sixties".
Every video interview I've seen has Lucas or Iger throwing out the "17,000 characters" figure. To me that means they are at least going to include SOME of the Expanded Universe. It only makes sense, as that segment of the fandom is pretty well established and vocal. Lucas may have turned his nose up at it, but I'm sure all those books and comics are now part of the Disney empire, and are raw material and products that can be repackaged and sold to a whole new audience. And tying in the new movies will only make those EU stuff that much more valuable. There's no reason NOT to include it.
As to what the movies are going to be about, the one thing we haven't had in any of the books or comics is the END of the Luke/Leia/Han story. They are all at the age where the 'final' stories for these characters can be told and the baton handed off to a new generation.
I think you can keep all the EU canon all the way up to Jacen and Jaina and Ben Skywalker, but let them be peripheral adult characters in the new film. Let the grandkids be the stars of Episodes 7-9. Luke, Leia and Han get to go out in a blaze of glory while playing very limited roles. Of course, Luke could stick around indefinitely. I'm sure Mark Hamill would be happy to play the elder Skywalker for a few other movies.
It would be easy to keep ALL of the New Jedi Order and Yuuzhan Vong, just set it far enough past it that it's just the non-essential backstory for the current story.
Current story will be "Sith return", and just like we didn't need all the details of "The Clone Wars" when we first saw Star Wars, we won't need any of the details of "The Yuuzhan Vong War" when it's offhandedly referred to in Episode 7.
Truly, this COULD be a golden age for Star Wars if Disney treats this as the crown jewel it seems they are.
My vote for creative team:
Neil Blomkamp (director/writer), Michael Giacchino (composer), Jonathan Nolan(co-script)
vicdigital
October 30, 2012 at 11:37PM EST Reply to CommentWrite a comment...I'm getting the feeling that they are just humoring Lucas and fans/media by saying that Lucas has been working with writers on Episodes 7-9. I'm sure he HAS been working on them, and I'm sure Disney will take a look at them before taking it into the Pixar cave/clubhouse to let them have a go at stripping the carcass clean of any usable ideas and then rebuilding it from scratch. I'm sure the most that will survive from Lucas's ideas are "Luke, Leia, and Han are in their fifties and sixties".
Every video interview I've seen has Lucas or Iger throwing out the "17,000 characters" figure. To me that means they are at least going to include SOME of the Expanded Universe. It only makes sense, as that segment of the fandom is pretty well established and vocal. Lucas may have turned his nose up at it, but I'm sure all those books and comics are now part of the Disney empire, and are raw material and products that can be repackaged and sold to a whole new audience. And tying in the new movies will only make those EU stuff that much more valuable. There's no reason NOT to include it.
As to what the movies are going to be about, the one thing we haven't had in any of the books or comics is the END of the Luke/Leia/Han story. They are all at the age where the 'final' stories for these characters can be told and the baton handed off to a new generation.
I think you can keep all the EU canon all the way up to Jacen and Jaina and Ben Skywalker, but let them be peripheral adult characters in the new film. Let the grandkids be the stars of Episodes 7-9. Luke, Leia and Han get to go out in a blaze of glory while playing very limited roles. Of course, Luke could stick around indefinitely. I'm sure Mark Hamill would be happy to play the elder Skywalker for a few other movies.
It would be easy to keep ALL of the New Jedi Order and Yuuzhan Vong, just set it far enough past it that it's just the non-essential backstory for the current story.
Current story will be "Sith return", and just like we didn't need all the details of "The Clone Wars" when we first saw Star Wars, we won't need any of the details of "The Yuuzhan Vong War" when it's offhandedly referred to in Episode 7.
Truly, this COULD be a golden age for Star Wars if Disney treats this as the crown jewel it seems they are.
My vote for creative team:
Neil Blomkamp (director/writer), Michael Giacchino (composer), Jonathan Nolan(co-script)
MRA
October 30, 2012 at 11:57PM EST Reply to CommentMy vote is for Andrew Stanton or any of the pixar boys to write and direct. I may be the on of the few to love John Carter, but i think Andrew can do wonders with this....
MikeT33
October 31, 2012 at 12:12AM EST Reply to CommentDrew, last summer when you interviewed Joe Johnston before Captain America came out, you talked about his desire to make a Boba Fett movie. This might give him his chance. Do you think it might happen now?
vicdigital This is perfect. Captain America is my favorite of the Phase 1 movies, and Johnston has the direct connection to the originals. This must happen.
October 31, 2012 at 12:22AM ESTfilaphresh A Boba Fett move seems like a pretty perfect way of developing the material without worrying too much about affecting the canon or getting into the politics of the New Republic or trying to figure out the next step for the Skywalker family. Plus the fans have been begging for it for 30 years.
October 31, 2012 at 1:04AM ESTAnd I too love Johnston's work, including The Rocketeer. He really fits in well with Spielberg and old school Lucas in terms of understanding the joy of movies.
mgrabois
October 31, 2012 at 12:34AM EST Reply to CommentMore Disney/Lucas films of the future:
- Snow White and the Seven Darths
- Indiana Jones and the Ewoks of Doom
- The Muppets Take Coruscant
- Spider-Man: The Clone Wars
- Cars Wars
- Toy Story 4: The Menace of 12" Boba Fett
- Marvel Team-Up Featuring R2-D2 and Wall-E
- Star Wars Babies
- The Kessel Run 2012, on ESPN
- Indiana Jones and the Haunted Mansion
- Star Wars Episode 7: The Rise of Tinkerbell
And the craziest (but most awesome) idea of all: The Adventures of Indiana Jones and Captain America (set during WWII)
Just Drawn That Way I think there may actually be a precedent for the Adventures of Indiana Jones and Captain America (set during WWII). The writer’s of Captain America: The First Avenger made an intentional reference to Raiders (though only as an inside joke) when Red Skull mentions the Fuer (spelling?) digging up artifacts in the desert.
November 1, 2012 at 2:35AM ESTbriguyx
October 31, 2012 at 2:21AM EST Reply to CommentLucas originally never talked about doing prequels but sequels to the original movies, so that's what I would expect.
Maybe the best thing about this is Disney saving "Star Wars" for their D3 Convention, making the aisles at Comic Con easier to cross!
VB
October 31, 2012 at 2:24AM EST Reply to CommentI wonder if this means we will see SW pop up in future Toy Stories or Kingdom Hearts?
cultstatus
October 31, 2012 at 8:06AM EST Reply to CommentWill probably get crushed for this but I would love to see Michael Bay do a stand alone Star Wars movie. Nothing we've seen yet even scratches the surface of what you can do action wise in a SW movie.
Just Drawn That Way I have a feeling that if Michael Bay directed it we'd wind up with stereotypes that would make Jar Jar Binks look worthy of an NAACP image award.
November 1, 2012 at 2:37AM ESTPaul S
October 31, 2012 at 8:32AM EST Reply to CommentGeorge Lucas always did envision 9 episodes. I was not enthralled by the prequels, but always respected his right to tell the story his way, mainly because it was his baby, so to speak.
I think the Darth Vader storyline is done, but the nature of evil and the way of the Sith will always lurking beneath...so lots of potential new Darth characters, battling it out with Luke Skywalker and his school of Jedi apprentices... finding out that Han Solo is of royal parentage & tying up the fairy tale element of the original trilogy....boy, I better getting in shape too!
Paul S
October 31, 2012 at 8:36AM EST Reply to CommentHopefully Joe Johnston will get to tell a Boba Fett story!
ungruntled
October 31, 2012 at 3:25PM EST Reply to CommentNew TV series, perfect for the ABC demographic: "K/E/R - Kashyyk Grace Emergency."
Sample dialogue:
Dr. Rwookrrorro - "Grraaoor hrrch!" [subtitle: Lactated ringers, stat!]
Nurse Kerrithrarr - "Shkaa ngrr uckuck hrr." [subtitle: I've never loved you.]
Dr. Rwookrrorro - "Kaa! Gwurrr arr hechechrr." [subtitle: This isn't the time! The patient is bleeding out!]
Nurse Kerrithrarr - "Thyurrchegrr wuhgra ugh." [subtitle: And my heart is dying too.]
Shawn
October 31, 2012 at 8:03PM EST Reply to CommentI know they wanted David Lynch awhile ago...just go get him ;)
nick_r
November 1, 2012 at 1:30PM EST Reply to CommentIn putting together our writer/director wish lists for Episode 7, let's remember that the best Star Wars film was helmed by a journeyman TV director without a single hit film to his name. Let's also remember that the material is the star here, and 99.9% of ticket-buyers will neither know who's creatively responsible nor will they care. And finally, keep in mind that Disney is the last studio on Earth that would willingly pay top dollar for a big-name filmmaker to helm a slam-dunk franchise picture.
When the name is announced, chances are pretty good that it'll be somebody we haven't heard of, or if we have, it's because we've seen his name in the opening credits of a TV show. Or, hell, it might end up being Lucas himself, despite all evidence to the contrary. Remember when Peter Jackson was never going to direct The Hobbit? Remember when Coppola was never going to make a third Godfather? Lucas doesn't need the money, he knows his world better than anyone, and deep down I bet he can't giving up control of the material. Oh, and the prequels were a $2 billion business, regardless of how many people they pissed off.