Disney to buy Lucas Films

Darrell Lawrence · October 30th, 2012, 04:22 PM

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business...for-4-billion/

Star Wars Ep VII set for 2015.

evil_genius_180 · October 30th, 2012, 10:22 PM

This story is everywhere. I'm lukewarm about it. While I've been hoping for more SW movies, I'll wait and see what Disney does with it first.

Darrell Lawrence · October 31st, 2012, 12:04 AM

Can they screw it up anymore than Lucas himself? I think it's a great move. Disney owns Marvel too, and see how their movies have turned out.

New writers and producers should help a lot.

evil_genius_180 · October 31st, 2012, 02:41 AM

I've seen The Avengers. I don't know if I've seen any of the others that Disney has actually produced. (unless they also did X-Men: First Class) Even though they bought Marvel in 2009, they haven't been making the movies until recently, other studios have been doing them.

However, it's got less to do with who is making it and more to do with what they're making. What story will they be using? Will they adapt something? If so, which story? There are a lot of existing post Return of the Jedi books, what do they use? Or do they go with something original and possibly screw up the established expanded universe continuity? Who will be in it? Harrison Ford is 70 years old, Mark Hamill is 61, Carrie Fisher is 56. Unless they're actually planning on going 40 years into the future, they're going to have to get new actors to play Han, Luke and Leia. But who? Who can possibly play those roles as well as the those three actors?

That's what I'm talking about. It's a fun idea to say, "sure, we're going to do what George wouldn't and make more movies," but it has to be carefully thought through and planned. The combination of George Lucas, the principle actors and the production crew are what make the Star Wars trilogy so fantastic and what have made it so lasting. People have high expectations when they go to see Star Wars movies, you saw what happened when some people saw the prequels. They whined and cried and are probably still doing it. Imagine how badly Disney could screw this up if they're not very careful.

Tenement · October 31st, 2012, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evil_genius_180

I've seen The Avengers. I don't know if I've seen any of the others that Disney has actually produced. (unless they also did X-Men: First Class) Even though they bought Marvel in 2009, they haven't been making the movies until recently, other studios have been doing them.

However, it's got less to do with who is making it and more to do with what they're making. What story will they be using? Will they adapt something? If so, which story? There are a lot of existing post Return of the Jedi books, what do they use? Or do they go with something original and possibly screw up the established expanded universe continuity? Who will be in it? Harrison Ford is 70 years old, Mark Hamill is 61, Carrie Fisher is 56. Unless they're actually planning on going 40 years into the future, they're going to have to get new actors to play Han, Luke and Leia. But who? Who can possibly play those roles as well as the those three actors?

That's what I'm talking about. It's a fun idea to say, "sure, we're going to do what George wouldn't and make more movies," but it has to be carefully thought through and planned. The combination of George Lucas, the principle actors and the production crew are what make the Star Wars trilogy so fantastic and what have made it so lasting. People have high expectations when they go to see Star Wars movies, you saw what happened when some people saw the prequels. They whined and cried and are probably still doing it. Imagine how badly Disney could screw this up if they're not very careful.

I've had similar thoughts myself and I wonder if we would be happy with a total reboot to the series with new actors playing the classic characters... (Like the Star Trek reboot.)...or brand new lead characters. Do we want to see films set in the old Republic or set during the rebellion or stories set after Jedi?

Darrell Lawrence · October 31st, 2012, 03:22 AM

No reboot. Enough of that in Hollywood.

Ep IV takes place some 20 odd years after Ep III, so Ep VII can take place quite a while after Ep VI with no problem.

Luke and co. don't need to be the main attraction. Cameo will be fine, if needed at all.

The vast majority of folks who will watch it are not hardcore SW fans, so the Expanded Universe won't mean much to them.

I have a feeling though that the Expanded Universe WILL be used as a guideline though.

evil_genius_180 · October 31st, 2012, 10:26 AM

I like your thinking, Darrell. I'd also like to see a new set of main characters, possibly some from the books and whatnot, (or even original characters) as the main focus and maybe have Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, etc. show up in small bits as the older generation. (if at all) I feel that would work better than trying to get newer, younger actors to play those characters. While I certainly like Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan, I don't feel that they'll be able to get lucky enough to get 3 brand new actors who are going to do as good a job as he did.

They could even have the movie set farther in the future, maybe even 100 years, to where the New Republic and New Jedi Order are strong and the remnants of the Empire have massed again and are threatening the galaxy once more. I personally think that would be cool and would solve the character dilemma. The problem with going back in time to the Old Republic time is that these are 7, 8 and 9. It makes little sense to have the series go in an order where those movies take place before 1 through 6, IMHO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darrell Lawrence

No reboot. Enough of that in Hollywood.

I agree 1,000%.

Darrell Lawrence · November 1st, 2012, 06:45 PM

More on this- http://starwarsblog.starwars.com/ind...imes-for-fans/

(Gerard sure picked an interesting time to move.... I bet he's really the one behind this!

)

kirtemor · November 26th, 2012, 08:39 PM

Just had a look at the expanded universe timeline... they could fit episodes 7,8, and nine neatly after the fate of the Jedi series... approximately 40-50 years after episode 4. Last I heard, all the original cast was on board for the new film(s). If Disney treats Lucasfilm like they have marvel entertainment (the movie arm of Marvel Comics) and the Pirates of the Caribbean Movies, we will be well pleased as Star Wars fits right into this area of Disney's film empire. It is a franchise, and franchises are money makers.... if handled right. i.e. Star Trek 5 nearly killed Paramount's cash cow. Star wars has a had a ride at Disneyland / Disney World for years. I think we'll be happy with the result.

Just my opinion.

gmd3d · November 27th, 2012, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darrell Lawrence

More on this- http://starwarsblog.starwars.com/ind...imes-for-fans/

(Gerard sure picked an interesting time to move.... I bet he's really the one behind this!

)

Yes it was me. muha ha ha ha.....

thekingtut · December 3rd, 2012, 12:00 PM

What I'd like to see are three movies that go from the Imperial defeat at Endor, all the way to the liberation of Coruscant, and the reestablishment of the Republic. And I don't think they should use the original actors. They are just too old.

gmd3d · December 3rd, 2012, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekingtut

What I'd like to see are three movies that go from the Imperial defeat at Endor, all the way to the liberation of Coruscant, and the reestablishment of the Republic. And I don't think they should use the original actors. They are just too old.

I would like to see that era myself and I think that the plan.

I disagree that they are too old.... and what has age to do with it....

Sir Alec Guinness 62 years old when he played Obi-Wan in the first film.

Mark Hamill is 61
Harrison Ford is 70
Carrie Fisher is 56

how could you not Han Solo and Leia in at least the first of the new movies.... perhaps with some kids and grand kids to boot.

you would have to have Luke Skywalker in the film been the first of the new Jedi etc....

apart from rebuilding the Republic he will have to rebuild the Jedi and face the hurdles of doing it.

The only Star Wars books I have read set after the fall of the Empire are the Timothy Zahn Starwars book. that would be at least from me a good place to work from.

well that my view on it

evil_genius_180 · December 3rd, 2012, 09:31 PM

The problem is that all of that happened right after ROTJ, which came out nearly 30 years ago. There's no way they can get by with playing 30 years younger. Now, if they go that far into the SW future, they could have the same actors. I'd love to see everyone come back, if they do it correctly.

thekingtut · December 4th, 2012, 10:04 AM

The years have taken their toll one the three. Especially Fischer. She's proof that drugs are not good for ya! No, I think they should do like Lucas did in the beginning and bring in relatively unknown actors. My biggest fear is they'll try to bring in someone from that Twilight trash, or some one else that's "hip" right now.

evil_genius_180 · December 4th, 2012, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekingtut

Especially Fischer. She's proof that drugs are not good for ya!

Yes, she is. It's a damn shame, too. But, she's still acting.

For the rest, Mark Hamill looks pretty much the same as he did 30 years ago, he just has a lot more lines on his face due to his age. (it happens to everyone) Harrison Ford looked young for years, but now he's looking his age. But, no major changes for those two, as far as weight gains or losses, lost hair, etc. They mainly just look like older versions of Luke and Han.

gmd3d · December 4th, 2012, 10:26 AM

So what..... they are older, I have no problem with that, also from my point of view you still need Luke Skywalker in the story and he should be played by Mark Hamill.

evil_genius_180 · December 4th, 2012, 03:36 PM

Dude, nobody is saying they shouldn't play the characters! We're saying that they should have the story set in a time frame that takes their aging into account. IE: 30 or so years after ROTJ. If want to do a story closer to the end of ROTJ, they will have to use younger actors to make them believable. That's all we're saying.

Personally, I'm all for a story that takes place long after the movies. Han and Leia's kids could be grown-up characters, with Han being the same scoundrel he's always been, Leia would be high up in the New Republic government, and Luke would be the revered Jedi Master. I'd really like to see that. That way, they can have everybody back and it should work well (assuming the story is good.)

gmd3d · December 4th, 2012, 04:11 PM

I think there is some confusion...

I also think it has to be set 30+ years after ROTJ.... I pointed that out in my post earlier

Quote:

perhaps with some kids and grand kids to boot.

reflecting the ageing of the characters and my comment about the Timothy Zahn books is that they are so well written and the characters are far better developed.

I did not mean that the new films by Disney should be set 1 year or 5 years after ROTJ thus requiring younger actors to play the 3 main key parts.

I would like to see an older Han Solo and Leia and Luke as you mention....... going through the problems of setting up the new Republic also the Empire while its lost its focus is still a problem for them.....

thekingtut points out that the 3 original actors are now to old to play these parts or should not been in the films due to their age.

as he said

Quote:

they are just to old

.

that I disagree with.... they are not to old.

evil_genius_180 · December 4th, 2012, 10:56 PM

Yeah, he said that. However, the plot he was referring to was one that takes place right after ROTJ. (the Imperial defeat at Endor) In that context, he said they're too old.

gmd3d · December 5th, 2012, 02:59 AM

yes in that context they are too old to play the parts just after ROTJ....

I stand corrected.

evil_genius_180 · December 5th, 2012, 09:22 AM

You know what would be really cool? Pre-prequels. And I'm not talking a few years here, go way back into the past, into the Old Republic era. There's lots of uncharted territory there. They could have all new characters with a completely original storyline. Plus, back in those days, Jedi and Sith were plentiful, so they could have lots of Jedi VS Sith action.