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Discussion Rick McCallum

Discussion in 'Archive: Disney Era Films' started by SaberJedi2, Nov 8, 2012.

  1. SaberJedi2

    SaberJedi2 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2007
    I just learned recently that Rick McCallum, the producer of the PT, The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones and Red Tails, had retired form Lucasfilm (I don't think it was widely publicized, but see Steve Sansweet's appearance on the ForceCast for October 31, 2012 where he mentions it). Seeing that he was a producer on Redtails, I'm assuming that his retirement was after the release of the film, meaning sometime this year. Being that the deal between Lucasfilm and Disney had been in the works for sometime, as well as the plans for more films including the ST, I'm wondering why McCallum did not stay on to produce (I would be surprised if he didn't know about it before his retirement). Sure, GL hired Kathleen Kennedy, but was this to replace McCallum completely? Or Did Rick leave on his own accord and declined to be a producer for the ST? According to IMDB which doesn't exactly mean anything significant, he's still slated to produce the Live Action TV Series.

    Based on all dvd-extras, behind the scenes clips for which Rick was invovled, it *seems* as though he and GL had a great relationship and Rick enjoyed working on the films. Perhaps he just didn't want to be part of them. I'm not trying to start any PT or Rick hate, but just curious as to why Rick won't be invovled.
     
  2. The-Eternal-Hero

    The-Eternal-Hero Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    Rick seems like an intense guy. I'm sure he didn't want another producer over his head for the ST. Young Indy, the SE, PT, RT, these were enormously complex productions and he was free to get the job done any way he wanted and answered only the Lucas. This won't be the case with the ST. He probably moved on to the next big challenge, a situation where he can work it all out by himself.
     
  3. Eeth-my-Koth

    Eeth-my-Koth Jedi Grand Master star 9

    Registered:
    May 25, 2001
    This is ****ing grim news.
     
  4. yodasbum

    yodasbum Jedi Grand Master star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 2004
    This is great because it will bring in fresh blood in to Star Wars. (Nothing against Rick but I think he said yes far too often. Would have liked him to say somethng like 'No George I really think the Midi-clorians need to go!')
     
  5. The-Eternal-Hero

    The-Eternal-Hero Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    Midichlorians were none of Rick's business, getting the movie made on time/budget was. He fought for the OT to be released in its original form, for certain things to be in/out of the prequels, and lots of other things he mentioned over the years. I don't think he was a "Yes" man. He just didn't have any control over Lucas; neither did Coppola, Kurtz or Kasanjian.
     
    SlashMan likes this.
  6. TtheForceHurts

    TtheForceHurts Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 28, 2010
    Cosidering how enthusiastic he was about all the really bad stuff in the prequels, I consider his departure a blessing...
     
  7. admiral_Jim

    admiral_Jim Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 7, 2004
    It's pretty common for staff to move/be moved on when a company is acquired, Lucasfilm film will continue to operate but there will be big staffing changes, Disney will look to bring their own management team in once the deal has completed I'd say. Shame about Rick McCallum though :(
     
  8. admiral_Jim

    admiral_Jim Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 7, 2004
    Haha, I know what you mean, he was enthusiastic about everything and was usually good for spoilers (albeit, not always reliable!)
     
  9. TtheForceHurts

    TtheForceHurts Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 28, 2010
    Yeah back in the SE and PT days the first thing I devoured in the Insider was Rick's set report. It all sounded so amazing that it raised my expectations in the PT even higher... Sitting down in the cinema and watching EP I, let's say my trust and respect for Rick was disintegrated...
     
    MrFantastic74 likes this.
  10. Dranem

    Dranem JCF Banner Contest Winner star 1 VIP - Game Winner

    Registered:
    Oct 31, 2012
    I just remember Rick dropping the F-Bomb at Celebration I during a panel in Denver and Anthony Daniels getting a little flustered. Good times!
     
    spoooooky likes this.
  11. GargantuanThrillMachine

    GargantuanThrillMachine Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 7, 2012
    what is it with 'ricks?'


    [​IMG]
     
  12. Healer_Leona

    Healer_Leona Squirrel Wrangler of Fun & Games star 9 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2000
    Guess that means Rick McCallum no longer loves us. :(
     
    DarthButt and JediKnightOB1 like this.
  13. Cantina Bassist

    Cantina Bassist Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2012
    I always got the impression he was one of the problems behind the prequels. I don't know a whole lot about him, but I'm pretty good at spotting a sycophant when I see one. I may be wrong, but he strikes me as one of the Yes Men who contributed to Lucas going off track.
     
  14. The-Eternal-Hero

    The-Eternal-Hero Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    Ah, no, his previous films, like "Pennies From Heaven", were not at all commercial, "Young Indiana Jones" was not commercial, he was hired 'cause he's a maverick, like Lucas. People have this fantasy that Gary Kurtz was reigning Lucas in or something: Lucas fired him for incompetency. Kurtz has made 7 films in 30 years; Dark Crystal & Return To Oz both went over-budget (as did ESB). He's producing cheap Bible cartoons now. GL seems highly collaborative, but at a certain point, he's gonna do what he thinks is best. McCallum was clearly an excellent producer: YIJ, SW PT, TCW, and Red Tails, some of the most epic and ambitious screen projects of our time, all came in on budget, on time, looking amazing, and cast with awesome actors. What Lucas does with that is his own business.
     
  15. Cantina Bassist

    Cantina Bassist Jedi Knight star 2

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    Nov 5, 2012
    Well, as ForceHurts stated, McCallum's appraisal of the quality of certain elements of the prequels is questionable at best.
     
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  16. The-Eternal-Hero

    The-Eternal-Hero Jedi Knight star 4

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    Nov 3, 2012
    It's called: "Promotion". It helps sell whatever it is you're selling.
     
  17. Cantina Bassist

    Cantina Bassist Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2012
    That's fine if he wants to try & Jedi Mind Trick us, but if he was in Lucas' ear with nothing but praise, he would have to be considered part of the problem.
     
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  18. The-Eternal-Hero

    The-Eternal-Hero Jedi Knight star 4

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    Nov 3, 2012
    Only if you think there was a problem. I don't. Lucas was clear about what he wanted to make and Rick got him there, that's his job. There's footage of him disagreeing with GL, but it's not his job to write or direct the movie. The movie's were "stylistically designed to be that way" and at some point GL obviously made peace with that and just kept doing what he was doing.

    I love the PT. I was hoping GL would come back and do something totally messed up, personal, and indulgent. And he did. It was fun for me. If some busy-body producer had forced him to "elevate" the story to level of "Avatar" (laughs) or "Fellowship of the Ring (laughs again) we would have had another genre movie with a standard Screenwriting 101 script, passable Hollywood style acting, and canned fx. Rick did the right thing, he let the artist express himself. And we have three very unique and extraordinary films.
     
  19. TheAvengerButton

    TheAvengerButton Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 11, 2011
    What problem? ;)
     
  20. Cantina Bassist

    Cantina Bassist Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2012
    I would have been content with movies with some heart, but as you say, you enjoyed them, so on some level they succeeded.
     
  21. Dark-Sith_ofthe_Moon

    Dark-Sith_ofthe_Moon Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2004
    This times a thousand
     
  22. Master Hamahiga

    Master Hamahiga Jedi Master star 2

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    Nov 1, 2012
    Unique films yes....extraordinary I think is a bit of a stretch at best. I believe Lucas was once willing to be collaborative, thats how you got A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and to a lesser extent Return of the Jedi. I don't think it is a coincidence that ROTJ is the lesser of the three original films and it also had the least amount of collaboration. However, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
     
  23. LawJedi

    LawJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 11, 2009
    Dude, what the heck are you doing? Using facts and logic? You can't fight a dude's gut understanding for "sycophants" with facts and logic!
     
  24. The-Eternal-Hero

    The-Eternal-Hero Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    If you know how to "read" them, they are extraordinary. Obviously, not in terms of drama, performance, or text. But Lucas created an entire visual language as unique as the "language" Joyce created for "Finnegan's Wake" or those invented by Tolkien. There's so much happening on so many levels, so much brilliance, and so many incredible contributions to the look, sound, and realization of the films, they are definitely far beyond the ordinary.

    RotJ actually had the most collaboration. Read the recent "Making of" book. Look up interviews with Richard Marquand. He brought a lot to that film, some of the best parts. And I think RotJ is leagues ahead of ESB, which looks like a tv movie and is overly padded.

    But you're right, everyone has a different take on all this. I try to look at it the way the artist does, instead of imposing my own criteria on it.
     
  25. LawJedi

    LawJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 11, 2009

    I really don't see any reason to believe this. McCallum leaving, sure. But I don't see why we would expect any more big staffing changes. In fact, everything we've heard is that the old Lucasfilm gang is getting back together for another adventure.