Discussion A few questions about GL and his involvement...

This is from the businessweek article

Lucas agreed, in theory. The reality of giving up control weighed on him, though. At the end of every week before she flew home to Los Angeles, Kennedy says, she asked Lucas how he was feeling. Sometimes he seemed at peace. Other times, not. “I’m sure he paused periodically to question whether he was really ready to walk away,” she says.
At first Lucas wouldn’t even turn over his rough sketches of the next three Star Wars films. When Disney executives asked to see them, he assured them they would be great and said they should just trust him. “Ultimately you have to say, ‘Look, I know what I’m doing. Buying my stories is part of what the deal is.’ I’ve worked at this for 40 years, and I’ve been pretty successful,” Lucas says. “I mean, I could have said, ‘Fine, well, I’ll just sell the company to somebody else.’ ”
Once Lucas got assurances from Disney in writing about the broad outlines of the deal, he agreed to turn over the treatments—but insisted they could only be read by Iger, Horn, and Kevin Mayer, Disney’s executive vice president for corporate strategy. “We promised,” says Iger. “We had to sign an agreement.”

Now read that passage and honestly tell me that there aren't some serious clauses and bylines in that contract in favor of Lucas.

Is Disney making the films? Yes they are. Are they in control? Yes they are. Are there clauses in that contract in favor of Lucas? You bet there are.

That is what I have been saying from the VERY beginning of this conversation.

 

. This is from that same article

And here is Iger talking about the sale

I'm sorry, but Iger isn't lying to you here. They have complete, total, unfettered, and absolute, control over the franchise. Read that quote a couple of times, it is an absolute and it is clear. It leaves no room for quibbling. The mouse is in charge.

Then read some of what Lucas has had to say about it, about his desire to retire and focus on small movies, on philanthropy, on the museum he wants to build. He doesn't even want the role the fans would have him play. He cashed out of the game, he is helping with the transition to Kennedy and he's off to live the rest of his life.

 

I see where I disagreement is coming from. You think that I think Disney doesn't have full control. That's not what I am saying at all. What I am saying is that there are clauses and bylines in the contract that favor Lucas. Disney is still making the movies. Lucasfilm is now a division of Disney, not a separate arm. I'm arguing that Lucas has contractual guarantees in the contract.

For example, Disney could have to consult Lucas first about something. Now that doesn't mean they have to use what he says, just that they have to consult him.

 

So, how long before the first wookiees in pants?

 

One thing that gets me about that is, when they naturally asked to see the treatments why didnt he just let them see them? If you go to buy a second hand car off someone and ask to see it but get told, "no need. Trust me, it's in good nick" What are you gonna do? I think maybe the deal was not to stray too far from his vision. Not, do it this way, do it that way or forget it.

 

They have made this very clear, you just want to cling to this idea. I'm sorry, Lucas has no say.

They can consult with him, they can ask for his advice or his opinions. They don't have to do anything. That is what Iger is making abundantly clear. They didn't spend four billion dollars to not have that freedom. Lucas will be an advisor, that's that.

As I've been saying all along, all parties involved have been very very clear and straightforward about all of this. Fans just can't or won't accept it.

 

Because at the time they were still in talks. I think Lucas was very apprehensive about all of this.

 

Thats one thing I wondered. If they were as fantastic as he says they are wouldn't he want all the disney exec to see it just to make them go "Holy **** thats awesome, we gotta buy this now!". My worrysome mind thinks that he didn't show them all it because it would cause them to not want to buy those treatments. IDK...just being scared but its still curious. Cause if he was worried about potential leaks then well...its Disney...they go insane when it comes to leaks. People dont survive when they hunt the leakers down

 

I think this was a difficult decision for him.

 

I guess

 

I want GL to be involved, but I'm so glad he won't have full control, though. The one thing they need to stay away from is putting in too much CGI.

 

Some fear GL won't be involved enough, some fear GL will be too involved.

 

There's another saying that I would think we should also keep in mind for Episode VII: "Hope for the best but prepare for the worst".

 

I betcha he'll get an executive producer credit when it's all said and done. Agents of stars have pulled that off!

 

Maybe George will make a cameo in every single SW movie.

 

There certainly are clauses in the agreement in GLs favor.

Look at it like this: Disney has full control, but there are rules. They have full control within those rules. One such rule is likely to be that after certain productions, perhaps numbered episodes, the rules go out the window. But for now, there are things Disney can and cannot do within the story.

What they are we may never know......

 

Yes. People are quick to say that Disney can do what they want now that they own LFL, but the fact of the matter is that Lucas surely had conditions built into the sale. Disney can't just go against those without violating contracts.

Ultimately, though, I think that will all be moot. Disney execs will most likely want Lucas' input as well, and the conditions they have to abide by are ones they saw fit to agree to in the first place.

 

If that were true, they would not have the unfettered control that they clearly made it a point to say that they have, so I think I'll believe what the CEO of Disney had to say about it

That quote does not leave a lot of room for these "conditions" you guys keep talking about, complete control does not equal conditional control.