Saga Star Wars: Episode VII

The movies will be original. The film people have never been or felt constrant by the books, games or comics, and why should they? A big part of the allure of Star Wars is/will be getting film makers to tell their own stories and leave their own marks in the universe (one they persumably grew up on and like). Whedon didn't take the Avenger (or Ultimate) orgin story and make a shot-for-shot verison of it for the movie. He took aspects of everything that he liked, along with some orginal material that he and Penn came up and made the movie he wanted to make. Thats how you get the best out of a director.

I also don't get this "they have to follow the EU" attitude that some fans have. Lets say Episode VII is completely different from all the post RotJ EU material (material that is no longer cannon anyway, at least not the highest level of canon). Does it take away how much you enjoyed the books? The experience you had reading them? The story and characters you enjoyed? Of coures not, ALL of that is there and only you remove, take away or diminish the experience you had reading those books. New, orginal, movies just give you more story and more character, they don't take anything away from you've already experienced unless you allow it too.

Star Trek and Comic Book fans can figure out this flexible canon, somethings not being canon doesn't ruin the universe as a whole, just enjoy the stories that are set in the universe for what they are etc... Why can't Star Wars fans?

 

^ We have no idea what the current canonical status of the EU material is, although, given that Lucasfilm will remain an autonomous entity for the time being, I doubt that there is going to be any significant change in the policies concerning 'EU canon'.

Depending on how closely the films adhere to the story treatments Lucas gave Kathy Kennedy, and depending on how closely said story treatments match the existing information we have concerning the ST from years past, I think the likelihood is high that we'll see at least some tangible connection to Episodes I-VI, even if it only comes in the form of the droids and/or Luke, and while we know that the stories won't be an adaptation of any of the existing EU material, I think there is a strong possibility of elements of the EU making it into the trilogy in some fashion, be it place names, character names, or even similar plot points (such as the establishment of a New Jedi Order, a New Republic, a return to galactic war, etc.).

 

This is so surreal. I knew someday there would be more Star Wars films but I never thought it would be VII, VIII, and IX.

So when is the Sequel Trilogy forum going up?

 

I can see a 32 year gap from ROTJ playing a key part in the story, much like how TPM started off that far into the past. I just hope they don't go softer than what Lucas did with the Prequels, though. Disney pulled that gimmick with John Carter and look how that turned out?

 

I haven't been here in years nice to see my account is still active.

I think this is great news... Star Wars has still got great potential that wasn't getting utilized by Lucas... it's going to be great to see a new fresh approach to Star Wars. I see VIII being a continuation personally, but with a considerable time gap since ROTJ.

I loved the anticipation and the build-up to the prequels ( even though i'm not a huge fan of the actual movies ) and i can't wait for it to start all over again.

 

Exactly.

And they already established holonovels and movies, i.e. in-universe stories based on the characters that aren't 100% historical in The Shadows of Mindor. All EU that doesn't match 7-9 can be thought of as holonovels.

Think movies such as Patton in our own world. Based on actual events but not 100% historically accurate. Doesn't change the enjoyment of the movie does it?

 

Episode VII implies some kind of continuation, but lets not forget how different the OT and PT were despite all the connections.

I can see Disney saying lets do Thrawn trilogy, but if it's GL's story, more likely to be original.

Although the weird thing/problem with TCW is the EU stuff Lucas enjoys and then mucks up.

He always had a bit of an embargo over Saga-era stuff but now he's delving heavily into EU chronology.

 

They've had levels of canon for years now, and EU material is level 3 and lower (whatever the offical Letter Grades are). The novels, comics, games etc... (with a few exceptions, like Force Unleashed) haven't been considered on the same level as the movies and tv shows for a long time now.

I think Episode 7 will connect to the first 6 films in some way. Having Luke play the Obi-wan/Yoda/Mace role seems like an obvious way. In regards to the EU, I think the amount (if any) that makes it in will depend greatly ont he filmmaker they get and their connection to the EU and their desire to create things themselves. Some elements (like a New Jedi Order) may appear to be borrowed from the EU when the filmmakers just did stuff on their own.

 

Last post, but I thought I'd dig up some comments from an old post regarding 7-9 and what was previously stated by Lucas regarding the ST in speculation to some plot points

 

So what's gonna happen with the 3-D rereleases? Are they going to try and squeeze them all in leading up to Episode 7 or keep them one pace?

 

FOX retains distribution rights to all 6 of the existing films; Disney does eventually get distribution rights to Episodes V, VI, I, II, and III, but not until 2020; distribution rights for Episode IV stay with FOX "in perpetuity", so the decision to make the Sequel Trilogy has absolutely no effect whatsoever on FOX's plans to re-release the existing films in 3-D.

 

I want to see Ben Skywalker become the heir to the Jedi order. Anakin Solo, Tahiri, Mara and Thrawn need to appear. I wouldn't mind a new continuity to fix the flaws of the expanded universe (Anything after Star by Star).

 

^ If any of those EU characters appear, they will more than likely be 'in name only' or only resemble their EU counterparts in the most basic of ways. Depending on how closely the story treatments Lucas gave Kathy Kennedy adhere to the existing information that is out there concerning the ST, we will probably see one, possibly two, of the 'next generation', with Luke in the 'Obi-Wan' role. Mara Jade is a possibility due to her connections to Luke, but I highly doubt we'll see Grand Admiral Thrawn in any capacity.

 

It seems to me that since Lucas indicated that he outlined the general story for 7-9, that they will probably deal with Luke and the rest of the original group. I envision a reboot similar to what Abrams has done with Trek. Casting will be critical if this scenario holds. Who would play Solo? Who would play Luke? I suppose Lucas could have started a story about a new group of Jedi that Luke has passed the baton to, so to speak. I do not think that the new stories have to be consistent with the EU regardless. I think the the pallet is wide open.
I must admit that I am pretty excited about a new trilogy. Unlike the Lucas haters, I hope that the new movies show respect to what Lucas has done so far in terms of style and pacing.

 

^ The notion of them doing a reboot simply doesn't fit the facts of what we know. First of all, they are referring to this film as Episode VII; if it were a reboot, they would have simply announced that new SW films were coming and wouldn't have specifically referred to the film as Episode VII.

Second, if you bother to go to the official site, there is a video featuring Kathy Kennedy and George Lucas talking about the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney and the future of Star Wars on film, and Kennedy and George are rather specific in terms of the way they refer to these new films in relation to the others; they very much talk and behave as if these new films will in fact have tangible connections of some kind to the existing films.

 

Perhaps I am getting worried over nothing.... one thing has been sure it has been a lot of emotions from hearing the announcement till now. At least I am back on these forums.. forgot how much I missed reading what you lot have to say

 

Hello, I am new to the forum. The recent news prompted me to create an account. I have been reading through some comments, and I personally don't understand the desire to just abandon the EU? I mean for many of us, the EU satisfied our thirst for Star Wars long before episode I, II, or III. I think that if Disney were to abandon the EU all together, many loyal fans would become disinterested. In my opinion why not jump ahead, 30+ years in the future? Yes that would mean jumping the Thrawn Trilogy, but you can still cast an older Luke, Leia, and Han (assuming they would all want to do it, rumor I hear is Ford would not be interested). Episode VII can introduce a whole new group of force users. Ben, Jaina, Tenal Ka, Zekk, etc. I think they can break from the EU in that Anakin Solo does not get killed fighting the Vong and Jacen does not go dark. Use VII as a bridge to the future movies as this young crop as your collection of heroes, mostly from the New Jedi Order. But completely altering what we all know from the EU, whether it is canon or not, will just leave a bad taste for many people.
.

 

I love the fact that the new triology is coming. Can't wait.

My ONLY concerns?

Please do not, I repeat DO NOT ever do a reboot, or a remake of George's 6 movie saga films. With this news of the franchise moving forward for the big screen, his movies are now, IMHO, classics that should never, ever, be touched by Disney. NEVER! EVER!

Other than that, I am pumped up. I have a 5 day weekend coming up, so I will re-watch the 6 films in order from 1-6 in celebration of this news. It's the least I can do. My wife will hate me, but what the hell

 

Am I the only one who wants them to stay away from the EU entirely and create something brand new? Continue the story from the first six, but with a completely new story. Not anything based on books, or video games. Unless is a KOTOR spin-off

 

You are not along.

 

Don't think they can avoid EVEY LAST BIT of the EU. Sadly some EU is inevitably going to get trampled on.

 

I'll never stop believing that Han Solo bought the perfect skyhouse.

 

Another thing great about all this news about the future of Star Wars...

I notice the JC boards are back to speculating on the future and not hating of the past. Can't hate on what hasn't happened yet. Good to see other fans with renewed expectations and thinking out loud... What if...?

I am so pumped, and I'm an old man at 48, and I now feel like I'm back at thirteen years old again when I was in line for "Star Wars" in '77

 

I am cautiously optimistic. New SW movies under new creative control have the potential to be fantastic. Disney has proven to make good use of purchased franchises (e.g. Marvel and Pixar). This could be so so so good, but it could end up being so so so disappointing too.

If anything, the Disney theme parks will see some amazing new additions! I'll definitely be taking my son to Disney in a few years time.

As for "Episode VII", I am wondering if they will even label it "Episode VII" and keep it within the chronology of the original six films. Maybe they will decide to go 100 years after ROTJ, or 2000 years before TPM. Who knows at this point? In any case, a new SW film every few years is the most exciting news I've heard since the news of my wife's pregancy.

 

When the original films were made, there was no notion of "The Tragedy of Anakin Skywalker." Circa 1979, there were to be three trilogies, each with a different protagonist (Obi-Wan in the prequels, Luke in the middle trilogy, ??? in the sequel trilogy). In the intervening years, Lucas refocused much of the story around Anakin and his fall (which would have always been part of the story, but probably not as much of a central point as it has become) and claimed that there had never been a sequel trilogy, that it had all been made up by the media. Given this, I too wonder what new "numbered" movies can entail. There were some plans for sequels at the time Empire Strikes Back was being made - quotes from the era make that clear. But how those plans/ideas can possibly still be relevant is an open question.

I have a hunch I'm going to be copying and pasting this post A LOT in the coming days/years...