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ST If there's a female lead... is Disney going after the Hunger Games money/audience?

Discussion in 'Sequel Trilogy' started by Jedi_Lantern, Oct 12, 2013.

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  1. Jedi_Lantern

    Jedi_Lantern Jedi Knight star 2

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    Apr 3, 2013
    If it's for story purposes I'm all supportive of a female being the main character of the new movies (the Luke or the Anakin of the ST) but if it's an attempt to cash-in on trends like the Hunger Games or Twilight (or Dani from GOT), then I feel this is a bad sign of the directions and motives guiding the ST
     
  2. Nenim Chela

    Nenim Chela Jedi Padawan star 1

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    Oct 2, 2013

    If using a female lead in the ST is merely a superficial "twist" then it shouldn't really affect the actual content of the movies. I'm hoping that using a female (Skywalker) in the lead role will actually add something to the mix.
     
  3. Darth Chiznuk

    Darth Chiznuk Superninja of Future Films star 8 Staff Member Manager

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    Oct 31, 2012
    One of George Lucas' earliest concepts for the ST was Luke going to search for his sister and the two of them eventually confronting the Emperor. If the main protagonist happens to be female than I'm sure it's because GL always had it in mind for the ST and undated his treatments accordingly. He started these treatments a year before the Disney deal even happened and they're what Michael Arndt is following as he writes the script so I don't think it has anything to do with Disney looking at demographics. Star Wars is going to make money either way.
     
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  4. LawJedi

    LawJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Jan 11, 2009
    Chicks are the new black. 50% of the population are trending.
     
  5. Jedi_Lantern

    Jedi_Lantern Jedi Knight star 2

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    Apr 3, 2013
    I know Luke was originally going to be a girl, and I have no issue if the story calls for the absolute main character to be a female

    I just fear the rise in popularity and money in fantasy products and stories geared towards teenage girls is the motivation behind this likely decision

    Disney: You guys saw what Hunger Games and Twilight have done over these past few years right?
    Episode VII architects: Yeah
    Disney: We want a female lead. Make it work
     
  6. Nenim Chela

    Nenim Chela Jedi Padawan star 1

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    Oct 2, 2013
    Arndt also has some mileage using female protagonists in fantasy-adventure stories, having written Brave.
     
  7. Nenim Chela

    Nenim Chela Jedi Padawan star 1

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    Oct 2, 2013
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  8. SuperPersch

    SuperPersch Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Apr 25, 2004
    I don't even know if it matters, their intention. If you think about it, did Luke being a guy have any impact on the OT? He kissed his sister a couple times and we were weirded out. That's all that would have changed. If he had been a girl, the core of the story would have been essentially the same. So...whether they are cashing in on trends or not, it shouldn't (and probably, won't) matter.
     
  9. LawJedi

    LawJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Jan 11, 2009
    Remember when EA tried to cash in on the popularity of female leads, and demanded that FemShep be the default Shepard? Luckily, cooler heads prevailed, and Shepard remained the generic white guy with a crew cut that the story demanded.

    You don't remember that? I guess that was on one of my trips to the Fematopia dimension.
     
  10. Jedi_Lantern

    Jedi_Lantern Jedi Knight star 2

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    Apr 3, 2013
    I see what you're saying



    Let me rephrase my worry; characters like Hunger Games' Katniss, X-men's Kitty Pryde, ASOIAF/GOT's Daenarys annoy me to no end. They have this "see I started at the bottom and now I'm in charge and can do anything, and by the way, I'm a GIRL as well!" attitude that is so played out and irksome. So if the female lead is that way, then I worry about my interest in her. So annoyingly idealistic and self-righteous


    Other fictional female characters that don't match that cliche gender arch-type are more appealing to me
     
  11. Echo-07

    Echo-07 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 9, 2012
    This topic is tired and played-out. We had a nice argument about 6 months ago about why there could be 2 (stop the presses!) female protagonists let alone one. Yeah, I don't want to see a Twilight/Hunger Games hybrid either. However, nothing JJ has done really suggests that he would be interested in that either. LOST is what i would compare SW to in that this will be an ensemble cast with a variety of different characters.

    In other words = NOT WORRIED.
     
  12. Jedi_Lantern

    Jedi_Lantern Jedi Knight star 2

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    Apr 3, 2013
    Well if you aren't worried then that solves the problem. Could a mod lock this thread?
     
  13. jedijax

    jedijax Force Ghost star 6

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    May 2, 2013
    Hunger Games and Twilight couldn't be more different in terms of female leads.

    Twilight=weak, desperate female
    Hunger Games=strong female but not very emotional
     
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  14. Jedi_Lantern

    Jedi_Lantern Jedi Knight star 2

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    Apr 3, 2013
    Same target audience tho
     
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  15. LawJedi

    LawJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Jan 11, 2009
    Make your mind up. Are you objecting to a type of character, or are concerned that you might not be the target demographic?
     
  16. Jedi_Lantern

    Jedi_Lantern Jedi Knight star 2

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    Apr 3, 2013
    Objecting to a type of *rote female character cliche that has grown in popularity in recent years. Pandering to and making teenage girls the main target audience is a lesser concern

    *The female lead will be a young 16 year old girl who comes from a life of poverty but has a knack for the force. Through a series of events and DEFYING ALL ODDS she becomes public enemy #1 to whoever the bad guys are, steals the attention of her love interest (a Solo kid) away from the pretty girl who has had an easy life, saves countless downtrodden souls, becomes a great leader, and teeter-totters on the decision to whether or not give into the darkside of the force
     
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  17. Nenim Chela

    Nenim Chela Jedi Padawan star 1

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    Oct 2, 2013
    Haha. No, I'm afraid that I don't remember that. But I'll nevertheless agree that the middle-aged white man with the crew cut should have remained so.
     
  18. LawJedi

    LawJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Jan 11, 2009
    Daenyrs, Katniss, Kitty Pryde, and Bella Swan do not fit into any "cliche" other than "young characters who have vaginas, and are relatively prominent to their respective stories."
     
  19. Jedi_Lantern

    Jedi_Lantern Jedi Knight star 2

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    Apr 3, 2013
    Okay ignore all the character traits I listed that they all share. And Kitty Pryde isn't young. She's somewhere in her mid-late 20's
     
  20. LawJedi

    LawJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Jan 11, 2009
    Well now you're just being a dirty ageist. :p
     
  21. Jabari

    Jabari Jedi Master star 1

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    Jun 25, 2007
    Because girls should stay out of fantasy, or they'll give everyone cooties?

    Or could it be the beginning of a re-balancing, so that fiction/movies/etc. actually start representing the diversity of their audience? Instead of ignoring half of it? Because I for one would love more than one female main character per trilogy.

    I agree that the character shouldn't be "I'm a girl and I can be just as good as the boys!". It shouldn't even be an issue. Like the example above, take Luke's character, keep everything the same, and have a female actor. Done. Luke's masculinity never had anything to do with the plot, so it doesn't matter. All characters should be judged on the quality of their actions, not their gender. Because gender cliches are stupid.

    Though, the "teen-girl" is much less annoying when you have a full range of characters. Show us an older military woman, an idealistic farm girl, the rogue female pilot, the strong silent friend, the wise Jedi Master...
     
  22. DarthBreezy

    DarthBreezy Chosen One star 6

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    Jun 4, 2002
    The term in fan-fic is "Mary Sue"....
     
  23. LawJedi

    LawJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Jan 11, 2009
    So... Luke Skywalker. And Harry Potter. And every other Hero's Journey dude.
     
  24. Jabari

    Jabari Jedi Master star 1

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    Jun 25, 2007
    Or "Gary Stu." You realize other than the romance part, that could describe Luke? Or even Anakin, to some extent? Would it really be that different with a female character? It's all in how you write it.

    "The male lead will be a young 18 year old boy who comes from a life of poverty on a farm but has a knack for the Force. Through a series of events and defying all odds, he becomes public enemy #1 to Darth Vader/ the Emperor, saves countless downtrodden souls, becomes a great leader/Jedi/pilot, and teeters on the decision whether or not to give in to the dark side of the Force."
     
  25. Dra---

    Dra--- Force Ghost star 6

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    Dec 30, 2012
    I would cast E7 with 100% women if I could. Men are threadbare. Been there, done that. Has been.

    No more movies with men either. Especially not me.
     
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