ST What could George Lucas do legally if they changed his outlines?

Buying, not using faithfully.

Right, assurances in writing about the broad outlines of the deal. Not assurances in writing that they'll faithfully use his story treatments.

 

Well actually since that really wasn't even the case with the OT and really largely wasn't the case with the PT either.

He made huge changes in the story after the first film and adjusted things again for the third. So much of the story was actually open in the PT and it's a huge credit to those films that lots of things that people thought was in them was inevitable actually wasn't.

In outline terms I would say it's far more likely that for Lucas' part of selling it to Disney he created outlines for the sequel trilogy in a far more comprehensive way to make it more salable. For the PT since those were his movies and he was financing them he could do what he wanted at the time he wanted to do them. All he really had to worry about was the main story most of which was always going to be in the 3rd film. He didn't need to start to lock things in until the 3rd film. As handed off outlines the ST needs everything outlined since he isn't doing them.

Eps I and II allowed all sorts of creative freedom which he could play with. All that really needed to happen in those stories was Anakin getting into the Jedi Order, getting married, the Clone Wars starting and Palpatine becoming Chancellor. Now obviously to get those things across all sorts of story support needed to be added before III starts with all those things at play already.

For all the talk of trilogies the two sets of 3 were really all made one at a time. I don't think that will be the case with this trilogy as much.

The big difference is that Lucas was independent while Disney is corporate. They will want to know well in advance what is going to happen in all 3 movies and plan around that. Not in a ridgid point by point way but they will want a general understanding of how one movie leads into another. Lucas didn't have to worry about that as the 5 sequels to the original were his personal vision and totally under his guidance.

 

how do we know the specifics? are any of us insiders at lucasfilm or disney?

 

This, you nailed it !

 

Episode 7 will probably be the closest to what Lucas envisioned. I wouldn't be surprised if Episode 8 and or 9 will be different for reasons beyond their control.

 

Yeah; the broad lines of the deal, which includes his treatments. Lucas clearly states that "Buying my stories is part of the deal." Lucas can't dictate every detail of the Script; but Disney can't put anything in the movie that contradicts his Treatments/Stories, which is the Plot of the whole ST. This will include any key characters, and locations.

I am not worried about that though; as I think that Disney will respect Lucas's Story Treatments regardless.

 

Pretty much he is still the second largest individual shareholder and on the Board. They are not going to piss him off.

 

I hope so. If the sequels are not pretty much how GL wants them to be, then I will not accept them.

 

When you sell your intellectual property it's like selling anything else. If I sell my house I don't get to say what color curtains the new owner should put on the place. If I had plans to build an addition and I hand them over in the sale, the buyer isn't obligated to follow through on the project. Disney is a shrewdly run business. They didn't pay him 4bn with a contract that gives him some kind of lasting authority. Bob Iger has made it perfectly clear in interviews that GL is not in any position of authority. This business about him being number 2 share holder is overblown. He is the number 2 individual share holder. This excludes all the institutional share holders like banks and investment funds which hold tons of stock. Disney has very little to worry about in the way of GL complaining and creating bad press. If a large percentage of my wealth were tied up in Disney stock I'd be a little reluctant to trash talk the company.

 

Call his attorney, Natta. Natta Dangthing.

 

I have to say that if his story treatments are dumped, I really will be disappointed. I know that I have seen some posts here that point to this in terms of rumors. It would really be a shame. I really like his story ideas. He has a very interesting and quirky imagination that I will miss in the next series of movies. I mean, the guy is weird, let's face it. But weird in the coolest way possible.

 

Question: Do we know how detailed Lucas' outlines for 7-9 were? Was it part of the Disney deal that Disney use Lucas' outlines?

 

Yes, fan films starring Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Antony Daniels, Kenny Baker and Peter Mayhew reprising their roles as Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, C3-PO, R2-D2 and Chewbacca respectively.

 

His stories came with the deal. Doesn't mean Disney has to use them.

 

C-3PO: Droid Gigolo

 

I'm sure neither of them would've accepted to take part in this project if they thought that there'll be something against George vision or creation. They certainly love and respect the guy so much.

 

"Disney can't put anything in the movie that contradicts his Treatments/Stories, which is the Plot of the whole ST. This will include any key characters, and locations."

Sorry, but none of those quotes posted proves this. I'm with DarthWilliams: buying the stories/treatments doesn't automatically translate to being bound to follow them or being unable to contradict them. Could the fine print of the deal have secured such things? Possibly. We really don't know either way.

My personal opinion is that I don't think Disney would have made the purchase if there was a lot of micromanaging of the Sequels built into the fine print of the deal. But I also don't think Disney is going to interfere to the point of entirely scrapping GL's stories either; it's in their best interests to keep an amicable relationship Lucasfilm and GL, just like it's in their best interests to keep an amicable relationship with Marvel Studios. Disney can throw it's weight around, but that doesn't mean it will at every opportunity.

 

I think Disney bought LFL for more than just the ST. If Lucas wanted it in the deal that 3 movies have to use his outline, to complete his 9 episode saga, but that 100 movies (or however many they make) are completely free to do what ever they want, do you really think Disney would turn that down? No way. They have a license to print money.

 

I really don't think Disney would throw away creative freedom on the ST given that the interest in those next 100 movies (and, therefore, their financial success) hinges on the ST. If what happens with those first three could potentially diminish your returns on the rest, then yeah, they're going to make sure the plotlines of the sequels aren't pre-micromanaged before they acquire the property.

 

Legally, it depends on what the contracts say. Probably nothing

Would Kennedy and co. want to piss him off.....probably not.

 

If the only way George agreed to sell to them was that there were some stipulations regarding the ST, there is no way they would turn it down. It's not just the movies, it's also the merchandising.

 

Depends what those stipulations are.

 

^ This. However thejeditraitor , that has never stopped us from speculating/assuming/guessing...it's what makes these boards so much fun.