Will there ever be another live action Star Wars movie?

You're right. But that was exactly my point, forgive me if I was unclear on details. I was trying to say that Tolkien's heirs have no interest in the films, apart from the obvious monetary ones. They made it clear to Jackson's team back in '99 that they did not want to have any kind of contact with the filmmakers. I don't remember details, but there was some issue with the rights possibly reverting to the Estate these past few years. The studio (first Miramax, then New Line, ie Warners) certainly bought the rights from Zaentz, but there is some kind of time limit on that as well, pertaining to actual production being initiated within a given frame.

In any case, Christopher Tolkien is also aging, and the Tolkien universe could change course in the future.

It's a little morbid, but yeah I wonder how Lucas sets up his property for after his time...

 

Lucas himself claims to have made sure that noone will be able to continue the feature film saga after his death.





Lucas takes care of things
/LM

 

George Lucas himself claims a lot of things.

I believe you're referring to this quote:

"I've left pretty explicit instructions for there not to be any more features. There will definitely be no Episodes VII-IX. That's because there isn't any story. I mean, I never thought of anything. And now there have been novels about the events after Episode VI, which isn't at all what I would have done with it. The Star Wars story is really the tragedy of Darth Vader. That is the story. Once Vader dies, he doesn't come back to life, the Emperor doesn't get cloned and Luke doesn't get married..."

Total Film, May 2008

Now, while the first sentence does state quite clearly, "No more features", the rest of the quote seems to indicate that he's referring to there being no continuation of the actual episodic Star Wars Saga, as opposed to a complete ban on any Star Wars cinematic releases altogether. TCW made it into theatres, after all, three months after this was published.

 

I'm sure there will be another Star Wars film. I doubt Lucas will make it, and I'm unsure that his heirs will want to do it after his death, but eventually Star Wars will fall into the public domain, and when that happens you can be sure that someone somewhere will do it. Of course, that's a long way off, but it'll happen, barring some major changes to copyright laws, or world destruction.

 

I fear the dreaded remake one day. I think that's more likely than anything. Give it about 50 years...

 

Does anyone know exactly how copyright law is in the US when it comes to movies?

I'm under the impression that they are pretty much without time limit. Or is it 95 years?

 

I'll be happy if the entire human race isn't doing its own full-scale re-enaction of Night Of The Living Dead in 50 years. If I'm still around, a crap remake of Star Wars will be the last thing I'll be worrying about.

Nah, that's a lie - I can see myself on my front porch, banging my walking stick, while flesh-eating nuclear mutant zombies kill everything in sight, whingeing about just how rotten the clone of Brad Pitt was as Han Solo, & how it was all so much better before 7-D came in.

 

you and me both!

 

It may take generations but eventually Star Wars is going to become public and there will be another film, or whatever the prevailing visual arts medium is.....

 

I plan on ruling the Earth within 50 years. So if you guys are cool with me and get on my good side I'll hook you up with whatever SW project you want at that time.

 

I'm doubtful that there will be. Frankly, I don't like the idea. Then again, I'm one of those strange people that disapproved of the TV series as well. If done right, however, I don't think that I would be quite so against it.

 

Disney will own Star Wars one day. Mark my words.

All kidding aside.....his one daughter wrote for The Clone Wars and wants to pursue that, and his son I think expressed interest in being a filmmaker I thought I heard. I think that they seem like they will continue Star Wars on. Which I think is good, I'd rather it be Lucas's kids than a corporation or board.

Anyway, back to the topic question- Yes. I think we will someday. I don't know what or when and who will be in charge, but theres money to be made there and people love money. TCW has been a success. If this new animated series and, if it ever happens, the live action series do just as well- then we are going to see some more Star Wars on screen. Once Star Wars has had it's fill on Television, it'll move back onto the big screen.

 

right now I think the next big screen effort will be the 3D re-release.

 

Oh god, let's hope not.

 

Own it, no. Distribute it, quite possibly. The Warner Bros logo before episodes of TCW still doesn't sit right with me, but business is business. Despite the precedent, there's absolutely nothing sacred about the logo or fanfare of 20th Century Fox preceding all six Star Wars films.

Eps I-III could have been distributed by any of the other studios if they wanted them enough, there was no contractual obligation at all to Fox once Our Rupert took over - given the success with the Indy films, it could just as easily have been Paramount.

The Star Wars franchise is still owned by Lucasfilm - it's when Lucasfilm gives up its rights that it's time to start abandoning ship.

 

Oh, I'm by now means a loyalist to 20th Century Fox, I just don't necessarily like the idea of Disney having anything to do with the saga even if it is mere distribution. But you're right, I could live with it as long as Lucasfilm gives up nothing more.

 

I would like to think that LFL wouldn't sign any agreements with a studio that would place any sort of restrictions regarding content upon any films or TV series they make. Chances are that Disney would try to do so, & ruin negotiations as a result - especially considering that Fox, Warners, Paramount, et al, would be happy to let LFL do whatever they want.

It's Star Wars, not borderline pornography or snuff films - Disney's restrictions would simply ensure that they won't get a place at the negotiating table. A new feature or TV series set in the GFFA isn't going to tread the same turf as The Sopranos, even if they want to take things a bit beyond what any of the films did. Disney might wince, none of the other studios will bat an eyelid.

However, way on down the track, you know, after, um, you know, the big guy, er... Disney might be in a position to buy the SW franchise itself - by that time, none of us will care about the new stuff, trust me.

 

I never think that far ahead. If that day should come, though, I shall cry tears for my unborn children.

 

I think I remember an interview where this question was brought up to George Lucas himself and I believe his response was that each new trilogy takes about ten years to make and that he felt he would be too old to really commit to that kind of a project. I believe he also said it would be interesting to let someone else takes the reins and tell their own Star Wars story. So if I remember correctly, a new Star Wars film is absolutely possible, just not written or directed by Lucas.

 

It seems to me that there won't be. He said the story was meant to be told in six parts and he does not want to go farther. However, I have always thought a Shadows of the Empire motion picture would be cool.

 

I kind of think that Lucas will always say there will never be more films...until he possibly changes his mind some day in the future. Between 1983 and 1997, when he announced the prequels, I would imagine he was asked about new Star Wars movies five hundred times a day, every day, all day long, wherever he went. It's sort of the obvious question. It's like Harrison Ford and Indy. It was the question he was asked by everyone he ever ran into. To have to constantly answer these questions with any answer other than "no" is probably a huge pain in the butt, and it allows him to go on with his life. If he were ever to say "maybe", the media would jump on it, and the pressure to do it would follow him around constantly. I believe it's more of a practical life strategy than anything else.

 

So you want Yoda and Palpatine to be brothers and Jar Jar as a little dog?

I have a suspicion that there will be new films.

 

New films? Maybe.New films that are Post ROTJ? I doubt it. But if a Post-ROTJ film does happen then Lucas probably won't have anything to do with it. Which means that it will SUCK.

 

New films would be cool. But instead of post RotJ, maybe go back in time. Cover the Great Hyperspace War(Naga Sadow's attack on the Republic) . Or the Sith War, Exar Kun & Ulic Qel Droma. Or the Revan Saga. Or what the online game is supposed to be about, the Sith Empire's invasion of the Republic.

 

I wish, maybe the Darth Bane Trilogy, or the Thrawn Trilogy!