Get ready for Gore...

I don't think that the writers are going to feel the need to stay close to any plotlines developed in books any more than Star Trek writers do.

Verbinski?

Lucas provided the story line for 7-9 but Disney has hired other writers for the screenplays.


So once again, the credits will read "Story by George Lucas".

This isn't the global warming thread.
Posted via Mobile Device

Just watched a documentary on Walt. Best 2 hours I have had all week.

Hence, the "ancient" reference.

Agree. This is NOT good if true. SS' take on EPI III was pure shit.

Vader wouldn't be able to stand in true Sith Lords' presences of old. He'd get swatted away like a fly. Bring a new villain that obviously rivals that poser.

And now, we're off! This is GREAT news, IMO. Darth Vader can live on the big screen once again without the need for Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher or Mark Hamill. Also, I'm hearing that Matthew Vaughn is almost locked for the next movie. We'll see...

------------------

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...ar-wars-394910

Star Wars: How Writers Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg Will Expand the Galaxy

Sources tell THR that each will write separate projects, not necessarily "Episode 8" and "Episode 9" -- a plan similar to Marvel's movies around "The Avengers."

The post-George Lucas Star Wars universe slowly is taking shape. Soon after it was announced Oct. 30 that Disney would acquire Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion, it was revealed that Oscar winner Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine) had written a 40- to 50-page treatment for the new trilogy and would be writing the script for Star Wars: Episode VII.

Then reports emerged the week of Nov. 19 that The Empire Strikes Back’s Lawrence Kasdan (CAA, Greenberg Glusker) and Sherlock Holmes’ Simon Kinberg (CAA, Jackoway Tyerman) would be writing and producing Episode VIII and Episode IX, even as Disney and Lucasfilm refused to confirm their top-secret plans.

But now insiders tell THR that while Kasdan and Kinberg indeed have been hired to work on the Star Wars franchise, they will be writing separate projects (hence the reason why they also would receive producer credits), not necessarily Episode VIII and Episode IX.

Their scripts could turn into official “Episodes” in the main Skywalker storyline, or they could form the basis for spinoffs focusing on side characters. Disney CEO Robert Iger said the goal is to release a Star Wars movie “every two to three years,” and some could focus on other pieces of the expansive mythos (similar to Marvel’s Avengers universe). Disney and Lucasfilm declined comment.

As long as they don't sacrifice quality for quantity, this is fantastic news.

There is an opportunity for Kasdan to create new episodes with Darth Vader as the main character between Episodes Four and Six.

Whether he uses storylines from the EU (Black Sun, in particular) or creates a whole new story arc involving hunting down any and all of the remaining Jedi, there could be an incredibly cool new trilogy set in that time period.

I trust Disney not to **** this up.

They should just shoot Shadows of the Empire. Set between ESB and ROTJ. Great ****ing story.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._bookcover.jpg

Yeah but then you have to replace actors and a lot of die hards won't like that and will compare them into oblivion.

How about the sub plots between 3 and 4?

I have a feeling Disney is gonna knock it out of the park and we will be wondering why the move didn't happen much sooner.

Yeah movies set between 3 and 4 would be awesome, too.

Show the Empire building. You can even cast Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor again. More Vader, with lots of James Earl Jones. **** it, throw in a cameo for Ewan McCregor with some scenes of him whackin' it on Tatooine.

I think there is plenty of opportunity in the Star Wars universe for Vader, the Emperor, the Imperial Army, Corellia and so on.

But with that said, it would be just as easy to not include Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia and Luke but still have it kick major ass.

IMO, they should open up new avenues and not re-hash the same characters over and over. It's a large galaxy that needs exploring.

My StarWars boner is growing with every new development...I trust they aren't building towards a big letdown, too much investment at this point.

I don't think they spent $4 billion dollars, just to **** it up.

The Star Wars universe has been ripe for continuing adventures since "Return of the Jedi" wrapped in 1983. With CGI as it is today, there's no reason why it shouldn't be exploited for decades.

Nothing wrong with working the old characters and plotlines into new stories. As long as it's done tastefully because the way it's done will be debated for a long time...just no more disappointments, please.

They need more Wookies. There is a Wookie Jedi in the Clone Wars cartoon. That would be awesome. /fanboi

I might be in the minority here, but I hope they try to do less cgi and more costume design...though cgi had advanced quite a bit since 1-3.

I think they need to first create some "goodwill" with the audience by producing films that explore more of the Star Wars Universe, even if they're set between 4 & 6.

I think that recasting Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker would be a major mistake at this point. That would feel more like a "reboot", which really isn't necessary.

Well, in order to create new and exciting worlds (like Avatar did, for example), CGI will be absolutely necessary.

I'm just happy it's out of George's hands. Everything seemed too familiar, which is silly in a scope of a huge galaxy.

There is a wookie Jedi in some of the Outcast series books. The name escapes me at the moment.

If they're smart...they'll use Darth Bane and go 1000 years before the Battle of Yavin.

That doesn't work at all, because if they cloned him...the clone wouldn't be his broken body.

SuperShadow is a joke

I would say the problem with those movies wasn't the universe, or the CGI, it was the scripting, acting and direction. Which would be why I'm also thrilled it's out of George's hands.

Yeah, this.

Star wars was always pretty silly, but the original trilogy works, because they work as movies. They have things like character development plots that make sense (Why would a trade federation want to block trade?). Dialog that while is cheesy, at least has some charm. Han Solo saying "I know." when Leia says she loves him is a million times better than Anakin and Padme's "I love you more...No I LOVE YOU MORE" horseshit. George Lucas was extremely lucky, most of all because he had people that would tell him when his ideas sucked. Without that, you got the prequel trilogy. There's plenty of directors who grew up loving star wars, who will want to make a great movie and not just cash in.

To date, it's actually been the opposite: No one wants to touch it.

Matthew Vaughn is like tenth choice. He'll do fine, but I doubt anyone of note will want to direct until the new tone has been established.

When Vader is redeemed he becomes one with the force and his spirit is preserved of Anakin. The specter is present in the novel 'Truce At Bakura'

As well as in RoTJ

Read Darth Plagueis and you'll find out exactly why the Trade Fedration was blocking trade to Naboo. Great ****ing book

The EU is not canon.

I don't think that is true. Either way I would expect some variance, but I would not expect a complete distortion of the timeline and events. Otherwise there is a large portion of the franchise that falls to dust.

Darth Plagueis in particular fits snug against the Phantom Menace and about completely explains how Darth Sidious comes to be.

Dude, it's completely true. The EU is not canon.

Lucas has already confirmed that the next trilogy has nothing to do with the EU.

It his story, BTW. Not Thrawn or Jedi Academy, etc.

It still has to fit in somewhere in the timeline he's allowed to be created. He's also said in the past that the the story of the Skywalkers is over, and he also said that there would never be an Episode 7.

That's why it's the Expanded Universe.

Anything that happens outside of the movies and Clone Wars cartoon is not canon.

Well, Disney bought Lucasfilm and the rights to the those characters, so they can do whatever they'd like with them.

The bottom line is that the books, comics, games, etc. are not canon and should not be treated as such.

Continuity is different than canon.

Meh. They should just CG-treat the old farts and go with the kids/Legacy era.

Seeing Vader is always good, but.....

Thank you! :rockon: In our lifetime though please.

Wow. I don't know anything about Star Wars outside of SWTOR. I'm terrible at this. Teach me Garcia! :grovel:

I've read about 40 of the novels. I used to hate reading books, but using these got me started and now I read a great deal.

I really recommend the Darth Bane books, All the Zahn books, Shatterpoint(Mace Windu), Darth Plageuis, Revan, Dark Lord Rising, Death Star, and the Kevin J Anderson books.

JFC I wonder how much Lucas got just by signing off on letting people write books with the StarWars brand on them.

Well, that's the thing: He basically signed off and let the authors do as they chose. There was a novel division of Lucasfilm that basically helped to formulate the EU, but even those guys ****ed up.

Timothy Zahn was very vocal at one point about how "crazy" the EU had become and tried to "reel it back in", as it were, with some of his novels.

The bottom line is that if it didn't happen in the movies or the Clone Wars series, it didn't happen.

Disney and the writer's they've hired have absolutely no obligation to the EU, whatsoever. And according to George, who's been quoted on several occasions, it's more of a "Parallel Universe" than it is the real Star Wars universe.

Don't expect anything from those novels to show up in future Star Wars movies, except for maybe a planet name or reference here or there, if that.

TBH I never knew there were more than 5 or 6 Star Wars books...I'm shocked to hear there are more than 40.

Any idea how much George got for each "blessing"?

This is difficult to answer quickly.

George Lucas, for all of his faults, not only re-energized the Hollywood film making community, he created the summer blockbuster and changed film making forever.

Not only did he demand merchandising rights, he retained a much higher percentage of the box office gross than anyone film maker before him. The merchandising rights to the Star Wars toys earned him an unprecedented amount of money, which he in turn, funded other ventures.

He's an editor at heart. He funded and was responsible for the first digital editing system, which he called "Droid". Because he was so heartbroken of the failure of his marriage and unable to think or work (and subsequently allowed his film school teacher to direct "The Empire Strikes Back" and another friend to direct that piece of ****ing shit "Return of the Jedi"), he sold his idea and program to a couple of guys that turned that program into AVID, which for more than 20 years, was THE digital editing standard.

Later, he created a division of Lucasfilm that was dedicated to animation only. But he was convinced by his friend Steve Jobs that it could do better elsewhere, so he sold Pixar to Jobs for $10 million.

I could go on and on and on about George but the bottom line is that the last thing that he ever thinks about is money, especially the money he's earning from dopey novelizations of a universe he created 40 years ago.

LMAO

Dude, it's arguably the most successful IP in the last 40 years...only Star Trek comes close...maybe it's 2nd to Star Trek, hard to say in the end.

They both churn out books by the truckload every year. For both age groups.

Don't get me started on comic books...

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

It's been nearly a decade since I even dabbled in the EU but honestly, 90% of it was complete and utter ridiculous bullshit.

Depends on what you like to read.

For my money anything by Kevin J Anderson was a hoot to read.

Nothing like Kyp Durron destroying a Star Destroyer by ramming his invincible starship through the middle of it. LMAO

Tales from Jabba's Palace and Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina were lots of fun too. And any book about Boba Fett. :p

I dont own the plans for the deathstar or know how to build a lightsaber, but the original StarWars movies are permanently part of me because they were partially responsible for "opening my mind" for lack of a better term.

Thats why I am kinda shocked how many books there have been written.
Its a shame that George didnt decide to sell the brand after he decided he wasnt gonna make the last 3 of the original 9 movies.

Shit, its probably a shame he didnt just hand off the second trilogy other others because for the most part, they were terrible.

The number of books is insane. I have read maybe 10 percent of these.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_books

Would you be so kind as to share some things from the books that relate to the original story line of 4-6?

Someone told me that Leia and Han get married and have twins...what happens to Luke?...how about Chewbacca after Han gets married?

Or, are there a specific set of books that are based on the follow up? (I dont care if you give me the book names and give me part of the plot line, too...it wont ruin it for me or anything)

Timothy Zahn

Books in the series

Heir to the Empire, 1991 (ISBN 0-553-40471-7)
Dark Force Rising, 1992 (ISBN 0-553-08574-3)
The Last Command, 1993 (ISBN 0-553-56492-7)

HOLY SHIT.

That's like a few hundred books.

WOW.

These are what George was originally gonna do 7-9 with...or just an independent view of the StarWars universe?

Luke tries to rebuild the Jedi Order and is less and less involved in the Rebellion, which becomes The New Republic.

Han and Leia are basically the leaders of the New Republic. Chewbacca still tags along and is like the family protector.

The initial threat right after ROTJ is the stragglers from The Empire reuniting under one incredibly smart and insightful general who names himself Grand Admiral. His battle tactics give The New Republic a lot of trouble. There's also a sideplot with Luke, an insane Dark Jedi clone and Mara Jade, who was previously like a half Dark Jedi/half spy under Palpatine.

There's some cool stuff where Luke is starting the new Jedi Academy and one of his pupils turns to the darkside.

There's a really weird book where Luke almost gets turned into a robot.

Later on, with the New Republic firmly in control of Coruscant and the galaxy, an outside threat emerges. A bunch of aliens who basically are immune to the force and have all this bio-technology that's really weird.

The best storyline by far, IMO, is still the Dark Empire comics. The stuff with the reborn Emperor and Luke turning to the darkside, only to have his sister save him, is awesome shit.

Some of the later books are about Han and Leia's kids becoming Jedi. One of them goes bad.

That are absolutely irrelevant

Independent. Unrelated.

There was never a 7-9 trilogy mapped out, regardless of what you read.

The original Star Wars series was nine episodes. Luke & Leia weren't related. Many things were very different but since the iron was "hot", Lucas, Fox and a team of writers condensed everything into three movies.

In the end it's all a big movie playing in my head.

If you are gonna read any of these Boss, read Shadows of the Empire. It's set between ESB and ROTJ. There's a funny chapter where C-3P0 flies the Falcon on Coruscant. :LOL:

I agree. I think "Shadows" was cool, as was the first Zahn trilogy, outside of the ridiculous ysalamiri.

That pretty much ruined it for me. Thankfully, he, IIRC, didn't revisit that in his future novels.

With all due respect, I thought the Kevin J. Anderson novels were crap.

Will do...Ill have to check it out tomorrow to see if I can download them to my Iphone with Ibooks to read in between jobs or when I'm on the plane...or If I have to buy them in paper form only.

A few people have commented on the "thrawn" books...worth the read, or totally irrelevant in every way possible?

Thanks for the info, guys.

I wouldn't bother. Those books were have no influence on the new movies. It's not like a line of comic books that were "canon" to a particular superhero. Plus, they're really not that good and very dated.

The EU came into being because Lucasfilm saw a way to appease fans of the Star Wars universe but as George has said time again, it's a "different" universe than his Star Wars universe.

I expect Kathleen Kennedy to adopt the same attitude towards the EU. Maybe in 10 or 20 years, elements or movies "based on" Zahn's work might appear, but in all honesty, I doubt it.

They are irrelevant to the current universe but they are absolutely worth the read.

The ysalamiri were a great plot device to throw a monkey wrench into the force.

Personally I loved it.

A lot of people do. I'm not hard to please I guess. Of course I haven't read them since I was 16. :LOL:

I'd bet dollars to donuts that if you re-read those first three books, you'd be enormously disappointed.

The premise was kind of cool, but he execution was lame. I think they were popular because they were the first licensed Star Wars books, ever.

Zahn's writing definitely improved over the years but that first trilogy was enormously disappointing on a second look.

Maybe. Maybe not. When I read them I loved them. I haven't felt a need to go back and reread them. But I would still recommend reading them if you are a star wars fan at all.

It was ****ing reeruned.

You have this wondrous galaxy that Lucas initially created in which there was this spiritual "Force" anyone could tap into, if they believed, which gave them super human power. The Force was all that was good in the universe.

So, what's the happens in the very first Lucasfilm sanctioned novels? Some jackass writes in a new species that negates the power of the Force. Negates it. Can't feel it. Can't get in touch with it. Basically, he created Kryptonite for Jedi and Force users.

That was BEYOND ****ing stupid. BEYOND.

Hence, new screenwriters and a new set of adventures in the Star Wars galaxy.

If you re-read them, you'd laugh your ass off at the stupidty and weak writing.

I tried to read them again while on vacation in Mexico back in like 2002/2003 and threw them in the trash.

They were just ridiculously bad.

So, when they release the 3D versions soon (are the dates available for those?) of the previously released movies, are those gonna be paid to Disney, or being they were already done they are Georges money?

I would guess that's gonna be Disney money, right?

I'm walking around with my feather-boa ysalmiri on.

You can't touch me, Jedi. Or Emperor. Or anyone else that has Force powers.

Feather-Boa Ysalamiri. I'm a Star Wars pimp.





Dumbest ****ing shit ever.

Fox retains the rights to all previous six films.

Disney purchased future rights, including merch.

Its silly that George would sign off on aspects like that and makes it even less surprising that part of Disneys concerns were that they would have full creative control and wouldn't need to stick to an of those storylines.

With that many books, it would be nearly impossible to not step on someones feet.

So the 4B bought them creative control of the StarWars brand going forward, but not previously done work?

Interesting.

They must be planning on consistently making new films every couple years, forever.

I bet they make that back on the next trilogy, though...after the box office, bluray and merchandising is all tallied up.

Everything else will be profit.

George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney. His close friend, Kathleen Kennedy, who had been running Lucasfilm for years, is still the head of Lucasfilm.

He was paid $4 billion dollars. $4 billion.

Disney purchased Lucasfilm, which includes the IP of Star Wars. They can now create animated and live action TV shows, feature films, vignettes - basically anything they'd like within the Star Wars universe, without paying any rights fees.

They're currently designing new rides for Disney Land and Disney World based on Star Wars. Those alone will massively help defray the cost to purchase the IP.

It's a goldmine. George didn't do anything with Star Wars because he was a afraid of public reaction.

He wilted after TPM. It crushed him.

I wonder if Mel Brooks will ever make SpaceBalls 2: the search for more money

At his age, I highly doubt it.

StarWars the flamethrower (the kids love this one)

Disney making changes already

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...63328193_o.jpg

LMAO

I heard a couple of weeks ago that Matthew Vaughn was a near lock for directing at least one of the upcoming films but that's died down a little.

Believe it or not, the name I heard this weekend was past Andrew Stanton. After watching John Carter of Mars a number of times, I think he could definitely pull it off and make an incredible Star Wars film.

JCM had a ridiculous amount of subplots but the alien-human interaction was flawless and visually, the movie was stunning.

I really liked John Carter a lot. I watched in the theater and again the other night on Starz. It's really disappointing that it didn't do better, especially since it was a bit of a risk. I think it kind of reached the point where people ripped on it because it was the cool thing to do. But it's an epic story, and it looked great. Plus the little dog creature Woola was fantastic. Seems like everyone I know who actually watched it enjoyed it.