Star Wars Episode VII The force awakens

[SiHart]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20146942

Disney is buying Lucasfilm, the company behind the Star Wars films, from its chairman and founder George Lucas for $4.05bn (£2.5bn).

Mr Lucas said: "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of film-makers."

In a statement announcing the purchase, Disney said it planned to release a new Star Wars film, episode seven, in 2015.

That will be followed by episodes eight and nine and then one new movie every two or three years, the company said.

The last Star Wars film was 2005's Revenge of the Sith, and Disney said it believed there was "substantial pent-up demand".

Disney will pay about half in cash and half in stock, issuing 40 million Disney shares in the transaction.

"Our valuation of Lucasfilm is roughly comparable to the value we placed on Marvel when we announced that acquisition in 2009," Disney said, adding that the valuation was almost entirely driven by the Star Wars franchise.

The first Star Wars film was released in 1977.

"For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next," said George Lucas.

"I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime."

Well, how unexpected!

[Perry Vale]

[Anthony Williams]

Here's what I think...

Click and then press the blue button

[SiHart]

Well how could the next three films be any worse than the last three?

[Dino]

If you tolerate this then Disney will buy Star Trek next!
Personally, I'm glad the kid that grew up with Star Wars and collected and broke the toys isn't here any more. (No, seriously! He isn't!)
It belongs to a new generation now. And they are more than welcome to it!
Even when I was entering secondary school I thought the Ewoks were crap. If only I knew then how easy I had it!
So, enjoy the films, those that will continue to follow them. As far as I'm concerned it can't get any worse. But I'm just not into it these days. I still think the good Doctor is perfect. So that's where my loyalty lies.
And one final point. Han shot first. He shot first. It was Han who shot first. Han pulled the trigger before Greedo. It was Han. He shot- well you get the idea where I'm going with that.
Farewell Star Wars! When I was a child, I thought as a child and you were the coolest thing ever. Well that lasted... (and Han shot first)

[Alex]

Well how could the next three films be any worse than the last three?

That's how I feel. I can't say I'm excited by the news, but if they somehow manage to get a talented write and director onboard, then I might see it.

Personally I'd like to see Mark Hamill in it in some way, I think he's really developed as an actor and it would be a real shame if they either recast it with someone young, or set the film after the character's demise.

[Anthony Williams]

What worries me about the whole thing is how they talk about Episodes VII, VIII and IX... "and then one new movie every two or three years."

To me, that says "we know that this is a HUGE money spinner", which makes me wonder whether they'll consider quantity and profits over quality... Even with the dire prequel trilogy, I always got the feeling that it wasn't necessarily about money for Lucas, it was about making the films that he'd always wanted to make, even if the audience thought they were crap.

I guess I just worry that Disney will bleed the franchise dry.

[MacNimon]

I didn't see that one coming. I'm not particularly bothered myself though, I the first two films are the only ones in the series I really ever get any enjoyment out of. This won't change, whoever is going to make future films...at the moment I don't think I'll be going to see them anyway, so unimpressed was I by the prequel trilogy.

It's worth bearing in mind that way back in the 70s/early 80s, Lucas repeatedly stated that he envisioned a series of three trilogies...it might be interesting to see the final trilogy being made, but beyond that I'm not so sure...

[brandynigma]

With Disney owning the rights, chances of seeing theatrical versions of the original trilogy have probably increased greatly.

If VII, VIII and IX are set shortly after Jedi, give them to Pixar and get the original cast back to voice them!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

On the plus side it'll be something fun I take my nephew to see in a couple of years time. He'll be 9 in 2015 so probably just the right age for it.
As rubbish as it was in hindsight I have fond memories of taking my sister to see Phantom Menace when she was 11.

[Si Hunt]

I agree with everyone. IN THE WORLD!

It depends on whether you think "more" of something soils what we already have. As Si says, if that's the case he's already ruined it anyway.

But if the chance remains that they could make three films as good as the first three, then this has got to be a good thing!

Also didn't we already have the Star Wars Christmas Special, the Ewoks series, all the tat in the world and the Phantom Menace? So it's not like a sacred cow is it?

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Oh I'd just love to see an ancient Mark Hamill poncing around like a Jedi Master should.

[Darren]

It also raises the question of Indiana Jones 5. Weren't they looking at scripts already?

[J.R. Southall]

Basically, this.

I agree with everyone. IN THE WORLD!

It depends on whether you think "more" of something soils what we already have. As Si says, if that's the case he's already ruined it anyway.

But if the chance remains that they could make three films as good as the first three, then this has got to be a good thing!

Also didn't we already have the Star Wars Christmas Special, the Ewoks series, all the tat in the world and the Phantom Menace? So it's not like a sacred cow is it?

Si.

They'll be made independently of Disney anyway, by Lucasfilm still, so there's every chance that putting people who love the series but can see it more objectively than Lucas will result in an improved next trilogy. The ageing cast will then be augmented by newbies who can take the series forward with the tenth film and beyond, probably in the same way as with the Star Trek movies. It's a universe that won't be difficult to reboot once every generation, too.

[Jon Masters]

Given Mark Hamill's brilliant portrayal of the Joker in various animated Batmans, perhaps its time for Luke to start to slip to the Dark Side ?

[Dirk Gently]

Any new films will have to be using new actors. Too much time has passed to realistically use the original cast (even with an animated movie franchise).

The trilogy that was to follow Return' I believe was written as the Thrawn Triology, (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising & The Last Command).
But this is always up for debate & could be changed at any time.
Although I would like to see these books made in to movies.

After films 7,8 & 9 I'd like to see the franchise move to the story of Han & Leia's children (twins Jaina & Jacen, & Anakin). Especially if you know where their journey takes them.

[Si Hunt]

If it's set as far after Episode IV as Episode I was before it, won't Hamill and co be exactly the right age now to reprise their roles? I happen to know that Carrie Fisher could use the money.

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

Episode I is about 32 years before IV, with ep's II & III being about 22 years before. Using episode IV as a starting point episode V is set about 3 years after & Ep VI about 4 years after (1 year after V).

The Thrawn Trilogy is only about 9 years after Ep IV (5 years after VI).

So no, the original cast would not work in a live action continuation, but they might be able to do the voices for an animation film if they haven't changed too much, but I doubt that would work. Just a personal observation.

[Si Hunt]

What's the Thrawn Trilogy?

[SiHart]

I think, and someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but it's a trilogy of books set after the films.

I can't see them doing them personally. It'd be like RTD deciding that after the TV Movie, there was this series of books that continued the story of Doctor Who, so he'd better film them because it'd be wrong not too.
I suspect that Disney will do whatever will make them money and if they can do a trilogy of films with the original characters that everyone loves so much they will do because that's going to get people into the cinemas to see them. It doesn't matter what anyone else has ever written about the characters and if it invalidates the books, they'll be thinking about what will maximise their profits.

[Si Hunt]

On the other hand, we could get a Philip Segal in charge who decides that he'd better include lots of "kisses to the past" and old props and ensure there are lines that make it match up with everything that's gone before. I'm half Wookie - on my mothers side!

Si.

[Perry Vale]

With Disney owning the rights, chances of seeing theatrical versions of the original trilogy have probably increased greatly.

Do they though? I haven't seen any of the news reports mention that Disney now own the originals.

[Dirk Gently]

What's the Thrawn Trilogy?

I'm led to believe that it's the trilogy of books that were based on the original "third" script that George Lucas wrote. The first script being the basis for ep's I,II,III & the second script being the basis for eps IV, V, VI.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

For those that would know more of The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.

I once got "Heir to the Empire" out of the school library when I was 16 but I never got round to reading it.

There have been scores of novels written set after Episode VI so I really hope the creatives in charge of the new series of films will take a leaf out of RTD's book and invent their own expansions to the mythology rather than slavishly retreading what's already out there.

Maybe Han and Leia won't have twin-baby jedis after all!

[Andrew Curnow]

I read the Thrawn trilogy when they came out in paperback, but that was a long time ago, and somebody will correct me if I'm wrong but...

...don't they refer back to a cloning system/technology used in the Clone Wars - but which is then different to the way the clones were actually done in the Chapter II & III films? I must admit I'd never heard before that those books were in any way based on Lucas' plans for a third trilogy (if indeed he ever really had any such plans), but it would certainly seem unlikely that Disney would want to release three 'adaptations' rather than three brand new films.