Star Wars Episode XII is set for 2015.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/30/the-walt-disney-company-acquires-lucasfilm-star-wars-episode-vii-set-for-2015

WHAT.

Where the hell do they go from the end of the Return of the Jedi???

And now they'll own the Indiana Jones franchise too. Harrison Ford must be getting on for 70 now so watch out for "Indiana Jones and the Zimmer frame of peril."

Unreal.

Well, at least Disney will release the original goodness on BluRay.
The Big Mouse leaves no dollar uncollected.

Other than that. I don't see much good coming from this...

Nope.

E.D.

...yeah - "there's substantial pent-up demand"?!?  

I'm a huge original Star Wars fan - spent half of my girlhood pretending to be Han Solo (no judgements from the peanut gallery, please.  Han was way cooler than Leia.)

But the implications of that quoted statement make me *cringe*.

Joss Whedon's all over this quicker than Garfield eats lasagne...

The internet's nerd-imploding. It's fun to watch.  

Quoted Text I'm a huge original Star Wars fan - spent half of my girlhood pretending to be Han Solo (no judgements from the peanut gallery, please.  Han was way cooler than Leia.)

No peanut gallery?! That's gonna be hard.

I think Chris Nolan could bring life into Star Wars. There will always be a market for it.

As someone else, on another board said, Disney hasn't changed Marvel and ABC Studios is still pretty much the same.

I'm really curious to see what happens in Northern Cali. Lucas wanted to make a studio in Marin but the neighbors said no. I'm wondering if they'll feel differently about Disney running it.

I'm also excited for any internships that may come out of Disney owning property up here.

I'm pumped! Bring on a new Star Wars trilogy. :)

~Zack~

This about sums it up...

http://youtu.be/mWjDYz2ldN0

See nothing but win here.

New bunch of kids will love it; shareholders will love it; those who work on it will love it; those who complain will go and watch it, therefore popcorn counters will love it; but best of all? Film puritans will hate it. Boom.

Lot more going on in the world requiring concern, rather than the chorus of inevitable righteous indignation that meets this announcement.

What I suspect we're in for here other than (finally) the full Star Wars series that was promised to us thirty years ago (for better or worse). Leia is now an official Disney Princess so we'll probably see her pop up in Season 3 of Once Upon a Time. Brace yourself for the Jar Jar Binks cartoon franchise, as he has always seemed like a cute talking animal from a Disney movie. And yeah, more toys. So many, many more toys. The mouse does leave no dollar uncollected, so if there is something that can be milked out of the franchise (and Star Wars is a huge and profitable universe), then Disney will do it. The 4 billion they paid? They'll make that back in no time at all.

Love the Darth Mouse pic.

EDIT: The true untold horror: The Donald and Howard the Duck crossover.

Quoted from dogglebe

superb

Quoted from George Willson The mouse does leave no dollar uncollected, so if there is something that can be milked out of the franchise (and Star Wars is a huge and profitable universe), then Disney will do it. The 4 billion they paid? They'll make that back in no time at all.

Agreed on that. Especially, if it's anything like the Pixar franchises.
"Cars" toys pull in about two billion a YEAR in sales.

It seems everything three years the Big Mouse absorbs a major player...

2006 - Pixar.
2009 - Marvel.

And now this.

Regards,
E.D.

Quoted from Electric Dreamer It seems everything three years the Big Mouse absorbs a major player... 2006 - Pixar. 2009 - Marvel.

Every three years... Just like Star Wars releases... Creepy.

Honestly, I'm wavering back and forth. Disney knows what they're going up against and can afford to hire the best in the business. But for the love of god, no Whedon. Please sweet jesus, no Whedon.

Surely Disney can't do worse for Star Wars than Lucas already has...

And surely LucasFilms was, to Disney, equally market-driven -- and by the same market -- before the acquisition, and will therefore continue to make roughly the same stuff of roughly the same, er, quality now?

Based on the books, Star Wars has a rich history after Return of the Jedi. The death of Chewbacca, the Vuong Invasion, Han/Leia birthing the next Sith Lord who fights Luke's son...

It'd be interesting to see if they stick to the "canon" which has been set by the books.

Maybe the Rocketeer sequel will be about Boba Fett. 8)

I'm stoked about this. There's tremendous upside, as long as they play it smart.

Tons of existing material to mine, but what I'm most excited about is that this finally opens up the Star Wars universe as a whole. Lucas has kept a death-grip on this franchise for over 35 years, now it's being cracked open for other writers and filmmakers to dig in. So much potential here!

Who wouldn't watch a movie about Boba Fett's Mandalorian Armor Wars? Or, for that matter, a TV series about a smuggler ship (maybe resurrect Firefly in the SW universe!). Or a 10-episode mini series showing the Rise of the Hutts for cable. An animated series about the Vuong invasion.

I dream big. I hope the next 10-20 years brings all kinds of Star Wars goodness.

This could open the door wide-open for new artists/writers/filmmakers to emerge and contribute...if Disney's wise. Just give the creative fanboys some money and a license to use the franchise, and let them go wild.

First thing they should do is delete the 3 newer ones.

Dan, love your sig. The best ever Aussie movie, IMO, and some of the greatest stunt work in movie history.

It's already started.

I think this is awesome.  

Lucas originally had plans for 9-12 films and there's already this massive expanded universe so the possibilities are endless.

But the thought of Luke, Leia, and Han back for more action?  AWESOME!

Bring on the Yuuzhan Vong.  That would make for an incredible series of movies.

I am hyped for this too! I have been on the Boba Fett bandwagon since the beginning. I thought he was gonna help take out all of the Jedi in episode three, but he didn't even show up.

Too bad one of the coolest cats Lucas ever came up with gets no love. And his death in Return was unforgivable.

Lucas must of hated Boba, all he got was a swallow and a belch.

I liked Fett because he seemed liked the only normal being who would have a chance against a Jedi. I guess Jedis are simply Gods in Lucas' mind.

James

Quoted from stevie First thing they should do is delete the 3 newer ones. Dan, love your sig. The best ever Aussie movie, IMO, and some of the greatest stunt work in movie history.

Thanks! I don't know that I'd call it the best Aussie film ever (I'm a huge Peter Weir fan), but it's pretty close. I'm looking forward to Fury Road. It's already over-schedule and over-budget...just like the old days. :)

Wow, I think I might actually respect Lucas again....

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-deal-george-lucas-will-384947

Quoted from albinopenguin Wow, I think I might actually respect Lucas again.... http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-deal-george-lucas-will-384947

Makes me wonder if the old coot has got some medical problems.
Doing a good deed before they freeze and launch him into orbit. :P

E.D.

Quoted from DanBall This could open the door wide-open for new artists/writers/filmmakers to emerge and contribute...if Disney's wise.

Agree, this is a good thing for the Star Wars franchise, it will give some new life to it. But who would they choose to bring this exciting saga to life again...there has been some ideas thrown out...

http://www.firstshowing.net/2012/top-10-directors-who-should-be-at-the-helm-of-star-wars-episode-7/

This is one fan looking forward to what the powers to be have lined up for the next installment.

Let's get one thing clear though, this is mega bucks deal for Disney. ;D

Hmmm. I think Spielberg should be in there. He was close to directing Return of the Jedi anyway. Of the 10, my picks would be Duncan Jones or Brad Bird. But I sort of like the idea of Abrams helming Star Wars, since that's what he wanted Trek to be. Maybe if he gets his Star Wars bottle, he'll leave Star Trek the hell alone and it can become cerebral again.

As for the others, I like a lot of them, but I'm either not familiar enough with them or I just don't see them pulling off a Star Wars movie. Edgar Wright's a good example. Love his movies and his directing style, but I think SW needs someone who can transcend the fanboy attitude and be a mature storyteller. That's why I like nearly everyone else on the list except for him and Favreau. My concern with Darabont is that he's too mature a storyteller and his SW would be less mythological. Speaking of mythology, why isn't Peter Jackson on that list? I know he's only busy doing the Hobbit trilogy, but making trilogies with lots of creatures and locations is what he does best--as long as it's not 48fps.

A few other names that should be on the list, IMO:

Matthew Vaughn
Alfonso Cuarón
Peter Yates
Joe Johnston (the dude worked on the OT in the art dep't)
Kenneth Branagh
Martin Campbell (he's super hit-or-miss...but he does really well by Bond)

What? No Joss Whedon or Nolan? I assume Joss Whedon as he's already on Disney's payroll.

Quoted from kingcooky555 What? No Joss Whedon or Nolan? I assume Joss Whedon as he's already on Disney's payroll.

It would be impossible for Whedon to take on the mantle for episode VII.
He's writing/directing Avengers 2 for 2015 release.

I hope the Big Mouse has the sense to not put both movies in the same summer.

E.D.

Quoted from DanBall But I sort of like the idea of Abrams helming Star Wars, since that's what he wanted Trek to be. Maybe if he gets his Star Wars bottle, he'll leave Star Trek the hell alone and it can become cerebral again. ... Kenneth Branagh Martin Campbell (he's super hit-or-miss...but he does really well by Bond)

Twelve points for Dan! One for Branagh, one for Campbell -- both great directors who have proven they can do blockbusters well, and with class (though Campbell has certainly proven the exact opposite, as well) -- and ten points for the idea of Abrams. A move from Trek to Wars is the absolute perfect way to deal with that pandering bilge-pusher. He still gets to fluff all the spectacle and entertainment he wants, but instead of Trek, once one of the great institutions of cerebral entertainment in film and television, he gets Wars, always the pinnacle of sci-fi action spectacle and never a pretender towards anything else (though Kershner perhaps succeeded in briefly giving it a soul).

Speaking of people who nearly directed Jedi, maybe Cronenberg should do it. Nobody'd see that coming.

I didn't include Whedon or Nolan because I thought The Avengers was okay--it was pretty straight-forward with a few fun moments--and Nolan's too much of a realist to handle something as fantastic and imaginative as Star Wars. If he were to take on Star Trek, I think that might be a better fit.

I didn't really know that much about Thor before they started making the movie, but I was super-fascinated that KB was doing it. Once I saw it, I really liked the way he handled the mythos. Thought it was very fitting, given his background in Shakespeare. I'd like someone like that to tackle a Star Wars movie. The only problem with KB is that he handles depth better than action. Thor was okay, but the action was just straight-forward. He didn't really exploit it or articulate it. It just happened so the story could movie along. A good SW movie is a balance of super-deep story and dazzling action...along with cool visuals and crazy critters.

Personally, I'm excited that there's going to be new concept art being generated. I hope whoever gets the job of pulling off this next trilogy puts as much work in to pre-production as Lucas.

This announcement was made back in May:

http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/brad-bird-to-helm-damon-lindelofs-secret-shrouded-script-1952-for-disney/

It appears Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof were announced as teaming up to create a super-secret 'big-scale tentpole film with multi-platform aspirations' for Disney called '1952'. Anyone else think that is could be the new Star Wars?

Quoted from SteveUK This announcement was made back in May: http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/brad-bird-to-helm-damon-lindelofs-secret-shrouded-script-1952-for-disney/ It appears Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof were announced as teaming up to create a super-secret 'big-scale tentpole film with multi-platform aspirations' for Disney called '1952'. Anyone else think that is could be the new Star Wars?

The new one is that "Kick-Ass" director Matthew Vaughn is in talks to direct and as he's just recently stepped down from the new "X-Men" movie...who knows?

http://www.firstshowing.net/2012/is-x-men-first-class-director-matthew-vaughn-in-talks-for-star-wars/

You've got to love the rumor mill. This one will just keep chugging along until something is confirmed. ;D

I love threads like this because, after a while, I realise that with the names mentioned, I know eff all...

Most of these names go well above my head, and they are probably mainstream. Just goes to show.

What I will say on this thread is, please lord let them make a decent film. I truly loved all of the first three, yes they were different, but I still enjoy watching them now.

The last three!! Oh no.

I actually think the effects in the first three were better because they were closer to real, if that makes sense.

So I don't mind another, just give it some depth, make it interesting etc etc

I'm with the Brad Bird camp! ;D

Actually, if they choose Brad Bird in 2015--according to this video--then that'd be a tad too late for Episode VII. More like Ep. VIII.

I want more Muppets/Star Wars crossovers...like back in the day. A 'Pigs in Space' movie.

I wanna see what Guillermo del Toro's take would be. That might bring a dark maturity to the franchise.

Or a Rob Zombie or Tim Burton Star Wars. Hmm...

Quoted from RayW Tim Burton Star Wars. Hmm...

LOL! Darth Scissorhands!

Nifty debate about the Star Wars: Episode VII job on Scriptshadow today.
Carson put together a bunch of likely candidates.

If it doesn't clash with Pirates 5, I can see Elliot and Rossio getting the nod.
Who do you think on that list is right for the job?

http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/

Regards,
E.D.

I'm not sure I really like any of those people. Lindelof seems to be a bit overhyped. Spaihts had some good ideas for Prometheus, but was overshadowed by Lindelof, and the rest are just don't feel right. Although, I would probably either solicit a pitch or dialogue-gloss from Kasdan. But I'd have someone else ready too. He did the best work of the old movies, but his stuff since has been kinda strange.

I don't want him to direct it, but I think Edgar Wright would be a GREAT fit for dialogue. He creates snarky characters that feel like they draw from Han and Leia. But someone else for the story.

Director-wise, nobody's wanting to touch this. So far, I think the only person who's even remotely been interested is Joe Johnston. Seems like Favreau didn't turn it down when he was asked. Then again, maybe someone else is just being coy--like Brad Bird. Of the top directors out there who could realistically take it, Joe Johnston's probably my favorite contender.

He's got a unique background: he was heavily involved in the original Star Wars trilogy and he's since become a very capable director in his own right. I think he'd be level-headed about Star Wars because he's already dealt with the pressure of delivering good Star Wars and lived to tell about it. Any other director would probably be terrified of the fan backlash or the nerdgasm from accepting the job. For Joe, it's a natural progression from art director to director.

Also, I've felt Johnston's work was either informed by Star Wars or a lot of his sensibilities informed Star Wars, somehow. I wouldn't be disappointed if he were chosen to direct VII at all. I think a lot of fans would be let down by his work because they would be regardless. However, I think he has the greatest chance of bringing back the magic of the OT of anyone else out there. At the very least, I would hope he'd create some of his own concept art. McQuarrie's was the best, but his work wasn't far behind.

They just destroyed my dream, if I'd made it into the industry - get the whole stock of original footage and do a full, total, utter re-edit of Episodes 1,2 & 3 including new dialogue (CGI'd lipsynched) and a fair bit of genocide on Naboo.

//spoiler// the tie in video game would see players roaming through the original footage, blasting every last pixel of Jar Jar Binks from existence.

It's not even like Lucas needed the cash. (edit - although someone mentioned he'd already screwed it, and maybe Disney might actually be the saving grace... maybe... )