Star Wars: 2015

[LMSx]

Avengers is currently scheduled for early May

Ant Man is currently scheduled for November (but, obviously, is not one of Disney's giant tentpole flicks)

Justice League and Avatar 2 are currently penciled in for...some time.

Wow, Avatar vs. Star Wars in December 2015 would be one hell of a heavyweight fight.

[Guardsman Bass]

I think a Han Solo prequel is a possibility. You could easily do a fun space adventure movie with Han and Chewie, which would let them set up for some other characters down the line. It would also allow Disney to re-use two of the familiar characters to help pull people into new Star Wars movies, even if they're portrayed by new actors. If it's a success, then you've got a couple of movies right there, sort of like the Han Solo Adventure books in the EU (not the plot, but the concept).

They could even make a new Han Solo movie Han's "origin story". Hollywood loves origin stories in their big-budget blockbusters.

[Gandalf]

I'm looking forward to this. Star Wars is such a part of popular culture that I'm fascinated to see how a different company and its people handle it. What's the worst that could possibly happen? A bad movie or two.

As for plot guesses, I think they'll try to redo ANH to some extent. I base this on nothing.

[Knife]

I'm not sure what they can do. Sure, they can make a movie in the Star Wars universe, but the story of Star Wars is done. We've seen Anakin grow up, become a hero, fall, and be redeemed. We saw the Republic fall, the rise of the Empire, and the fall of Palpatine. What's left in that story.

Now again, they can make another story in that universe, but what? How do you avoid the traps of rehashing, or everything is the same but we've changed some names, type hack work?

[Havok]

They are making Dances with Wolves 3?

Justice League... yeah, I'll believe DC can make a good movie without Donner, Burton or Nolan when I see it.

[Gandalf]

Now again, they can make another story in that universe, but what? How do you avoid the traps of rehashing, or everything is the same but we've changed some names, type hack work?

Assuming they don't try to make a big sweeping epic, there's a lot of little stuff they can do; Jedi stories, space pirates, Rebel/Empire whatever. They could make reams of straight to DVD films, and subsequent merch.

Invent a new Jedi or two, some pirates, some plucky Rebels, and go from there.

[Darksider]

For a side picture that might work, but they've promised Episodes 7, 8, and 9. There's no way they aren't going to try and do something "epic" with them.

[Havok]

I'm looking forward to this. Star Wars is such a part of popular culture that I'm fascinated to see how a different company and its people handle it. What's the worst that could possibly happen? A bad movie or two.

As for plot guesses, I think they'll try to redo ANH to some extent. I base this on nothing.

A new company is not handling it. It is still going to be Lucasfilm. Just GL will be won't be involved as heavily. I'm sure he will still have input, as like he said, there are already story treatments he has (did he say he wrote them?)

[FSTargetDrone]

Please, for all that is sacred, no retreads of old storylines, no prequels showing younger characters. Just do something a bit more creative and come up with a new adventures and new people.

[Darksider]

The more I think about it, the more I realize they could fit the new movies in with the existing EU if they so choose. They could have Luke's son Ben as the young hero archetype, his cousin Allana Solo as the princess archetype, and set it like five years after Fate of the Jedi when ben is the same age Luke was in ANH. The SW galaxy is a very different place, but still familiar enough for fans. That'd stop all the bitching from the fans who don't want the EU thrown out, and they'd be grown enough that the writers could portray them however they wanted.

[Gandalf]

A new company is not handling it. It is still going to be Lucasfilm. Just GL will be won't be involved as heavily. I'm sure he will still have input, as like he said, there are already story treatments he has (did he say he wrote them?)

My bad. I had it in my head that they'd have a say in what "direction" SW is to go in future.

I wonder what will happen with Indiana Jones.

That'd stop all the bitching from the fans who don't want the EU thrown out, and they'd be grown enough that the writers could portray them however they wanted.

Why work so hard to cater for those guys? They'll see the film anyway.

[LMSx]

This one blew past me until it was explicitly pointed out- a lot of white male directors getting their names thrown about (by me, among others!). Obviously there's some Hollywood institutional role in this, in that I can literally only think of Catherine Hardwicke as a female director who has been given a genre title. And it's tough to give a tentpole film like this to someone who hasn't quite proven themselves, although I'd love to hear if anyone can think of a Christopher Nolan-type ready to jump up to the big leagues.

At the very least it'd be nice to write in a female character or two with agency poking around a key role in the plot. (Padme and Leia certainly showing some gumption, but generally within the confines of a damsel-in-distress archetype).

[LMSx]

Wow. Heh. Lana Wachowski. The Wachowskis' Star Wars would be...something.

[PainRack]

The only way I see a new movie working is that if they take it in an entirely new direction using new characters, histories and timelines.

Anything else will be just..... drawing on the existing essence of Star Wars and not introduce anything new, even The Clone Wars is dying from that sickness.


Perhaps the original destruction of the Sith, or the evolution of the Jedi Order/Galactic Republic...

[PeZook]

The new movie should have heaps of GRUFF MODERN GRIMDARK in its, like Chewbacca trying to deal with his long-developing PTSD due to loss of family and friends first from separatist invasion, and then due to imperial atrocities.

Han Solo trying to deal with responsibility he's saddled with as a general in the Republic, and his rebellious daughter. Jaina could serve in the Fleet and do horrible things to defend the new fledgling democracy, slowly turning into a monster, to her father's horror.

Luke's struggle to become a mentor and teacher to a new generation of Jedi Knights should fail, sparking his wilfull exile from galactic affairs after his students abuse their power in a scandal which rocks the entire Republic and leads to a new wave of anti-Jedi sentiment.

GRIM

DARK

EDGY

[PeZook]

Chewbacca might join Wookie extremists after the New Republic denies reparations to Kashyykian families who suffered in the war against the Empire. Turning away from his life-long friend who now serves the new regime that Chewie helped create, but is now completely disillusioned with, he begins a campaign of terror throughout the worlds of the Republic to avenge what he sees as a betrayal of his people.

Solo's superiors task him with taking Chewie down, and the two friends have to face each other in a deadly game to the death, forced into it by circumstances of the cold, unfeeling universe which cares nothing about heroism and sacrifice.

God, I could do that all day

[Meest]

Really hope M. Night Shyamalan has no direct dies with Disney. Doubt they'll let some young up and comer direct these especially if they're going 200+mil budget wise. Just hope it's someone that can at least bring the adventure feeling back.

[aieeegrunt]

Bwa ha ha ha what a tweeest!

I want to see Blomkomp Star Wars. Guy made District 9 with the change he found in Peter Jackson's couch; lets give him Disney Sized Resources. If nothing else we'd get some awesome weapons that do something other than pew pew and scorch Leia's shoulder.

[Knife]

Personally I hope they take a flamethrower to the EU, but that's just me.

[Ted C]

I see an opportunity to "pass the torch" with Ep 7. Ford, Fisher, and Hamill can all reprise their original roles, become the "Obi-Wan" advisors to a new generation of galactic heroes.

What worries me is what they might use for villains. I hope no one is thinking Yuuzhan Vong.

[JME2]

I hope no one is thinking Yuuzhan Vong.

According to his Facebook page, Whedon is for it.

[Grumman]

I hope no one is thinking Yuuzhan Vong.

According to his Facebook page, Whedon is for it.

Rebel Dream and Rebel Star were both good, fun novels. If they focused more on that and less on killing things we liked about the setting, the Yuuzhan Vong wouldn't be so bad.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

Now again, they can make another story in that universe, but what? How do you avoid the traps of rehashing, or everything is the same but we've changed some names, type hack work?

Assuming they don't try to make a big sweeping epic, there's a lot of little stuff they can do; Jedi stories, space pirates, Rebel/Empire whatever. They could make reams of straight to DVD films, and subsequent merch.

Invent a new Jedi or two, some pirates, some plucky Rebels, and go from there.

They can even go back to the original inspiration and rip off another Kurosawa movie. Seven Jedi?

Or even some ore DTV Ewok Adventure type movies. (Without the ewoks)

[Gunhead]

More Star Wars movies? Sure, why not. Prequels did an exceptional job at lowering expectation so I think someone else at the helm they might squeeze out three more entertaining movies. Just keep the EU fuck away from them and this might come to pass. Apparently you'd need to keep Joss Whedon the fuck away from them too. Thinking the Yuuzhan Vong is a good idea is all I need to know.
My crap sense is tingling though. Star Wars is a huge piece of real estate and when something as big and recognized is passed on there's a danger everything new based on it just gets weighted down by the baggage. We'll see I suppose. I bet the nerd rage over new SW movies is going strong, so now all we need to do is find a way to transform that into electricity and troll the fuck out of TFN and the world power problems will be solved for years.

-Gunhead

[Ted C]

According to George's comments, he has a hand-picked successor who will stay on as President of Lucasfilm, so I wouldn't expect a terribly drastic change to the setting.