When we were at Disneyland back during the summer, I was joking with my kids about how Disney was going to take over the world. I may have mentioned this in one of the posts about all the Disney stuff, but I couldn't find it upon a casual perusal, and I don't have time for anything more in depth. As I'm writing this, though... wait a minute! Yes, it's here. Disney has been buying so much: Pixar, Marvel, and, now... Star Wars.
Yes, Disney bought Star Wars! Not just Star Wars but all of Lucasfilm including Skywalker Sound and ILM and all of that. They get Star Wars and Indiana Jones. It's a huge deal. A $4 billion deal of which Lucas gets $2 billion in cash. I can't even imagine that.
So this is one of the things that I was joking about while we were at Disneyland as we were strolling through Tomorrowland -- Star Wars being the next step Disney would need to take in their bid to take over the world. Star Wars is the biggest entertainment franchise ever to exist other than Disney itself, so this is... well, it's just HUGE!
The immediate result of the deal is that another Star Wars movie is going into immediate production for a 2015 release. And, yeah, I already hear the moaning out there blah blah blah, but I have just two words to say to all of you who think this is bad: The Avengers. If anyone can pull off another Star Wars film, it will be Disney.
I actually like that Lucas has done this. It opens all kinds opportunities to expand the world of Star Wars. Expansion that Lucas would never have done, because, well, he's tired of everyone bashing him. And who can blame him?
There are three more movies on the horizon now: episodes 7, 8, and 9. Movies that Lucas said he would never make. But I'm sure that's just the tip of the ice berg. There have been rumors going around about a solo Boba Fett movie, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen, now, too, especially since Joe Johnston, director of Captain America, provided the final designs on the character. He's also been bugging Lucas about making that movie for years.
The most significant part of the whole thing, though, is that Lucas said he's wanted to see Star Wars passed down for future generations, and there really is no better place for Star Wars to be for that happen. If Disney knows how to do anything, they know how to preserve cherished movies and pass them on from parents to kids and, well, to more kids. Not that I think Star Wars ever would have passed out of memory, but Disney will keep Star Wars alive and growing.
None of this even takes into consideration the great talent that will now be available to play in the Star Wars universe. Hey, Joss Whedon already has a relationship with Disney... can you imagine? There are so many possibilities!
And, well, heck, I'm still stuck on episode 7. Seriously. And my kids are super excited. Exciting times!
Definitely should be interesting.
ReplyDeleteAs long as someone else polishes the script and directs them, those films have a chance. Otherwise, I was burned already by the last three.
ReplyDeleteIt seems odd that after it took 20 years almost for the prequels to come about this just springs up out of the clear blue and all the sudden we have the inevitable third trilogy. Really since all the original actors are much too old you have to think it's going to be a Next Generation kind of deal. I mean a Boba Fett movie might be nice on the side but not as a trilogy. Just as long as it's not a reboot.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alex. We'll have to see when the first of them is released. As for the growing old...er comment it happens I'm sure even in Star Wars. The only one who shouldn't age is Yoda! They have remade many movies, I like the originals better!
ReplyDeleteI am a HUGE Star Wars nerd and I also once a year go to Disney World so I am extremely hyped about this! I am hoping for some new Star Wars themed rides which would be epic. I am also excited abou the prospect of a new Star Wars film.
ReplyDeleteJosh: I'm sure it will be.
ReplyDeleteAlex: Bah! :P
PT: If the Boba Fett thing comes to be, I'm sure it will be a solo movie. Unless it gets sequels.
The final trilogy was never supposed to pick up at the end of Jedi. In fact, for a long time Mark Hamill was under contract with Lucas to be in the final trilogy as an aged Skywalker or something. Definitely not a "5 years later" kind of thing, though.
G_G: I don't think we'll see any remakes. Not anytime soon, anyway.
Jennifer: Yeah, I'm hoping to see an actual Star Wars themed area, not just the one ride. Of course, I'm still waiting for the Marvel themed area.
I'm not happy about this at all. I'm cool with the acquisition, and the products and toys that will come from it. But I seriously wish they'd leave the movies alone. George Lucas already did so much damage with episodes I-III that I'm not sure I can take another one. And if one more person re-digitizes the original trilogy and superimposes Hayden what's-his-name's face over Darth Vaders's, I'm going to lose it.
ReplyDeleteI'd ONLY be tempted to go to a new movie if Joss Wheson directed - but then, I don't really think he'd do it.
*Whedon
ReplyDeleteIt could go very well or very badly. We'll see. I do think the Boba Fett standalone might be a good idea. For such a small character, he has really stuck with people all this time. I suspect they have an already built-in audience for that one, maybe even more so than the next trilogy.
ReplyDeleteShannon at The Warrior Muse
S.L.: Yeah, but I like 1-3, and I love the Clone Wars animated show, so I can't wait to see what they do. Besides, there are so many talented people that will be jumping at the chance to do something Star Wars, including Whedon. Personally, though, I'd like to see something from Kevin Smith.
ReplyDeleteShannon: For a corporate monster, Disney tends to dish out things of quality more often than not, so I'm betting on the "very well."
Maybe Mickey Mouse for President isn't such a ludicrous idea after all. I'm not all that excited about the Star Wars franchise. I got burned out on that in the 80's and never saw the prequels yet. I want to see some real space adventure. I'm disappointed that we aren't as advanced as 2001: A Space Odyssey predicted. Come on NASA! Maybe some future president will stop wasteful spending and pull out all the stops to get back into space in a big way. I can dream can't I?
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out
Lee: Don't look to NASA to get us into space. That's much more likely to come through James Cameron and those guys that want to do the asteroid mining. I'm all for that!
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's true. Commercial ventures would be great as well, but they also might become over exploitative. Regulations will have to be put into place and activities monitored. Real explorations might not ever take place though unless there were some guarantee of future profits.
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out
Lee: I sort of think that the asteroid belt may be the one thing that we don't have to worry about over exploiting.
ReplyDelete