Is Lucasfilm killing Star Wars?

[Rodders]

I hope you can forgive the rambling nature of this thread (I have an unfocused and somewhat simple mind.)

I read an interesting article a few weeks ago on why Lucasarts failed. It cites indecision, constant changes in direction, no leadership amounted to the closing of possibly once of the best gaming companies ever and I wonder if we're watching the demise of Star Wars.

Four movies in and Rogue One and Solo are the only good ones, but they're kinda limited in their scope and ambition. And don't get me wrong, I enjoyed TFA and TLJ but they weren't great movies, were they? In fact, I view them as more of a reboot. I suppose you could argue that they're garnering a new generation of fans. (A thought that pleases me greatly.) So, with a Galaxy potentially full of so many heroes to discover and stories to tell, are they selling Star Wars short by remaining in the same conflict, in the same part of the galaxy?

 

[BAYLOR]

The lattest 4 films a light years better then those crappy prequel film done by Lucas.

 

[Rodders]

Disney are churning out some top quality films through their Marvel brand, which have mass appeal and are pretty loyal to the Marvel fans. I believe that they [Disney] made a conscious effort to give Marvel room to make the films they wanted and it has worked. They've been ambitious with their story telling and their movies often featuring other characters from the MCU with plot threads extending beyond into multiple other movies. Whether you're bored with the MCU or not, you cannot deny that they have done a top job.

So, do you think that Lucasfilm is killing their own golden goose?

On a separate note, I am disgusted by the treatment of Kelly Marie Tran by Star Wars Fans on the internet.

 

[BAYLOR]

No , I don't think Disney is trying kill of the Golden Rose because it cost them 4 billion and thye want a good return their investment. So far, ive liked all 4 films they done.

 

[Rodders]

I disagree Baylor, (although I suspect that I will be in a minority here).

The Prequels had a more originality than the sequels, both in their story and their design.

 

[BAYLOR]

I disagree Baylor, (although I suspect that I will be in a minority here).

The Prequels had a more originality than the sequels, both in their story and their design.

Lucas should have let someone else do them . The biggest problem for him was he stopped directing in 1977. He didn't have it anymore . These prequel film were were godawful film a threee. wooden action, woeful story telling , stupid dialogue , and annoying characters like Jar Jar Bleeping Binks !and I didn't care about any of the main characters.

 

[night_wrtr]

I've had this conversation with my fellow nerds at work. I think they put profit above storytelling to be honest. They were okay letting the sequel trilogy go without being a complete story. JJ started with TFA and Rian took it from there and went his own direction. This is why there seems to be such a jarring course between those two films and between TLJ and the rest of the films.

The potential for amazing stories is there. The TV Rebels had an amazing story with new characters that fit into a story we already know, but it broke new ground and went in a direction that opened up the star wars lore that casual fans watching the movies would be oblivious to, but would probably enjoy. I wish the first movies disney had done was actually the story we see from Rebels, then after they had understood what Star Wars means, figured out how to mix story with profitability, they could then tackle the sequel trilogy.

Its not dead yet, but it certainly needs new life. George Lucas handpicked Dave Filoni to be his successor. My opinion is that he should be the head of the Star Wars story, and Disney makes the movies happen. We get the heart of what made star wars great with the pocket book of Disney films.

The lattest 4 films a light years better then those crappy prequel film done by Lucas.

The films were executed in less than desirable ways, but the story is fantastic. I wish there had been a fourth prequel that was all about Order 66 and the hunting of the Jedi and the early days of Vader. That would have been a tremendous movie, and if you have doubts, check out the new Vader comic that starts immediately after Revenge of the Sith. Some of the best stories in all of Star Wars.

 

[BAYLOR]

I've had this conversation with my fellow nerds at work. I think they put profit above storytelling to be honest. They were okay letting the sequel trilogy go without being a complete story. JJ started with TFA and Rian took it from there and went his own direction. This is why there seems to be such a jarring course between those two films and between TLJ and the rest of the films.

The potential for amazing stories is there. The TV Rebels had an amazing story with new characters that fit into a story we already know, but it broke new ground and went in a direction that opened up the star wars lore that casual fans watching the movies would be oblivious too, but would probably enjoy. I wish the first movies disney had done was actually the story we see from Rebels, then after they had understood what Star Wars means, figured out how to mix story with profitability, they could then tackle the sequel trilogy.

Its not dead yet, but it certainly needs new life. George Lucas handpicked Dave Filoni to be his successor. My opinion is that he should be the head of the Star Wars story, and Disney makes the movies happen. We get the heart of what made star wars great with the pocket book of Disney films.



The films were executed in less than desirable ways, but the story is fantastic. I wish there had been a fourth prequel that was all about Order 66 and the hunting of the Jedi and the early days of Vader. That would have been a tremendous movie, and if you have doubts, check out the new Vader comic that starts immediately after Revenge of the Sith. Some of the best stories in all of Star Wars.

Order 66. Yes that would been a great film indeed.

 

[Rodders]

I haven't seen either The Clone Wars or Rebels (although I have heard great things about them.) Maybe it's time to get a copy and powerdisc my way though.

The execution of the Jedi through Order 66 would be an excellent premise for a TV show.

 

[BAYLOR]

The execution of the Jedi through Order 66 would be an excellent premise for a TV show.

Disney is considering a live action tv show set in the Star Wars universe.

 

[night_wrtr]

I haven't seen either The Clone Wars or Rebels (although I have heard great things about them.) Maybe it's time to get a copy and powerdisc my way though.

Do it. They are both good, but pretty different in style. The Clone Wars had tons of good stories and some that were head scratchers. They were not always told in order and bounced around between storylines, which was a little annoying. The animation comes a long way by the time they get to Rebels, which does a good job showing how the rebellion grows from a small band to a large force.

Disney is considering a live action tv show set in the Star Wars universe.

Directed by Jon Favreau, too. It is supposed to be 7 years after Return of the Jed, but there will also be a cartoon directed by Dave Filoni as well. This one is supposed to be right before The Force Awakens.

 

[Onyx]

On a separate note, I am disgusted by the treatment of Kelly Marie Tran by Star Wars Fans on the internet.

I find the behavior of people on social media appalling.

But I do not understand the casting decisions made for many of these films. They seem to have purposely replaced heroic characters portrayed by attractive, self assured actors with the cast of Goonies. And I'm not picking on Ms. Tran - I don't get the casting and characterization of Poe, Finn or Rey. Rey is getting better, though, but the rest have gotten more ridiculous. Andor was another really weak character portrayal while Erso was reasonable - but still just along for the ride.


I don't see how they are ever going to recapture the original films if they can't field characters that are as motivated and bad-ass as Luke, Leia, Han, Ben, Lando and Chewie. Star Wars was not a kids' movie. These recent films seem to be. We've gone from Seven Samurai to Wizard of Oz for heroes.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I've eventually enjoyed all the latest Star Wars films, with some reservations. I certainly prefer them to the prequels.

However, I think they're missing the sense of "epic" that made the original trilogy so compelling. I'm thinking specifically of those sweeping camera shots that help establish the world as we step into it.

We've had a few of those, but otherwise viewers seem to be rushed through some locations. I'd like to tell Disney to slow things down for better immersion, rather than using action sequences in lieu of that.

 

[Lucien21]

The execution of the Jedi through Order 66 would be an excellent premise for a TV show.

Not a movie, but they announced the title of one of EA's Star Wars games in production called Jedi: Fallen Order which will be set during the "dark times" between Episode III and Episode IV of Star Wars. in the post-Order 66 period when Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine were busy snuffing out the lingering remains of the Jedi Order

 

[psikeyhackr]

Hopefully! LOL

 

[Rodders]

We have to take into account that 40 plus years of idolatry are going to have a massive impact on how we see these movies.

I think the key measure is not necessarily what I think of the new movies (as a lifelong fan), but how many new fans are generated as a result of the new movies.

 

[Onyx]

We have to take into account that 40 plus years of idolatry are going to have a massive impact on how we see these movies.

I think the key measure is not necessarily what I think of the new movies (as a lifelong fan), but how many new fans are generated as a result of the new movies.

This cuts both ways. I saw Star Wars during its theatrical release, and my brand of idolatry causes me to find the post-trilogy works shallow imitations. Other people my age might have the opposite reaction to being blessed with a new SW film. And we are the ones egging on the studios and taking our kids to the theater.

But if a new SW film was so good that it did well even if it was disliked by the old fans and it contained no nostalgia, then the studio has produced a film of the kind of quality that made the originals such successes. And that has certainly not happened.

It can happen - 2049 was "as good as" Bladerunner, Star Trek II and IV were the best ST material at their release and the newest Mad Max was excellent. I just don't think anyone has created a serious road map to how to make great SW movies so they are using formulas that are acceptable for Marvel Comic stories. But Star Wars is much more of an aesthetic than a story about characters, and they keep screwing up the aesthetic.

 

[night_wrtr]

But I do not understand the casting decisions made for many of these films.

I don't think I have any issues with casting to this point. My only gripes have been narrative choices such as Starkiller base, and Luke's arch on Ahch-To.

Cassian Andor was great IMO. He's done bad things in the name of the rebellion.

The more I think about it, it seems like the newer movies are moving toward less story, more explosions. the originals have a lot of special effects certainly, but it seems much more grounded and simplistic. The Last Jedi especially made me think it more like a spectacle than this grand epic story. I know with advances in technology we should expect to see more things that make us ooo and ahh, but it gets away from the root of star wars.

 

[Onyx]

I don't think I have any issues with casting to this point. My only gripes have been narrative choices such as Starkiller base, and Luke's arch on Ahch-To.

Cassian Andor was great IMO. He's done bad things in the name of the rebellion.

The more I think about it, it seems like the newer movies are moving toward less story, more explosions. the originals have a lot of special effects certainly, but it seems much more grounded and simplistic. The Last Jedi especially made me think it more like a spectacle than this grand epic story. I know with advances in technology we should expect to see more things that make us ooo and ahh, but it gets away from the root of star wars.

I guess my biggest hang-ups with the newest films are the hesitant and often foolish characters. TLJ has two story lines: The one about Luke, Rey and Ren, and another one about the constant bungling of Poe, Finn and Rose. When has a Star Wars movie ever been about the incompetence of the protagonists? I didn't care for Andor either because he spent the whole film doubting himself and sweating. Part of the magic of the original stories was the way the characters just plain stepped up. Can you imagine if Han Solo had as much self doubt as Andor while charging about the Death Star?

I don't know if there was a goal to create YA characters that need to develop from foolish and scared into real warriors, or if that is just such a trope that it has infected every PG adventure story. And maybe that's why 2049 and the new Mad Max were good - the main characters spent no time on their own self-doubt.


But I agree that the horrible physical set-ups in the recent films really detracted. Who is writing this stuff?

 

[night_wrtr]

Just heard that LucasFilm is halting all A Star Wars Story projects for the time being. They are focusing on Episode IX, then a new trilogy. Probably a good idea as they are digging the bottom of the barrel right now. Time to move on into new story opportunities.