Sequel trilogy is just a cash grab + doesn't need to exist. The story has already been told

Actually the PT was a cash grab as Lucas admitted it to Charlie Rose in 2004.

Lucasfilm was having financial problems in the late 80's/early 90's, and the shareholders went to Lucas and gave him a presentation on the financial advantages of doing a Prequel Trilogy.

They told him he could make the PT, and the profits would make the company financial solvent and he could do his smaller independent films without the worry of going through the studio system.

He said another option was to do other non-SW films (and never do another SW film) but he would be reliant on the studios for the rest of his life.

He made the PT, and cashed in for 4 billion dollars in 2012.

 

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure there weren't shareholders. Did GL not own that company outright?

 

I'm sorry as I was typing it on my phone quickly and shareholders was the word that first came to mind. But the presentation was done by a creative group that included some accountants that pretty much laid out what the positives and negatives could be financially if Lucas were to make the Prequels. I think he was trying to say that it was a more sure thing to get Lucasfilm back in financial footing then going off a doing an new film. But the negative was that he would always be tied to SW for the rest of his career as he would never be able to escape from that franchise.

 

I see what you mean. Even after the prequels, the company needed something new injected into it to be vibrant again. Easily the best thing they put out between ROTJ and being sold is Clone Wars (personally). The prequels I like more than most, Shadows of the Empire was an interesting experiment, and trying to exit Star Wars didn't work (I wanted Red Tails to be good so badly, went opening day, and it was depressing how bad it was). The prequels were easily the most surefire way to become profitable again.

 

In fairness to Lucas, if I were running a business I would have done the PT too instead trying to make an original movie. Unfortunately the economics favor franchises today as you can milk them to a point, but most of the time you will make nice profit. Look at Terminator Genysis, as bad as that movie was, it did HUGE business overseas (Asian markets love Arnold), so the movie actually made money despite its domestic box office disappointment. They are talking about another sequel not even caring about the US audience anymore, simply because Arnold is still box office gold overseas.

If Lucas did a new, original movie in 1999, chances are it wouldn't have been as profitable as the PT, so I can't fault the guy for doing what is right for his company. Plus the merchandising is where the real money is at, just remember what Mel Brooks said in Spaceballs, "Merchandising, its all Merchandising!!!" And I think that is many fans point that once Lucas became a businessman, he changed as a filmaker, because the two don't mix.

 

I agree with you almost entirely but will point out that he, while maybe not a businessman, had incredible business sense even in 1977, selling the rights to ANH to Fox to get it made, but keeping entirely the rights to any sequel and to all merchandise. Fox couldn't see the future economics of franchises or the importance of merchandise the way Lucas could, and he is a $4 Billionaire today because of it.

Also, a side note, because of the money Lucas was basically printing by putting out the prequels and selling merch, he was able to bankrole the clone wars at a very high level of production and treat it as his kind of baby, even if it wasn't actually profitable. That sounds more like an artist than a businessman, but an artist that knows you do still have to pay the bills somehow.

 

Like you haven't been waiting for Episode VII since 1983... Sure.

 

I guess the difference for me is there isn't Casablanca Video Games, or novelizations, or comic books, or fan fiction. People were craving more Star Wars, why not do it in the highest profile format (motion picture?)

 

There was no point to make the Clone Wars or Rebels too. But I'm VERY glad they did.

The point is that people who doesn't want to see the movie just won't.

 

Yes. This exactly. Also, it's such a rich universe to mine. You could do an entirely freestanding series I in the old republic, thousands of years earlier and it would technically be the same franchise, but not in the same way marvel out start trek do it. It would be fresh and familiar.

 

For the simple reason and I can only speak for myself I want more Star Wars stories and yes more Star Wars movies and other content need to be made.

 

you just need to read her imdb page it speaks for itself http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005086/?ref_=nv_sr_1

disney will save the franchise because no other company can sustain the amount of ressources it takes to make a lucasfilm project like a star wars film.

 

I am a little late on the discussion but I honestly do NOT believe it is a cash grab. SW has grown up with most of us and now there are people who are FANS (J.J.) who are keeping this universe goin (and in the right direction)

I am so excited for others to have a chance to do SW.

 

Like every other movie franshise in the world, you are free to see it if you so desire my friend. If you think the story has already been told then I recomend you look away because all you are going to do is hate everything that comes after because your mind is set and no matter how good the movies are you won't accept seeing it that way yet you must remember that there are tons of us fans who love SW and are always willing to see more. Ever since I was a kid I fell in love with many SW alien characters to a point that I would have always loved to know more about them. Why would I want a figure of a dumb blonde guy with a sword or a big monkey when I could have awesome figures like Greedo and Hammerhead? Seeing SW expand and new movies being made that don't have to do with the main tale is a dream come true for me as many of my fantasys may indeed become a reality! Some fans see SW as just the Skywalker tale but many others see the galaxy far far away as something vast that merits further exploration beyond Luke and Solo. If you don't like this idea than don't go see the movies any more but if you are willing to expand your mind set and give the new movies a try with these things in mind, I'm sure you will love SW and see it as something bigger and way more awesome than what you have seen so far.

 

Didn't George once say it was a 12 film saga or could be?