The future of Star Wars...

Honestly, my thoughts are that I am not interested in Star Wars stand-alone movies and I'm afraid they will help "dilute" the franchise in the sense that people will get more tired more quickly of the setting. I can be wrong, of course: Maybe these stand-alones will be so awesome they overshadow even the original stories. But I have a feeling they might be underwhelming. A Yoda movie, for example, is not something I will pay to go see in the cinema. So it also depends on which characters are used, or what kind of stories. Star Wars movies with characters, planets and plots not related to anything we already know (like your example of a film set in the far future of the galaxy) might be more refreshing, perhaps, although I suspect they will keep the stand-alones to what people already know (and love).

I'm happy with VII, VIII, and IX. It really is enough for me. Okay, maybe I wouldn't mind three more, so we got X, XI, and XII to make four trilogies, but that's stretching it methinks. The last three would then potentially be about the survivors of IX.

 

I think the spinoffs will be fine so long as they don't do a Yoda one where all of the mystery of the character is drained out. I think a Boba Fett and a Kenobi spinoff would kick some serious ass. Solo movies as they plan isthe Marvel model witch I endorse.

I would also like to see the series continue beyond 9 and go into at least 12. I would also like to see an entirely new series started during the Old Republic era. Otherwise I don't know how Disney plans to maintain SW without exploring some of the older time line or maybe some future timeline beyond the current series.

 

I definitely dread a Solo movie. The casting alone could really screw it up, but from all indications it's happening -- probably an "origin" movie showing Han at the academy and how he rescues Chewie and wins the Falcon. Basically a LOT of ways to ruin the character for me if NOT done correctly. IE cast someone like Joseph Gordon Levitt as Han.

Obi-Wan and Fett make the most sense. Someone suggested showing how Maul and Obi-Wan square off one last time and therefore tie-up Maul's story. That could really be epic. And as for execution I really don't have any fears in that regard as Disney clearly has shown a very high regard for the brand thus ensuring the highest of quality.

 

Obi Wan is an obvious choice because Ewan is still around and able to do it... Han would be a bit more difficult. Vader perhaps? We are getting a good look at the formation of the rebellion between III and IV, why not the rise of darkness?

There was a great couple books showing side characters... Tales from Mos Eisley and Tales from Jabba's Palace, if I recall... that really show that you can mine all sorts of adventure and flesh out a whole lot of plot around the main characters in directions people never even imagined... How about a backstory on N'Kata Del Gormo?

 

Definitely agree on both counts. Cautiously optimistic about E7. We still haven't seen the story and there have been some rumors that alarm me to say the least. BUT I have hope. With the spinoff I actually think that is a better situation for directors as it doesn't have to be so rigid in that the film is an offshoot. Other than being cohesive I could see Disney allowing for more individual style. The only thing I can tell myself is that Disney has done pretty great with Marvel and I don't see them handling SW any less, but, in fact, more like the crown jewel that it is.

The one problem Disney has created for itself is Guardians of the Galaxy. IF E7 doesn't even measure up to that -- and I haven't seen it only heard great things -- then SW fans will probably be extremely disappointed. We could hear alot of, "It was good, but it wasn't as good as Guardians" blah, blah, blah.

 

There's a guy at work already starting down that path to the Dark Side or is it Dork Side???

 

When you look at X-Men, and the side story of Wolverine, I have pretty high hopes

 

very good OP

one of the reasons that I'm so excited is that we're not dealing with a one-off batch of films here..

with both the OT and the PT we were looking at a beginning/Middle/End type trilogy with no more films on the horizon. Whilst officially they are going to make 7,8 & 9 we definitely need to amend our thinking here in terms of plot and future releases - be it main chronological releases or spin off's.

will we actually see/fight/beat the main villain in the first or any of the 3 slated films? or will we see big bad almost invincible baddies that still answer to some whispered nameless evil somewhere that disney keep back so that we've always got somewhere to go with the story.

it's even possible that after these 3 films they could jump forward another 30+ years.

the possibilities are endless and its probably why it seems so difficult to guess plotlines and character progression etc. i'm absolutely loving it lol.

to answer the OP.. i'd love to see a rebels/trooper standalone film - give us some regular joe's to get to know and fall in love with. that said.. i think most of us would love to see McGregor given his own spin off and 2hrs of screen time. I didn't hate the PT but he was one of the few shining lights for me.

 

The only things I have ever been interested is the main SW films (Episodes 1-9), and everything else doesn't interest me. I don't have a problem with the EU, standalone films, etc, as I realize there is a segment of the fanbase that wants as much SW as possible, and I'm cool with that.

But after Episode 7,8,9, that will be it for me. Well, if Episode 7 sucks, then I won't even bother with Episode 8 or 9.

 

But... to say that the only films you like are the ones that have been made... that's all there is (in film) so without knowing what other films are there or what they are or where it will go... who is to say you wont like those? In the same manner that if VII sucks you will be done, if VIII and IX rock you may be in...

 

I don't agree with Jedi77 completely, but can say that I'm not as enthused for the spinoffs. I will definitely go see them but I have more trepidation about them since it seems, at least in Han's case, we're going to get a re-cast for a younger actor to portray his early years. That kind of scares me a lot being a HUGE Han fan. But I'm guardedly optimistic.

 

i think 'guardedly optimistic' probably describes most of us here for one reason or another.

i crave anything star wars.. so of course i will go and see all of the films that come out and will be excited for all of them. but.. i'd much rather see stories/characters move forward as opposed to filling in the blanks with origin films.

i know there are rumours of a han solo origin film, but i just dunno.. can't see them doing it somehow. It seems like an un-warranted risk to re-cast young versions of the OT characters - yes it worked spectacularly (imo) with obi-wan but i just don't see them doing it again. just a hunch on my part.

 

You could be right that the Episode 8 & 9 could be better then Episode 7, but chances are they won't if its a dud. Disney has to get back many disillusioned OT fans who were burned by the PT, so I believe Episode 7 has to deliver more then any movie in the ST.

Most people I know who didn't like Episode 1 still saw Episode 2 because they held out hope that Lucas was rusty after all those years. Most people I know who didn't like Episode 1 & 2 still saw Episode 3 because they believed this was the meat of the story and we finally get to see how Darth Vader came to be.

The ST does not have that luxury, because there is no hook for Episode 8 & 9 to fans other then 'more SW movies.' Most of my friends don't even talk about Episode 7 with me as its not a blip on their radar, but in the end they will see it (Luke, Leia and Han solidified that). But if Episode 7 doesn't deliver? There will be no compelling reason for many fans to see Episode 8 & 9?

The spinoffs to me will the type of movie I wait til HBO. Man of Steel is a perfect example of a movie I didn't see in the theaters and waited til HBO the next summer. It was an OK movie (Christopher Reeve will always be Superman to me), but its not something I had to see when it hit theaters.

Episode 7 I will see opening weekend, probably twice despite how I feel about it after the first viewing. But for some reason the spinoff movies just don't do it for me, as I definetly catch them on cable the next year.

 

Put me down in the "guardedly optimistic" camp too. At least about Episodes 7, 8 and 9.

For me, everything hinges on how good Episode 7 is. On the one hand, I think that having somebody besides George "I Can Do It All" Lucas helming the new films may bode well, as production on the new film sounds much more like the cooperative effort that made most of the OT work so well. On the other hand... this bunch considers The Clone Wars cartoon to be canon right along with the films themselves, and if that's the sensibility they bring to the ST, it could really end up stinking.

Like some of the rest of you, though, I'm really wary of this whole stand-alone/origin movie thing. No, we don't need to see where Yoda came from. We absolutely do NOT need some teenager cast as Han Solo for that origin story, and to be perfectly honest, I also don't think we need an entire movie about Boba Fett (especially if it just picks up where the "tween" Boba Fett story arc from TCW ended.) We already got the Muppet Babies treatment of Darth Vader and Boba Fett in the PT, and I really am not interested in movie after movie of that crap.

True, the stand-alone films could end up being better than the hot mess that I fear they'll be. And I'll be VERY glad if that turns out to be the case.

Again, I think that Episode 7 should give us at least some sort of clue as to how The Mouse intends to treat the Star Wars franchise.

 

I grew up loving Star Wars in the eighties/ninties, a time when there weren't Star Wars toys and a million video games, books and comics available at every street corner. Then then all that stuff started coming back. I was so exited, I bought every book, comic, toy I could get my hands on. I thought more Star Wars was better Star Wars. And it seemed to be true for a time. Then the Special Editions came out, I was so pumped to see my favorite movies on the big screen for the first time! Then the Prequels were announced!(HOLY CRAP!). So then three Prequels, a million books, games, TV shows, and Toys later...I stopped loving it. It was too much. None of this stuff had anything to do with the movies I loved. Too much of a good thing...no...too much using the name of a good thing, watering it down, spreading it thin, cheapening it. I was done with Star Wars, I probably haven't watched the OT in 10 years (granted, I've seen it enough times in my life to still quoted most of it). Now almost 10 years after RotS, there is news of Ep 7. It had me face palming at first, but I slowly became more and more intruigued and now I'm full blown PUMPED about it!. To bring it back on point, I wish they would go with the less is more philosophy. It all just seems less special when you're inundated and oversaturated. Seeing the Star Wars logo used to get me exited like nothing else, back when it was a rare sighting.

I guess I would rather them make LESS Star Wars and make sure what they DO make is up to standard and something to be exited about.

PS: Of course I will go see any Star Wars movie in theaters! How could I not!