I have a few reasons for being extremely skeptical of Disney’s acquisition of LucasFilm and the announcement of more Star Wars films.
If there is one thing that the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy and every Halloween since 1977 has taught us it is that Star Wars is a cash cow. They have one of the largest video game franchises in existence, one of the largest action figure franchises in existence. The market to which Star Wars appeals is immense: comic books, clothing, toys, decorations, coffee mugs, cell phone cases, ringtones, GPS sounds, etc. If Star Wars poops people will sniff it. Proof: Episode 2 grossed $302,191,252. I will admit that I saw it in theaters, and I even own it, but it made a lot of money when most Star Wars fans wish that it did not exist.
“Well as long as George Lucas isn’t involved we’ll be okay.”
The only thing worse than Attack of the Clones is the Star Wars Holiday Special in which George Lucas was not involved. I mean sure I do like the idea that he cannot change the movie 18 times any more, but just because he isn’t involved does not mean that it will be better.
“Disney brought us the Avengers!”
No. Joss Whedon brought us the Avengers, after Stan Lee brought us the Avengers. The Avengers was going to happen way before Disney bought Marvel. Giving Disney credit for the Avengers is like giving Barack Obama credit for killing Osama Bin Laden. Stan Lee gave us the Avengers, not Mickey Mouse.
Whedon is a huge Marvel fan, even more so a huge X-Men fan. He has a vested interest in how Marvel films come out – he could not blow it. Whedon has done an incredible job with what he has directed and written in the past. Let’s look at this: Firefly, Serenity, Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, He worked on 15 or so comics for the Astonishing X-Men, which were brilliant. If Joss Whedon directs/writes the new Star Wars trilogy I will be at ease. For anyone who is here thinking well Marvel brought us Spider-man 3, I will say that is partly true, Sam Raimi, Spider-man 3 was the natural progression of weird for Sam Raimi, see EvilDead, EvilDead 2 and then Army of Darkness and then you’ll understand.
Disney did not bring us the Avengers, Disney brought us the Little Mermaid 2, Lion King 2, Toy Story 2, Beauty and the Beast 2, Cinderella 2 and 3. Disney has a history of bad sequels that happen to make them money.
You might respond to this with okay well Disney isn’t bringing us Star Wars LucasArts is. Once again I’d like to redirect you to the holiday special.
For Narnia
Let me remind everyone of a movie series that Disney abandoned recently. Narnia. The first Narnia movie was incredible. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was extremely well done, it was pretty popular as well. Prince Caspian however, was no so popular. After Prince Caspian more or less flopped Disney dropped the Narnia project, and Fox picked it up. It was evident that the Voyage of the Dawn Treader was picked up by a very different company, the feel was different, the effects were off – it just didn’t feel the same. Because of that it was sinply okay. What Disney did not realize was that a good reason for why Prince Caspian flopped was the Prince Caspian is found to be probably the least favored book of the Narnia series. I’m somewhat afraid that what will happen with the new trilogy is that the 7th one will not be so successful because we are all a little gun shy from Jar Jar Binks and moody, estrogen filled Anakin Skywalker and Ewan McGregor’s fake beard in Episode 2 and result in Disney will dropping the project. The last thing I want is another story with potential abandoned because the paycheck wasn’t big enough.
This is a little off topic from the normal theme of my blog, but I’ve found it is something I need to speak my mind about.
No one minds the “off-topic.” I’m still waiting on that short story, sir.
I get your reservations, and I’m SO glad you seem to be able to separate Disney from the-other-movie-making-affiliates-that-Disney-owns-now, unlike some people. However, it’s because of those affiliates that I actually feel the opposite of you :]
I’m feeling uber reassured that SW 7-9 have been handed over to Disney, because Disney-the-money-hungry-company can have all the “let’s make em” feelings they want, but the films themselves will be assigned to the people they have the best success rates and relationships with: all of their go-to makers (Lassiter, Doctor, Stanton, etc.) are going to be the ones making production and direction decisions. They are men who grew up respecting and adoring the franchise, who hated Jar Jar as much as we did, and who wanted to punch Anikin and Padme in their faces all throughout RotS. They are the geniuses who designed crazy good character growth and plot consistency in Brave Little Toaster and Wreck It Ralph. They’re just too GOOD to let a the story go to crap, or to sacrifice good characters to bad actors. Plus, Disney has great relationships with directors like Whedon (and I agree, if he directs it, let’s be real, I’m throwing nine different celebration parties on principle), Abrams, Jackson, and Miyazaki because of their far-reaching-Marvel-groping arms.
Like I said, I’m super glad you have a better, clearer perspective on the sell than most people. But have hope! Don’t despair! Disney-the-company may not care so much about the sacred nature of SW and what it means to us and people like us, but the directors, designers, and producers that they will without-a-doubt work with DO, and are notoriously demonstrative in their love/respect/ability concerning the epic.
Besides, everyone knows how episode 9 is supposed to end anyway, right? Han Solo never dies, and becomes Indiana Jones. Right? Right?
Thus ends the longest comment ever. -_-