Oh Hey Look Star Wars!

[ShaunKL]

This is big news and Lucafilm intends to make a big announcement about this long-awaited live-action Star Wars Saga conversion to stereoscopic 3D tomorrow. Can you imagine the Death Star trench run and the Tatooine Podraces in that format? Yikes! Plus, with Industrial Light & Magic supervising the project, led by John Knoll, this won't just just another cheezy 3D conversion. According to tomorrow's announcement, obtained by Deadline, ILM's visual effects supervisor Knoll says, “Getting good results on a stereo conversion is a matter of taking the time and getting it right. It takes a critical and artistic eye along with an incredible attention to detail to be successful. It is not something that you can rush if you want to expect good results. For Star Wars we will take our time, applying everything we know both aesthetically and technically to bring audiences a fantastic new Star Wars experience." Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace is expected to be released theatrically in 2012. A release date has not yet been set for the other five films in the saga. This is sure to be a cash cow for everyone involved. Star Wars creator George Lucas acknowledged publicly earlier this year that the 3D conversion had been stalled but that seeing first Avatar and then Alice In Wonderland become such successes gave him new impetus to make the conversion. Lucas has said he'd been looking "for years and years and years" to add 3D to the Star Wars Saga but felt the technology hadn't measured up until Avatar changed his mind.

Source

Oh boy.

[KnightWing]

Seeing Star Wars in theaters is always amazing. 3D or not, I'll be happy to see it.

From what I've been reading over the last few years (because this SW3D news really is several years old), the 3D upgrade process they're using for SW is taking a long time, rather than the quick-converts that we've seen on recent films. So hopefully it'll look good, and even if it doesn't, it's still Star Wars.

[Missy]

As KnightWing said, seeing Star Wars in the theater is awesome, and I will pay to see the original trilogy in 3D.

[MaxPower]

I'd love Lucas to run a competition for a fan to come and have money fights with him and dive in his money pit.

[JackFetch]

Coming in 2030: Star Wars, the remastered hologram version!

[KnightWing]

Coming in 2030: Star Wars, the remastered hologram version!

I already want to buy that.

[slothian]

I'd love Lucas to run a competition for a fan to come and have money fights with him and dive in his money pit.

I love the image of George Lucas diving into a big pool of his own money a la Scrooge McDuck!

[ShaunKL]

I guess it doesn't help that I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan.

[dc20willsave]

I guess it doesn't help that I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan.

The problem most people run into with Star Wars, especially the ones who are all about hard sci-fi, is that Star Wars is not sci-fi. It's fantasy with sci-fi elements. Let's look at the big difference between Star Wars and Star Trek. Star Trek is a clean universe. Almost everything is explained with science, sometimes in more detail than needed, and with the exception of the Barge of the Dead episode of Voyager, all things that are worshiped as gods are pretty much explained as being very advanced aliens. Everything from The Q to The Prophets are aliens so far ahead of us that some of what they can do seems like magic.

Star Wars on the other, nothing is explained and the couple of times it is, it comes off kind of hallow. Sure we don't know how lightspeed works but we also don't know how the force is supposed to work. For that matter, the force is pretty much magic with a different name. It doesn't make sense but it also doesn't have to. Because the universe has a used feel to it, you just expect that the tech works the way it does because it's that much farther than anything we'll ever have. By the way, yes, I am ignoring the expanded universe a bit in my analogy. It's mainly since, well, the ones that try to explain things tend to read like fan fiction as opposed to the ones that feel like the films which tend to only try to explain the things they introduce there.

[D-Man]

PHANTOM MENACE tried to explain how the Force worked and, yes, that whole movie came off like bad fan-fiction.

Seeing NEW HOPE & EMPIRE in 3D would be pretty thrilling but I'll pass on the rest of them.

And Yeah, Okay, I'll probably see RETURN but only for the speeder bikes and the final space battle and the pit of Sarlac. But that's all.

Okay, I might (might) see REVENGE, but that's it.

Alright, I might (might) sneak in for the last twenty minutes of PHANTOM. Duel of the Fates would be pretty cool in 3D.

You couldn't drag me to see ATTACK, though. Except maybe just for the sequences with Obi-Wan by himself.

But that's it! Final answer.

[dc20willsave]

I'll probably go to see all of them in 3-D. Jedi is the only one I've never seen in the theater so that'll be awesome. Even Attack of the Clones I can justify because I'm a completist at heart and also because the Yoda/Booku fight might look kind of cool.

[Molly]

I literally could not care less about anything George Lucas does anymore.

[SuaveStar]

I'd love Lucas to run a competition for a fan to come and have money fights with him and dive in his money pit.

I love the image of George Lucas diving into a big pool of his own money a la Scrooge McDuck!

George Lucas....a woo hoo.

[ShaunKL]

That's almost the complete opposite reasoning I have for not liking Star Wars that much. I like the "Space-Age Fairytale" aspect of it. Later films I feel tried to add a little more sci-fi into the universe and I don't like that at all. Also starting with RotJ, it felt like the attitude of the films changed from, "Let's tell a story." to "Look at us! We're a Star Wars movie!"

Anyways, I could go on and on and argue and not make any sense. I'm just not that big on Star Wars.

[JackFetch]

I used to be the biggest Star Wars fan, but I just get tired of it always coming back.

[KnightWing]

I guess it doesn't help that I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan.

Your words wound me.

[slothian]

I've watched each film once. I don't think the 3D gimmick will add anything to the substance that's already there.

[MaxPower]

Putting this in this thread as it turned in to a generic Star Wars topic. Rumours keep swirling that Lucasarts are going to do a sequel trilogy (episodes 7,8 and 9). Lets avoid the obvious discussions about it being a waste, stupid, etc. What I want to know is what everyone think would be the 3 stories or 1 big story that they will tell. Or what would you like to see?

[KnightWing]

Funny you should mention that. I just wrote a giant blog post about it. I'll paste it below.

But as far as what would actually be cool to see in a new SW film series, I'd be good with just about anything, as long as it's got an entirely new cast of characters and a mostly-unrelated storyline.

—

Okay, so IESB.net reported on Friday that there are "New Star Wars Movies Planned." Rumors of new SW films are nothing new. George Lucas's original plan for the saga was to have the first six episodes follow the Skywalker family's saga, then start Episode VII with an elderly Luke passing the torch to a new generation of Jedi knights for episodes VII-XII. Yeah, that's right, the original plan was to have TWELVE films, not six. Lucas later changed his mind (probably because he got old), and claimed that he "never planned on more than six films," but that's all garbage because he already said otherwise in previously published interviews.

What makes this particular rumor so compelling is that it's IESB.net, which is a highly reliable source.

"First, let me remind our readers of IESB's past scoops so anyone doubting the news will be aware. From Joss Whedon directing the Avengers, to the recent announcement of Disney's planned renegotiation of the Paramount Marvel deal, to the countless casting scoops, directing scoops, to our solid sources at Lucasfilm.

Confirmed IESB scoops specific to the Star Wars universe include the first announcement of the PG-13 rating of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, the first word of a live action Star Wars TV series as well as the Clone Wars animated series. Yes, all of these Lucasfilm scoops were all first reported here on IESB.

...Can we expect Lucasfilm to confirm our story? Have they ever? Nope, I am sure that they will spin this or completly deny the story, but we will stand 100% behind our source."

So, yeah. This seems pretty legitimate. It's far from a confirmation, but it's got a good chance of being true at the very least. Of course, Lucasfilm denied everything, but honestly, what else would they do?

The report outlines the basic gist of the new films:

"Too early for story details but one thing that our source is certain about, they will not be prequels but instead sequels. It's not for certain if they will be the long awaited Episodes 7, 8 and 9 but could instead be Episodes 10, 11 and 12 or possibly even further out in the Star Wars timeline. And by giving space in the timeline, possibly even as far as 100 years or 1,000 years in the Star Wars universe future, Lucas avoids having to make these stories "fit in" with what the previous stories have told."

So here's the thing:

True or not, is making more films a good idea? I briefly had a texting-convo with my good buddy Robert about an hour ago on this very topic:

Aaron:

There are some seriously strong rumors about a new Star Wars sequel trilogy.

Robert:

Nooooooooooooo

Aaron:

You *don't* want more films?

Robert:

9 film marathon?? (note: Robert is referring to the fact that we and other friends have an annual Star Wars 6-film 12-hour movie marathon tradition)

Aaron:

They're not supposed to be Skywalker-focused, so they'll be a different storyline. Post-Return of the Jedi, I think. Might be episodes 7-12, as was originally planned in 1977. So... two marathons? Lucasfilm's denying the rumors, of course, but I'm not really believing them ATM.

Robert:

Post-jedi, like to destroy all of the EU? Jerks. Or maybe they adapt the X-wing series? (note: "the EU" refers to the Star Wars "Expanded Universe", which includes all the novels, comics, and games. George Lucas doesn't really pay attention to the EU; he considers it an "alternate universe.")

Aaron:

No telling. Though if the new movies are better than the EU (which is possible), I'd accept it.

Robert:

Mrragh. I am not happy with this, its likely to irrevocably destroy the new republic era of EU

Aaron:

Dude. Books>Films? Nuh-uh.

Robert:

I have little faith that they will be anything but money mongering films

Aaron:

That's never been Lucasfilm's M.O. Even The Clone Wars is great.

Robert:

Hahahahahahahahah nice sarcasm

Aaron:

Totally not sarcastic there, buddy

Robert:

The clone wars is great? Which one? And attack of the clones was great?

Aaron:

Hang on. It's blog post time.

So, yeah. There's a chance that if they do films in the era after Return of the Jedi, they'll eradicate some Expanded Universe material. A whole frakton of it.

However, as much as that would suck, I do think that it'd be better to have more movies. I'd rather have a new trilogy and just go ahead with wiping out the post-Jedi EU. Then the EU can start over alongside and after the new movies.

And hey, if the new films take place more than 125 years after ROTJ, there's no EU material to contradict anyway. So there might not even be anything to fuss about.

Then there's the question of quality: can new Star Wars movies ever be good?

Personally, I think anyone who's familiar with Star Wars stories such as Knights of the Old Republic (the game, not the comic), Star Wars: Legacy, and the Thrawn Trilogy of novels can say with absolute certainty that the Star Wars universe is definitely an extremely fertile ground for storytelling. The main complaint raised against this idea of new films is that the Prequels weren't necessarily amazing. They had a plethora of problems, and many fans feel that George Lucas is entirely to blame for them. Furthermore, there are some who believe that anytime GL does ANYTHING with Star Wars, he's only doing it for monetary gain and with absolutely no artistic integrity or respect for his own creation.

I disagree.

I stopped reviewing The Clone Wars TV series on my blog last year, not because it wasn't good, but rather because it had reached a standard of unwavering high quality that just didn't make for interesting criticism anymore. And guess who comes up with 80% of all the story ideas for The Clone Wars? George Lucas. He oversees, edits, and is in complete control of the series. Sure, the show might only exist because Lucasfilm needs to make money (because, other than ILM, what else do they have? Indiana Jones?), but is that a bad thing? If it's good, it's good.

Yeah, the Prequels aren't all that amazing. They've got brilliant epic special effects and a masterful galaxy-spanning story, but sometimes-terrible dialogue and vomit-worthy acting (mostly in episodes II and III).

Here's an interesting idea that I've heard thrown around: perhaps Star Wars is better when George is still in control, but technically hands-off? That was the approach for The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (in which GL was the Exec Producer, but not the on-set director), as well as the current setup for The Clone Wars.

Here's another thing.

Have any of you ever actually seen Star Wars in the theater? I've been lucky enough to have seen the prequels as well as Episode VI on the glorious big screen, and I have to say that no other film experience has ever topped that. Star Wars is truly an experience that dominates and defines the moviegoing experience, and the chance to see something new from the Galaxy Far, Far Away on that screen is definitely worth allowing into our preciously-guarded Star Wars-loving hearts.

[Missy]

Zahn trilogy, please!

[KnightWing]

Zahn trilogy, please!

I'll echo that.

I doubt George Lucas will, but, damn, if he does, then... it'll be amazing.

Come to think of it, he did adopt the name "Coruscant" from the Zahn trilogy. Hmm...

[ShaunKL]

I stopped reviewing The Clone Wars TV series on my blog last year, not because it wasn't good, but rather because it had reached a standard of unwavering high quality that just didn't make for interesting criticism anymore. And guess who comes up with 80% of all the story ideas for The Clone Wars? George Lucas.

So he's the one that crapped all over Karen Traviss's Manda'yaim? Shabuir

[KnightWing]

Dude. You can't use babychest for everything. It negates the horribleness of babychest.

And yeah, the Mando thing wasn't a highlight. Though they're still working with that story, so we'll see how it goes.

Also,

[ShaunKL]

That's just rubbing our faces in it. Heck, from the osik I've heard they pulled with the Mando'ad, Delta as they are wouldn't exist anymore. I can even tell just from the stances they're giving the commandos in that clip that the creators of this don't care enough about those characters to actually portray them correctly. What episode are they set to appear in? I need to see the thing to give a thorough tracinya.

(P.S. I've only used babychest twice to my memory, this being the second. I am thoroughly pissed at the whole dilemma that IP has been left to rot in. So I definitely am giving the Clone Wars team a babychest, but for the benefit of esteem it seems to have, I've edited my post.)

[Venneh]

EDIT: On the 3D thing, but also on the wish for new actual material.