Disney Acquires Lucasfilm • The DisneyLucasfilm Announcement

[royalguard96]

This link sure makes it seem legit.

thewaltdisneycompany.com /disney-acquire-lucasfilm-ltd/

[sideshowtob]

---

Global leader in high-quality family entertainment agrees to acquire world-renowned Lucasfilm Ltd, including legendary STAR WARS franchise.

Acquisition continues Disney's strategic focus on creating and monetizing the world's best branded content, innovative technology and global growth to drive long-term shareholder value.

Lucasfilm to join company's global portfolio of world class brands including Disney, ESPN, Pixar, Marvel and ABC.

STAR WARS: EPISODE 7 feature film targeted for release in 2015.

Burbank, CA and San Francisco, CA, October 30, 2012 – Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, 2012, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing. The final consideration will be subject to customary post-closing balance sheet adjustments.

"Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas," said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. "This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney's unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value."

"For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next," said George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I'm confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney's reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products."

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and "evergreen" Star Wars franchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney's global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.

Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm's legendary Star Wars franchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world's top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney's strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.

The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney's very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company's unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney's portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company's ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world's highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.

Note: Additional information and comments from Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company, and Jay Rasulo, senior executive vice president and CFO, The Walt Disney Company, regarding Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, are attached.

---

[bearvomit]

hooolllyyyyyyy-shiiiiiiitttttttttttt

[SI]

Stunned tbh

Isn't this the part where I'm suppossed to be jumping around like a mad motherfucker in anticipation of a new SW movie ???

[stan Marsh]

cant wait to have the forums heat up again with spoilers, I miss the days of the TPT in production and waiting for the weakly spoiler. I truly hope Lucas has a very limited role

[bearvomit]

they're claiming that there will be new films every 2-3 years afterwards for now on! 7,8,9...15. Pixar Star Wars films, and expect the new TV series to go into full swing soon as well since Disney owns ABC. Can you imagine Star Wars on Network tv, weekly 1 hour episodes, 9pm on ABC!!!??! Finally a fire has been lit under Lucasfilm.

[Guru]

BRING ON THE SPOILERS!

I am super excited about this development!

[Bandersnatch]

May the What the Fuck be With Me...

money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&Date=20121030&ID=15733883

[Daglington]

In general I'm rather apprehensive here. Lucas fucked up with the prequels and more movies worries me, especially when they've already decided on a series of movies. The best thing about this is that Lucas won't be in charge of any new films but rather a creative consultant.

[Bandersnatch]

In general I'm rather apprehensive here. Lucas fucked up with the prequels and more movies worries me, especially when they've already decided on a series of movies.

No, he didn't fuck up with the prequels. I actually like the prequels a lot. What I find odd is that just this year he said again that there is no story beyond Episode VI. Now, as of this afternoon, they've been developing it for some time.

I can just hear it now...

Loser fan boys across the galaxy proclaiming the first of the new films "the worst movie ever made" because it doesn't follow some stupid comic book or EU novel from the 80's or 90's.

Early concept sketches and casting rumors will hit the net, followed by "No! That doesn't look like a Star Wars design!" and "If so-and-so is in the cast, I won't go see it!"

And of course the usual complaints of bad writing, wooden acting, confusing plots, non-canonical ideas that I will think are just fine, and everybody else will claim somehow magically buggered their childhood.

This should be fun... Or maybe not...

[Alexrd]

I truly hope Lucas has a very limited role

I truly hope the opposite. To me, if it doesn't come from Lucas or his approval, it isn't canon and therefore doesn't matter.

[royalguard96]

May the What the Fuck be With Me...

money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&Date=20121030&ID=15733883

Nothing like a huge factual error in that story. Hey msn fuck-ups, all 6 movies haven't been released in 3D yet.

[Zaius]

• /fox-retain-rights-to-all-existing-star-wars-films/
• /video-george-lucas-and-kathleen-kennedy-outline-the-future-plans-for-star-wars-movies/
• /more-info-on-the-disneylucasfilm-deal-regarding-what-they-bought-indiana-jones-and-tv-series/
From the horses mouth

[royalguard96]

Had a couple hours to process this...

I am clearly in a huge minority in that I love the prequels and I love what Lucas did with them. It was the vision of one man to complete one coherent story. Now, Star Wars is venturing into a completely unknown territory.

Star Wars isn't Star Wars without George Lucas. John Williams will be 82 years old by the time scoring for Ep. 7 comes along.

Lucasfilm was an entity that I always felt like I could support morally. It was started by a guy in his 20s who decided to buck the Hollywood system and make his own kind of movies. Against all the odds, he made a film in 1977 that revolutionized the film industry. Anyone could have been content with that, but he wasn't. Instead, he put up HIS OWN MONEY and followed up the most successful movie of all time with one of the best-made movies of all time, Empire Strikes Back. It takes huge fucking balls to do that. And he won, so he did it again with Return of the Jedi.

A lot pf people hated the prequels, but like it or not, Lucas executed his own vision. In a world of thoughtless copycat shit, Lucas insisted on doing something original, again, using his own money. Regardless of what you think of the quality of the PT, they were financially, wildly successful. U.S. box office revenues from TPM alone paid for all 3 PT movies.

Lucas was always a man who did things on his own terms, regardless of what the critics said, and I respect that immensely.

That Lucasfilm I grew up with, the one that staked its own claim in popular culture, is now gone, taking up a room in a boarding house with Marvel, ESPN and ABC.

I knew Lucas couldn't and wouldn't do this forever but my prevailing emotion today is sadness. Sadness for the inevitability of time, sadness for not being able to root for the underdog anymore, and sadness for the end of an amazing era.

I think what I feel today are what a lot of people felt when the PT was first announced. Sure it might have the Star Wars label on it, but it won't be the same to me. I hope the franchise finds success and kids in the future can enjoy it the way I did when I was a kid, and continued to enjoy as an adult. But I'll be observing the chaos from a comfy chair from afar, not in the middle of the storm like I did from 1977-2005.

[Alexrd]

Lucas

This. Agree on every point. Star Wars without Lucas will never be official to me.

[E_CHU_TA!]

Obliviously, the non-Lucas stuff isn’t canon. That being said, it’s going to be exciting to see if someone can tell a captivating and intelligent Star Wars story outside of Lucas. It's not happened so far. But, that doesn't mean it won't happen.

expect the new TV series to go into full swing soon as well since Disney owns ABC. Can you imagine Star Wars on Network tv, weekly 1 hour episodes, 9pm on ABC!!!??!

IMO, this would be the best place for “Underworld” (or “The Dark Times” or whatever it’s now called). The only thing that gives me pause about the deal is the way in which ESPN had been “Disneyfied” since its acquisition.

[HookLineAndSinker]

Spoiled fine til episode nine?

[CloneCommander]

Stunned tbh

Isn't this the part where I'm suppossed to be jumping around like a mad motherfucker in anticipation of a new SW movie ???

I thought it was a joke to be honest. I had to double check the calendar just to be sure that this wasn't an April Fool's joke. I think this is the only time in my life that honestly more SW movies scares me. Maybe if it was someone other than Disney, to which people are quick to point out that Disney makes lots of good movies, to which I say what about all those that bombed and just went direct to video?

Also, is it just me, or is the non-diehard SW fans who are the most excited about this buyout??

[TroyObliX]

Wow.

I find these new developments both exciting and perplexing on multiple levels. For starters, I think I can say 'shocking' is an understatement. But then again, maybe not so much. The idea that 'independent film maker' Lucas would sell out to maybe the single biggest media conglomerate on Earth is kind of, well, telling. Age, the weathering of criticism, $4 billion is a nice cushion to sit on. From the way this yahoo article reads, he sold them the works. Every bit of it. Which makes me wonder about a few things.

ILM, a subsidiary of Lucasfilm. Now owned by Disney. How does a subsidiary of a parent company get out-bid to do a film (Iron Man 3) for the new boss? And is that a one shot mis-deal, will ILM become Disney's in-house effects shop? And what kind of potential creative explosion is possible with all that under one roof? I wonder if they are hiring writers/consultants, because I'm totally in their demographic, I'm picky, and I work cheap. Just sayin'.

Also, considering Disney's theme park and resort divisions, I hope to see an X-Wing coaster, a Death Star shaped hotel, and speeder bike rentals before the end of the decade. The films, TV shows, and all that they are talking about is kind of a 'wait and see' for me, but the probability that real-world SW fetishism is on the horizon has me stoked.

[Treadwell]

Simply don't know how to react to this, really. My gut reaction is that, yeah, I was - ultimately - disappointed by the prequel films.

To put that in perspective, disappointed with them in comparison to episodes 4, 5 and 6 - but that doesn't mean I consider them totally worthless as movies in their own right. I was no more or less impressed and entertained by, for example, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Avatar - in fact any other sci-fi/fantasy film of the past 15 years.

Regardless of the obvious flaws of the prequel films and the criticisms directed at Lucas, I'd still rather it was him that did them - that it was him that continued the story he began - and ultimately, I'm kind of glad that he did.

So, to be honest, now there are six movies out there, I'm not sure I even want any more Star Wars. From Lucas himself, much less anyone else. I'm interested in the story, and it seems complete to me now.
Anything beyond that is just "some cool things happening in the same galaxy as those characters you loved", and I'm not sure I am even interested in that.

I suppose, for me, the question is - what is Star Wars? What has actually been sold here? Is it the the galaxy far, far away? Lightsabers? Stormtroopers? Hutts, TIE Fighters, The Falcon, Tatooine, Jedi, Sith, the Empire and the Rebellion...?

And the answer is "no" for me. I'm sure there are plenty of people who think otherwise, and that's fine of course, but all these things were just a backdrop for the story arc involving Luke, Leia, Vader and co.
You can drop a whole host of new characters and adventures into that same setting, but it doesn't necessarily make it "Star Wars" from my point of view.

Hell, there were moments I felt that way towards some of the stuff in the prequels. Despite my skepticism, maybe they will introduce new human stories interesting enough for me to fall in love with all over again. But I kind of doubt it. To be honest, I've got more affection for the "further adventures" told in the old Marvel comics than in any new Star Wars EU of the past 20-odd years.

The depth, complexity and rigidity of the existing canon has pretty much stifled all creativity on that front. Again, just my opinion, of course.

I'm not saying more movies shouldn't happen - and I'm sure it will be exciting going through the whole spoiler routine all over again... just, I dunno, I'm not sure... still trying to take in the implications I guess... On the plus side - I am far more positive about this than the prospect of any kind of reboot or remake of ANY of the exisiting SW films...

And I wonder how this move might alter the prospects of any future home format releases of the original movies.? Do we have to start the petiton process all over again from scratch, or has Lucas passed the list on...

[Bandersnatch]

I am far more positive about this than the prospect of any kind of reboot or remake of ANY of the exisiting SW films...

Agreed 1000%.

[JohnS]

Whether you are excited about this news or not, one thing is for sure, this will make for another wild ride on these forums for the next 10+ years. Things have been quiet for the last few years and that is about to change. Part of what made the prequels great was the time spent in this forum. Do you remember all the banter, spoiler talk, and discussions as the prequels were being made? I actually looked forward to logging in and reading all the comments/updates. Because of this, I am excited.

[Treadwell]

Whoops - missed the part about Fox retaining rights to the existing films... ah well, there goes that little dream then.

Having had a little more time to take this in, a few more thoughts. When I think of Disney I, rather ignorantly, think of a bunch of cartoon movies stretching back to the 30s that are somewhat lauded beyond their worth (IMHO). Then I think of some rather cheesy 70s live action movies. And, of course, Mickey Mouse and Goofy and all that crap, which I've never been fond of, even when I was as a child.

Obviously there is a lot more to Disney and what they do, especially in recent years with the Marvel films. So maybe I need to get out of that way of thinking. With that in mind, perhaps they are the ideal company to continue with Star Wars. That is, to continue with Star Wars in the direction the prequels have taken it.

My hope, however, would be that they stripped this thing back to grass roots. Be brave enough not to have a new Death Star, lightsabers crammed into every frame, Squid heads, Aqualish and Greedos populating the corner of every virtual set and so on.

Because it would be so easy to do that and make it a slick, profitable - but ultimately shallow - Star Wars product.

My hope is that some young, creative people are involved who can bring new ideas and original designs to the saga. God knows, we've suffered Lucas' team of sycophants - McCallum, Coleman, Knoll, Chiang et al - for long enough now. And use the SW galaxy to tell a new, interesting story with new and interesting characters.

I look at Kathleen Kennedy, and I honestly can't see that happening. But I can still hope...

[bearvomit]

Leia is now a Disney Princess. a SLAVE princess

Can't you imagine all the little playsets, kiddie books, dress up dolls, lunch boxes, cartoons, tv shows, and videogames this deal will produce? It'll be just like... it was before!

[Topeka]

[thecolorsblend]

Star Wars and Disney can attract top talent. Obviously the budget is no major concern. I'm not too worried about the quality of the movies. The entertainment value though... that's another story.

As Disney is buying Lucasfilm, won't Disney be able to get by with opening each movie with the Disney/castle logo thing followed by the usual LFL logo?

[Topeka]

Yeah, didn't the Clone Wars movie open with the Warner title?

[Alexrd]

As Disney is buying Lucasfilm, won't Disney be able to get by with opening each movie with the Disney/castle logo thing followed by the usual LFL logo?

Lucasfilm still exists, just under Disney. Therefore the Lucasfilm logo will still be present. The Disney castle will replace the 20th Century Fox, which is a shame.

[Zaius]

[SI]

At the very least I'm looking forward to the lead up to the next movie, wanna see what DP has installed for the new spoiler forum

I'll miss the FOX fanfare that's for sure. For me that was like heralding a SW movie. What I am more worried about is the fact as GL is not directing, the next director will be part of the guild and we will have to suffer an opening credits scene (after the scroll?)

[Zaius]

/star-wars-sequel-facts-and-fiction-what-we-know-for-sure-about-episodes-78-and-9/

[CoGro]

At the very least I'm looking forward to the lead up to the next movie, wanna see what DP has installed for the new spoiler forum

I'll miss the FOX fanfare that's for sure. For me that was like heralding a SW movie. What I am more worried about is the fact as GL is not directing, the next director will be part of the guild and we will have to suffer an opening credits scene (after the scroll?)

There's no guarantee the fox fanfare is going away.

[E_CHU_TA!]

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/10/31/star-wars-sequel-facts-and-fiction-what-we-know-for-sure-about-episodes-78-and-9/

In the category of "other films," I wonder if Joe Johnston is finally going to get to do his Boba Fett movie.

Anyone else wonder if the that crazy time travel (Terminator cribbed) rumor from AICN has anything to do with the new films? While it's probably the typical AICN BS, it's also a curious idea.

[SI]

At the very least I'm looking forward to the lead up to the next movie, wanna see what DP has installed for the new spoiler forum

I'll miss the FOX fanfare that's for sure. For me that was like heralding a SW movie. What I am more worried about is the fact as GL is not directing, the next director will be part of the guild and we will have to suffer an opening credits scene (after the scroll?)

There's no guarantee the fox fanfare is going away.

I just assumed all FOX distribution rights and involvement were gone. (as far as the new movies are concerned).

[Bandersnatch]

What I am more worried about is the fact as GL is not directing, the next director will be part of the guild and we will have to suffer an opening credits scene (after the scroll?)

Is that even a requirement anymore? Star Wars broke the opening credits rule, and many other films have done the same thing since. It's part of the image and the brand of Star Wars to start off with the title, episode number and scroll, so I'm not too worried about them starting off the new movies differently, or rolling credits during the opening scene. That would suck, actually.

[Treadwell]

I was under the impression Lucas left the guild after he was fined for including no director credit at the start of TESB? I thought the issue was not so much that he "didn't use opening credits", more that Lucasfilm were credited at the start and Kershner was not... I may have got that wrong...

Either way, lots of movies seem to not carry them these days, and even if it was "forced" upon any new Star Wars films, they could be covered by a simple, brief flash screen or two before the main titles we are familiar with kick in, couldn't they?

[Bandersnatch]

/star-wars-sequel-facts-and-fiction-what-we-know-for-sure-about-episodes-78-and-9/

From the link:

"So, the facts:

They have been working with writers already.
Seven eight and nine are going to close out the saga – he says ‘trilogy’ but we know what he means.
Other films will come but not be part of that saga.
Amongst the source material they’ll be drawing on, somewhere in the mix, are books. Presumably the existing, published books by Timothy Zahn and so on.

Straight from the horse’s mouth.

Just as a footnote, it’s worth noting that the official Star Wars channel has released this “special video presentation” alongside their Disney deal videos. Are they giving us a hint? I think so, I really do."

I just watched the "Rise, Fall and Redemption of Anakin Skywalker" video, and while I thought it was a nice assemblage of clips, I don't get what the "hint" might be.

[Bandersnatch]

I was under the impression Lucas left the guild after he was fined for including no director credit at the start of TESB? I thought the issue was not so much that he "didn't use opening credits", more that Lucasfilm were credited at the start and Kershner was not... I may have got that wrong...

Yeah, I think that's right. It is covered in the "Empire of Dreams" doc.

[Treadwell]

I just watched the "Rise, Fall and Redemption of Anakin Skywalker" video, and while I thought it was a nice assemblage of clips, I don't get what the "hint" might be.

Well, if there is a hint, which I'm not entirely sure there is, it could be taken either way:
Either, "here is the Star Wars story as told in the movies so far, and there is going to be more of it" as in, the next three films will carry on the same "Skywalker" narrative in some shape or form.
Or, "here is closure on the Star Wars story as told in the movies so far, get ready for something totally new now that the Skywalker part of the story is over..."

IMO, it's just a video, it doesn't really point to anything other than there have been six films, and here's a little celebration of them now that the franchise has changed hands.

There seems to be all kinds of shit coming out of the woodwork now, and I'm just taking it all with a pinch of salt at this stage - Pollock has seen the treatments for Episodes VII, VIII and IX? Lucas had a meeting with Fisher and Hamill to tell them about the Disney buy-out? I don't know what to believe...

Basically, there has been very little that is consistent in discussion about any kind of Star Wars sequels over the years. I've thought about going back through all those old quotes from over the years... but the fact is, they all contradict one another to such a degree, there's simply no point.
As far as I am concerned, the closest thing to a consistent line running through all those contradictory quotes is that Lucas, Kurtz and Hamill have at some point made reference to a Luke passing on the torch to a new generation of Jedi and a theme of morals and rebuilding a society.


Also:

"So, the facts:
Amongst the source material they’ll be drawing on, somewhere in the mix, are books. Presumably the existing, published books by Timothy Zahn and so on.

I don't get why they are jumping to that conclusion - seems to me Lucas is just saying they have ideas which include new movies and books and all the usual other spin-offs. I don't read that as him saying existing books are source material for future film projects at all...

[Bandersnatch]

"So, the facts:
Amongst the source material they’ll be drawing on, somewhere in the mix, are books. Presumably the existing, published books by Timothy Zahn and so on.

I don't get why they are jumping to that conclusion - seems to me Lucas is just saying they have ideas which include new movies and books and all the usual other spin-offs. I don't read that as him saying existing books are source material for future film projects at all...

Agreed. Sounds like a Zahn fan's wishful thinking. I've never read any of those books, so I really don't care either way.

Lucas, Carrie and Mark did lunch and he told them that Ep.7, 8 and 9 were coming, but didn't tell them about the Disney deal:

/mark-hamill-star-wars-episode-vii-disney/

[Zaius]

The impression i got from the Bleeding Cool link was that Anakin could be a spirit guide of sorts ... Time will tell

Sequels aside, i'd personally like to see a set of films based in the old republic (the first game was the best written prequel)

it's a blank canvas and the Sith rule of two doesn't exist.

[Treadwell]

The impression i got from the Bleeding Cool link was that Anakin could be a spirit guide of sorts ... Time will tell

Oh Jesus, that didn't even cross my mind. I can't think of anything worse. Not wishing to open the whole Hayden replaces Shaw debate again - but the whole point of the ghosts for me, in a narrative sense, is that Ben was relevant to Luke, Yoda was relevant to Luke, the face Luke saw under Vader's mask was relevant to Luke.

Anakin popping up as a ghost to guide characters he never even met while he was alive is a total non-starter with me.

Given who is left standing by the end of ROTJ, Anakin's ghost could only really be narratively relevant to Luke, or Leia at a push. And then I'd rather it was as a father figure as opposed to freaky, angry teen (but, like I said, that is a whole other debate that has been done to death).

[E_CHU_TA!]

From what I can tell, Hayden Christensen has been conspicuously quiet about the announcement. Maybe, he'll be the first cast member announced? Though, in terms of a Spirit Guide, Qui-Gon is also a possibility. Who doesn't want more Qui-gon?

I wonder if the Mortis arch has already pointed to the conclusion. In TCW, The Father wanted Anakin to take his place as the head of The Ones. By the end of Episode 9, it's possible that Anakin will have fulfilled his density by bringing balance to the Force in this manner. Luke could fill the role of The Son and Leia (or Ahsoka) could become the The Daughter. (Consequently, it would be interesting to have Luke make a turn to the Dark Side with Anakin being the mediator. Also, I'm going on record as Episode 9's title being "Balance of the Force.")

Boy, old school EU'ers are going to be pissed. Lucas is already on record dismissing Luke's marriage. I'm sure that Han and Leia's kids are headed down the shitter too.

[Alexrd]

Who doesn't want more Qui-gon?

"If you want me in Episode VII, that will be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you."

[Topeka]

The only EU stuff I'd care for them to acknowledge are the Thrawn books. As someone who read and played everything from 1990-2005 I can honestly say the rest is pick-and-choose rubbish.

Some potential shrewdness on Lucas' part: marketwatch.com/ george-lucass-jedi-estate-planning-2012-11-01

[CloneCommander]

The challenge that no one seems to realize with adapting the Thrawn Trilogy for big screen is that the whole main cast is used throughout the books, but I don't know if even Disney would be successful in recasting everyone.

[Treadwell]

I don't really want them to do the Thrawn thing, or any other EU for that matter.
But I certainly don't mind new actors cast in the familiar roles - hell, if they are good actors, they will do their job and we won't miss Ford and co... If they are bad, and the script is bad, then it will all be bad and we will miss the original cast - it's as simple as that for me....

[Alexrd]

I think from the original cast, only Mark Hamill is really needed. They will certainly explore the new Jedi Order, and Mark can easily end up playing an older Luke passing the torch.

And yes, George shouldn't be limited nor dependable on the EU. He should be able to do his own original (something we don't see very often nowadays) story.

[Topeka]

Star Wars Blog

J.W. Rinzler explains Lucas' 9- and 12-film outlines.

“You know, when I first did this, it was four trilogies,” Mark Hamill recalled in 2004, speaking of their conversation in 1976. “Twelve movies! Out on the desert, any time between setups… lots of free time. And George was talking about this whole thing… ‘Um, how’d you like to be in Episode IX?’ ‘When is that going to be?’ ‘2011.’ […] I said, ‘Well, what do you want me to do?’ He said, ‘You’ll just be like a cameo. You’ll be like Obi-Wan handing the lightsaber down to the next new hope.’”

[Cryostar]

Does this mean Mara Jade will make an appearance?