Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Pre-release)

A plethora of Star Wars offerings have popped up in the wake of Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, including not just the new trilogy, but also spinoff films like 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story, which underperformed at the box office, prompting some to speculate that the public is beginning to experience something that was once unimaginable: 'Star Wars fatigue.' Hamill's take? "I'm not gonna tell them how to run their business, but is there a possibility of 'Star Wars fatigue'? Yeah, I think there is. I've experienced it, to a certain degree." He adds with a chuckle, "But they never listen to my ideas anyway, so who needs 'em?!"

Full article: 'Awards Chatter' Podcast — Mark Hamill ('Knightfall')
 
I'm happy that I have my laser disc tranfers, but it would be nice to have hi def versions. I think it would be a smart marketing move for Disney too. There are director cuts and theatrical cuts that get released all the time. Look at Blade Runner. Why can't they do that for Star Wars? It would make money. Tons of it.
Because it is not the Will of Lucas. He may be retired from Lucasfilm now, but they're deliberately respecting his "vision" of things like how the Force works and which is his definitive version of the OT. Like it or not, Young Anakin's Ghost, the "NOOOOOO" as Vader throws the Emperor down the shaft, etc. -- that's all stuff George wants, so that's all stuff we're stuck with. Those laser disc transfers you mentioned? From the '04 DVD release? They went with the worst one available at the time. On purpose. Both the ILM Definitive Edition laser disc transfer and the Japanese Collector Edition laser disc transfer were better than the one used. It was a very deliberate. "Oh, those whiny fans want the unaltered version of the film? Give 'em the crappiest, worst-balanced, lowest-res one we have in our archives."

And Disney is pretty hands-off with its subsidiary studios. They're not going to come charging in and overrule Kennedy's sticking with Lucas' dictate on this matter.
 
A plethora of Star Wars offerings have popped up in the wake of Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, including not just the new trilogy, but also spinoff films like 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story, which underperformed at the box office, prompting some to speculate that the public is beginning to experience something that was once unimaginable: 'Star Wars fatigue.' Hamill's take? "I'm not gonna tell them how to run their business, but is there a possibility of 'Star Wars fatigue'? Yeah, I think there is. I've experienced it, to a certain degree." He adds with a chuckle, "But they never listen to my ideas anyway, so who needs 'em?!"

Full article: 'Awards Chatter' Podcast — Mark Hamill ('Knightfall')
I just can't buy SW fatigue.
10 films over a 43 year period, compared to 21 MCU films over a 13 year period.
Everybody is eagerly awaiting Endgame, not so much for Ep 9.
 
I think it's undeniable at this point, that the complete and total lack of any Lucas input, has had a negative effect on the series and the fandom. The resonance is lacking.
 
I think it's undeniable at this point, that the complete and total lack of any Lucas input, has had a negative effect on the series and the fandom. The resonance is lacking.
I think it’s more like the complete lack of planning and intelligence in handling the franchise as opposed to Lucas. The prequels and Indy4 had Lucas all over them...Mike Stoklasa put it really well that while Marvel built up their franchise and “earned” its reputation, the current state of Lucasfilm is like a white trash winning the lottery and trying to milk everything without having an idea of what should be done next week. I’m fairly convinced that the powers that be thought they can’t go wrong with the brand and to be fair the box office and the merch are so far to their favour. Saying that as a person with zero interest in Marvel.

Regarding the OT...When I heard that Disney bought LFL and new movies will be made I just shrugged. After the prequels I had no interest and that had nothing but Lucas input. The only thing I was hoping is a proper release of the OT. I’m fairly certain that George put that in the contract that the definitive versions are the latest ones and that’s that. I remember that the home video rights for ANH for example are with 20th Century Fox indefinitely and while the Disney acquisition of Fox may change that I’m also sure that it’s not that simple from a legal standpoint. The standard explanation is that when the specil editions were made they “used up” the original copies so they are not available anymore for a tueatrical restoration but we’ve seen fans using various sources for great looking HD transfers.
 
I just can't buy SW fatigue.
10 films over a 43 year period, compared to 21 MCU films over a 13 year period.
Everybody is eagerly awaiting Endgame, not so much for Ep 9.

I agree,...its not Star Wars Fatigue
Its just that there was no masterplan, after the purchase, Disney wanted their own Star Wars film released superquick. They brief was, bring back that '77 magic, make it like the OT, never mind the logic how Stormtroopers, an Emperor & TIE Fighters could return
They knew what made the Prequels unpopular, so they pushed the 'shoot things practical' angle.

The only thing that has came out recently that had any thought put into it was Rogue One,....that idea had been in John Knoll's head for a good while

If Disney/LFL had taken their time & built foundations, they wouldn't be in this situation with the fans, the old George Lucas "Make it up as I go" was not the example to follow.

Handing the baton from film to film is also a poor idea,...the contrast between TFA & TLJ in style has badly effected the Star Wars brand

J
 
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To a certain degree I'm on board with the idea that Star Wars is overdone. Though I think if it had been handled better that it could very well have the longevity to go on forever. I mean the OT has remained in the minds of fans for 40 plus years. They're great movies. Though I doubt the new films will be remembered 40 years from now with the same fondness.

Star Wars needs to be genre film making, just set in a galaxy far far away the way Marvel did if it's going to survive.

Like others have said as an example, Ant Man was a heist film, just set in the MCU. That kind of thing.

If the Mandalorian is a western / gangster show set in a galaxy far far away then I'm totally in.
 
I was just going to say everything directly above, so no point now, heh.

RELEASE THE LORD/MILLER CUT!!! (the fun western genre film that got turned intoooooo.... what?)

Favs knows what he's doing... I bet if the Mandalorian show is a western, it will be closer to what Solo could have been.
 
It's the one story from the series I'm actually interested in because it has almost no ties the what we know vs perhaps a location or background character.
 
It's the one story from the series I'm actually interested in because it has almost no ties the what we know vs perhaps a location or background character.

Yeah I was at least impressed in Solo they tried to go the "no jedi" route... at one point I was thinking "hey! no lightsabers! I'm surprised tha-"

And then the knives...

"hmm... well those are sorta lightsabers... but still not quite so good one them fo-"

Darth Maul lights up...

"Ah. there it is."
 
I'm of the opinion that Star Wars works best as one trilogy and not as a franchise or series. In that regard all I've wanted for over ten years now was the original theatrical cuts in a properly restored hi definition format.

I'm happy that I have my laser disc tranfers, but it would be nice to have hi def versions. I think it would be a smart marketing move for Disney too. There are director cuts and theatrical cuts that get released all the time. Look at Blade Runner. Why can't they do that for Star Wars? It would make money. Tons of it.

I have my laser discs and my original tapes, but I also downloaded the original pre-Ep-IV theatrical versions years ago. We watched them about a month ago and it's still one of the best series out there. It's why I simply disregard anything that happened after 1983. It simply cannot compare. I don't care what George wanted to do. The heck with George. George was completely wrong in a lot of the changes he made in the Special Editions. I don't have to worry whether it ever comes out on Bluray, I have the versions I will watch forever. Releasing the original versions will only make Disney money, but I couldn't care less if they do or not. It would be a bonus but not required.
 
Yeah I was at least impressed in Solo they tried to go the "no jedi" route... at one point I was thinking "hey! no lightsabers! I'm surprised tha-"

And then the knives...

"hmm... well those are sorta lightsabers... but still not quite so good one them fo-"

Darth Maul lights up...

"Ah. there it is."

Solo. Let's provide really stupid answers to questions nobody was asking for money. Thanks Disney.
 
Can someone remind me, did we get the name reveal of the force awakens before the first teaser trailer?

My memory says yes?

I wonder if we will get a teaser trailer or full trailer tomorrow?
 
Can someone remind me, did we get the name reveal of the force awakens before the first teaser trailer?

My memory says yes?

I wonder if we will get a teaser trailer or full trailer tomorrow?

It was before the teaser that announced pre-sale tix. I'm betting it'll only be a one-minute teaser.
 
Solo. Let's provide really stupid answers to questions nobody was asking for money. Thanks Disney.

Fun fact: it was George's idea to do a Solo film.

StarWars.com: As someone who’s obviously played such a part of writing the character over the years, had you — just in your head — kicked around ideas about what his origin might have been?

Lawrence Kasdan: No. Never. What happened is, in November 2012, I was in Colorado and Kathy [Kennedy] called me. She said “Look, we’re going to do some new Star Wars movies, and would you come up and talk to me and George about it?” I said, “I don’t know. I feel like I’ve done my Star Wars movies.” I had done two by then. She said, “Just come up. We’d really appreciate it and let’s have a talk.” I said, “All right.”........So that was in 1980. Now in 2012, he’s saying, “Will you come up and have a meeting.” With Kathy, who I had been friends with for 40 years, and so I went up and we talked and it was great to be back at the ranch. They said, “We want to do” — there’s no Disney in this conversation yet — and they said, “We want to revive the franchise and we’ve got some ideas.” And they had a bunch of ideas that George had written out very briefly. I said “Well, I don’t think so,” and they said Michael Arndt has been hired to write the next Star Wars. I said, “Well, that sounds great. He’s really talented.” And then they said, “You know, one of the ideas would be to do just a movie about Han,” and I suddenly perked up, because that was the only thing that interested me. I didn’t want to do a sequel. I wouldn’t have written the next one, normally. I just thought I had done it. But to do something with Han, who I found was the most interesting and fun character in the whole deal, and to be able to be free and make whatever kind of story I wanted about Han, well, that was irresistible to me. And I say, “Well, that does interest me.”
 
Fun fact: it was George's idea to do a Solo film.”

Which is irrelevant because it wasn't George Lucas who made it, it was Disney. Disney, the company that paid through the nose for the franchise and immediately started making terrible movies with it on a yearly schedule. Seriously, is someone at Disney paying you to hype them? It seems to be the only explanation.
 
Which is irrelevant because it wasn't George Lucas who made it, it was Disney. Disney, the company that paid through the nose for the franchise and immediately started making terrible movies with it on a yearly schedule. Seriously, is someone at Disney paying you to hype them? It seems to be the only explanation.

I wish. I could use the extra cash. I got lightsabers and prop replicas to buy!

Disney doesn't make these films. They handle distribution and marketing. They leave the "creative" process to the studios underneath them. (From Wikipedia- .....produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures....) Like Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios.

The fact remains, it was George's idea to make the film. It was also his idea to get Lawrence Kasdan (who wrote along with Leigh Brackett The Empire Strikes Back)
 
Which is irrelevant because it wasn't George Lucas who made it, it was Disney. Disney, the company that paid through the nose for the franchise and immediately started making terrible movies with it on a yearly schedule. Seriously, is someone at Disney paying you to hype them? It seems to be the only explanation.
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Three and a half years on from the release of The Force Awakens, how is this still a frikkin' thing? Okay. You're right. George only had the idea for a Han Solo standalone film decades ago, but never followed up on it. You're right. He didn't make Solo: A Star Wars Story. But neither did Disney! By all that's decent and holy, stop. blaming. Disney. They are not making the new Star Wars. Lucasfilm is. You can object to the content all you want, but place the blame (preferably constructive criticism) where it actually should be. Disney is helping bankroll things, and has marginal veto power over content -- marginal because they almost never exercise it on anything that isn't released directly under a Disney banner. In the decade-plus since Iron Man came out, I have seen criticisms leveled at Marvel Studios and individual writers and directors (and, sometimes, actors), but have not, in all that time, seen anyone blaming any weaker showing from the MCU on Disney. It's the same damn relationship.

Lack of coherent vision? Absolutely. But that goes all the way back to 1982, at least. Insufficient time put into plotting out long-term story directions? Definitely. Just working with where we are, I feel like they shoulda shot a bunch of principle photography with Mark, Carrie, and Harrison over a year or so, and then worked on the story beats, bad guys and other characters in other places, and so forth while resuming the story after ROTJ in other forms (like animated) to fill in the intervening period to some degree, so the audience was primed when the new film debuted in, say, 2017 (fortieth anniversary is a nice round number). But all of that is on Lucasfilm and the people in it. Disney didn't make any of those missteps. So please please PLEASE... stop it.
 
You honestly think Disney doesn't have a ton of influence in these movies? Seriously? They're paying the bills, they aren't just handing Lucasfilm a blank check and putting out whatever they decide to turn in. It's like saying Disney has no influence over the Marvel movies. Not a chance.
 
The issue with Disney, is that once thwy took over, there became a pressure to pump movies out. Disney wasnt going to just accept the constant trickle of existing royalties.
That caused the movies to be pushed out quicker than they could actually keep up with.
There should have been a few years of just planning arcs, story and content before any script started production.
 
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