Well that's really disappointing to hear and a good chunk of my excitement for this film is gone... Why? because for whatever the prequels were his ideas for 7,8,9 have been long wondered about and a big part of my interest was what he was actually planning, even if it's just an outline we can see some structure of where he would have taken it. When Disney bought the rights to Star Wars they sold us on the idea that episode 7 was Lucas's plan. I understand that the script was re-written etc but for everything to be chucked out.... well that really sucks and I feel a little cheated.
If I remember correctly, it was reported that Arndt script was more based on Lucas's outlines, and focused mainly on the new characters, but the Abrams/Kasdan script focuses on the old characters. Which is kind of odd considering the trailer was all new characters. Maybe this film will be sort of a passing of the torch kind of thing and Luke, Han, Leia and the droids won't have as much of a role in the rest of the trilogy (Which makes sense considering their age). By the time the trilogy's over (Given that SW films usually take three years to be made) Ford will probably be about 80!
That's the feeling I have. Lucas' biggest fault was his desire to micro-manage, but he always had a clear, sharp, creative imagination. I am truly surprised that Disney did not include at least some of his ideas, and its feels strange to know we are watching Star Wars film that really very little of George Lucas in it.
I was excited for the movie ayway, but having no Lucas influence can only be a good thing in my opinion. The guy hasn't been involved with a really good movie since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (although SW Episode III and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are watchable for me). With all the rewriting I'm sure Episode VII would be awesome with his ideas, but I'm excited to see what they do without him. This attitude probably comes because my absolute favorite SW stories are in books Lucas had absolutely no creative say in (outside of his company authorizing them). Since so much of the SW stuff I love wasn't done by Lucas, I'm completely open to some SW movies he's not involved with.
And in non Episode VII Star Wars news: Tatiana Maslany, Rooney Mara Testing for 'Star Wars' Stand-alone Movie
Yeah, I kinda have to agree. As weird as it definitely feels not to have a new SW movie with a story by George Lucas, it's unfortunately become VERY clear that his storytelling instincts just aren't as sharp as they used to be. And in the end this is probably for the best. Although for what it's worth, it WAS his original idea to revisit Han, Luke and Leia as much older characters, so at least that much is still happening (even if it was kind of a no-brainer for the franchise). And it's likely the rest was just a predictable passing of the torch story to the younger generation anyway. So I kinda doubt we're really missing out on anything THAT brilliant or original from him.
From the traditional "official" timeline we know it didn't take nearly that long. The trip to Bespin probably went faster than people think.
Hyperspace in the Star Wars galaxy seems to put Trek's warp drive to shame unless that galaxy is a whole lot smaller than we tend to think when we see maps of it. The Millennium Falcon jumps to hyperspace and it covers a distance roughly equivalent to what Voyager could during a quarter or even half a season (if not more) of that series. Consider how quickly Obi-Wan got from the inner core systems and Coruscant all the way out beyond the Outer Rim and Geonosis in Episode II. That's a long way to travel in the space of just one act of one movie that itself happens within a relatively limited span of time.
Sounds like it. I was a little surprised when I heard that stuff about him saying they got rid of his ideas, after I read other stories about how he really had nothing to do with the movies at this point. I was wondering how he knew what they were and weren't using. Sounds to me like maybe he doesn't.
I bet disney will respond with a "Oh yes we DID use your ideas", but using an idea can be stretched in many ways. They used the idea for the film being set in space etc. I'm sure that like ex Presidents Lucas can get reports on what is going on with his baby. Or ask friends and close business associates.
He was referred to as an Executive Consultant on the new film (at least as far as I've been hearing since the movie first went into production) so it would have been bizarre indeed if George hadn't been privy to what they were and weren't doing with his original Episode VII concepts and story ideas. Either he's worded himself very clumsily or he was kept at least partially out of the loop during pre-production and the start of filming.
Well to be fair, a consultant is quite different from an executive producer, and only really suggests that they'll go to Lucas with any questions they have-- not that he'll be kept in the loop on everything that happens. Or that he's overseeing the story and production in any way. And frankly it sounds to me like he's perfectly fine with it that way. If he really wanted to make these movies follow his vision as closely as possible, he wouldn't have signed everything over to Disney in the first place.
That was one of my thoughts too. He seemed well enough off before that I'd be surprised if he really sold out. It strikes me as a choice he was comfortable with, to sell.
Plus, considering how long he put off even considering a sequel trilogy, I get the impression it wasn't a story he was all that emotionally invested in telling anyway. At least not like he was with the OT and PT. So it's probably for the best that new people took over who are much more excited and engaged by the idea, and who might want to try something a bit new and different.
Given his iffy and controversial track record with the PT and how some fans see him as a Sith Lord in flannel and sneakers I'm a little surprised that so many of them are upset at the idea that Disney rejected so much of what he originally imagined for Episode VII. You'd think they'd be glad that he's had so little direct input and involvement with the new film. I guess they retain more warm feelings for George than they want to let on, hoping that the Sequel Trilogy would in their eyes wipe away the stain of Episodes I, II and III. It's refreshing seeing some of them jump to George's defense over the new film. A few years ago they lambasted him every chance they got and over almost anything he did post-Jedi and 1983.