Future of Star Wars?

[milo bloom]

I guess being an animation junky allows me to give the CGI designs of The Clone Wars a pass, because I accepted the designs as soon as I saw them. They're meant to be a little exaggerated, and the people constantly harping on them is starting to sound like they're just looking for an excuse to bag on them.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

What excuse? The animation is ugly. I'm not going to apologize for having taste.

...but honestly, if the stories and characters were more interesting, I'd be far more likely to overlook the hideous animation. I tried watching the first few episodes, but it was all pretty thin. Nothing but fight, fight, fight, and stiff, cornball villains and laughable dialogue, straight outta the PT. It's obviously being written for kids, which is fine for the kids, but it's not for me. I want a story, not a video game.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I wouldn't be surprised if that went the way of the so-called Sequel Trilogy.

Weren't the first three Zahn novels (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command) originally based on the scripts for Episodes 7, 8 and 9?

 

[Nerys Myk]

I wouldn't be surprised if that went the way of the so-called Sequel Trilogy.

Weren't the first three Zahn novels (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command) originally based on the scripts for Episodes 7, 8 and 9?

Were there scripts for 7,8,9? IIRC Lucas had an outline for the whole saga, but I've never heard of there being any stories or scripts written. (Aside from a woman who insisted all nine movies hade been novelised.)

 

[DarthPipes]

I wouldn't be surprised if that went the way of the so-called Sequel Trilogy.

Weren't the first three Zahn novels (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command) originally based on the scripts for Episodes 7, 8 and 9?

Now, they weren't based on scripts for 7-9. There were no scripts for those.

 

[Hound of UIster]

Were there scripts for 7,8,9? IIRC Lucas had an outline for the whole saga, but I've never heard of there being any stories or scripts written. (Aside from a woman who insisted all nine movies hade been novelised.)

There is no outline. Like he said in the public message to the Lost writers, he makes up the story as he goes. The ideas and themes he had left over were all put in the prequels.

 

[Mr Light]

The Sequel Trilogy became Return of the Jedi. Originally the third trilogy was about Luke traveling to another galaxy to find his lost sister (not Leia) who he would bring back to defeat the Emperor who doesn't appear until Episode Nine. But after ESB he decided to quit it with one more movie. This is why Luke is still trying to mack with Leia in ESB.

And the Zahn books have nothing to do with Sequel Trilogy they were Zahn's own idea.

 

[Hound of UIster]

The Sequel Trilogy became Return of the Jedi. Originally the third trilogy was about Luke traveling to another galaxy to find his lost sister (not Leia) who he would bring back to defeat the Emperor who doesn't appear until Episode Nine. But after ESB he decided to quit it with one more movie. This is why Luke is still trying to mack with Leia in ESB.

There has been some fantastic research done recently showing that is only partially true. The sequels would probably have been about the Other talked about in Episode V, but it wouldn't necessarily have been the lost sister that was established in the rough drafts of ESTB.

 

[milo bloom]

What excuse? The animation is ugly. I'm not going to apologize for having taste.

...but honestly, if the stories and characters were more interesting, I'd be far more likely to overlook the hideous animation. I tried watching the first few episodes, but it was all pretty thin. Nothing but fight, fight, fight, and stiff, cornball villains and laughable dialogue, straight outta the PT. It's obviously being written for kids, which is fine for the kids, but it's not for me. I want a story, not a video game.

I still can't even see them as ugly. I see plenty of poor design in modern selling-toys-to-kids-via-animation stuff, but the CGI Clone Wars just looks distinctive, even hyper-exaggerated, to me, and very similar to some of the old "super-marionation" stuff from the 60's and 70's.

As for the stories, the movie that was released to theaters (which was actually the first 3-4 eps run together) was still pretty shaky from the writers getting the feel of it, but once you get into the first season proper, they become very enjoyable 22 minute romps in the Star Wars galaxy. And keep in mind they're not going to be comparable to something like Star Trek's storytelling (not even the animated Trek) because the whole galactic backdrop is so different (Trek is mainly peaceful, with wars being unusual events, Wars seems to be just the opposite).

My wife and I are both 30-something scifi fans that enjoyed the hell out of the first season, and eagerly look forward to buying the second season on DVD (no cable). And if they can't do the OT era show in live action, I would gladly watch it in the same CG style as The Clone Wars (I'd also love to see stories like Splinter of the Mind's Eye and Shadows of the Empire while we're at it).

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

I'd like to see the CGI used in the Old Republic video game trailers, but that would cost like $30 million an episode.

 

[RandyS]

I wouldn't be surprised if that went the way of the so-called Sequel Trilogy.

Weren't the first three Zahn novels (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command) originally based on the scripts for Episodes 7, 8 and 9?

I don't know. I actually haven't heard that before now.

 

[RandyS]

I'd like to see the CGI used in the Old Republic video game trailers, but that would cost like $30 million an episode.

So what? $30 million is loose change to Lucas.

 

[Gaith]

^^ Er... source?

I'd like to see the CGI used in the Old Republic video game trailers, but that would cost like $30 million an episode.

And almost certainly Uncanny Valley issues also. Notice how those animations don't show the characters talking...

22 minute romps in the Star Wars galaxy.

The PT Star Wars galaxy, you mean.

 

[JediKnightButler]

I don't know what the future holds exactly (any more than the rest of us here) but whatever they do I'd like to see more stories with the OT characters similar to what they're doing with the PT characters and the Clone Wars.
As the EU has proved, there are so many opportunities for post-ROTJ storytelling and, heck, even for stories between the movies in the OT. The time period between ANH and TESB is comparable to the length of the Clone Wars. I'm sure that nobody from the OT cast but maybe Anthony Daniels would be doing any voices but they found good voices for the PT characters, so I'm sure they can do the same for the OT characters as well.
And "Shadows of the Empire" is technically considered canon (seeing as how they developed it as everything short of a theatrical film), so why not adapt that for an animated special? You get Vader (and his rivalry with Prince Xixor and growing doubts about his allegiance to Palpatine), Boba Fett, Palpatine/Sidious, Luke, Leia, Lando, Chewie, R2-D2, C-3P0, and a sexy android bodyguard (Guri), Coruscant/Imperial Center, etc. Why not?

 

[RandyS]

^^ Er... source?

Watch any making of Star Wars documentary, plus it's common sense. The success of the series made Lucas a VERY rich guy.

 

[Gaith]

^^ Not rich enough to spend $30m on Clone Wars episodes 22 times a year. But why should he run any deficit on the show? If people like it, it'll make money, and he'll make more. If you think the animation's too cheap, don't watch it or buy the dvds.

a sexy android bodyguard (Guri)... Why not?

Because Clone Wars-style models aren't hot?

As for a CG Shadows of the Empire... I just don't know. Shadows' story is much more driven by the handful of main characters than Clone Wars, which is instead propelled by galactic politics, battles and Palps' machinations, and I really don't see Clone Wars-level CG making the models' performances engaging enough to sustain the narrative.

I almost wish they'd do a live-action Shadows adaptation, with a competent writer-director team. Recasting Hamill, Fisher and Williams would be tough, but not as tough as recasting Ford. But while I doubt I'd want to see, say, the mains recast for the Thrawn trilogy - that'd just be too weird - a one-off live-action Shadows could be a fun, goofy popcorn diversion.

 

[Hound of UIster]

For a movie I'd rather see them do something in the earlier days of the Republic like in the Kotor game era.

 

[Nowhere Man]

I don't know you guys have heard of Super Shadow, but on his web site he claims to be a Lucas insider(which I don't buy), but anyway he claims that theres going to be an episode 7-12 and will focus on Dark Jedi and a Vader clone. I didn't read the whole thing, but it sounded like some made up bullshit. It basically would involve the OT. cast. Han Solo would be 80 at this point. I think it would be cool though to see an episode 7-9 that basically only involved Luke, C-3PO, R2 and yes Ghost Anikan(yeah, I said it) No ofense to Harrison Ford, but I don't want to see a 70 somthing Han and a fat and ugly Lea. Chewy would maybe seem out of place without Han. Lando could stick around maybe. The reason I don't mention Ghost Yoda or ObiWan is because Ewan is good, but they would have to do some major makeup work for it to look right and no Obiwan= no Yoda. Ghost Anikan would work becouse for some stupid reason when Vader died his ghost turned into young Anikan, so Hayden could reprise the role. His acting has improved, you must admit. Anyway Ghost Anikan could advise Luke. They could explain the the Force Ghosts eventually fade, since Anikan was the strongest, his ghost remains. I want to see The New Republic and the New Jedi's. Luke can carry the story himself. Add in some new characters(non Jar Jar) and a good plot. It can be done.

 

[Jack Bauer]

^^^^

SuperShadow is a total fraud and nutcase. His site is total garbage.

 

[Holdfast]

SuperShadow is a total fraud and nutcase. His site is total garbage.

Hilarious though. The world would be a sadder place without SuperShadow.