Why did Lucas sell the franchise?

[tharpdevenport]

Because he had no interest in making more films. He'd fulfilled his promise to make the first three episodes and gave up on making episodes VII, VII, and IX when he made Return of the Jedi.

Hamil has told the story multiple times that Lucas asked hiim if he'd like to play Luke again, as an older Luke handing the torch to a new generation. Hamil asked when that would be and said Lucas said sometime about 2011. Lucas had plans to make more than just the original trilogy.

 

[fireproof78]

Hamil has told the story multiple times that Lucas asked hiim if he'd like to play Luke again, as an older Luke handing the torch to a new generation. Hamil asked when that would be and said Lucas said sometime about 2011. Lucas had plans to make more than just the original trilogy.

There were going to be nine episodes, originally

 

[Venardhi]

Or 12. Or 6.

 

[LJones41]

I don't think Rogue One will be as good as TFA, and I don't think TFA would have been any better if GL had been in charge of it.

I believe otherwise. For me, J.J. Abrams is not exactly a great storyteller . . . at least for movies. Television is apparently the only medium in which he is capable of originality.

 

[fireproof78]

I believe otherwise. For me, J.J. Abrams is not exactly a great storyteller . . . at least for movies. Television is apparently the only medium in which he is capable of originality.

I think Episode 7 would have been amazing had GL done it shortly after ROTJ. But, that moment has passed.

Also, I think Abrams has a great visual style that is great for storytelling. I love the characters that he creates too.

 

[DarthPipes]

Hamil has told the story multiple times that Lucas asked hiim if he'd like to play Luke again, as an older Luke handing the torch to a new generation. Hamil asked when that would be and said Lucas said sometime about 2011. Lucas had plans to make more than just the original trilogy.

I remember this. LFL at the time has to deny this but the writing was on the wall for a long time.

GL had hired Kathleen Kennedy to be President of LFL months before the Disney sale was announced. From what I gathered, The Clone Wars has re-energized GL's creative instincts and he started coming up with story ideas for the Star Wars sequels. He then hired Michael Arndt to do a screen treatment (these were later set aside by Disney). Having plans for a Star Wars sequel made the property even more attractive to Disney and led them to pay GL even more for the property (which he gave to charity).

GL wasn't going to be the one to do another SW trilogy and quite frankly, I think he's pretty much retired from the business. He talked about making his own "personal, experimental movies" for two decades but made no effort to actually do them. He seems to have moved on and with a new family, that's more than understandable. His interests now seem to be in getting that art museum built, along with various charitable and education ventures.

 

[Solid Snack]

You know, it might've had something to do with Lucas's misfortunes at the beginning of 2012. Both Phantom Menace 3D and Red Tails flopped.