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Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm, Star Wars Episode 7 Due In 2015

Jason Levine writes "Disney will acquire Lucasfilm, including the Star Wars trilogy. Additionally, Star Wars: Episode 7 is due to be released in 2015, with more feature films on the way. George Lucas said, 'For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next. 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.'"

163 of 816 comments (clear)

  1. Huh? by greenguy · · Score: 5, Funny

    *checks date* ...Still October..

    --
    What if I do the same thing, and I do get different results?
    1. Re:Huh? by toriver · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think it's a Halloween thing, they try to scare us...

    2. Re:Huh? by niado · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Seconded, I literally glanced at the calendar after reading this summary.

    3. Re:Huh? by cayenne8 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I think it's a Halloween thing, they try to scare us...

      Darth Mickey?

      But seriously....would have been better to sell it to Seth MacFarlane, he showed a good bit of love for the franchise with his Family Guy send ups of it....

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    4. Re:Huh? by vlm · · Score: 4, Funny

      *checks date* ...Still October..

      Its the traditional "october surprise" we have toward the end of a presidential election cycle.

      I'm not sure who is supposed to benefit by this one. Easily the weirdest one in history.

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    5. Re:Huh? by Melkman · · Score: 4, Funny

      Darth Mickey?

      How long before we see a T-shirt with Mickey holding a light saber and the text below it:
      Minnie, I am your father.....

    6. Re:Huh? by Abreu · · Score: 3, Funny

      [Tinfoil hat]

      It was clearly designed by the republicans, who are trying to pry the spotlight away from Obama and Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

      Since nerds are commonly liberals, this is targeted towards a core democrat constituency.

      [/Tinfoil hat]

      --
      No sig for the moment.
    7. Re:Huh? by yotto · · Score: 4, Funny

      How long before we see a T-shirt with Mickey holding a light saber and the text below it:
      Minnie, I am your father.....

      Never, unless you happen upon it in the 10 seconds between when it's posted, and when Disney sues the everloving fuck out of the creator.

    8. Re:Huh? by mrsquid0 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Sith MacFarlane? It would have been interesting.

      --
      Just because you are paranoid does not mean that no-one is out to get you.
    9. Re:Huh? by mrsquid0 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Just imagine Leia and Amidala as Disney princesses...

      --
      Just because you are paranoid does not mean that no-one is out to get you.
    10. Re:Huh? by Zephyn · · Score: 5, Funny

      Minnie must be his sister, then. Donald would be a better choice behind the breathing mask, anyway. Anger leads to the Duck Side.

    11. Re:Huh? by craigminah · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Full Metal Disney has been on YouTube since August 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3woEDTUbDYg
      ...and Full Metal Vader has been there since June 2009: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgFgEqm3o60

      Maybe the Disney death squad is on strike. The Samuel L. Jackson and Joe Pesci Vader videos are about as good.

    12. Re:Huh? by tlhIngan · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Darth Mickey?

        But seriously....would have been better to sell it to Seth MacFarlane, he showed a good bit of love for the franchise with his Family Guy send ups of it....

      Seth Greene as well (Robot Chicken). In fact the two series usually "competed" on that topic.

      On the other hand, I suppose Episode 7 will now feature wall-to-wall Macs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones... (I think Apple has a pretty big stake in Disney). All battling the (do no) evil Google empire and their droids.

    13. Re:Huh? by readin · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I love it. I can totally imagine Scrooge McDuck as Obi-wan Kenobi. Old, wise, tough as nails. Huey, Duey and Louie as the new generation of Jedi bringing back the old ways of hard work and honor!

      --
      I often don't like the choices people make, but I like the fact that people make choices. That's why I'm a conservative.
    14. Re:Huh? by Mabhatter · · Score: 4, Informative

      I really prefer that Seth Green guy better. The Robot Chicken sendup was funnier.

    15. Re:Huh? by MathFox · · Score: 4, Informative

      There already is a picture of Mickey crossing light-sabers: http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/63819000/jpg/_63819199_starwars.jpg (Minnie is in the picture too. *sigh*)

      --
      extern warranty;
      main()
      {
      (void)warranty;
      }
    16. Re:Huh? by Jason+Levine · · Score: 3

      Have you ever been to Disney World? The Disney-Star Wars fusion has been here for years. It's not just the Star Tours ride (I've ridden the new ride and it is really cool). There's tons of Disney-fied Star Wars merchandise. Mickey as Luke Skywalker. Goofy as Darth Vader. Stitch as the Emperor (AND as Yoda). Donald as a stormtrooper. There's also Muppet-Star Wars items like Dr. Bunsen Honeydew-R2D2 and Beaker-C3PO.

      I'm cautiously optimistic with this. Yes, Disney is likely to market Star Wars like crazy, but then again, when has George Lucas *NOT* marketed it like crazy. He practically invented marketing movie characters.

      Now, if they could just convince Pixar to take on a Star Wars project....

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    17. Re:Huh? by Kuroji · · Score: 2

      I wonder how telling it is that I notice George is carrying the RED one.

  2. I felt a great disturbance in the Force by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.

    1. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by nwf · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Like they'll sell out more than Lucas?

      --
      I don't know, but it works for me.
    2. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by i+kan+reed · · Score: 4, Funny

      It took that long for the force to tell you about Episode 1? Jedi should maybe invest in cell phones.

    3. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 4, Informative

      as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly...

      It ain't no trick to get rich quick
      If you dig dig dig with a shovel or a pick
      In a mine! In a mine! In a mine! In a mine!
      Where a million diamonds shine!
      Heigh ho, heigh ho, we'll rape your memories you know.

    4. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by Narrowband · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm torn between thinking you need to be modded up and feeling like Lucas lost claim to Star Wars when he got his studio's films crossed and put Roger Rabbit in Episode 1 (just renamed Jar Jar Binks).

    5. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by Splab · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I've really hated how so many movies lately has been redone, but I'd be hard pressed to come up with anything that deserves a proper reboot more than the Star Wars episode 1 to 3.

    6. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by Fallingcow · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Are you kidding? Great news!

      Now there's a small chance that we'll at least get transfers of the film reels from the early '90s THX-enhanced theater releases to BluRay, if not an even better cleaned-up version of the originals.

      Thank God George "we destroyed all the pre-Special Edition copies in the course of making it" Lucas' lying ass is finally out of the way. Bring on the hi-def, unmolested (well, mostly unmolested, at least) original trilogy!

      Disney loves money. Doing this will make them truckloads of money and cost very little.

    7. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by Beardo+the+Bearded · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Starship Troopers and The Postman.

      --

      ---
      ECHELON is a government program to find words like bomb, jihad, plutonium, assassinate, and anarchy.
    8. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 2

      You know about Disney's release cycle, right?

      Star Wars will get transfers of the film reels from the early '90s THX-enhanced theater releases to BluRay all right -- and they'll keep them in their vault until 2040, when they'll release them to everyone who still has a BluRay player.

      Disney is even more hamfisted about what gets released when than Lucas -- and they might even edit some of the original content to "sanitize" it -- even more than Lucas.

    9. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by jythie · · Score: 4, Informative

      That is part of the enthusiasm that is perplexing me.. have people forgotten about Disney's behavior when it comes to releases... they are no stranger to locking away movies for decades or releasing edited versions... Lucas, while somewhat misguided, at least believed he was making things better and wanted people watching his stuff. Disney is too politically entangled when it comes to content and is into the 'artificial scarcity' model of releasing older works.

    10. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by nabsltd · · Score: 2

      and they might even edit some of the original content to "sanitize" it

      I don't think Disney "sanitizes" anything except movies released under the Disney label and rated G.

      Touchstone, Miramax, and Hollywood Pictures all made R-rated films, and Disney has released movies under their own label with PG-13 ratings for sexual content, such as Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Likewise, I'm fairly sure you would have heard from Joss Whedon about "The Avengers" being sanitized if that were the case.

    11. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by Beerdood · · Score: 2

      Episode 7 : A crushed hope - Return of the Binks

      --
      Global warming and other natural disasters are a direct effect of the shrinking number of pirates - Gospel of the FSM
    12. Re:I felt a great disturbance in the Force by LanMan04 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Starship Troopers? NO WAY.

      That movie is a masterpiece, dripping with satire. A PERFECT tribute to Heinlein and his crazy jingoistic views.

      Directed by the same guy who did RoboCop, ALSO dripping with satire.

      --
      With the first link, the chain is forged.
  3. It is October by jgtg32a · · Score: 4, Informative

    Not April

  4. Obligatory by albeit+unknown · · Score: 5, Funny

    Noooooo!!!!

    1. Re:Obligatory by dgatwood · · Score: 4, Funny

      Obligatory links:

      http://nooooooooooooooo.com (seems to be down at the moment)

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    2. Re:Obligatory by dmomo · · Score: 2

      I've got a bad feeling about this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drkh0YLF8rI

  5. I feel a great disturbance in the force... by halfEvilTech · · Score: 2, Funny

    It was as if a million tech geeks screamed out in horror and were suddenly silenced

  6. Joss Whedon's Star Wars by Sez+Zero · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Disney/Marvel have Joss Whedon under contract through 2015. Just sayin'.

    1. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by morcego · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You know, if Joss Whedon takes over writing AND directing, it might actually work.

      --
      morcego
    2. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by Ghostworks · · Score: 4, Funny

      Careful, they might just jump ahead to directly buying Joss Whedon.

    3. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by Herkum01 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Reports have confirmed Joss Whedon is going to harvest Yellow Stone National Park of all lumber. When confronted with this information Joss replied,

      I am going to create the best and largest set of (wooden) actors that you will ever find. It will be a seamless transition from episodes 1 to 3. Even Lucas himself will not believe that he did not direct it.

    4. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by Zinho · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Back in '06 Disney basically payed Pixar to come and fix the problems in their animation department, too. Disney's turned a corner since Michael Eisner left, and doesn't scare me as much as it used to.

      --
      "Space Exploration is not endless circles in low earth orbit." -Buzz Aldrin
    5. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by NoobixCube · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No, Joss Whedon is the same as George Lucas: they both work well with supervision. Compare the Firefly comics with the series, so many things are just out of character and wrong in the comics, because Joss was unsupervised.

      Compare the old trilogy to the new: When George Lucas was doing the old trilogy, he was a young upstart with a niche artsy film to his name (American Graffiti). He was surrounded by people who weren't afraid to say "No, George, that's a stupid idea". Flash forward to the turn of the century, and you have George Lucas surrounded by sycophants saying "Yes, Mr. Lucas, sir! You're a visionary!"

      Joss Whedon's Star Wars would be a bigger disaster than three episodes about Jar Jar.

      --
      Admit it. You post strawman arguments as AC so you get modded Insightful for refuting them, rather than Troll
    6. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by Beardo+the+Bearded · · Score: 2

      Okay, that just made my day.

      --

      ---
      ECHELON is a government program to find words like bomb, jihad, plutonium, assassinate, and anarchy.
    7. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by ottothecow · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Let him rewrite the Zahn trilogy for screen and it might have a chance (but I doubt it will appeal to the kind of audience Disney wants...)

      There is so much star wars content (that has been blessed by way of licensing agreements) that takes place after the original trilogy that it seems like there would be no room to write anything original and not make it suck.

      --
      Bottles.
    8. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by lymond01 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Joss Whedon's Star Wars would be a bigger disaster than three episodes about Jar Jar.

      I disagree. Serenity made me feel like Star Wars all over again: fun, smart, adventurous, light-hearted, but also thoughtful. Joss aces that kind of stuff. See Avengers for details.

    9. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by morcego · · Score: 5, Informative

      No, Joss Whedon is the same as George Lucas: they both work well with supervision. Compare the Firefly comics with the series, so many things are just out of character and wrong in the comics, because Joss was unsupervised.

      I will have to dispute that, and submit Dr. Horrible and Much Ado as evidence. Joss Whedon was 100% unsupervised when doing those.

      --
      morcego
    10. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by aaronb1138 · · Score: 2

      It's really hard to pick a Mara Jade from that list you b*stard. On one hand, Glau has the grace to do some exceptional fight scenes. On the other hand, Dushku's voice and build are a superior match to the personality.

    11. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by fermion · · Score: 2
      This is may be a best case scenario. Whedon can write and direct and has been known to put a good scene on film. As much as everyone likes to say that Lucas can't really do anything, there are are some really good shots, and some passable dialog, in Star Wars. The opening shot of the ships, Luke looking over the desert, the first time we see Darth Vader, are all excellent. Lucas did define the technology we expect to see in a special effect film.

      That said the world has left Lucas behind, and it was one reason that the prequel was disappointing. What was acceptable in 1977 is simply not where we are in the 21st century. We know what technology can do, and just showboating technology does not a movie make. There are times when a little bit of fx can go far, and this is what Whedon can do as he worked on very tight budgets.

      But that still leaves a problem with episode 7-9 in that there is a lot out there that defines what happens after Jedi. One can do what they did in Star Trek and make anything outside the live action content non-cononical, but that risks making the biggest fans really unhappy as the books defined Star Wars for so long, and there can anything more than a cameo from the original stars would be likely to be problematic. Who own the right to the Skywalker kids?

      My impression was that the third set of three films was go be the rebuilding of the empire. Now we probably have a rebuilt empire, with one Skywalker-Solo child at the lead as a good Jedi, and another as the bad Sith. But this is pretty much episode 1-3, except with the no annoying child. What could be interesting is grand child who we actually see trained as Jedi and tormented by his duty to his parent, uncles, and aunts. After all, the Jedi training is supposed to be so great, but it has never really be fully explored.

      As an aside, I will remind people that anything with "A New Hope" or "Episode" in it is not the original Star Wars.

      --
      "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
    12. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by morcego · · Score: 2

      Seriously ? I would cast Dushku without blinking for that role. Or if we go outside the usual suspects, Jessica Alba.

      Glau is another one that would work great either as Empire or Bounty Hunter.

      --
      morcego
    13. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Are you sure you're not confusing Serenity (the movie) with Firefly (the series)?

      The series was great. The movie was one of those great disappointments, where you feel like some studio exec said, "OK, we know we aren't getting a sequel, so let's ignore the entire back story and personality of our characters, throw in loads of gratuitous SFX and action scenes, and focus on only one or two characters out of a great ensemble cast while reducing the others to supporting roles or tragic-fate-fodder."

      Whedon's done some good work in his time, but IMHO Serenity was a low point.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    14. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by Bobfrankly1 · · Score: 2

      Knowing the cast is easy :) Figuring out their roles, that is the trick. Anyone care to guess ?

      Felicia Day as .... Alexis Denisof as ... Summer Glau as ... Eliza Dushku as ... Fran Kranz as ...

      Already guessed at Nathan Fillion's role, and I'll jest at a few more:
      Felicia Day as Jar Jar Binks, finally making the character less hate-able.
      Summer Glau as Jaina Solo
      Eliza Dushku as Mara Jade

      Let the reviling commence...

    15. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by Bobfrankly1 · · Score: 3

      I really don't see NPH as Luke. But you know, Fran Kranz might work.

      Could have Alexis Denisof as Obi Wan Kenobi :)

      NPH should be someone from the empire.

      Douse him in blue, and he could be the most hilarious Thrawn ever conceived.

    16. Re:Joss Whedon's Star Wars by tepples · · Score: 2

      I am going to create the best and largest set of (wooden) actors that you will ever find.

      Bad omen. The last time Disney tried a wooden actor was Pinocchio (2002) starring Roberto Benigni. It flopped.

  7. Really ? by Ziest · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can't wait for "Star Wars on Ice"

    --
    Another day closer to redwood heaven
    1. Re:Really ? by i+kan+reed · · Score: 3

      Seems like a great opportunity for yet-another-rehash of the battle of hoth.

    2. Re:Really ? by SoVi3t · · Score: 2

      Marvel vs Capcom vs Disney MAKE IT HAPPEN

      --
      Defender of Microsoft and Communism!!!
    3. Re:Really ? by Beardo+the+Bearded · · Score: 2

      No, all life there was incinerated by the debris of the second Death Star.

      --

      ---
      ECHELON is a government program to find words like bomb, jihad, plutonium, assassinate, and anarchy.
    4. Re:Really ? by dinfinity · · Score: 2

      You assume that such a thing does not exist yet.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhRZSifQe98

      At least the Star Trek one is animated:
      http://www.mwmw.com/bbradley/SHG/geek/stream.html (warning: sound - and an eyesore in general)

  8. Episode V by Russ1642 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    He passed on the role of director to Irvin Kershner for the second film. He should have never returned to directing. Or casting. Or screenwriting.

    1. Re:Episode V by Anubis+IV · · Score: 2

      I'm tentatively hopeful that with it out of his hands, the next iteration may be slightly better than the previous. Tentatively.

    2. Re:Episode V by Bobfrankly1 · · Score: 2

      Garrus and Boba Fett standing next to each other as a thresher maw eats the sarlacc? Han Solo shuffling crews around to the broken mass relays? Joker and C-3PO duking it out for the affection of EDI?

      Your ideas are intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

      While I was referring strictly to the Star Wars games (noteably KOTOR), those words do paint some vivid pictures =D

  9. ILM/PIXAR/DISNEY by Holi · · Score: 4, Informative

    Seems fitting as Disney has already picked up a few of the older ILM guys when they acquired Pixar.

    --
    Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
  10. Because it worked so well before by Hatta · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Disney's acquisition of Pixar, Marvel, and the Muppets just worked out so well before. Although, they could hardly do worse than Lucas has.

    --
    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
    1. Re:Because it worked so well before by Squiddie · · Score: 2

      They will manage somehow.

    2. Re:Because it worked so well before by i+kan+reed · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Your post reads as intensely sardonic and sarcastic, but I've seen only one failing from post-disney pixar(cars 2), and the marvel productions have been pretty good. Am I misreading sarcasm?

    3. Re:Because it worked so well before by DontScotty · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yeah - Marvel was SUCH a bad buy for Disney, and horrible for Marvel...

      5/7/2010 Disney Iron Man 2 $128,122,480
      5/4/2012 Disney Marvel's The Avengers $207,438,708

    4. Re:Because it worked so well before by spire3661 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Pixar bought Disney, not the other way around. Steve Jobs' estate is the single largest Disney shareholder which he acquired by 'selling' Pixar.

      --
      Good-bye
    5. Re:Because it worked so well before by David_Hart · · Score: 4, Informative

      No, for PIXAR to have "bought" Disney, Jobs would have to have ended up with over 50% of Disney holdings. Instead, he received approximately 7% of Disney stock as part of the stock swap. While this did make him the single largest shareholder of Disney, he did not end up with enough stock to control the company. Two of the top institutional holders together (4% each) could easily outvote him (and now his estate).

      Then again, why let facts get in the way of a good story...

    6. Re:Because it worked so well before by houghi · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Are those the losses the Hollywood accountants came up with?

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    7. Re:Because it worked so well before by cant_get_a_good_nick · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Pixar reverse acquired Disney. Toy Story 3. About the best #3 movie you can get.

      Marvel, they're comic book movies. None are great, but have given them massive amounts of cash.

      Muppets, well, not a classic film, but they did give the film to a Muppet nut, and let him run his vision. I can't say he ruined anything. It had it's moments. Even won an Oscar, in an off category.

  11. Pixar + ILM by ScentCone · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Two shops full of the best brains working under the same virtual roof. Might be interesting. Especially if we get writing/direction from someone other than George. Love ya, George, but hopefully the only wooden acting we'll see from now on will by Woody The Cowboy.

    --
    Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    1. Re:Pixar + ILM by rritterson · · Score: 4, Interesting

      In a little bit of irony, Pixar was originally part of ILM -- 1/3 of the Computer Graphics division. 26 years later, the two companies are back under the same umbrella.

      --
      -Ryan
      AUWYHSTOT (Acronyms are Useless When You Have to Spell Them Out Too)
  12. Best hope now Mayan end of world event by RichMan · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ok I just flipped my opinion from "so what the Mayans are just issuing a calendar for the next year" to "oh noos signs of the apocalypse".

  13. Seriously? by tpjunkie · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Let the wailing and gnashing of teeth begin! Then again, it couldn't be worse than episodes 1 and 2.

    1. Re:Seriously? by MrFlibbs · · Score: 5, Funny

      Let the wailing and gnashing of teeth begin! Then again, it couldn't be worse than episodes 1 and 2.

      Oh yeah? Picture this: Luke Skywalker's son flying off to be trained in the ways of the force by an aging Jar-Jar Binks. After stopping on the way to pick up Chewbacca's son. On Life Day.

      Bet that's the scariest thought you'll have this Halloween.

  14. Lucas also said: by dreamchaser · · Score: 4, Funny

    "It's not my fault!"

    Personally, I have a bad feeling about this.

  15. If he had no other assets, Lucas is now the 91st richest man in America.

    I'd sell out for that too.

    --
    Your ad here. Ask me how!
  16. Could be worse.. by spiffmastercow · · Score: 5, Insightful

    At least Lucas won't be in charge anymore.

    1. Re:Could be worse.. by c · · Score: 3, Funny

      Two words: Uwe Boll

      --
      Log in or piss off.
  17. Re:Star Wars: Episode 7... by mschaffer · · Score: 4, Funny

    Star Wars VII: A New New Hope

  18. "Starting from -infinity, got nothing to lose" by DontScotty · · Score: 4, Funny

    It couldn't get any worse -

    Holy Conception for Anakin?

    Jedi's who are ruling the muther-phkin galaxy not realizing that one who will "bring balance to the force" would knock them down because at that time - it was out of balance - the GOOD side was winning!

    And, Greedo shooting first?

    These three things are a quick list to explain why an infant in a diaper scrawling on a wall with their own excrement could form a better Star Wars narrative than Lucas.

    1. Re:"Starting from -infinity, got nothing to lose" by Culture20 · · Score: 2

      Holy Conception for Anakin?

      Unholy, actually. Darth Plagueis created him from midiclorians, so he was intended to be a soulless bastard who would replace Sidious/Palpatine from the get-go. Palpatine recognized him for what he was after having already slain Plagueis and worked to corrupt him (it didn't take much pushing to make him slaughter innocents).

  19. Care I not by paiute · · Score: 3, Funny

    There is no try - there is only yawn.

    --
    If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
  20. Irony by Dan+East · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Back in 1979 Disney produced a film called "The Black Hole". As a 10 year old I actually really liked the movie when I saw it back in the early 80s (on the newly-created Disney Channel of course), but it was considered one of Disney's biggest movie flops. It was pretty much a blatant rip-off of Star Wars, and was certainly an attempt to try and cash in on the huge popularity of Star Wars. The film had all the basic pieces - spaceships, laser guns, "ESP" kind of extrasensory stuff going on (aka The Force), and of course Robots.

    So now, 33 years later, it looks like Disney finally got the real thing. The actual Star Wars franchise.

    On a different note, I can't help but wonder if Lucas is in poor health. He always hated Hollywood, and despised studios having any control over his creative process. So for him to sell his own film company, which he built from scratch, to a major studio goes against everything he's said and done for decades.

    --
    Better known as 318230.
    1. Re:Irony by darronb · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I have "The Black Hole", and watched as a kid too. To qualify as a blatant rip-off, I'd think the movies would have to be at least somewhat similar.

      While technically the common items you mention are present in both... they are extremely different in presentation. There MAY be points where running away from stormtroopers in the death star could be similar to running away from Max in that huge ship... I don't really see much in common here.

      Could "The Black Hole" be an attempt to capitalize on the interest in space Star Wars, etc created? Sure, it's possible. That doesn't make it a rip off. They're not remotely similar in feel at all.

      The Black Hole gave me nightmares as a little kid (Max's spinning blades killing that guy). I've always seen it as really dark almost-horror film. It's a crazy mad scientist makes killer robots and turns people into freakish automatons. That's a little different than a rough group of rebels fighting a galactic empire.

      Heck, Phantasm feels more like "The Black Hole" to me than Star Wars does. That may be the scarred little kid in me talking, though. ;)

  21. I'm Optimistic by seepho · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How can anyone not be pleased by this news? Any nerd I've ever interacted with had already written off any new Star Wars movies coming out of Lucasfilm. Even if the new movies are somehow worse than the prequel trilogy, it's not like we were expecting anything good. The only thing that could change my view of the franchise would be if Disney could breath some new life into it and make something worth watching.

    1. Re:I'm Optimistic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

      Well, the good thing is: George will stop messing with the original trilogy.
      The bad: If Disney feels like messing around with the films, the company will probably outlive George Lucas by many years.

      btw: Han shot first!

    2. Re:I'm Optimistic by seepho · · Score: 2

      I've always been of the mentality that no matter how many times Lucas messed with the old films, it didn't change how much I enjoyed the unmodified versions.

    3. Re:I'm Optimistic by jigamo · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Disney has confirmed plans for a new trilogy (Episodes 7-9), and the movies are currently in "early stage development." They're looking to release a movie every other year, with 2015, 2017, and 2019 as the current target dates.

      I'm personally rooting for expanding into some of Timothy Zahn's books as they move beyond those. I wonder how they'll treat the Extended Universe?

      --
      Save money on your cell phone bill: Republic Wireless
    4. Re:I'm Optimistic by mwvdlee · · Score: 2

      That's why Lucas made sure no new fans could ever purchase the unmodified version or enjoy those unmodified versions in hi-def.

      --
      Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
    5. Re:I'm Optimistic by XaXXon · · Score: 2

      There aren't any officially sanctioned original DVDs. The best you can get are the laserdiscs or LD rips of the standard definition version.

    6. Re:I'm Optimistic by ackthpt · · Score: 4, Funny

      Disney has confirmed plans for a new trilogy (Episodes 7-9), and the movies are currently in "early stage development." They're looking to release a movie every other year, with 2015, 2017, and 2019 as the current target dates.

      I'm personally rooting for expanding into some of Timothy Zahn's books as they move beyond those. I wonder how they'll treat the Extended Universe?

      Pirates of Coruscant

      Johnny Depp as Luke Skywalker - you heard it here first.

      First Sandy as a disaster, now this.

      --

      A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    7. Re:I'm Optimistic by asdf7890 · · Score: 5, Informative

      There are a couple of people/groups out there who are trying to take the highest quality versions and mix out all the changes. "Harmy's STAR WARS Despecialized Edition" is said to be the best by far at the moment - available on most moderately disreputable trackers.

    8. Re:I'm Optimistic by YukariHirai · · Score: 5, Informative

      Oh, yes there are. Or were, at least. They were "bonus discs" with one of the Special Edition DVD releases, but they were officially sanctioned DVDs of the original theatrical cuts. Episode IV was even just plain Star Wars in the opening text.

    9. Re:I'm Optimistic by MightyMartian · · Score: 3, Insightful

      There was a time, long ago, when Disney was a pretty innovative company, when its animation was state of the art and even its live action films were at least somewhat amusing. From Eisner onward it's been downhill.

      Mind you, the above could apply to Lucas as well.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    10. Re:I'm Optimistic by MightyMartian · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I think it more likely that the villains that run Disney will shut the whole expanded universe down. Lucas didn't mind it, because it kept Star Wars going while he was busy with other things. But Disney, they're going to capitalize the living fuck out of the whole thing, and that means anyone writing expanded universe material is likely going to meet a nice new gatekeeper, and watch out all you fanfic guys, Disney will tip you upside and down and shake you for whatever loose change you have.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    11. Re:I'm Optimistic by Doctor_Jest · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because it's fucking DISNEY. The reason the copyright extension act was called (more appropriately) the Mickey Mouse Protection Act. Disney puts their stupid movies in "the vault" after a short run on shelves. (Saving them for "a generation" or some other marketspeak nonsense)... They pretty much emptied the Public Domain like a hemophiliac hooker in Queens. They also have been one of the largest herpe-stained-pricks when it comes to copyright tomfoolery and outright thievery. They love DRM. The kind of DRM that makes Yoda say "shit, this is."

      Truth be told, we didn't NEED another Star Wars movie (not Indiana Jones either), and with a few glaring exceptions the Clone Wars TV series has been pretty good... I mean, they reboot Star Trek every few decades, why not let Disney yank their collective puds and splooge out some new restarted Star Wars "adventure" with fuzzy bunnies and fucking MUSICAL NUMBERS. They put fucking musical numbers in ALL their animation. Hell, they do it to live action!

      Mark my words.... Episode 7 will be all goddamned Ewoks. And Chewbacca will have a perm and PTSD from the final battle. Then we have to have the token black guy/chick... forget Billy Dee Williams. We're getting Will Smith or his bratty little kid. C3P0 will finally come out of the closet and admit he's been taking it up the exhaust pipe from IG-88 for years. R2D2 will be turned into a karaoke machine.... Luke will become a homeless religious nut while Han Solo and Leia will have 6 kids on galactic welfare... and the evil Ritt Momney will threaten to close the youth center Han and Leia run unless the duo can field a tiddlywinks team in time for the big tournament on Yaavin IV. Meanwhile, the Emperor's clones will become the universe's ugliest choir.

      Now I know the franchise is truly dead. Thank goodness I got it on Blu Ray before Disney got their slimy dickskinners on the franchise. Disney fucked the Muppets... (I believe they killed Henson because he was having second thoughts on the sale... ok, so I made that up... but Disney's fucking evil!)

      --
      It's the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.
    12. Re:I'm Optimistic by TWX · · Score: 5, Informative

      But they're matted widescreen Laserdisc rips. They're literally 4:3 ratio with the black bars at the top and bottom as part of the image itself. If you show them on a 16:9 screen you have to use the zoom feature to get the film to fit the width of the screen, which means that you are only using a very small portion of the 480 rows available in DVD format, as most of the image is spent on those useless black bars.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    13. Re:I'm Optimistic by robthebloke · · Score: 2

      The only thing that could change my view of the franchise would be if Disney could breath some new life into it and make something worth watching.

      Digby, the biggest dog on Tattoine..... ?

    14. Re:I'm Optimistic by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · · Score: 3, Insightful

      They're also home to pixar, now a days. Although John Lasseter is busy, I wouldn't mind if he took over the franchise. He's probably one of the best story tellers right now. Plus, pixar used to be part of LucasFilms so it would be a nice fit.

      --
      Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
    15. Re:I'm Optimistic by jader3rd · · Score: 2

      How can anyone not be pleased by this news?

      I can not be pleased by it if Disney stomps all over the Extended Universe. The only chance they have with me is if the sequels happen after Han, Leia and Luke are dead, or it's 30 years later and Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill hand off most of the movie to new actors playing Jaina Solo and Ben Skywalker.

    16. Re:I'm Optimistic by Doctor_Jest · · Score: 4, Funny

      I forgot to add...

      "Disney's JEDIS on ICE", "A Very Jedi Christmas", "Zack and Cody's Jedi Adventures", "Luke Skywalker: Jedi detective", "A Very Muppet Star Wars"... "Jabba's sweatin' to the Cantina Band"..... and my personal favorite... "Star Wars Holiday Special 2: Electric Boogaloo."

      This has disaster written all over it. Lucas' new squeeze must want more money. :)

      --
      It's the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.
    17. Re:I'm Optimistic by History's+Coming+To · · Score: 3, Funny

      Just you wait until they do another Christmas Special, then you'll be sorry.

      --
      Please consider this account deleted, I just can't be bothered with the spam anymore.
    18. Re:I'm Optimistic by ConceptJunkie · · Score: 2

      I know what you mean... Disney is to entertainment what Microsoft is to software, and yet almost everyone here sees this as something good.

      More consolidation in the media industry is NEVER good.

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
    19. Re:I'm Optimistic by Pseudonym · · Score: 2

      I know a lot of people were unhappy with Lucas, but I am a bit concerned at how much faith people are putting in Disney here.

      It's possible that those people didn't see what Disney did with The Muppets.

      --
      sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
    20. Re:I'm Optimistic by unitron · · Score: 2

      If they do them animated, Goofy could play Jar-Jar.

      Which Disney animated characters would you cast as which Star Wars characters?

      To bad it's not Warner Brothers. Tasmanian Devil as Chewbacca and Bugs as Han Solo.

      Bugs in drag as Leia.

      Darth Fudd

      --

      I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.

    21. Re:I'm Optimistic by Sark666 · · Score: 2

      Of course only for a limited time, before they go back in the vault...

    22. Re:I'm Optimistic by kamapuaa · · Score: 2

      The expanded universe wasn't fan-fiction, Lucas got payed for allowing the characters & the universe to be in the books.

      They're terrible drek and on some level I hope Disney does kill the license.

      But I hope they bring back C-3PO cereal.

      --
      Slashdot: providing anti-social weirdos a soapbox, since 1997.
    23. Re:I'm Optimistic by istartedi · · Score: 3, Funny

      available on most moderately disreputable trackers.

      You mean, available at most wretched hives of scum and villainy? OK, but you must be cautious.

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    24. Re:I'm Optimistic by Keen+Anthony · · Score: 4, Funny

      Hmm. Does this mean Princess Leia is now a Disney princess?

  22. Han Shoots First...Again? by mschaffer · · Score: 2

    What if...
    Disney would fix the crap Lucas changed in the first movies back to they way they were and re-made Episodes I to III (especially getting rid of the crap acting by the two young Anakin Skywalker actors).
    Then, maybe, I would see Episode VII.

  23. How about... by arctus · · Score: 2

    a re-imagining of the first three episodes (most recently made movies) that still haunt my every thought of a galaxy far away...

    As disturbing as it is to think what could happen to the franchise, its far less disturbing knowing that jaded old Mr. Lucas wont be behind it. Episodes I-III were a mockery of film making and I really have to agree with Plinkett .

    Thinking about it, I'm not even sure who I would trust to continue or re-imagine the series...maybe Peter Jackson?

  24. Re:What's the plot? by Mike+Buddha · · Score: 5, Funny

    Emperor is dead. Vader comes back from the Dark Side and also dies. Luke & Leia know they're siblings.

    Seriously, what's the plot going to be?

    Jar-Jar becomes a Jedi!

    --
    by Mike Buddha -- Someday the mountain might get him, but the law never will.
  25. Possibility of original edition Blu-rays? by JDG1980 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    So does this mean we might finally get high-definition releases of the original Star Wars films without all of Lucas's later alterations?

    1. Re:Possibility of original edition Blu-rays? by Pontiac · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes but only for a limited time before they go back into the Disney vault for a generation or until a new format comes out.! Buy the DVD/Blu-Ray/Digital copy super double Platinum edition today before it's gone!

      --
      If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur. --Red Adair
  26. Mickey Mouse and Luke Skywalker... by N0Man74 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Mickey Mouse and Luke Skywalker will both never leave copyright now. Ever.

    1. Re:Mickey Mouse and Luke Skywalker... by john.willis1 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Their journey to the Dark Side is Now complete..

  27. Copyright by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think the biggest problem with Disney getting their hands on Star Wars is the copyright issue. Lucas Film has always been really good about letting people parody Star Wars. There have been endless books, spoofs, homages and fan creations based around Star Wars. Disney is notorious for being dicks about, well everything, but definitely about copyright. If they take over Star Wars then I'm worried fan creations, spoofs and other expanded universe material will disappear under threat of legal action.

  28. THRAWN! by raaum · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Now that he's selling it, who cares what his original "vision" was for episodes 7 and beyond? Grand Admiral Thrawn is the obvious direction to take.

  29. Troll Level: Lucas by jollyreaper · · Score: 2

    http://theinternetaccordingtoadrian.tumblr.com/post/9940304385/george-lucas-wearing-a-han-shot-first-shirt

    That image pretty much sums it up. 4chan can suck his balls. Gentlemen, this is trolling.

    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  30. I know the subtitle... by dkf · · Score: 5, Funny

    Star Wars 7: The Search for More Money!

    --
    "Little does he know, but there is no 'I' in 'Idiot'!"
  31. Too bad he didn't decide to do this 14 years ago by neo-mkrey · · Score: 2

    Might have actually had some good prequels made. Oh, well, episodes 7,8,9 can't be any worse.

  32. I'm pessimistic! by plover · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For 35 years, George Lucas has permitted derivative fan-based works to thrive. He's a kid at heart who gains great personal pleasure from seeing so many people embrace his movies and characters.

    Disney, on the other hand, is one of the ringleaders of the MPAA, pushing for crap like the DMCA and most noticeably the insane copyright extensions. They're infamous for cracking down on anyone who so much as fingerpaints mouse-ears on a poster of Obama without first licensing said use of mouse-ears. Under a Disney regime, I expect to see any post that so much as mentions a "light saber" as takedown fodder.

    As far as extending the franchise, do you really want to watch "The Littlest Sith" or "Sleeping Jedi", or some other straight-to-DVD animated dreck?

    --
    John
    1. Re:I'm pessimistic! by seepho · · Score: 2

      As far as extending the franchise, do you really want to watch "The Littlest Sith" or "Sleeping Jedi", or some other straight-to-DVD animated dreck?

      No, but I didn't want to watch the new "Clone Wars" series, either. So I didn't.

    2. Re:I'm pessimistic! by MrNiceguy_KS · · Score: 5, Funny

      I have a bad feeling about this.

      --
      Redundancy is good And also good.
    3. Re:I'm pessimistic! by Applekid · · Score: 5, Funny

      The next trailer:

      Scene filled with mist, lamentful orchestration of A New Hope

      Narrator: A long time ago in a galaxy far away...

      Mist parts and slow zoom in towards a small hut village

      Narrator: It's just as hard being a kid as ever

      Scene changes to inside a dark, wooden hut. You see the back of a woman wearing a long dress, but not her arms or the back of her head.

      Mom: You had better eat all those vegitables!

      Scene changes to a shot of a table with an 8 year old furry kid sitting at it, trying to feed his space broccoli to his pet alien dog thing.

      Kid: Aw man!

      Mom: Corbin! How will you ever become a big strong Ewok?

      Narrator: Sometimes the world lines up against you...

      Scene set in a schoolhouse. Music stops

      Bully Ewok: You'll never amount to anything Corbutt!

      Narrator: And tries to FORCE it's will upon you

      Scene shot goes wider, and bully Ewok knocks the books out of Corbin's hand and all his fellow classmates point and laugh.

      Scene changes to a shot of Corbin on his bed playing with his pet alien.

      Corbin: I wish I could be a hero like uncle Skywalker...

      Pans to a framed picture portrait on his desk showing a pregnant Ewok standing and smiling next to Luke and Leia.

      Narrator: Until the littlest Ewok found his place in the universe

      Song changes to Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

      Scene changes to the forest, and a smaller, pinker version of Jar Jar Binks shows her head out from behind a tree.

      Car Car: Hi, meesah Car Car!

      Laughing while they run through the trees, splash in rivers, meet Chewbacca's kid, etc etc etc

      --
      More Twoson than Cupertino
    4. Re:I'm pessimistic! by mrbluze · · Score: 2

      For 35 years, George Lucas has permitted derivative fan-based works to thrive. He's a kid at heart who gains great personal pleasure from seeing so many people embrace his movies and characters.

      George Lucas permitted his Star Wars genre to be degraded into one with soap opera level plot and thinly veiled product placement at every turn once he embarked on episodes 1,2 and 3. He has made as much money as he possibly can from his success. That's not being a 'kid at heart', but a shrewd businessman. Star was episodes 4-6 (in descending order) are groundbreaking works, but he is no Asimov! Disney will make a Mattel Movie out of Star Wars, you've got that right!

      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    5. Re:I'm pessimistic! by deniable · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Iron Man v. Boba Fett is more likely.

    6. Re:I'm pessimistic! by jjp9999 · · Score: 2

      Speaking of which, George, we liked Boba Fett... until you made 10 million of them and stuffed them into a terrible, terrible film.

  33. buncha depraved mammon worshippers by Thud457 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Like they'll sell out more than Lucas?

    Disney, please stop raping our childhoods.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    1. Re:buncha depraved mammon worshippers by Belial6 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      In the same way that people who copy movies are 'Pirates', Disney is a 'child molester'.

  34. Re:Wow by niado · · Score: 2

    I always thought whomever inherited the rights to the franchise would make more movies after The Betrayer%^&%Creator died.

    Glad we won't have to wait that long, after all.

  35. Re:I hereby tag this event: by craigminah · · Score: 4, Funny

    Love the tag "noooooooo". I keep this URL handy at work, for emergencies: http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/

    Always makes me grin.

  36. Maybe Disney will re--release A New Hope, by jenningsthecat · · Score: 2

    ...and in THIS version Han and Greedo will sing songs from Pirates of Penzance together.

    --
    'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
  37. Re:Star Wars: Episode 7... by dcrisp · · Score: 2

    Star Wars VII: Still Hoping ?

  38. Please pleasepleasepleasePLEASE! by Thud457 · · Score: 2

    "Star Wars Hanukkah Special!"

    That Harvey Korman muppet was so lifelike!

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  39. Re:What's the plot? by alexander_686 · · Score: 2

    Google the image "Darth Darth Binks". Makes much more sense the being a Jedi.

  40. Oh, really? by overshoot · · Score: 2

    I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me

    ... and despite giving it my best try three times in a row, it just might.

    --
    Lacking <sarcasm> tags, /. substitutes moderation as "Troll."
  41. Two Words by ackthpt · · Score: 2

    Mickey Vader

    After Jar Jar it was only a matter of time.

    search your feelings, you know it to be true.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  42. ... and the mask comes off... by swschrad · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Walt, I am your father."

    --
    if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
  43. Re:Are we being trolled? by ackthpt · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is this a troll? Disney?

    It's the Frankentroll and what's worse, it's true.

    Episode 7: The Sandy Storms of Tatooine in theaters 2015, someone alert FEMA

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  44. Re:What's the plot? by CaptainStumpy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Phantom's visual effects supervisor Rob Coleman recently told a seminar that he brought his concerns to George Lucas, who told him that he had designed Jar Jar to appeal to small children. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0171197/news?year=1999 Now with the disney ties, jar jar will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!

    --
    It will be better to purchase from an owner who is a good farmer and a good builder.
  45. Did he really think about it? by SuperMooCow · · Score: 2

    Dot Matrix: Do you realize what you've done?
    George Lucas: Yes, and I'm glad. Glad, glad, glad, glad, glad.
    Dot Matrix: I wonder if he's glad.

  46. Secret of Monkey Island by alexander_686 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Does this mean we can get Secret of Monkey Island VI first?

  47. Re:Well this sucks by roc97007 · · Score: 2

    "Phantom's visual effects supervisor Rob Coleman recently told a seminar that he brought his concerns to George Lucas, who told him that he had designed Jar Jar to appeal to small children." http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0171197/news?year=1999

    Now with the disney ties, jar jar will become more crapier than you can possibly imagine!

    On the positive side, we don't have to watch it.

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  48. Re:Star Wars: Episode 7... by pwizard2 · · Score: 2

    Star Wars VII: We Need More Money

    --
    "It is a denial of justice not to stretch out a helping hand to the fallen; that is the common right of humanity."
  49. Let's do a re-boot of Episodes I through III. by Slutticus · · Score: 2

    Episode I: Directed by J.J. Abrams Episode II: Directed by Christopher Nolan Episode III: Directed by Guillermo del Toro

  50. Buy Spaceballs - The Movie(tm) by ae1294 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Can't we just get a spaceballs squeal instead? I mean.... episode 7? really? How many death stars could the empire afford?

  51. How about a re-boot of Episodes I through III? by Slutticus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Screw the later ones. Redo!
    Episode I: Directed by J.J. Abrams
    Episode II: Directed by Christopher Nolan
    Episode III: Directed by Guillermo del Toro

  52. comics licensees lose out... again by tverbeek · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Now watch Dark Horse Comics, which has had the Star Wars comics license for ages, producing some of the best "extended universe" material in the franchise, helping to maintain the fanbase during the dark time between RotJ and TPM... get screwed out of it, because Disney has its own comics publisher (Marvel). That's what happened with Boom Comics, which was developing a rather good line of comics featuring Disney-owned characters, but lost it when Disney bought Marvel. In both cases, good small independent publishers got screwed by The Mouse.

    --
    http://alternatives.rzero.com/
  53. Re:Romantic dialoge by Guspaz · · Score: 2

    Better cardboard than CG. You're talking about the sets, right? :P

  54. [cries] by kwiqsilver · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The child inside me that grew up watching the original trilogy, with a closet full of Kenner toys, just died...
    Episode VII will be a teeny-bopper musical staring The Jonas Brothers. On the plus side, that would still be better than Episode I.

  55. Re:What could possibly... by Guspaz · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I can even envision one of the teasers for the unmolested high def release.

    Simply show the most infamous scene, remastered in high def but otherwise unmodified from the theatrical release... with only one shot fired, as it should be. You end the teaser as the scene normally ends: Han flips the money at the bartender, says "Sorry about the mess", and the screen cuts to a simple date on a pure black background.

  56. May the Open Force be with you by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    How about we form an open-source space drama with open-source characters? Open-source projects usually have StarWars-like names anyhow. I was certain "Ogg Vorbis" was a StarWars character when I first heard it.

    Try this one out: R2buntu. Or Darth Vi-der vs. the Emoks.

  57. Geroge Lucas is a whore by Charliemopps · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Geroge Lucas is a whore and stole the entire concept of star wars from the Dune series. It's not even thinly veiled, and original drafts of the scripts even had the the princes smuggling "Aura spice" instead of weapons plans. The princess name in Dune was pronounced "a-leia" The producers of the Dune movie even tried to sue lucas for ripping off their costume ideas, which is rather clear he did when you compare the 2 films. The man hasn't had an orgional idea in his life, and the idea that he's now selling out to Disney, the originators of ripping off other peoples work and then repackaging and re-copyrighting it (Check with the brothers Grimm) is the ultimate in irony.

    1. Re:Geroge Lucas is a whore by MightyMartian · · Score: 2

      I know Frank Herbert claimed that Lucas has stolen a lot of ideas from Dune (the novel that is), which is, I suppose, where the accusation comes from. However, other than the fact that both feature a Galactic Empire and a hero with superhuman abilities, there's not a lot in common. Even the two Galactic Empires are as dissimilar as you can imagine; Dune's Galactic Empire basically Medieval/early Renaissance-styled monarchy based in no small part on the German states (or possibly the earlier Italian city states) of the Holy Roman Empire, and Star Wars' empire is based more on the 20th century military dictatorship.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  58. I wish for Irvin Kirshner now more than ever by landoltjp · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Empire Strikes Back was considered by many to be the best of the first three, due much to Irvin's abilities as a director. Shame that he's no longer with us to pick up the megaphone and bring some decency back to the franchise.

  59. 2.000.000.000 in CASH!? by allcoolnameswheretak · · Score: 4, Funny

    2 BILLION in cash? That must be a Calamari Cruiser full of bills! Don't these people have bank accounts? Whats the point of paying such a huge amount of money in cash? Does George intend to fill his house with money and perform some weirdo Scrooge McDuck impersonation?

  60. Re:The original were mediocre children's movies by freeweed · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Hate to break it to you, but they made children's movies long before Star Wars. And very few were remembered 35 years later. You may not personally like them, but they were a hell of a lot more than just "mediocre children's movies", for several generations.

    Hell, my 30-something parents (at the time) absolutely loved them and saw them several times in the original theatrical run. While that may be no big deal today, with adults regularly going to "children's" movies - 30 years ago it was COMPLETELY UNHEARD OF.

    The originals completely defined the movie-going experience in ways we still don't fully understand. Damn near every movie made since then owes something to Star Wars - whether it's in merchandising, blockbusting, hype, promotion, special effects, genre-openness, sequel anticipation, or just plain cool factor.

    --
    Endless arguments over trivial contradictions in books written by ignorant savages to explain thunder in the dark.
  61. I like where this is going by shiftless · · Score: 5, Funny

    Episode IV: Directed by Quentin Tarantino.

    "That's not a moon....that's a mother fuckin space station!"

  62. I blame the Presbyterian Church by circletimessquare · · Score: 2
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    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  63. No we didn't by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 2

    Bumbling Fett was a the baddies bumbling side-kick who as a plot device captures the hero through inexplicable means and then screws it up. Inexplicable bit, none of the Imperials asked WHY Boobie Fett wanted to be left behind drifting in space with the rest of their carbage? A smuggler has no detector for noticing another craft suddenly powering up at close range?

    The extended universe made "killed in seconds by a blind smuggler" Fett into somekind of unstoppable killing machine... the same extended universe that turned action adventure into 30 something soap.

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.