Star Wars VII-IX, what do you think?

[Unorthodox]

I always think every story is about the villain, though. 

Even back then.

They're all piss poor movies if you focus on the (often one dimensional) 'heroes'. 

Especially in the radio drama.  Vader kicks so much more ass in the radio drama.  Despite not having THE VOICE. Should have never cut the torture scene.

[Buster's Uncle]

http://www.polygon.com/2014/4/25/5653858/star-wars-expanded-universe-lucasfilm-story-group

Star Wars' Expanded Universe 'unified' by Lucasfilm to create 'consistent' story
By Dave Tach on Apr 25, 2014 at 5:30p @dptach

The Star Wars Expanded Universe: Past, Present, and Future

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy formed a "story group" that will oversee the Star Wars franchise's creative development spanning games, TV, films and more, according to a post today on the saga's official site.

The space opera's story began in 1977 with the release of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Since then, Star Wars expanded to comics, novels, television shows, video games and more. The newly formed group will be responsible for overseeing universe's future, which will continue expanding with the upcoming Star Wars Rebels animated TV series and the Episodes VII-IX films, across various types of media.

The Lucasfilm story group's position is that the films and the animated Clone Wars series serve as the universe's canon, which it will oversee going forward.

"We have an unprecedented slate of new Star Wars entertainment on the horizon," Kennedy said. "We're set to bring Star Wars back to the big screen, and continue the adventure through games, books, comics and new formats that are just emerging. This future of interconnected storytelling will allow fans to explore this galaxy in deeper ways than ever before."

The state of the Star Wars universe as it developed before the third trilogy was announced, however, needed to be addressed. Many tales set in the Star Wars universe took place after Return of the Jedi, the last chronological, canonical entry in the series. Those stories, which have become known as the Expanded Universe, will still exist but be referred to under the "Legends" title. According to the YouTube description of a video released alongside the announcement, the former EU content will be "unified like never before," while the story group will codify the upcoming narrative to be "consistent and cohesive" across mediums like comics, novels and video games.

Disney announced its $4 billion acquisition of Lucasfilm in October, 2012. By April 2013, Disney revealed that it was closing LucasArts, Lucasfilm's long-running video game subsidiary. The following month, Disney and Electronic Arts announced an exclusive, multi-year licensing agreement for the company to publish Star Wars games by BioWare, EA DICE and Visceral games. Earlier this month, Visceral vice president and general manager Steve Papoutsis announced that former Naughty Dog creative director Amy Hennig joined the studio as creative director for the studio's upcoming, unannounced Star Wars game.

For more on LucasArts, be sure to read our coverage of a GDC 2014 panel in which former employees looked back on the studio, whose credits include the Monkey Island series and various Star Wars games, including Star Wars 1313. You can watch the video above to hear the team at Lucasfilm discuss the future of Star Wars.

...

I understand that means almost the entire EU is officially thrown out.

[Unorthodox]

Yep...Those books Lucas approved have just been officially tossed by Disney.  No other way they really could have gone, honestly.  Their hands would have been VERY tied if they'd tried to make sense of the books with anything they were going to do unless they threw it WAY out into the future.  (which wouldn't be a BAD idea, mind you)

I still have a slew of the old comics, and they don't make a lot of sense, but who cares? 

Slightly curious they didn't lump the official video games in with the animated series.  There was some real crap in the animated series, but also a lot of stuff that showed what COULD have been with the movies...

[Buster's Uncle]

Well you know, there was a sign of integrity there on Lucas' part - I'm sure that the reason he didn't make 7 and so forth when it was the original plan was that the EU painted him into a corner, and ignoring EU would have been going back on his word about cannon.

Sell the company and it's someone else's problem, and he might get to watch some new Star Wars, to boot.

[Valka]

Meh. As far as I'm concerned, Star Wars consists of three movies that came out starting in 1977, and are the originals. before Lucas started messing around with them. Everything else is extra, of greater or lesser quality.

[Buster's Uncle]

The whole thing lost its way a long time ago, that's for sure.

FUN!  ADVENTURE!

[Valka]

The problems started when it began to take itself seriously.

[Buster's Uncle]

EXactly.

[Buster's Uncle]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2014/04/29/star-wars-episode-vii-movie-cast-announcement/8462477/

Ford, Fisher, Hamill join newcomers in 'Star Wars' cast
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY 2:24 p.m. EDT April 29, 2014



Disney announced the cast of "Star Wars: Episode VII" on April 29. The list includes the original Luke, Leia and Han as well as a few new faces. Here, director J.J. Abrams, center, meets with the cast, including Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker.



Adam Driver, perhaps best known for his part on HBO's "Girls," will be joining the cast.



The cast will include Oscar Isaac, who starred in last fall's "Inside Llewyn Davis" alongside Driver.



Andy Serkis is perhaps best known for his motion-capture characters: Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings" and "Hobbit" movies and Caeser the ape in the recent "Planet of the Apes" movies.



Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson previously appeared as Bill Weasley in the final two "Harry Potter" films.



The cast will also include veteran actor Max von Sydow, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2012 for "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."



British actor John Boyega has already battled aliens in the 2011 film "Attack the Block."



Daisy Ridley is a relatively unknown actress. She has only seven credits on her IMDB profile. She's probably about to get a lot more famous.



Favorites from the original trilogy will also be a part of the new sequels, including Han Solo himself, Harrison Ford.



Carrie Fisher will be back as Princess Leia.



Mark Hamill will reprise his role as Luke Skywalker.



Anthony Daniels has played droid C-3PO in all six "Star Wars" movies so far and will be back for another.



C-3PO's constant companion, R2-D2 will be in the sequel, played by original actor Kenny Baker.



Peter Mayhew will return as the furry wookiee, Chewbacca.



Disney announced the cast of "Star Wars: Episode VII" on April 29. The list includes the original Luke, Leia and Han as well as a few new faces. Here, director J.J. Abrams, center, meets with the cast, including Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker.(Photo: Lucasfilm)



Han, Luke and Leia are back, and they're bringing company.

Original Star Wars stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher officially returned to George Lucas' galaxy far, far away with an official announcement from Lucasfilm and Disney on Tuesday.

The three actors, plus returning actors Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker, are part of the large cast of the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII movie, which will also feature John Boyega (Attack the Block), relative newcomer Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson (About Time) and Max von Sydow. They begin filming in London next month.

"We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII," says director J.J. Abrams. "It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."

Ford, Hamill and Fisher have been rumored to reprise their roles as lovable rogue Han Solo, Jedi master Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, respectively, for a while now, and presumably Daniels and Baker are returning as droids C-3PO and R2D2 (who were also a part of the prequel trilogy) and Mayhew as Chewbacca.

John Williams will also be returning as the Episode VII composer, filling the same musical role he's had since 1977's original Star Wars.

Reports have mentioned Driver as a possible villain in the new movie, and von Sydow — who played tyrannical Ming the Merciless in the 1980 Flash Gordon movie — may be joining him. Also of note: After being a part of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, Serkis joins yet another geek-loved franchise.

Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan wrote the screenplay for Episode VII, which is being produced by Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and Bryan Burk and is slated to hit theaters Dec. 18, 2015.

Max Von Sydow is the best possible news, aside from if Jar Jar Abrams went away.  Von Sydow will polish the turd they hand him until it shines, no matter what the part.

So long Admiral Thrawn, Mara Jade, et al...

[Rusty Edge]

Max! Emperor Ming the Merciless!

Or don't you acknowledge that one, either?

[Buster's Uncle]

I acknowledge the LIVING BADWORD out of Flash Gordon (1980).

Flash Gordon By Queen

  :win:

Crank it up LOUD!

[Valka]

I remember Max von Sydow as Liet-Kynes in the 1984 Dune movie. He also played Jesus, if I recall correctly.

Yikes, Mark Hamill has not aged well. 

[Buster's Uncle]

Every word true.

[Unorthodox]

I've seen that girl in a horror short I believe.  VERY english accent, IIRC. 


Not really a lot to get excited about there, is it?  When 1-3 were coming out, you had people BEGGING to be part of it...

[Buster's Uncle]

Daisy Ridley looks like Natalie Portman, which is probably not a casting coincidence.

And make no mistake; Von Sydow will rock.  Other than that, yes, meh.