** Star Wars Episode VII - SPOILERS WITHIN **

[JBod]

So they killed off the Expanded universe and made it non canon, allowing them to re-write and pump out a whole new history

http://starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page.html

Mara Jade never happened

Not particularly surprising.

 

[dannyjo22]

The majority of people would not have read these books. Its no big deal.

It's a big deal to those of us (more than you would think) that have invested the last 20+ years on those stories with them telling us they were canon and had a panel set up to keep everything canon.

But I do understand why they have done it, there were few gaps left to fill from the skywalker story except Lukes death. So other than making those stories into films they were screwed so had to start again.

I do hope they write a character as excellent as Anakin Solo and the Vong battles. It was so refreshing from the usual rebel v empire.

 

[JBod]

It's a big deal to those of us (more than you would think) that have invested the last 20+ years on those stories with them telling us they were canon and had a panel set up to keep everything canon.

But I do understand why they have done it, there were few gaps left to fill from the skywalker story except Lukes death. So other than making those stories into films they were screwed so had to start again.

I do hope they write a character as excellent as Anakin Solo and the Vong battles. It was so refreshing from the usual rebel v empire.

I thought they were never canon as they were not written by Lucas. Wasn't there some agreement where he allowed it blah blah?

 

[Glaucus]

Disappointing and interesting as most of the EU is far far far better than the films.

 

[_Jimlad_]

Disney have a whole host of films and spin offs coming. In surprised really. But I can see how readers would be angered.

 

[dannyjo22]

I thought they were never canon as they were not written by Lucas. Wasn't there some agreement where he allowed it blah blah?

No they were set up as canon, it explains it in one of the ends of the books. They had a council that checked continuity and it had to fit as canon but any time Lucas wished he could scrap it or make changes.

Like when they ran Anakin Solo past him, Anakin was awesome but Lucas made them kill him so people didn't get confused (as if) with the Anakin from Phantom Menace. So they had to kill Anakin off and then have Jacen Solo follow the story that was laid out for Anakin.

Or when they killed Chewie, it explained that the only character than they were never allowed to kill was Luke, only Lucas could determine Lukes death. I imagine that's still true.

 

[dannyjo22]

Disappointing and interesting as most of the EU is far far far better than the films.

Yeah, I'm not angry just saddened that some of the best characters to come from Star Wars is in the EU.

I invested a lot of time in it but I fully understand why they had no choice if they didn't just want to make the thrawn trilogy etc.

I have been watching the Clone Wars cartoons recently which will be canon and it's laughable that it is. Asoka, Anakins padawan who never turns up at all in the films and Clone Wars cartoons ends with no explanation what happens to her. You just know she will turn up in the new films.

It seems like all the stuff before Phantom they are taking as Canon but after is being re-written.

 

[Efour]

You just know she will turn up in the new films.

good

 

[Destination]

I thought they were never canon as they were not written by Lucas. Wasn't there some agreement where he allowed it blah blah?

IF he made money, he allowed anything Jar Jar.
That was the only concept behind star wars after the original episode IV, then it became money spinning.
When he saw what happened with a good story in epsidoe V, where it went more lifelike, darker, better, but less marketable, he quickly changed course, tacked out VI drivel.
Then made the prequels along the lines of 'How much?'

Now he sold the franchise for another 'How much?'
Hopefully they can take it in a better direction.
Cannon mean nothing to Lucas. Nothing at all at any stage.
And if he happened to write it, it just meant it was terrible.

 

[robgmun]

good

She'd be pretty damn old if so! She would have already been 36 by A New Hope and these new films are set 70 odd years after?

 

[dannyjo22]

I don't think they are 70 years after? That would make Luke nearly 90 and Han nearly 100.

 

[ElliorR]

It's going to be **** isn't it?

 

[Destination]

It's going to be **** isn't it?

I do hope not.
Disney have a habit of making bloody good films.
As long as they don't let Lucas have too much to do with it, we should hopefully be okay.
Yes there will be marketing, yes it might be aimed at a younger audience, but even then I am not convinced that will make it a bad film.

They recently made Frozen, a musical, a kid's film, a kid's musical.... yet it is excellent.

I have high hopes, as long as they don't rely on George for creative influences.
Episodes 1 2 3 were utter twadlle, as was episode 6. Rewatch 3 now, the 'best' of the new bunch, and each scene is woefully poor.
Bad script, good actors being badly directed, and CGI messing up the whole screen regularly.
They simply cannot do any worse.

 

[aardvark]

i disagree that jedi was twaddle - sure it had the ewoks, but there was a lot of really good stuff in there. Frankly the prequels make jedi look like citizen kane.

 

[_Jimlad_]

Is it not out in 12 months ? Surprised not been more. Confirmed news.

 

[Loosecannon]

Is it not out in 12 months ? Surprised not been more. Confirmed news.

18+ months. December 2015.

 

[_Jimlad_]

ok fair do's

 

[dannyjo22]

Episodes 1 2 3 were utter twadlle, as was episode 6. Rewatch 3 now, the 'best' of the new bunch, and each scene is woefully poor.
Bad script, good actors being badly directed, and CGI messing up the whole screen regularly..

I used to be of that opinion, but watching the old ones more and more these days having a 4 year old son has removed the blinkers I had because of childhood nostalgia. The originals are poorly acted, bad lines and a pretty poor storyline. Much of which is ripped very nicely by the family guy **** takes.

I find empire dull these days. Again seeing my son and nephews take in these films for the first time they all prefer the prequels. Don't get me wrong parts of AOC especially are enough to make you want to cry and the interaction between Padame and Anakin is dreadful yet all the action with the Jedi is far better, a far better visualisation of what a Jedi fighting should be. Rather than two old guys being told to hit each other with broomsticks.

For that reason I would have rather they remade new hope onwards, too see properly how powerful Vader was and Luke.

You could go on forever picking holes in the prequels and originals but these films where made for a next generation of kids and when the option comes up to choose one my son goes for Revenge of the Sith before any of the originals and if he picks an original it's ROTJ. If I'm honest the fight with Obi wan at the end of Sith is my favourite from all six films. If only the end of Jedi had been more epic.

(I wonder if the shoehorn Maul into the new ones?)

Boba Fett died in ROTJ but lived in the expanded universe so interesting to see what they do there. One thing for sure wookiepedia needs a huge overhaul

 

[aardvark]

I find empire dull these days. Again seeing my son and nephews take in these films for the first time they all prefer the prequels. Don't get me wrong parts of AOC especially are enough to make you want to cry and the interaction between Padame and Anakin is dreadful yet all the action with the Jedi is far better, a far better visualisation of what a Jedi fighting should be. Rather than two old guys being told to hit each other with broomsticks.

i couldn't disagree more strongly.
I hate the action in the new films - its so plastic and fake. All style and no substance, no emotional impact at all. The fights in the originals are supposed to be slow, like knights fighting with old swords, all the time knowing that one slight mistake and they are dead - that makes it real - that one scene in a new hope between vader and obi wan has more tension and emotional impact than every scene in the prequels combined.
All the prancing about and twirling and somersaults in the new films is just awful.

 

[dannyjo22]

i couldn't disagree more strongly.
I hate the action in the new films - its so plastic and fake. All style and no substance, no emotional impact at all. The fights in the originals are supposed to be slow, like knights fighting with old swords, all the time knowing that one slight mistake and they are dead - that makes it real - that one scene in a new hope between vader and obi wan has more tension and emotional impact than every scene in the prequels combined.
All the prancing about and twirling and somersaults in the new films is just awful.

Yes because Obi wan doing a 360 in new hope at 1mph while facing Vader was a supremely clever and elegant move There were supposed to be masters of the force, not two old guys on strictly come dancing.

They are not supposed to be slow old plodding knights wielding a 100lb sword they are supposed to be masters of the force that can fight while hurling things at each other. The ONLY reason there was any tension in the original fights is because you didn't know what would happen when you watched them in 1980.