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Star Wars Episode VII is an upcoming sequel to Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi with an anticipated release date of 2015. It will be the first Star Wars film produced following George Lucas' retirement from Lucasfilm, the third film not directed by Lucas and the first Star Wars film distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is intended to be the first film in a planned sequel trilogy with subsequent installments released two to three years apart.

Development

Plans for Episode VII date back to the 1970s. Following the success of the first Star Wars film in 1977, George Lucas expanded his plans for the Star Wars saga to include three trilogies rather than two. However, after completing the original trilogy and prequel trilogy, Lucas revealed that he had no detailed plans for a sequel trilogy and lacked enthusiasm for completing it himself. Negative fan reactions to the prequels contributed to this lack of interest. Even Dan Rather, former U.S. news anchor for the CBS Evening News, joked in 1999: "I have to get to the multiplex to see Star Wars Episode VII: There's Something About Anakin."

In early May 2002, just before the worldwide release of Episode II: Attack of the Clones and while Lucas was working on the script for Episode III, rumors of Star Wars episodes VII, VIII and IX were posted on the Internet. In reply, Lucas noted that there would be no Star Wars Episodes VII, VIII and IX since the time feels right to move on:

"I am going to do my own movies. I have got some ideas but they are the kind of movies that aren't going to be popular, they're not going to be successful in terms of financing. I have managed to get a fund by doing these (blockbuster) movies that allows me the creative freedom to do things that may never see the light of day -- or if they do get distributed they will be on a very limited basis because they are not mass entertainment movies. There are a lot of things I still want to do. I want to do a TV show, some TV movies, mostly they will be historical in nature."

Lucas also noted "Ultimately, the saga will be six films, a 12-hour story. Then people can watch all six films together as they were intended to be seen."

A little over two years later, in September 2004, Lucas squashed rumors that the 2005 release of Episode III would be followed by additional sequels: "There is no VII, VIII, IX. There never has been. ... The story was originally intended to be IV, V, and VI. But I had a back story which I found fascinating, and now you've got the full story from beginning to end. There really isn't any more." Despite this, the Chicago Tribune's entitled a May 2005 summary of American film critic Gene Siskel's Star Wars review, Star Wars Episode VII. A month later, franchise producer Rick McCallum confirmed that Lucas would not be making Episodes VII, VIII, and IX.

In July 2008, Lucas explained the logical difficulties of making a Star Wars Episode VII:

"The story, the saga, of Star Wars, -- which is the Skywalker saga or the tragedy of Darth Vader -- starts with him being 10 years old. It ends when he dies. Luke's role in that story is the fact that he redeems his father, but that is the story. There is no more story after that. What happens to Luke after that, it isn't relevant to the story of what happens to Darth Vader because he's gone."

Even as late as January 2012, Lucas continue to assert that there would be no Episode VII. In an appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Lucas stated that the aerial combat footage in his 2012 American war film Red Tails "is as close as you’ll get to Episode VII." Nine months later, when the October 2012 US $4.05 billion purchase of Lucasfilm by Disney was announced, USA Today reporter Marco R. della Cava announced that Disney would be releasing Star Wars Episode VII in 2015. Disney chief executive and chairman Bob Iger told the Financial Times that the deal would slightly reduce returns to shareholders over the next two years, but that it would become profitable for them in 2015, once Episode VII is released.

As Lucas took steps to retire from Lucasfilm in 2012, he experienced a change of heart, noting, "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers." Lucas revealed plans to film Episodes VII, VIII, and IX to series stars Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher in August 2012 in confidence. At that time, he indicated that he would not direct the films and that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy would produce. He did not discuss Fisher and Hamill's involvement in the production. The production of Episode VII was announced by The Walt Disney Company on October 30, 2012. The announcement was made in a press release along with news of the acquisition of Lucasfilm for US$4.05 billion in stock and cash.

Cast and crew

As of 2012, the film is in "early-stage development" with an anticipated release date of 2015. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy will serve as executive producer of the film, and Lucas will serve as creative consultant.

Plot

Neither Lucas nor Disney revealed any details of the plot at the film's announcement. It is expected to be an original story, and not directly based on the various novels, graphic novels, or other materials that cover the same time peiod. As part of the purchase, Disney received an "extensive story treatment" by Lucas. In a video interview that was part of the purchase announcement, Kennedy stated that she and Lucas had already met with writers to discuss the film script.

Lucas biographer Dale Pollock, who had read the original twelve stories written by Lucas, noted that the new episodes would involve character Luke Skywalker in his 30s or 40s. In an interview, Pollock stated that "the three most exciting stories were 7, 8 and 9. They had propulsive action, really interesting new worlds, new characters. I remember thinking, 'I want to see these 3 movies.'" Pollock expects the screenplays to follow the treatments written by Lucas.

Star Wars Thrawn Trilogy author Timothy Zahn had been briefed by Lucas on his plans for the various Star Wars trilogies during discussions of the Thrawn trilogy writing. After the Disney announcement, Zahn's trilogy had been speculated as the basis for the new trilogies, but Zahn stated that the Thrawn trilogy would fall into the gap between Episode VI and Episode VII. The third film trilogy would involve Luke's children, as each of the three trilogies would involve different generations of the Skywalkers. Zahn also discussed the speculation about any conflict between the films and the Expanded Universe, stating that the “The books were always just the books.” The Thrawn trilogy did introduce things that were used in later Star Wars books and the later Lucas Star Wars movies, indicating Lucas “has been keeping a close eye on what has been done”.

See also

Template:Misplaced Pages books

• Film portal

References

1. ^ Rinzler, J.W. "The Long, Winding, and Shapeshifting Trail to Episodes VII, VIII & IX". StarWars.com. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
2. Curtis, Bryan (January 17, 2012). "George Lucas Is Ready to Roll the Credits". nytimes.com. Retrieved September 9, 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
3. Dan Rather (March 21, 1999). "There's something about the Academy Awards". Houston Chronicle. p. 6. Retrieved November 4, 2012. {{cite news}}: |section= ignored (help)
4. ^ Darrell Giles (May 11, 2002). "Beyond Star Wars". The Mercury (Hobart). p. 40. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); |section= ignored (help)
5. Marc Schwarz (September 27, 2004). "The Scoop". The Record (Bergen County). Retrieved November 4, 2012.
6. Gene Siskel (May 20, 2005). "Star Wars Episode VII". Chicago Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved November 4, 2012. {{cite news}}: |section= ignored (help)
7. Shogo Hagiwara (June 23, 2005). "For 'Episode III' release, Japan seems far, far away". Daily Yomiuri. p. 17. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
8. "ask the man". Herald Sun. July 31, 2008. p. 53. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); |section= ignored (help)
9. Roger Ebert (January 20, 2012). "Adventure bails out on history". Chicago Sun Times. p. 1. Retrieved November 4, 2012. {{cite news}}: |section= ignored (help)
10. Marco R. della Cava (October 30, 2012). "'Possibilities are endless' for Lucasfilm". USA Today. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
11. Matthew Garrahan (October 30, 2012). "Disney and Star Wars join forces" ((registration required)). Financial Times. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
12. ^ Ciepley, Michael (October 30, 2012). "Disney Buying Lucasfilm for $4 Billion". New York Times. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
13. Rottenberg, Josh (October 31, 2012). "Mark Hamill weighs in on the future of 'Star Wars' -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
14. ^ Pomerantz, Dorothy (October 30, 2012). "Disney Planning New 'Star Wars' Movie With Lucasfilm Purchase". Forbes. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
15. "New Star Wars Movies Announced as Disney Enters Agreement to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd". StarWars.com. StarWars.com. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
16. Associated Press. "Disney buying 'Star Wars' maker Lucasfilm for $4.05B". FOX News. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
17. Cowley, Stacey (October 30, 2012). "Disney to buy Lucasfilm for $4 billion". CNN. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
18. Gornstein, Leslie (October 30, 2012). "Star Wars 7 Plot Will Be "an Original Story," Says Lucasfilm Source". E! Online. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
19. Chitwood, Adam (October 30, 2012). "George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy Talk the Future of STAR WARS; Reveal They've Already Met with Writers for EPISODE VII". Collider.com. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
20. ^ Waxman, Sharon (October 30, 2012). "'Star Wars' 7, 8 and 9 Are 'The Most Exciting,' Says George Lucas Biographer (Exclusive)". The Wrap. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
21. ^ Breznican, Anthony (November 2, 2012). "'Star Wars' sequel author Timothy Zahn weighs in on new movie plans -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 3, 2012.

External links

• Star Wars: The Force Awakens at IMDb
• Star Wars Episode VII on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki

• Films distributed by Disney
• Lucasfilm films
• Sequel films
• Star Wars episodes
• Upcoming films