Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[Beast]

Originally Posted by rickah88

What about getting the earlier Clone Wars cartoon on BD! That seems right up Disney's alley!

I doubt it'll happen. They've been buried in the bad Non-Canon vaults just like the Star Wars Holiday Special.

That's why they're out of print on DVD and haven't been reissued. Same with never getting full Ewoks or Droids releases.

They're really not that great anyway. Anything important from them like the invasion of Coruscant will likely be retold in Clone Wars.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Beast

I doubt it'll happen. They've been buried in the bad Non-Canon vaults just like the Star Wars Holiday Special.

That's why they're out of print on DVD and haven't been reissued. Same with never getting full Ewoks or Droids releases.

What better time to change that policy and start earning some of that 4.05 billion back!

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

Originally Posted by AmrlKJaneway

It's all the costume. He looks cool, so people wanted to know more about him.

You never had a Boba Fett action figure?

Nope. In fact, I don't think I ever had any Star Wars related figures.

Originally Posted by BouCoupDinkyDau

The armor just looks cool.
He's enigmatic (well, until Clones gave him the ho-hum backstory).
And he talked back to Vader without getting killed in the process.

That's why people (including me) liked him. Everybody likes the badass.

I don't really care about him anymore though since he's been watered down and his voice replaced with TM's mindless babbling into a mic. All the menace and mystery is gone.

I could see him spun off, being an antihero of sorts. Very similar to the countless superhero movies we have today. Someone with a Mad Max loaner attitude.

Honestly, I never found his armour to be that interesting. Just...there. Hell, I think Robot Chicken nailed perfectly how the fans would generally react to anything Boba Fett related. It's even worse for Boba when he had to debut in that animated segment of the Holiday Special, so year, not really a good start in general.

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

So absolutely wrong.

Really? How do you know?

I'm not quite sure how else it could come across - if he'd have wanted their directorial talents to shine through completely, he would have eased off with his own style and let them do their thing. There's no denying he was such a creative influence on set for each of them - all three practically feel the same as one another, tonally and thematically.

Either Lucas really did direct some scenes -- which he has said he did -- and was the main creative force, or he chose directors who were so similar to him that he knew they'd keep it similar to the first.

[beckmen]

Originally Posted by NoFro

People keep throwing JJ Abrams name out there as a potential candidate for directing. I want them to stop.

Star Trek (2009) was basically a Star Wars movie, and the man even admits as much. It's natural for him to be in the running.

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

That's what I'm thinking, too. A lot of people are throwing out obvious big-time directors that have had recent hits (J.J Abrahms, Christopher Nolan, Spielberg, Joss Whedon etc.) but sometimes great movies come out unexpectedly from lesser known directors or younger, newer talent.

In that case...I am free for the next decade or so. Somebody inform Disney!

[igloo1212]

Disney THX DTS-HDMA. Enough said Disney will rule the audio industry in theater and in blu-ray

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by beckmen

In that case...I am free for the next decade or so. Somebody inform Disney!

We should start a list of all members who hope to make it into the film industry and want to have a crack at directing a Star Wars film...maybe Disney would look on here and find us!

[BLUEGRASS]

Don't know if this has been posted yet...

Ready for the first wrinkle in the Disney-Lucasfilm deal?

While Disney will own and release future films in the "Star Wars" series, the deal does NOT include the distribution rights to the pre-existing "Star Wars" films.

Those rights remain with 20th Century Fox. In fact, Fox owns distribution rights to the original 1977 "Star Wars" film in perpetuity in all media worldwide.

It also has theatrical, nontheatrical and home video rights worldwide to the other five films in the series through May 2020.

This means Disney can't issue a 'complete saga' set unless a deal with Fox is made. It also means fan hopes for quality Blu-ray editions of the theatrical cuts of the original trilogy are highly unlikely.

Fox also plans to still re-release the 3D versions of "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" next Fall.

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by BLUEGRASS

Don't know if this has been posted yet...

It's been kind of discussed but, like that article, purely in speculative terms; I can't see Fox agreeing to a deal like that unless Disney offer some serious cash and, with just spending $4 billion on Lucasfilm and knowing that, even with releasing an unaltered boxset*, they might not make that much back from it, I just don't think they can do it at the moment.

Besides, that's on the basis that Fox would agree...they probably wouldn't, even with a cool few million on the table.

* I want to make the point that, although releasing an unaltered trilogy would make them some money, it would only be in the major hardcore SW fan circles and around them that bought it. The average moviegoer who likes SW but isn't a huge fan won't spend money on something that claims to be the original vision because they won't care too much.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

Really? How do you know?

I'm not quite sure how else it could come across - if he'd have wanted their directorial talents to shine through completely, he would have eased off with his own style and let them do their thing.

Go watch Empire again. Kirschner's style deviates substantially from Lucas' simplistic establishing shot-medium shot-close up-close up-wide shot-style. I remember watching Episode III during the "Order 66" sequence, and sitting up more in my chair because Lucas was actually moving the camera and using visual storytelling (camera trackng down to the feet of Clone Troopers suddenly stopping, etc.). I thought, wow, Lucas showed up for this -- then I found out the sequence was ghost-directed by Steven Spielberg.

There's no denying he was such a creative influence on set for each of them - all three practically feel the same as one another, tonally and thematically.

Wildly disagree. Star Wars is raw, Empire is intuitive, Jedi is safe and commercial.

Either Lucas really did direct some scenes -- which he has said he did -- and was the main creative force, or he chose directors who were so similar to him that he knew they'd keep it similar to the first.

a) Lucas was the main creative force. He was also smart enough to hire Gary Kurtz and Lawrence Kasdan.
b) The first Star Wars was saved in the editing room. Go watch that old "Empire of Dreams" doc on the DVD set. Rough cut looked a whole lot like the Prequels. Master shots full of blathering dialog and bad acting. Editors took over and saved that movie. No wonder Lucas didn't get back in the chair for 25 years.
c) Lucas has not been a font of honesty regarding these movies. "I always intended for Greedo to shoot first", "I never planned on nine films, that was more a media thing", "the only people who don't like Jar-Jar are old Star Wars fans", "I always intended Luke and Leia to be twins", "Darth Vader was always Luke's father from the beginning", etc etc etc.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

It's been kind of discussed but, like that article, purely in speculative terms; I can't see Fox agreeing to a deal like that unless Disney offer some serious cash.

Or Disney could just wait seven years for the Fox deal to expire. Seven years to Disney is like a ring on an old growth tree. Disney has the leverage, either way, they're going to get distribution.

[Col. Zombie]

Originally Posted by BLUEGRASS

Don't know if this has been posted yet...

I personally wouldn't call that a wrinkle, at least not for me. Even if they (Fox or anyone else) did release the UOT, I wouldn't go out and buy it.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Or Disney could just wait seven years for the Fox deal to expire. Seven years to Disney is like a ring on an old growth tree. Disney has the leverage, either way, they're going to get distribution.

But Fox owns the distribution rights for A New Hope in perpetuity. So even waiting 7 years won't matter for that one.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Or they could just wait seven years for the Fox deal to expire. Seven years to Disney is like a ring on an old growth tree.

I've never negotiated a deal of this magnitude, but I don't think Disney would spend $4 billion to wait around 7 years on previously issued content. I would like to think they could work something out with Fox, to start earning on their expenditures ASAP!
Obviously Disney had to know this going in...

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

Well, Fox having the rights isn't really the problem. Lucas is the one who hasn't wanted the original versions released. I suppose with Kathleen Kennedy in charge of Lucasfilm, the ball would be in her court (and Fox would release whatever they're supplied with); but I don't really see her going against George's wishes.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Beast

But Fox owns the distribution rights for A New Hope in perpetuity. So even waiting 7 years won't matter for that one.

Disney gets a cut of Lord of the Rings because it was initially developed at Disney under Miramax. When they called no joy, they granted Jackson the right to develop it at other studios, but they retained a percentage.

Point being, Disney has their hands everywhere at this point. Star Wars is so lucrative, whatever they'll have to pony up to buy out Episode IV from Fox will be a pittance, assuming Fox doesn't act like a bunch of *******s, but seeing as how "Avatar Land" is on the books for Animal Kingdom, I can see Disney working some leverage of their own on that front. Who knows, maybe Disney can buy back Al Michales from Universal and then trade him to Fox for Episode IV distribution rights.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by rickah88

I've never negotiated a deal of this magnitude, but I don't think Disney would spend $4 billion to wait around 7 years on previously issued content. I would like to think they could work something out with Fox, to start earning on their expenditures ASAP!
Obviously Disney had to know this going in...

Disney routinely waits seven-to-ten years to re-issue their major catalog titles. That's why I said seven years to them is like a ring on an old growth tree.

But I imagine SW will come out again on home video in Christmas 2014 to pump the prime for Episode VII.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Who knows, maybe Disney can buy back Al Michales from Universal and then trade him to Fox for Episode IV distribution rights.

That was good! Almost a drink spiller!

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Go watch Empire again. Kirschner's style deviates substantially from Lucas' simplistic establishing shot-medium shot-close up-close up-wide shot-style. I remember watching Episode III during the "Order 66" sequence, and sitting up more in my chair because Lucas was actually moving the camera and using visual storytelling (camera trackng down to the feet of Clone Troopers suddenly stopping, etc.). I thought, wow, Lucas showed up for this -- then I found out the sequence was ghost-directed by Steven Spielberg.

Truth be told, I haven't seen Empire for a couple of years now, so I'm not in the best position to have a debate about it . I just remember watching the original three and thinking that the style was similar all the way through, but I must have been mistaken. I know Kirshner's style was very different to Lucas' - which, as you say, is over-reliant on simplistic, almost amateur elements in the cinematography - but I just never got the feeling of his touch at any point. I will re-watch and get back to you!

Did not know about the Spielberg ghost-direction, though - I knew that he visited the set occasionally to see his "old pal" but never thought that he was involved in any sense.

Wildly disagree. Star Wars is raw, Empire is intuitive, Jedi is safe and commercial.

I disagree with that - every single one of the films has a certain rawness to them, just not as pronounced as the first one. You're pretty spot on with the rest of those descriptions, though; Jedi was definitely too safe and commercial and, even though it was a fabulous film, it lacked the true heart that had made the first two so different and unique.

a) Lucas was the main creative force. He was also smart enough to hire Gary Kurtz and Lawrence Kasdan.
b) The first Star Wars was saved in the editing room. Go watch that old "Empire of Dreams" doc on the DVD set. Rough cut looked a whole lot like the Prequels. Master shots full of blathering dialog and bad acting. Editors took over and saved that movie. No wonder Lucas didn't get back in the chair for 25 years.
c) Lucas has not been a font of honesty regarding these movies. "I always intended for Greedo to shoot first", "I never planned on nine films, that was more a media thing", "the only people who don't like Jar-Jar are old Star Wars fans", "I always intended Luke and Leia to be twins", "Darth Vader was always Luke's father from the beginning", etc etc etc.

Now, that's true -- Lucas has never been one to tell the truth about certain things and that really did hurt his integrity; after those lies about how he always thought the film should be, I found it hard to think that he ever had an original vision in mind. Now I just think that his original vision was so skewed that he had to keep going back and changing things because it didn't fit in with what he thought should have happened in hindsight.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Disney routinely waits seven-to-ten years to re-issue their major catalog titles.

But I imagine SW will come out again on home video in Christmas 2014 to pump the prime for Episode VII.

Could be?
I do know this...there are a lot more options afoot concerning the entire SW universe than there seemed to be just 2 days ago!
I can only view that as a good thing.