Disney CEO Bob Iger dropped a couple of bombs on us this afternoon regarding future Star Wars movies.
Lucasfilm is working on ‘a few’ standalone films featuring existing characters – but not part of the overall saga. Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are working on them – thus confirming the second half of an older rumor.
Iger said that Disney and Lucasfilm hope to make Episodes VII-IX over “a six-year period.” They’re still aiming for a 2015 release, but “a few other films” will be released “in that period of time.” Bryan Young speculates that this likely means we’ll be getting a Star Wars film on a yearly basis, which is in line with sister studio Pixar’s output
UPDATE: StarWars.com adds that Kasdan and Kinberg are working on two films separately, each focusing “on a specific character,” and that they’re both expected to come out after Episode VII.
Iger declined to name any specific characters, so the Yoda film still remains strictly a rumor – but certainly a far more likely one now. I’d also place bets on Boba Fett getting his own movie – but if it keeps him (and his director fanboys) out of further Episodes, that’s a price I will (grudgingly) pay.
As long as there’s no Jar-Jar movie, I’ll sit back and enjoy the ride.
how do you say “overload” in Aurebesh? ;)
I’m waiting for “Quinlan Vos and Kit Fisto’s Galactic Reggae Hyper Trip”
Yoda, yes please.
Don’t want a movie every year. Overkill.
Well, so much for bogus rumors being true. ;-) Boba Fett? Yes, seems kind of unavoidable but if they made a 300 rip-off starring Fett, they would probably create enough nerdgasm energy to make oil drilling in the arctic superfluous, so go Disney.
As for actual characters, my bet is on a Darth Maul film set before The Phantom Menace, some Jedi film set at any time, and some film aimed at girls between 6 and 10. Princess something-or-other, i.e. something for the Tinkerbell crowd. It’s a Disney world after all.
At first I was worried about overkill, but I love getting a new episode of The Clone Wars every week, and I don’t feel overloaded with Marvel movies and those have MORE than one film a year.
I think I can handle one Star Wars movie a year, especially if it’s side stories filling in the years between main Episodes. If EVERYTHING was a Skywalker movie then I’d get burned out, but this system could work out just fine.
In my opinion, the interesting question is: How will they distribute these spin-offs? Will they go straight to DVD/Blu-ray/web, will they air on some Disney TV channel or will they actually be released in theatres worldwide?
And, of course: Are we talking about live-action films or are these new projects for the Filoni team once TCW wraps up?
I actually liked the Ewok movies, so I think there might be some potential there. My guess is that they’ll probably be TV/DVD releases.
I didn’t like the Ewok movies but I also never liked E.T., Willow, Labyrinth or any of those creepy puppet films. Maybe I was just too old when I first saw them, who knows.
But I agree with you, TV/DVD seems to be the most likely distribution channel. And personally I could very well live with that. I don’t need or want a new Star Wars movie on the big screen every year but getting a quality alternative to the Holiday Special every year? Sure, why not. :-) At least as long as they bring in Carrie Fisher to sing her little song. :-P
Why would they distribute via DVD when there’s the potential for at least a few weeks of huge box office by releasing them to theaters?
I think we’ll have the usual theater, then DVD route.
I’m with Paula… Though I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some sort of additional TV projects beyond just the three we know about.
I worry a bit about over-saturation too. On the other hand, for an old-timer like me…Lawrence Kasdan is writing a new Star Wars movie. I never, ever, thought I’d be typing that sentence.
Well, it will obviously depend on the kind of budget we are talking about. Spin-off to me implies a lower production standard but maybe that’s just the horror of the Holiday Special talking. Shouting in Wookiee growls that is. ;)
It’s just that my first thought was: Movie of the week, TV standard, straight to DVD. Because I can’t quite imagine them doing the sequels and full-blown spin-offs at the same time.
I second the Kit Fisto and Quinlan Vos comment.