Following Tuesday’s galaxy-shattering announcement that George Lucas had sold Lucasfilm to Disney, and that Lucas and other creative people are going to collaborate on a sequel trilogy starting in 2015 (Lucas actually used the phrase “Episode VII” in the announcement!), speculation has run rampant all over the web. And, frankly, some people are way off base in their “Episode VII” theories, largely because they didn’t stop to think about things logically. Well, I’ve taken a day to mull things over, and here are my thoughts:
First off, here’s what “Episode VII” WON’T be:
- It won’t take place during “The Old Republic” period of the popular video game. If that were the case, Lucas would have said “Old Republic movie” instead of “Episode VII.”
- The seemingly shelved live-action TV series that was to take place in the dark times between Episodes III and VI won’t be resurrected as “Episode VII.” In that case, Lucas would’ve said “movies set between Episodes III and VI,” not “Episode VII.”
- It won’t be an adaptation of “Heir to the Empire.” If that were the case, Lucas would’ve said “adaptation of ‘Heir to the Empire’ ” instead of “Episode VII.” Nor will it be an adaptation of anything. Lucas said he had outlines prepared for the sequel trilogy. If he was planning adaptations, he would’ve said he’s planning adaptations.
- It won’t be a story that takes place soon after “Return of the Jedi” — with new actors as Luke, Han and Leia — that ignores the continuity of the Expanded Universe novels and comics. Sure, Lucas has taken a few liberties in “The Clone Wars” TV series, but by and large, he respects the EU. Furthermore, while there are examples of franchises having contradictory stories in their spin-off media (for example, when Joss Whedon launched “Buffy” Season 8 in comic form, he contradicted a previously written novel in that time period) or doing reboots (this usually happens when a franchise has been dormant for a while, or when it’s style-based more so than story-based, like with Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” trilogy), “Star Wars” is different. I think every novel since 1991 has been on the New York Times Bestseller chart, and Dark Horse can’t crank out the comics fast enough — it usually has about four “Star Wars” titles going at any given time. This high-profile body of work is not something that gets discarded for a reboot. (Unfortunately, there are a large number of people who like to talk about “Star Wars” more so than actually follow new “Star Wars” stories. So, unfortunately, fans and pundits will no doubt be arguing about the importance of the EU in places like the ForceCast and The Star Wars Book Report podcasts.) I kinda wished Lucas had said “We will respect the EU” in the announcement, but of course that would’ve been a little geeky.
Now, I am keeping in mind that Lucas and the Disney guy referred to a whole series of movies in the years to come. And I think this is the major difference between the independent Lucasfilm and Lucasfilm under the Disney banner. The former focused on storytelling through TV (“The Clone Wars,” now in its fifth season), books and comics, with movies being more of a “special” thing that only six major episodes qualified for (plus, for the geekiest among us, the 2008 “Clone Wars” movie and the two “Ewoks” movies from the 1980s — although the latter were merely TV movies stateside).
Disney wants “Star Wars” to have a blockbuster movie profile for years to come, hence the sequel trilogy is the logical place to start. Down the road, there could indeed by movies set in the Old Republic, an adaptation of the Thrawn trilogy (perhaps animated), and the repurposing of the shelved “dark times” TV series into a movie series. However, this post is focusing on “Episode VII,” since that’s by far the coolest part of the Lucasfilm-Disney announcement.
So now, on to the important part: What “Episode VII” WILL be:
It will be a whole new story, it will be live-action (not animated, like “The Clone Wars”), and it will take place on a newly carved-out area of the timeline, right after the events of the upcoming “Sword of the Jedi” book trilogy starring Jaina Solo, and well before the “Legacy” comic book series starring Luke’s descendant a few generations hence, Cade Skywalker.
The reasons for this are:
- In order to be labeled “Episode VII,” it has to take place after “Episode VI,” continue the Skywalker family saga and be something new and special (not to say that “Heir to the Empire” isn’t special, but an adaptation doesn’t have the same heft as a brand-new story). This means it features not just the characters from the movies (some would argue animation or re-casting to back up their “Heir” theory), but the actors from the movies. In other words: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams and — if he changes his mind about not wanting anything to do with “Star Wars” — Harrison Ford.
- The ages of the actors work out almost perfectly. “Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse,” the most recent novel to feature the main characters, takes place 44 years after “Episode IV — A New Hope.” In our Earth timeline, “A New Hope” happened 35 years ago. In 2015, that’ll be 38 years ago. So the actors’ ages will totally be in the ballpark to play these characters. Along similar lines, the actors resemble their characters as they’ve been portrayed on book covers through the years. An exception to this had been Carrie Fisher, but she lost a bunch of weight in recent years and now does indeed resemble the artists’ depictions of a svelte Leia.
- The story will come, at least partially, from Lucas’s mind. In the merger announcement, Lucas said he has an “Episode VII” outline ready. “The Clone Wars” has allowed Lucas to share his vision of “Star Wars,” and he’s brought in elements from the Expanded Universe (such as Onderon in the recent arc) when it suited him and gone a different direction when it didn’t (the death of Even Piell, for example). Although Lucas has never broadly praised the post-“Return of the Jedi” storytelling, it’s not like he regularly rips into it, either. This is because while it’s not exactly what he would’ve done, he didn’t have any crystal-clear idea for a sequel trilogy to begin with.
I’ll quote a passage from Denise Worrell’s 1983 book “ICONS: Intimate Portraits”:
But he has only a vague notion of what will happen in the three films of the sequel. … In the sequel Luke would be a 60-year-old Jedi Knight. Han Solo and Leia would be together. … The sequel focuses mainly on Luke, and Lucas says Mark Hamill will have first crack at the part if he is old enough. “If the (prequel) trilogy is social and political and talks about how society evolves,” Lucas says, “(the original trilogy) is more about personal growth and self-realization, and the (sequel trilogy) deals with moral and philosophical problems. The sequel is about Jedi Knighthood, justice, confrontation, and passing on what you have learned.
Lucas’ broad notions of a sequel trilogy fit with the post-“Jedi” Expanded Universe work, particularly Kevin J. Anderson’s “Jedi Academy” trilogy and “Young Jedi Knights” books, plus Luke’s relationship with his son, Ben (as chronicled in “Fate of the Jedi”). The quote also suggests that the next generation, Ben Skywalker and Jaina Solo (Han and Leia’s daughter) and all the Jedi Knights in her age group, would be the main characters in the sequel trilogy — and probably the generation after that, too: Allana Solo (Han and Leia’s granddaughter).
- Lucas has been paring down the Expanded Universe roster. Even though he’s largely been hands-off when it comes to the post-“Jedi” novels and comics, he did request and/or sign off on the killing of Anakin Solo (he felt having two young Anakins running around would confuse young readers), Jacen Solo and Mara Jade. (And Chewbacca, although that was more for book purposes than for setting up “Episode VII.”) Now the EU has gotten to a point where we have the undeniably Lucasian characters of Luke, Han, Leia, Lando, C-3PO and R2-D2, plus a few EU fan favorites (Jaina, Ben and so forth), plus plenty of room to add new characters from Lucas’ imagination. An interesting wild card here is Allana Solo, who is a kid in the most recent stories; this could leave room for the character to be re-imagined in a variety of ways as a young teenager (about Ahsoka’s age in the TV series) in “Episode VII.”
Based on the evidence I’ve presented, I think Internet fanboys and fangirls can cease the speculation about who will play a young Luke, Han and Leia, and focus on the real questions: Who will play Jaina Solo, Ben Skywalker, Allana Solo, Tahiri, Jag, and so forth. (That’s a whole ‘nother juicy post for the future.) What will be the screen-time mix among the generations? (Personally, my guess is that Hamill, Fisher, etc., will have smaller roles as the mentors to the next generation, but even that would be incredibly cool.) And what are the odds that Harrison Ford will sign on for “Episode VII?” (I think there’s a slim chance; after all, he did a “Star Wars” gag on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in recent years, and he returned to the Indiana Jones role after a long hiatus.) Who will direct the sequel films? (This seems to be the most popular topic of discussion.) And what will be the title of the seventh movie? (That’s something we can have fun with once the timeline and character aspects are nailed down.)
What are your theories on what’s in store for “Star Wars — Episode VII?”
Comments
I think you’re pretty spot on there.
A few purists on the forums seem to be hoping for something set a little earlier, over-writing the post-Thrawn EU, keeping Jacen alive and maybe even an alternative to Ben as Luke’s offspring but I think the gap in the EU combined with the actors ages, like you say makes it thhe perfect choice
You’re looking at Mark Hamill being around 63, Carrie Fisher 59 and Harrison Ford 72 when the sequels are made.I expect them to take place some time between 45-50ABY making the central characters…R2-D2 and C3P0 in there of course, plus…Luke Skywalker.. 63-68
Ben Skywalker.. 18-23 (a lot of people have suggested LIAM HEMNSWORTH)Han Solo.. 74-79
Leia Organa Skywalker-Solo.. 63-68
Jacen Solo.. DEAD (but a force ghost appearance would be cool, MICHAEL FASSBENDER?)
Allana Solo.. 9-14
Jaina Solo.. 36-41 (KATE BECKINSALE would be perfect!)
Anakin Solo.. DEAD
Chewbacca.. DEAD
Lando Calrissian.. 76-81
Some have suggested Kick Ass’s Chloe Moretz might play Allana but I think if the rumour she could be cast is true then it may be as another character, maybe the surprise introduction of a daughter of the deceased Anakin Solo.
45 ABY would be the right time for that, it would be just soon enough after his death for him to have left a 17-year old daughter.
What gt me thinking about that was the announcement for Star Wars: Legacy comics with the new character of Ania Solo.
Ania is the great-great-granddaughter of Han and Leia, but they say they’re not revealling her direct ancestry any time soon.
Now Jaina Solo married Jagged Fel their descendants on that side are Fels.
Jacen Solo left a daughter, Allana Solo.
..and Anakin Solo died quite young (aged 16.5 I think?)
So why would there be any question about this new character Ania’s specific lineage unless one of the Solo boys had another child?
I’m starting to lean more to the later end of the 45-50ABY period though, because I think there needs to be a few years following Sword Of The Jedi before the ST kicks off.# Posted By ShabbaTheHutt | 2/26/13 8:34 PM
Thanks for the post. I go into more detail on the topic in this post: http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2012…. Basically, we are on the same page. The intriguing thing about “Sword of the Jedi” is that it seems to have been postponed or canceled. “Crucible” is coming up, though — that’s the only “just before the sequels” novel or comic that’s out there. Ania Solo is indeed quite a mystery. Because Allana is the only Solo offspring, one would assume that is the end of the Solo name because she is female. I think there’s flexibility there, though. Anakin took his mom’s last name, after all (I know, that’s kind of a special case). Indeed, it could be theoretically possible that Jacen had another kid (perhaps a male). It’s also possible that Jaina will have a kid but he/she will take the Solo name for some reason. I definitely don’t think Anakin Solo impregnated anyone before he died; that would be ridiculous; he was too young, and he and Tahiri were really tight (and, of course, Tahiri didn’t have a kid). I agree that Kate Beckinsale resembles the Jaina Solo renditions that are out there. For Allana, I lean toward the girl from “Little Miss Sunshine,” Abigail Breslin, and there’s already a connection there since Michael Arndt wrote that movie too.# Posted By John Hansen | 2/27/13 3:31 PM