It was announced last week that Disney would be buying Lucasfilms for $4.5 billion. Along with the purchase of the special effects company, the deal also gave Disney the rights to the very popular Star Wars franchise. Disney announced that they would continue the Star Wars saga with Episode VII, set to be released in 2015. As news spread, the entire Internet basically exploded. Memes, blogs, opinions, rants, tweets and statuses were immediately posted as more and more people joined the conversation that Tuesday night. The news wasn’t taken lightly because this is a serious story. George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, had always said he was done with the classic sci-fi films so fans never really expected to see another movie. But now all of a sudden, there is a new Star Wars in early production. To the fans, it all seems to be happening too quickly.
According to CNN, George Lucas will remain a significant shareholder in the company and will play the role as the creative consultant on Star Wars VII. In a written statement Lucas explained, “It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime.”
Along with Star Wars VII, fans can expect an eighth and a ninth episode. According to CNN, Disney would ideally like to make even more movies after the new trilogy, possibly releasing a new addition every two or three years. There is also talk of a possible Star Wars television series. But with the purchase of Lucasfilms, Disney is really putting all their focus on Star Wars VII right now. The most interesting factor to think about is the possible story line for the new trilogy. For those who don’t know, there are hundreds of books that succeed the movies. There is a vast array of story lines, characters and wars. According to a Tampa Bay article, the new trilogy will follow Luke, Han and Leia, the main characters of the original trilogy. The wonder is at what point in time will Star Wars VII begin? This is something a lot of fans are eager to learn.
During the deal, one analyst said to Bob Iger, Disney’s chief executive, “I can say, Bob, that you’re risking the wrath of the entire Internet. But, I dunno, I’m excited.” Yes, with all the exciting news, its important to look at how the fans are reacting. After all, Star Wars isn’t just another movie. The Star Wars fandom is huge, with a spectrum of all ages, from the adults who saw A New Hope in theaters back in 1977 all the way to the kids who watch The Clone Wars on Cartoon Network. Star Wars has some dedicated fans and they didn’t all react quite the same way. Some are really excited to see the new additions while others dread what will become of the precious saga.
Calvin students have their own opinions on the matter too. Student, Ethan Hougen said, “I feel like they should have just left it alone … I don’t want to be close minded … but I’m a little skeptical on how it will turn out.” This seems to be a poplar opinion. Another student, Caitlin Smits, explained, “It seems to rub me the wrong way like it just doesn’t feel right to have Disney working on Star Wars … but who knows, we might be surprised.”
What is it about Disney that seems to frighten so many fans? Freshman Andy Peterson gives his explanation, “I think it’s going to ruin, well, further ruin the rest of the series. Because I feel like [Disney is] just out there to get the money, not to make a good story. Unlike how they made the first films… Disney is all about the money.”
So some fans are disappointed that Star Wars has fallen into the hands of “Big Hollywood.” But is that enough of a reason to not trust Disney with the franchise? I mean Disney has made some really good movies in the past. In fact most recently, Disney bought Marvel and the Avengers was definitely not a disappointment. Student Leira Lew expresses her concerns, “I hope Disney doesn’t add their magic touch of overextending a good series for the sake of it. Pirates of the Caribbean just kept getting worse.” True, Disney does have a pretty good track record of failing sequels.
But not all fans are worried. A lot of them argue that Star Wars cannot be further ruined after the most recent trilogy, which a lot of fans were disappointed with. Others feel safe in Disney’s hands, remembering that Disney has made great movies before and they can do it again. Most people are just excited to be able to continue the journey and experience the Star Wars galaxy once again.
