When George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney, he was said to be staying involved somewhat with the STAR WARS legacy as a “creative consultant”. Having written the treatments for the new trilogy, starting with STAR WARS: EPISODE VII, Lucas would not be writing nor producing the films any longer. Many who despised the Prequels were ecstatic that Lucas would be no longer part of the creative process while others worried that without him Disney would run roughshod over the beloved series.
In a recent interview, Lucas was asked about his involvement with STAR WARS: EPISODE VII and shared this tidbit:
I have not spoken to J.J. He’s been busy with Star Trek, and I’m sure that he’ll let me know when he’s got some questions. So, you know, that’s all going well. Kathy tells me it’s working out great.
So Lucas sounds like he plans to talk to J.J. Abrams at some point but is keeping himself out of the day to day. This doesn’t mean that he hasn’t spoken with screenwriters Michael Arndt but I would find it hard to believe he would have zero involvement. But, on the other hand Lucas has repeatedly said he is ready to step out of big movies and do something more independent. Could we truly be getting Lucas-free trilogy?
I am at once sad about this and excited. While multiple books, games, and comics have been made without direct involvement from Lucas, this is like a father letting go of his kid. I never wanted him to completely sever ties with Lucasfilm, but I cannot say whether it is a good or bad decision until we see what J.J. Abrams has in store.
STAR WARS: EPISODE VII is on track to begin filming in England at the start of 2014 for a release in 2015.
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed