Official Star Wars Thread

[Ben]

Though nowhere near as excited as usual, this s a definite trip out to see this.

I’m just still so mad over the double-whammy of The Last Jedi being so sith and Solo being too quick after it, that they have ruined SW for a good long while. IX was never meant to be the end of a saga...original plans had Leia becoming a full Force user under Luke, who would train Rey and the next generation of Jedi in an ongoing series of core-based movies interspersed with the Story spin-offs.

Okay, so the passing of Carrie Fisher was truly tragic and couldn’t have been predicted, but TLJ derailed SO much of what was being set up - in terms of story and the (totally appropriate) reaction - and the Solo backlash didn’t help. That Solo was only so-so wasn’t a plus, but even the overall numbers issue from that film stem from TLJ too.

I know we’re all hoping that JJ pulls it out of a hat for this "last" film, but it shouldn’t be the "last" film at all. TLJ messed up far more than was initially realised, the result being the total derailment of a franchise that will never get back on track as it had been envisioned to continue.

It’s all on this movie, but even huge numbers won’t be enough. All a massive hit will do is confirm we want more SW in the eyes of the moneypeople, but all they see is SW for SW sake, not that it could and should and would have been so much more, before they let that child near things - and they’ve invited him around to play again!

[Randall]

I am of the opinion that The Force Awakens was a major misstep (even if I enjoyed it at the time, out of pure nostalgia), and agree that The Last Jedi appeared to derail things for good, due to the obvious lack of planning and follow-through. What a waste of 4 billion dollars.

Having said that, I got tingles up my spine watching the new trailer for The Rise of Skywalker. I'm not even sure why, but some of the excitement came back, albeit wary excitement. JJ does indeed have much to make up for, and it's hard to believe that he can pull it off in a satisfyingy way. But I shall be there opening week to see how he did.

[Ben]

I’m sure Iger is regretting his 4bn dollar spend, Rand, right down to the six to eight he’s already made back in merchandising, plus about a billion per movie, and one of the biggest draws for D+...!

But, yeah, of course I see your point. It’s not a waste of 4bn, though, but yes to a creativity squandering of what could have been.

[Randall]

All valid points. But what could the movies and merchanding be earning if the films were actually GOOD? A little more patience in terms of development may have paid off even more in the long run.

[EricJ]

It's not a waste if Disney got their hands on the ORIGINAL (yes, A New Hope now has a Disney label after Fox), and especially if they got it away from a rapidly disintegrating George Lucas's hands.
The same could be said of the money they spent on the Muppets, another case where they inherited a rich legacy, but arrived too late to the party to sell anything new before something stank it up for good.

As for RoS, the plot is too married to the events in Last Jedi to say it "never happened" (when we get our heroes riding to the rescue, we're thinking "Ohh, that's why we had the big horse scene in TLJ!"), but JJ is smart enough to do the Apology Sequel and the Finale in one.
It ain't getting back up again, but at least I'm still curious to see the new theme park area.

[Ben]

But what could the movies and merchanding be earning if the films were actually GOOD? A little more patience in terms of development may have paid off even more in the long run.

It’s not a waste of 4bn, though, but yes to a creativity squandering of what could have been.

[Bill1978]

I'm a cinematic Star Wars fan so even after the bad taste of Last Jedi and the boredom of Solo I was still seeing the final episode. And I'll admit I'm still hesitant that they can pull off a satisfying conclusion, but the trailer gives me hope. Although I'm not sure I am ready to say goodbye to the golden droid, like the trailer is asking me to be prepared to do.

[droosan]

I'm among the very few who actually enjoyed The Last Jedi a tiny bit more than The Force Awakens, and thought the Solo movie was just fine (and I'd love to see a follow-up 'solo' Lando film). However, I've learned that these are rather unpopular opinions which invite criticism of my cinematic taste, or even my mental faculties .. so, I don't often voice them out-loud, or put them in writing.

I'm definitely looking forward to The Rise of Skywalker .. and I'm confident that certain events within TLJ will be revealed to not be what they'd seemed (which wouldn't be the first time, in this series).

[Daniel]

The C-3PO scene sorta works as a fourth wall break. I think it would've had more weight if were said in front of Han, Luke and Leia.

[EricJ]

Although I'm not sure I am ready to say goodbye to the golden droid, like the trailer is asking me to be prepared to do.

GIven the aforementioned climactic Charge of the Light-Side Brigade, I got the impression 3PO was saying goodbye to them, not himself.

[Daniel]

As of now, the film is tracking for the lowest opening of the new trilogy.

[Ben]

That’s dumb for them to be comparing it at this stage. Reviews are not out and there’s a final marketing push to come after the Frozen juggernaut has played out.

Even then, TFA was the first new film in a while, and their figures actually put this on a par with TLJ, quoting a possible $225m against that film's $220m. Things will get more exciting as the date gets closer, too.

The only thing that could harm it, ironically, is the Disney+ launch (on which you know they’re going to be plugging the heck out of it) where people might favor staying in to watch The Mandalorian over actually going out to see the same old film saga stuff, which TLJ is still making us pay for.

But given the divide over SW right now, anything over $200m is a win for Disney. If it does come in lower than that then they have a problem, but I just don’t think it will once we get nearer.

[ShyViolet]

Just watched the final trailer...have to admit I was pretty blown away. . Definitely looks both action packed with real emotional stakes. Music score already excites me. And seeing/hearing Threepio speak was the icing on the cake!*

*Thank God it’s still Anthony Daniels. In my opinion a sound-alike would have ruined the entire film. Just my opinion, however.



Mild Spoilers if you haven’t watched trailer and want to see the movie cold:


Also, I would love it if the scary Emperor-like guy who “died” in Last Jedi actually turned out to be, um, the character we hear in the trailer. That’s the only thing I REALLY disliked about TLJ...it wasn’t so much that that character was “killed” so early on, but that it’s NEVER followed up later on in the film whatever! Who was that guy?? Was he who we thought he was? Is he really gone?? Hated how a major major major villain is suddenly eliminated and then never spoken of again!

[Ben]

One of many problems...!

[ShyViolet]

That latest “Han shot first (Or maybe not)” Lucas update (front page story) is absolutely hilarious. “Maclunkey!” Lol.


https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/20 ... -wars-edit

Can’t believe it’s been forty-two years since the original film and Lucas still can’t stop tinkering with this particular scene for whatever reason. (Yeah, I realize he made the change in 2012 right before he sold it all to Disney, but that’s still a very long way from 1977.)

Oh MAD mag once had a “daily schedule” gag in 2005 where Lucas keeps changing his mind throughout the day about the Han/Greedo issue, and one of his temporary versions is: “Han and Greedo: bro-hug.” Lol.