Lucasfilm Announces Break With Star Wars Expanded Universe 157
RogueyWon writes: "A recent blog post from Lucasarts had confirmed that the new Star Wars movies planned for release by Disney will formally break continuity with the Expanded Universe novels, comics and video games. They say, 'In order to give maximum creative freedom to the filmmakers and also preserve an element of surprise and discovery for the audience, Star Wars Episodes VII-IX will not tell the same story told in the post-Return of the Jedi Expanded Universe.' The news is unlikely to be a surprise, given George Lucas's previous pronouncements on the issue."
Good. (Score:5, Interesting)
I grew up with the expanded universe, and it was good back then, but at this point it's super depressing. They've killed off a bunch of main characters (both from the films and the EU), and they've sketched out a future that makes it clear that there is no hopeful future in the EU, just an endless cycle of collapse and ruin.
Re:Translation (Score:4, Interesting)
We found out that by keeping the time- and storyline, we could not cram enough cuddly merchandising crap into the show. Expect a lot more fluffy aliens, cutsie droids, and if you thought that Episode 1 was an overblown trailer and ad for the podracer computer game, we have a big surprise for you in Episode 7!
I can only agree with you there, the extent to which boosting merchendising sales has taken priority over making a good film sucks ass. Antoher thing I hate is when film sequels and in particular TV scifi shows get cancelled and you are left with a half told story because some beancounting corporate functionary did an Excel session and determined that the fucking merchandise sales weren't good enough even thought he film/show itself was quite well received by the viewing public. Some of us actually watch a film for the sake of the story being told and not because we like 2-3 hour infomercials.
Re:Translation (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm not surprised. Books, comics and video games tend to not be canon for Star Wars, and only half heartedly canon in Star Trek.
My personal opinion is that only Film-TV can be canon. Everything else in another format needs to be adapted to that format to be canon. This is why I never read fanfic trash on the internet, as much as someone might have a good head on their shoulders for writing fanfiction, it will never be canon. Parodies I sometimes see (eg robot chicken) but they're easily forgettable.
So the Lord of the Rings movies are canon, screw those dusty old books. Why rely on Tolkien when I can have Peter Jackson tell me about Hobbits?
Star Wars was never intended to be serious drama. (Score:5, Interesting)
Okay, breaking continuity does make it harder to suspend disbelief. Most movie viewers can get over that within a few minutes, and I'm not really watching Star Wars for the dialog, social commentary, or even the technical predictions. I'm there to see the money shot, and hopefully a fun story to keep me from disbelieving while I wait for Luke's X-wing to fly down the trench. You know what impressed me even when I was a teenager? The fact that fast moving objects actually looked blurry, and that the Millennium Falcon was dirty. That was the first interstellar vessel I ever saw represented on film as having grease on the walls. Hell, there were even chrome (fuzzy) dice hanging from the rearview mirror, and it was the first time that I saw such incredible detail - detail which correctly got blurred when the viewpoint moved quickly. I just want the underlying story to not ruin my ability to suspend disbelief, so that I can enjoy the money shot.
Re:Translation (Score:5, Interesting)
Name ANY worth shit outside of I, Jedi or the Thrawn trilogy.
You cant because there isnt. FUCK the EU with a barge pole
Knights of the old republic? Shadows of the empire? The Dark forces/Jedi Knight series? Rogue Squadron?
There's four for you right there.