CoGro wrote:
As excited as I am for all of this, I still want to know the answer to this:
Quote:
In an interview published in the February 1999 issue of Vanity Fair, Lucas said: "When you see it in six parts, you'll understand. It really ends at part six. I never had a story for the sequels, for the later ones." In 2008, after all six films had been released, Lucas said: "The movies were the story of Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker, and when Luke saves the galaxy and redeems his father, that's where that story ends."
Not that this answers any questions, but I did try to compile as many historic quotes as I had to hand relating to the "sequels" when all of this was first announced.
My conclusion: people change, and people change their mind. Ideas get recycled and used in other ways, or abandoned. I'm not a big fan of the Prequels, but at the same time I've never been one to bang on about Lucas and pick him up on every little thing he has ever said. For the simple reason that I know I have done things or thought things that it has later been convenient for me to pretend I haven't ever done or thought about doing... and I'm sure this is true of everyone else... just that most things I say and consider doing don't get written down and set in stone.
There was definitely some kind of vague idea of what the sequels "might" be about at some point, of that I am sure, as relevant or irrelevant as that may be to what is happening now...
Quote:
"The newly-formed Star Wars Corps is working on producing Star Wars II, and then, count them, 10 other planned sequels."
Time magazine article, 1978
"The first script was one of six original stories I had written in the form of two trilogies. After the success of Star Wars, I added another trilogy. So now there are nine stories. The original two trilogies were conceived of as six films of which the first film was number four."
George Lucas, 1979
"There are essentially nine films in a series of three trilogies. The first trilogy is about the young Ben Kenobi and the early life of Luke's father when Luke was a little boy. This trilogy takes place some twenty years before the second trilogy which includes Star Wars and Empire. About a year or two passes between each story of the trilogy and about twenty years pass between the trilogies. The entire saga spans about fifty-five years... I won't say who survives and who doesn't, but if we are ever able to link together all three, you'd find the story progresses in a very logical fashion*."
George Lucas, 1979
"Star Wars is really three trilogies, nine films... it won't be finished for probably another 20 years."
George Lucas, 1980
"The last three episodes involve the rebuilding of the Republic. Only two of the main characters will appear in all nine films, and they are the robots, Artoo-Detoo and Threepio. In effect, the story will be told through their eyes."
George Lucas, 1980
"It deals with the character that survives Star Wars III [Episode VI to us] and his adventures."
George Lucas, 1980
"Luke would now be a 60-something mentor figure like Kenobi. Hamill and the others will get first crack at the roles – if they look old enough.”
George Lucas, 1983
"[Episodes VII, VIII and IX deal with] the rebuilding of the Republic [and] the necessity for moral choices and the wisdom needed to distinguish right from wrong. If the first trilogy is social and political and talks about how society evolves, Star Wars is more about personal growth and self-realization, and the third deals with moral and philosophical problems. In Star Wars there is a very clear line drawn between good and evil. Eventually you have to face the fact that good and evil aren’t that clear cut, and the real issue is trying to understand the difference. The sequel is about Jedi Knighthood, justice, confrontation, and passing on what you have learned."
George Lucas, 1983
Hopefully, I will someday be doing the next three Star Wars, but I'm not sure when. The next three would take place 20 or 30 years before the three films they're celebrating here today. I'll do the first trilogy first. There are nine [films] floating around there somewhere. I'll guarantee that the first three are pretty much organised in my head, but the other three are kind of out there somewhere.
George Lucas, 1988
"You know, Star Wars was a success, but I didn't have any idea then what was going on. I didn't know whether I was even going to be able to make the next two films. I had taken two-thirds of the original script and thrown it away. In my mind, I was saying, 'Gee, if this really is a big hit, then I can make a movie out of all the early material that I developed.' Empire and Jedi were what that first film was supposed to be. And after that, I can tell another story about what happens to Luke after this trilogy ends. All the prequel stories exist: where Darth Vader came from, the whole story about Darth and Ben Kenobi, and it all takes place before Luke was born. The other one - what happens to Luke afterwards - is much more ethereal. I have a tiny notebook full of notes on that. If I'm really ambitious, I could proceed to figure out what would have happened to Luke."
George Lucas, circa 1990 (?)
“"Everyone said, 'Well, are you going to do sequels to the first three?' But that was an afterthought; I don't have scripts on those stories. The only notion on that was, wouldn't it be fun to get all the actors to come back when they're 60 or 70 years old and make three more about them as old people. That's how far that has gone, but the first six will definitely get finished."
George Lucas, 1997
"EPISODE 1: Was to focus on the origins of the Jedi Knights and how they are initiated and trained
EPISODE 2: Introduction and development of Obi-Wan Kenobi
EPISODE 3: Introduction and life of Vader
EPISODE 4: There were seven different drafts of the film. At one point, they pursued buying the rights to Hidden Fortress because of the strong similarities. At one point, Luke was a female, Han was Luke's brother, Luke's father was the one in prison (interesting point for some debates) and the film featured 40 Wookiees
EPISODE 5: Once written, the screenplay of Empire is almost exactly what is seen on screen. The only cut scenes were those involving wampas in the rebel base (cut because of time and unsolved technical glitches) and about two minutes of Luke/Yoda Jedi training with no real dialog.
EPISODE 6: Leia was to be elected "Queen of her people" leaving her isolated. Han was to die. Luke confronted Vader and went on with his life alone. Leia was not to be Luke's sister.
EPISODE 7: Third trilogy was to focus on Luke's life as a Jedi, with very few details planned out.
EPISODE 8: Luke's sister (not Leia) appears from another part of the galaxy.
EPISODE 9: First appearance of the Emperor."
Gary Kurtz, speaking in 1999 about plans for the saga 'dating from the 1970s'
"You know, when I first did this, it was four trilogies. 12 movies! And out on the desert, any time between setups... lots of free time. And George was talking about this whole thing. I said, 'Why are you starting with IV, V and VI? It's crazy.' [Imitating Lucas grumble,] 'It's the most commercial section of the movie.' He said the first trilogy's darker, more serious. And the impression I got, he said, 'Um, how'd you like to be in Episode IX?' This is 1976. 'When is that going to be?' '2011.' I defy anyone to add 36 years to their lives and not be stunned. Even an eight year old is like, 'No, I'll never be 47.' So I did the math and figured out how old I'd be. I said, 'Well, what do you want me to do?' He said, 'You'll just be like a cameo. You'll be like Obi-Wan handing the lightsaber down to the next new hope."
Mark Hamill, 2004
“It was originally a 12-part saga. The three most exciting stories were 7, 8 and 9. They had propulsive action, really interesting new worlds, new characters. I remember thinking, ‘I want to see these three movies.’”
Dave Pollock (author of Skywalking: The Life and Times of George Lucas), discussing in 2012 the story treatments he allegedly was allowed to read while researching his book, but had signed non-disclosure agreements on their contents
Anyway, back on topic - great to see the old cast together in the same room like that
