just saw this scoop from IESB:

[spoil][align=left]George Lucas is plotting to create new Star Wars movies at the ultra top-secret Skywalker Ranch.

This is déjà vu of the mid 90's when Uncle George starting tweaking the Holy Trilogy to gear up for the Special Editions. That was his first step in moving forward with the eventual prequel trilogy.

It's happening all over again, Lucasfilm is already hard at work converting the entire Star Wars saga into 3D which will be released starting with Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 2012. The word from our ultra top-secret Lucasfilm insider is that Lucas has gotten the itch and is already looking ahead into launching an entirely new trilogy in that galaxy far, far away.

What do we know? First of all, these new film will have nothing to do with the live action television series currently in development. That show already has over 50 scripts ready to go and plenty of pre-production time and money has been spent on artwork and storyboards. Once that show goes into production, Lucasfilm hopes to be able to produce at least 100 episodes since that is the threshold for syndication in the United States.

IESB has been told fans can expect the new trilogy after the entire saga is released in 3D which is expected to be complete around 2015 or 2016.

Uncle George's modus operandi has not changed, the plan is that he will self finance the new trilogy after he rakes in an expected $500 - $750 million dollars with the re-release of the entire Star Wars Saga in 3D and on Blu-Ray.

The ideal plan, according to our spy at Skywalker Ranch, is to be able to release a new Star Wars film within 24 months after the release of the last re-re-release (is that right?) of Return of the Jedi 3D.

Too early for story details but one thing that our source is certain about, they will not be prequels but instead sequels. It's not for certain if they will be the long awaited Episodes 7, 8 and 9 but could instead be Episodes 10, 11 and 12 or possibly even further out in the Star Wars timeline. And by giving space in the timeline, possibly even as far as 100 years or 1,000 years in the Star Wars universe future, Lucas avoids having to make these stories "fit in" with what the previous stories have told.

According to our sources, the most likely scenario for the films is that they will exist in the same universe but will not have anything to do with the Skywalker Clan. That story has been told, that starship has sailed.

What has caused this sudden change of heart for Uncle George? Well, besides the obvious possible billions that a new Star Wars trilogy will take in, our source tells us that George has gotten motivated with the success the Clone Wars animated series, the video games and also with the success of Avatar.

Can we expect Lucasfilm to confirm our story? Have they ever? Nope, I am sure that they will spin this or completely deny the story, but we will stand 100% behind our source.[/align][/spoil]



EXCERPTS:

• ... new Star Wars film within 24 months after the release of the last re-re-release ... of Return of the Jedi 3D.

• ... most likely scenario for the films is that they will exist in the same universe but will not have anything to do with the Skywalker Clan.

• ... motivated with the success the Clone Wars animated series - the video games and also with the success of Avatar.

• ... they will spin this or completely deny the story - but we will stand 100% behind our source.

Calling this one: Bullshit.

I call bullshit on this as well. I doubt George is going to make any more Star Wars films.

With Lucas, anything's possible. That said, parts of this story don't seem to jive with the company line that a 3D conversion of the entire saga would hinge on TPM's financial success. Even Lynne Hale seemed tepid to discuss further details in the original USA Today article. I think we can all agree that based on what we've read/know about Lucas that he is a very pragmatic, "glass is half full," type of person. If this story pans out, the man's going to be 72 by the time he's even ready to get back in the director's chair again. Given how lazy he has copped to being, does anyone really think a (likely) much wealthier, much wiser, 72 year old Uncle George will be willing to call action on a set?

If anything, Lucas is probably making preparations for people in his companies to take over once he drops the reins and retires, ostensibly giving them permission to carry on without him. These new films, should they even happen, will most likely be released under the Star Wars brand but will probably be subtitled and called as such, much in the same way Clone Wars has. In that sense, does news of future films really surprise anyone?

I've said in the past that for me, Star Wars begins and ends with Lucas. Anything the man doesn't have a hand in directly and helm himself (the books, games, comics, etc.) I have little to no interest in, most people who call themselves fans do not and can enjoy anything the house that Luke built pumps out. We pick and choose the things that matter to us. If these sequels do pan out and they do kick ass, we'll probably forget and forgive anything Lucas said beforehand. Until then, wait for more details and calm the fuck down.

Lucasfilm denies new movies:

“This is, of course, completely false,” Lucasfilm spokesman Josh Kushins told Wired.com in an e-mail Saturday about the report. “George Lucas has plenty of projects to keep him busy right now — including plenty of Star Wars projects — but there are no new Star Wars feature films planned.”

Christ that was fast. Just goes to show that having "spies" is one thing, having facts with verifiable sources, quite another.

I thought the sequels would absolutely never happen. That's the sheep in me. The fan that associates Lucasfilm with quality.

Then I think about how poorly conceived a lot of the PT is, how poorly conceived IJ4 was, and the lack of talent associated with other Lucas-related projects (Lucas Arts). Clone Wars is the only quality LF project and even it has been slipping this season.

Consider the fact that Lucasfilm as a business cannot survive without Star Wars. Lucasfilm IS Star Wars and George knows it. When the taste for Star Wars went stale post-PT, George ran to the IJ well and pumped a quick couple hundred million into the company from that film and its licensing. Do you know why we're never going to get a quality SW Blu-ray set? Because if they gave you the ultimate set you crave, you'd have no reason to buy another. They NEED you to keep consuming SW and there's only so much of it to go around...unless they make more...

and I finally have come to the belief that they will. It probably won't be George's baby and won't have anything to do with the Skywalker saga but it's clear they will be made. Who knows - they might even be watchable, but in order for LFL to survive they will be made.

Not for nothing but Lucasfilm has had its name attached to several dubious productions over the yeas, well before the prequels were hatched: "Radioland Murders," "More American Graffiti," "Ewoks," "Droids," to name a few. Heck even The Young Indy Chronicles had its moments of tedium. And don't get me started on "Willow."

Seriously, is a new series of films (IF they happen, and it looks like a big if right now) really any more a slap to the face of fandom than a game like The Force Unleashed, which was a mediocre "God of War" clone at best, being placed into the official cannon? Does it really besmirch your appreciation of the saga as a whole (or whatever it is that you take from Lucas' creation) to know that some thing you can't wholly get behind exists under the banner of the Star Wars name?

I mean look how many shitty Batman stories have been told over the years, yet that's a character whose appeal is great enough to overcome his own history and remain relevant to this day. Whether or not the same holds true for Star Wars is something that remains to be seen.

At this point, I'm pretty satisfied with the original movies and the John Williams scores as far as Star Wars goes. I don't watch Clone Wars, lost interest after season 1. I don't care about another TV show, Red Tails or Indiana Shia. I don't collect the toys or play any current video games. I don't even go to any dedicated Star Wars websites anymore. That time was the prequels and everything leading up to them, and to an extent, Indiana Jones IV. Mostly a disappointment, though those of us who read these boards and other websites between 2000 and 2005 will tell you it was a hell of an adventure.

When the old ones come out on Blu-ray, I'll get them. They'll be changed, there will be some major defects most people don't care about. The colors and contrast and all that stuff that drives the longtime anal retentive fans up the wall will still be there. The Jabba scene, space port, Greedo and all that other shit will still be just that. But the movies at the core will remain--in high-def. Luke, Han, Vader, Ben, Yoda, Lando, Chewie, Leia, the droids. No amount of bad prequels, sequels, expanded universe and alterations will ever be able to touch that.

I'd love it if Lucas wrote a new trilogy and handed it off to someone else to direct. We can always hope...

I agree with Zion. If it happened, I doubt George would be onset directing. That's just my gut reaction. Them denying it, though, is not proof that it won't happen ever. Just from a business standpoint, it would be ludicrous to keep the idea out of the question. Forever, anyways.

Speaking of succesors possibly taking on sequels in the future, I always figured someday we'd get Jet Lucas' Episodes 8-10 in super realistic immersovision, sometime in the 2020's. Or his daughters might Twilight the fuck out of it. But until the whole property is bought out by another company and turned into a dust collector, there is still hope.

Kind of off topic, but I've begun to realize the main reason I (and I can't be alone on this) really wish like a ninny for more SW is the lack of quality sci-fi these days. The entire genre is becoming rather deserted, film-wise. Although this Skyline thing looks interesting. Avatar is a little too tree-hugger for my taste. Worth watching, but can I really pimp a t-shirt for that shit? No. We need more big budget sci-fi that isn't embarassing for me to admit liking.

Star Wars probably has a lot to do with the decline in quality sci-fi over the years (even though it was always more fantasy than sci-fi). Most genre films nowadays basically boil down to a variation on the theme of the hero's journey but where Star Wars did it so well, others just seem intent on running it into the ground. I think one of the prequels' best qualities is that the entire trilogy avoids rehashing the Campbell-ian monomyth.

I am very ambivalent about any and all of this as it's rumour and speculation being touted as 'solid insider info'

GL did the OT well and then has diluted it down quite a bit,then the PT never went far enough or in the directions the majority of the fandom ever hoped.

Look @ Empire,arguably and widely held to be the pinnacle movie of the entire saga.

GL did not direct but Irvin Kershner did and did it very well thus propelling the saga into even greater things than A New Hope.

George Lucas is a good writer/storyteller but not necessarily a good Director/Producer.

Dave Filoni or someone with the talent and passion of the likes of Kershner for making a film the best it can be with GL supplying the screenplay (with room for flexibility upon consultation) would work and especially so if the Skywalker Clan are left alone.

All in all,it's fan speculation with a dubious source for info though 'Blue harvest' sets were used to mask ROTJ during filming and I'd say LFL would be mad to acknowledge any rumours at this time as it'd be counter-intuitive to the notion of hype based marketing.

Though common sense dictates otherwise, I’m inclined to believe this rumor.


That stuff is still in there. Anakin with his virgin birth and reverse hero journey is the most obvious example.

Anakin's virgin birth alone isn't enough to set him on the path of the hero. His story arc is more the tragic hero than anything else and the kindness his character showed in TPM provides the greatest contrast to the man he would become. His choices in episodes II & III dictate a man full of hubris, jealousy and greed. I wouldn't exactly call these heroic traits. Think of it this way: As Luke redeems his father, so too does Luke's hero's journey resolve the tragedy of Darth Vader.

And if you really want to start digging deep, think about this: the hero's journey often deals with themes of fate and destiny, while the traditional story of the tragic hero deals with choice. Clearly Luke was destined to meet up with Ben and save the Princess. He really only succumbs to his passions once (in "Empire" when he rushes to Cloud City to save Han and Leia). He fails, learns his lesson and ultimately triumphs. Anakin on the other hand is dealt with choice after choice and heedlessly plunges head long into one bad decision after another, particularly in "Sith." Here's part of Wikipedia's intro paragraph on the tragic hero:

It’s really a combination of The Hero Journey and Tragic Hero.

With The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell breaks down The Hero Journey / Monomyth into 3 parts with a number of subsections.

Part one is The Departure wherein the hero leaves his day-to-day life and responds to a call to adventure. (In some cases, the hero refuses the call.) Along the way, he meets a supernatural aide who serves as a guide and mentor. At some point, the hero passes a point of no return wherein he crosses the first threshold into a more dangerous world. Often times with this crossing, there is a belly of the whale scenario. At this moment, the hero is literally immersed in the new more dangerous reality. With this act, he has shown his willingness to be reborn with a new identity much different from his former self.

The second stage is Initiation wherein the hero is subject to a road of trials. If the hero survives, he will meet with a goddess and fall in love. The hero could also meet with woman who is a temptress that will lead the hero away from his journey. At some point, the hero must confront the most powerful figure in his life. Often times, this is represented by his father. When atonement is achieved with the power figure, there is apotheosis and the rewarding of the ultimate boon. In other words, there is an achievement of the goal of the adventure.

The final stage is the Return to the ordinary world or a Refusal to Return. Sometimes, the return is just dangerous as the adventure. At this juncture, the hero has a magic flight where he must hide from and dodge potential captures. Sometimes, the hero himself needs to be rescued from without by a guide or assistant. Once the hero is safe, he can cross the return threshold back into normal life. Because of his enlightening adventure, he has become a master of two Worlds and has the freedom to live without fearing death.

In regard to the OT, Luke goes on The Hero Journey. (Though, Han has his moments as well.) Not all elements of the Journey are present in Luke’s story, but many of them do apply.

In the PT, it’s Anakin’s turn. While all of his Journey doesn’t play out in the first three films, a good majority of it takes place.

Here’s how I see it:

Departure
• The Call to Adventure: Anakin accepts the call to be a Jedi when he chooses to leave with Qui Gon.
• Refusal of the Call: Even though he has some reservation about leaving his mother, he does not refuse the call.
• Supernatural Aid: In TPM, the aid is Qui Gon. In ATOC and ROTS, it's Obi-wan and Palpatine.
• The Crossing of the First Threshold: This is Anakin's participation in the liberation of Naboo.
• Belly of The Whale: This is Anakin’s destruction of the core inside the Trade Federation ship.

Initiation
• The Road of Trials: These tasks take place throughout his time as a Jedi.
• The Meeting With the Goddess: Padme is obviously Anakin’s Goddess.
• Woman as Temptress: This is also Padme. Like Anakin, she is a contradictory character. She is simultaneously a source of happiness in his life and a stressor that contributes to his fall.
• Atonement with the Father: This happens more literally with Luke. However, Anakin’s confrontations with Obi-wan and Palpatine also fall into this category.
• Apotheosis: This doesn't happen until ROTJ. Anakin first has to be reborn as Vader before he is reborn as an enlightened spirit.
• The Ultimate Boon: Again, this happens when Anakin achieves peace of mind as a Force ghost.

Return
• Refusal of the Return: This isn’t the case as Anakin is able to return to his former good self.
• The Magic Flight: Not necessary.
• Rescue from Without: Anakin is saved by his son.
• The Crossing of the Return Threshold: This occurs when Anakin returns as a ghost.
• Master of Two Worlds: Like Obi-wan, Anakin’s ghostly form exists in the physical and spiritual world.
• Freedom to Live: Anakin is an immortal spirit.


I mistakenly thought that the virgin birth was part of The Hero Journey. I got mixed up because Campbell also discusses this concept in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. My bad.

Good points all around, E_CHU_TA!. I gave your breakdown some thought and here's what I feel...

While Anakin's basic arc can be read through the lens of Campbell's Monomyth, doing so ultimately hurts the saga as a whole because it undermines the very tragedy of Anakin's fall and downplays Luke's importance as the archetypal hero in the Campbellian sense. I think the key moment that your analysis missed, and arguably the most important moment in the saga, is the scene where Anakin allows Palpatine to kill Mace Windu. This is where Anakin's story deviates, and deviates sharply, from that of the Hero's Journey and you could say he did it for love or for revenge but what it really boils down to is the guy's move is a total power grab and this is why I have a hard time accepting Anakin's story as anything but that of a tragic hero. It's his power lust which is a flaw that's ostensibly built into his character from birth given that he was born a slave-the very epitome of the powerless. He uses his guilt over his mother's death and desire to save Padme as justification for his greed. What makes Vader's story tragic is that despite his actions and for all his power, Anakin never really escapes the fate of being a slave.

I see Padme less as a temptress and more as an obsession. If anything, Padme is trying to save Anakin. His first real obsession is with his mother and he never really gets over the guilt he feels for leaving her and in some ways transfers his over to Padme once his mother dies at the hands of the Sandpeople. I think you can draw a line from Shmi to Padme all the way through to Luke given that finding and turning his son, in effect another power grab, becomes his all consuming obsession in the OT.

I don't believe this rumor for a second. Lucas has said over and over that he is satisfied with the story the films tell. He has this new medium, the Singapore animation studio, doing the Clone Wars. Maybe he pushes that studio to the next generation of realistic animation, because it's so much more cost-efficient.

Honestly, to me the elephant in the room, is he isn't getting any younger. I don't see how it's possible that he can come up with the energy, at his age, to creatively guide a force it takes to make 3 new films like he did in the 70s/80s and 90s/00s.

I see animation as being the current and future medium for Star Wars entertainment.