Feb. 21st Star Wars land preview on ABC

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

So.... how accurate is Disney with concept art vs what we actually get?

I would guess they hope to have this up & running in time for WDW's 50th?

 

[lebeau]

I see what you're saying now. I guess I'm sort of lucky because that kind of thing has never really bothered me. Like... what the Muppets are doing now doesn't take anything away from the original series, the original movies, or my beloved Muppetvision 3D. The fact that the Simpsons has gone well past its expiration date hasn't ruined my enjoyment of the better seasons from long ago (like seasons 3-8). And the new JJ Star Trek movies haven't changed my feelings about the original series, the Next Generation, or the original/TNG films.

The expanded universe of Star Wars was already filled with comics, novels, cartoon series (Droids and Ewoks), radio dramas, video games, and who knows what else. I didn't really pay a lot of attention to that stuff, but I can't imagine that any of it would ruin the original trilogy for me. If it becomes too much with the new films, why not just skip them? Or you could pretend they don't exist, like people do with the prequels

But I know that a lot of people feel the way you do. Many people seem to hate reboots, remakes, and sequels for movies that don't seem to "need" sequels, but I've never felt like over-saturation has ruined the way I feel about the classics and originals they were based on. I could just be weird that way.

Don't get me wrong. I can ignore things that I don't enjoy like a champ. There are countless sequels that just don't exist for me including the Star Wars prequels. I'm glad that they are there for people who enjoy them, but I'll just pretend like they never happened.

I do think that the current trend of rebooting everything over and over again has gotten ridiculous. There comes a point where you should just let a story end and make something new. Terminator, to me, is the poster child for this. Everything you needed to know about The Terminator was there in the first movie. There was no more story to tell. The fact that they got a decent sequel out of it is amazing. But it's past time to stop going to that well!

I'm not mad at Disney for rebooting Star Wars with TFA. It's a no brainer to continue Star Wars. But when I was growing up, you waited three years in breathless anticipation for the next Star Wars movie. And after three, that was it. That made them really special. A new Star Wars movie was an event. TFA had that because it was the first in a long time and it promised to make up for the disappointing prequels. But after 10 years of annual (or possibly even more frequent) Star Wars movies, a lot of people will make a value judgement and decide they don't need to see the latest one in theaters. That's kind of a shame.

 

[G00fyDad]

That's not what I meant when I said Disney would run Star Wars into the ground.

If something is popular, Disney ramps up supply to the point where it eventually exceeds even the most ravenous demand. I call it the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Syndrome. I don't think Disney could possible destroy Star Wars or Marvel. But they will flood the market. TFA was a record breaking hit because it was an event. After the next few years of annual Star Wars movies, they won't be special any more.

Disney's "Star Wars is a never ending story" approach makes me a little sad. One of the things Star Wars had going for it was that it had a beginning, middle and an end. Disney is making Star Wars into just another franchise. It's less special now.

Tell that to Allen Dean Foster, R. A. Salvator, and Timothy Zahn.

 

[lebeau]

Tell that to Allen Dean Foster, R. A. Salvator, and Timothy Zahn.

Ancillary product doesn't change the fact the movies told a self-contained story.

 

[G00fyDad]

Ancillary product doesn't change the fact the movies told a self-contained story.

Fair point, but you mentioned Star Wars which I took to mean the entire story and not just movies.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Walt was all over the place on that special. Helen Mirren did a great biography of him right at the top of the show, and then they talked about him repeatedly throughout the two hours; his dreams for Disneyland, why he built the place, etc., etc.

Quite frankly, I was amazed at how much Walt there was in that two hours, and how they kept saying "Disneyland!" over and over and over instead of "Disney Parks!".

Well, that's good news. Maybe I'll see if I can stream the special from Amazon or something.

 

[lebeau]

Fair point, but you mentioned Star Wars which I took to mean the entire story and not just movies.

Honestly, I forget about the EU all the time. I read Splinter in the Mind's Eye as a kid and the first three Zahn books when they came out and that's the limits of my EU experience. Again, great for those who like it. But when I think of Star Wars, I'm thinking of the movies.

 

[DocHoliday]

For me, you can overdue things and leave a bad taste in people's mouth. I am not saying that Disney will with Star Wars, just that it's possible. For me the first Pirates was an awesome experience while the sequels were not (Davey Jones aside). While I am looking forward to another Pirates film, I am just not as excited as I was in 2005/2006 about it.

 

[lebeau]

For me, you can overdue things and leave a bad taste in people's mouth. I am not saying that Disney will with Star Wars, just that it's possible. For me the first Pirates was an awesome experience while the sequels were not (Davey Jones aside). While I am looking forward to another Pirates film, I am just not as excited as I was in 2005/2006 about it.

Pirates is another prime example. Disney has relied on the popularity of the first one without ever putting the effort into a decent screenplay for any of the follow-ups. By now, domestic interest in Johnny Depp and Pirates is at a low point. The only reason another one is being made is that the last one did well overseas.

 

[DocHoliday]

Pirates is another prime example. Disney has relied on the popularity of the first one without ever putting the effort into a decent screenplay for any of the follow-ups. By now, domestic interest in Johnny Depp and Pirates is at a low point. The only reason another one is being made is that the last one did well overseas.

I'm hoping they nail this one.A fitting book end that was as good as the first. Not Disney's albatross but it's the same thing that happened with The Matrix. It just deserves a better film to go out on.

 

[DarthMileZ]

Disney bought Lucasfilm over 3yrs ago and yet there really isn't anything new yet and the land is still 3yrs out most likely. In my eyes this is unacceptable. Why take so long with the single most popular IP in the history of the world? Were you unsure if it would be successful? Things should have been on the fast track from the moment Disney made the purchase. So for what they have shown and what they have done so far, people are underwhelmed. Unfortunately, I think Disney is counting on the "count ourselves lucky we are even getting a star wars land" attitude with star wars because they know whatever they do will be a hit. I really hope Disney proves me way wrong and what we get is beyond spectacular but for now I will remain guarded.

why would you want to rush the development? i'd rather it take longer and be better.. we all know what happens when you rush a park open (DHS)

They are taking time because of the fact that it is the most popular IP. they dont wanna mess this one up.

 

[JohnD]

Don't get me wrong. I can ignore things that I don't enjoy like a champ. There are countless sequels that just don't exist for me including the Star Wars prequels. I'm glad that they are there for people who enjoy them, but I'll just pretend like they never happened.

I do think that the current trend of rebooting everything over and over again has gotten ridiculous. There comes a point where you should just let a story end and make something new. Terminator, to me, is the poster child for this. Everything you needed to know about The Terminator was there in the first movie. There was no more story to tell. The fact that they got a decent sequel out of it is amazing. But it's past time to stop going to that well!

I'm not mad at Disney for rebooting Star Wars with TFA. It's a no brainer to continue Star Wars. But when I was growing up, you waited three years in breathless anticipation for the next Star Wars movie. And after three, that was it. That made them really special. A new Star Wars movie was an event. TFA had that because it was the first in a long time and it promised to make up for the disappointing prequels. But after 10 years of annual (or possibly even more frequent) Star Wars movies, a lot of people will make a value judgement and decide they don't need to see the latest one in theaters. That's kind of a shame.

You may have a point. Paramount went overkill with Star Trek (TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, TNG movies, etc.). They admitted that had to stop doing Star Trek for a while to let things cool down before doing a reboot with the classic character movies. Now it's back to every several years with Star Trek movies.

 

[Figgy1]

You may have a point. Paramount went overkill with Star Trek (TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, TNG movies, etc.). They admitted that had to stop doing Star Trek for a while to let things cool down before doing a reboot with the classic character movies. Now it's back to every several years with Star Trek movies.

So where's the overkill?

 

[JohnD]

So where's the overkill?

I'm a huge fan of Star Wars. Just acknowledging that the poster may have a point. Disney plans on a SW movie a year until ??? Canon Episodes every other odd year. And stand-alone movies every other even year.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Like they've done with Pixar and Marvel?

Give me an example of a quality property that Disney "ran into the ground." And by "ran into the ground," I mean a property that should have continued to succeed, but instead Disney found some way to make it fail.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is a famous example of Disney running something into the ground. They flat out killed it with greed.

 

[HMF]

Languishing in EU books and cartoons? That's doing fine?



Yes. It's a kid's cartoon. I am summarily ignoring it. Disney rescued SW. JJ breathed life into it. And now we are getting a very impressive SWL at both stateside parks.

I for one, am pumped.

Believe it or not those EU Books and cartoons had devoted fans. If you consider Abrams' A New Hope retread as breathing new life into a franchise that was never dead to begin with .... well, what can I say.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

The EU was glorified fan fiction.

 

[HMF]

The EU was glorified fan fiction.

And TFA isn't? Last time I checked Abrams did not create the Star Wars Universe. Since it's not by the original author by definition it is fan-fiction.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

And TFA isn't? Last time I checked Abrams did not create the Star Wars Universe. Since it's not by the original author by definition it is fan-fiction.

No. No, it's not. That's ridiculous.

Lawrence Kasdan isn't a Star Wars fan fiction writer.

 

[HMF]

No. No, it's not. That's ridiculous.

Lawrence Kasdan isn't a Star Wars fan fiction writer.

He is not the creator and without that creator, Kasdan likely would not have a career or at least not as successful of one.