Star Wars Episode VII Movie and Disney Park Expansion Plans Intertwined?

flyerjab

flyerjab

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I recently read this on a discussion thread on the Aint it Cool News website.

"There have been rumors for months of some turmoil behind the scenes of STAR WARS: EPISODE VII...A lot of us have been skeptical that J.J. Abrams was going to meet a Summer 2015 release date, as production has continued to be delayed and is now scheduled to begin next Spring. That is obviously a short window for a film that is going to require a ton of post-production visual effects work. Reportedly though producer Kathleen Kennedy went to Disney CEO, Bob Iger and asked for a release date delay to 2016. He denied her request because they have a big plan with a lot of money involved and moving EPISODE VII's release date would screw it all up."

The rest of the thread goes into discussing that Abrams doesn't mind the challenge of meeting that aggressive type of timeline. They are also changing writers and other such things...sounds similar to the types of discussions here about the parks. The thread is ended with a promise of more information to come out on this very soon.

The reason that I am posting this is because of the text in bold from the quote. Does anyone think that the big plans hinted at includes other things beyond the movie itself? Could the "big plan" be hinting at something opening at DL or WDW in 2015? Would that even be possible knowing the snails pace at which Disney moves on projects?

I am curious to hear what the masses think about this.
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
flyerjab said:
I recently read this on a discussion thread on the Aint it Cool News website.

"There have been rumors for months of some turmoil behind the scenes of STAR WARS: EPISODE VII...A lot of us have been skeptical that J.J. Abrams was going to meet a Summer 2015 release date, as production has continued to be delayed and is now scheduled to begin next Spring. That is obviously a short window for a film that is going to require a ton of post-production visual effects work. Reportedly though producer Kathleen Kennedy went to Disney CEO, Bob Iger and asked for a release date delay to 2016. He denied her request because they have a big plan with a lot of money involved and moving EPISODE VII's release date would screw it all up."

The rest of the thread goes into discussing that Abrams doesn't mind the challenge of meeting that aggressive type of timeline. They are also changing writers and other such things...sounds similar to the types of discussions here about the parks. The thread is ended with a promise of more information to come out on this very soon.

The reason that I am posting this is because of the text in bold from the quote. Does anyone think that the big plans hinted at includes other things beyond the movie itself? Could the "big plan" be hinting at something opening at DL or WDW in 2015? Would that even be possible knowing the snails pace at which Disney moves on projects?

I am curious to hear what the masses think about this.
Click to expand...

No, I doubt it has anything to do with the theme parks. More likely he has plan for how they want release movies for the various Disney franchisees and changing the Star Wars release would mess that up.
 
sshindel

sshindel

The Epcot Manifesto
Well, I'd think it more based on the fact that they've planned to have a Star Wars release every year, with solo films focusing on known characters releasing on the years in between the releases of the next 3 main Star Wars films. If they move Episode VII, they'd have to kick each of the subsequent films up in their release years as well, which could be a big headache.
Now, I'd be willing to guess that if they really do plan on having a Star Wars land, they would try and get the opening of that area to coincide in some ways with some of these releases, to share on the buzz created by new Star Wars films, but I'd think that the release schedule of the already announced films would have a lot to do with any talk of pushing the release of Ep VII.
 
flyerjab

flyerjab

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I knew that if I didn't word that thread right that I would get jumped on like raw meat in a piranha tank. I suppose I took the big plan thing too far with my line of questioning. Live and learn as they say.

Instead of something ride-based, maybe some type of entertainment in the parks associated with the opening of the movie. I look at the Disney properties as living billboards for all of their animated movies. There were definitely Monsters University events at WDW (low cost, but events nonetheless) to coincide with the debut of the movie.

Now I am assuming that Star Wars is a significantly larger property than the Monsters franchise. I would think that there would be more than monorail and bus wraps for this, especially since there is a Star Wars presence at DHS, not to mention Star Wars weekends. I simply can't imagine this movie debuting without something of substance happening in one or more of the parks.

So as far as this having zero to do with the parks, I will have to disagree on that point. No offense.
 
Cardinals314

Cardinals314

Active Member
There is no way that the movie is coming out by 2015. We don't even know exactly who the cast is yet. That will be announced probably next year and the earliest filming will begin would be mid 2014. The post-production will probably take a while as well. 2016 I think is a more accurate date
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
Cardinals314 said:
There is no way that the movie is coming out by 2015. We don't even know exactly who the cast is yet. That will be announced probably next year and the earliest filming will begin would be mid 2014. The post-production will probably take a while as well. 2016 I think is a more accurate date
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Kathleen Kennedy did take the 2005 War of the Worlds from green light to opening day in less then 11 months. It's not Star Wars but it was still pretty impressive to make a movie that was that effects heavy in less then a year.
 
RMichael21

RMichael21

Well-Known Member
With this news now, then we should expect the rumored Star Wars Land to open even later because of two reasons:

  1. The new Movie now won't come out until 2016, the movie was going to help promote Star Wars Land
  2. WDW executives are busy with Avatar Land which opens in 2017.
 
flyerjab

flyerjab

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I know on some other Star Wars threads that people have speculated about additions to the Star Tours ride based upon the new movie - new scenes that would be created in parallel to the filming of Episode VII. That was one of the things I was thinking would be possible.

I suppose I am basing some of this off of what I had a chance to see at the last Star Wars weekend this summer. I was never in DHS during a Star Wars weekend before this June and it was insane. I can only imagine what they could do in conjunction with the next movie as far as promoting in their parks is concerned.

The sad reality about this, however, in getting back to what I initially posted about Iger's big plans, is that my definition of big plans and his definition of big plans are drastically different. If it ends up as monorail wraps only, Iger should be fired.
 

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