Star Wars Expanded Universe

[decafjava]

@decafjava I've only seen parts of the Clone Wars, as my boys weren't that in to Star Wars when it was on. But I liked what I saw. I wish they'd show them again somewhere, in order. I didn't know they were canon.

Not sure where to see them, like you I saw some of them - as with Rebels.

Yes they are canon - I understand the official list now includes: the 6 films, the Clone Wars and Rebels cartoon series, and some official novels and comics published by Disney for example a few that tie in with the sequel trilogy. The EU was for better or for worse thrown out when Lucasarts sold out to Disney. That said many elements of the EU seem to be making their way into the canon, like the recent introduction of Thrawn.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

@decafjava Thrawn was a great character. I'm glad he's back.

If Disney cherry pick the best of the EU, that could work out rather well for the Franchise.

 

[skottichan]

@decafjava I've only seen parts of the Clone Wars, as my boys weren't that in to Star Wars when it was on. But I liked what I saw. I wish they'd show them again somewhere, in order. I didn't know they were canon.

Clone Wars is all collected on Netflix, including the "Lost Missions" which were episodes that had scripts but weren't made until Netflix got the rights.

There are rumors that we're going to start getting more TV/Netflix Star Wars stuff. Disney's pretty keen on the model after the success they've had with Marvel's stuff.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Clone Wars is all collected on Netflix, including the "Lost Missions" which were episodes that had scripts but weren't made until Netflix got the rights.

There are rumors that we're going to start getting more TV/Netflix Star Wars stuff. Disney's pretty keen on the model after the success they've had with Marvel's stuff.

Do you know if that's only in the US, or is it on Netflix in the UK, too?

Edit:

I've just checked. It is not. Oh well.

 

[skottichan]

Do you know if that's only in the US, or is it on Netflix in the UK, too?

Edit:

I've just checked. It is not. Oh well.

Boo!

Sorry, I didn't notice your location before I responded. Sadly, I'm unsure where you'd be able to watch it in the UK.

 

[Huntn]

Added to post No.1:
Dec 2016 Update: Disney the new Dark Master of the Empire, Decrees that the Star Wars Expanded Universe is DEAD! (Apple fanboy gets credit for first to mention) Does that mean that nothing will be weaned from the expanded universe? No clue.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Added to post No.1:
Dec 2016 Update: Disney the new Dark Master of the Empire, Decrees that the Star Wars Expanded Universe is DEAD! Does that mean that nothing will be weaned from the expanded universe? No clue.

I did mention it in post 5!

I've read all of them over the years. As I've mentioned elsewhere, one of my frustrations with VII is all this has been deleted. So characters that I've been reading about for decades now have different timelines.
The Hand of Thawn trilogy is one of the better stories in the series.

Given Han and Leia had three children in the expanded universe, it seems unlikely they will be following the same path.
Plus lets be honest, Disney were always going to do their own thing.

 

[Huntn]

I did mention it in post 5!


Given Han and Leia had three children in the expanded universe, it seems unlikely they will be following the same path.
Plus lets be honest, Disney were always going to do their own thing.

You are so right and my apologies for glossing over it at the time. Posts updated to give credit where due.

 

[Apple fanboy]

You are so right and my apologies for glossing over it at the time.

No problem my young padawan!

 

[Huntn]

No problem my young padawan!

no, no me. ​

 

[maflynn]

Dec 2016 Update: Disney the new Dark Master of the Empire, Decrees that the Star Wars Expanded Universe is DEAD! (Apple fanboy gets credit for first to mention) Does that mean that nothing will be weaned from the expanded universe? No clue.

I think they may still draw ideas and characters from what is now Star Wars Legends, but that is no longer canon and Star Wars will not be bound to follow any time lines that were built up in expanded universe. In way a reboot of the canon was needed to breath new life into Star Wars. That was built out to such a fine granularity over many generations I think it would have been impossible for Disney to carve out new movies and plots.

 

[Huntn]

I think they may still draw ideas and characters from what is now Star Wars Legends, but that is no longer canon and Star Wars will not be bound to follow any time lines that were built up in expanded universe. In way a reboot of the canon was needed to breath new life into Star Wars. That was built out to such a fine granularity over many generations I think it would have been impossible for Disney to carve out new movies and plots.

I was never really into the expanded universe, although I threatened to start reading it, so I'm not upset.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I was never really into the expanded universe, although I threatened to start reading it, so I'm not upset.

I was. I am.

But I do understand why they had to do something new.

 

[maflynn]

I had a thought regarding the whole franchise.
First, we heard about the director for the Han Solo movie getting fired, now recently, the Episode IX director is being replaced. Looks like JJ Abrams is stepping in and that might be a good thing, but here's my concern.

What if Disney is going to the well too often on this franchise. Every year we're getting a star wars movie, I think that's too much, and it has the potential to dilute the brand (for the lack of a better term).

We have Episode IX, queueing up, Disney mentioned an Obiwan movie, rumors of a Boba Fett movie, we have the Han Solo movie being worked on. It seems that it could be too much of a good thing.

 

[Number-Six]

I had a thought regarding the whole franchise.
First, we heard about the director for the Han Solo movie getting fired, now recently, the Episode IX director is being replaced. Looks like JJ Abrams is stepping in and that might be a good thing, but here's my concern.

What if Disney is going to the well too often on this franchise. Every year we're getting a star wars movie, I think that's too much, and it has the potential to dilute the brand (for the lack of a better term).

We have Episode IX, queueing up, Disney mentioned an Obiwan movie, rumors of a Boba Fett movie, we have the Han Solo movie being worked on. It seems that it could be too much of a good thing.

I'd say it depends on what they do. If all they do is go for "sure shots" like Han/Boba/Obiwan movies, without actually expanding the universe, then I agree they will end up diluting it.

But if they try new things, like Rogue One, I think it could be interesting

 

[maflynn]

But if they try new things, like Rogue One, I think it could be interesting

Agreed on the Rogue One comment, that was an excellent movie, and to further complicate and confuse my point, I would love to see a Darth Vader movie. Yet with that said, I do wonder if these things will cause the movie going public to just get bored with the franchise.

 

[kazmac]

Not thrilled about J.J. returning to write and direct IX. It may very well be that all this trilogy/Disney gives me is Porgs.

Thank goodness there is Apple news today which will help me forget about this for awhile.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I had a thought regarding the whole franchise.
First, we heard about the director for the Han Solo movie getting fired, now recently, the Episode IX director is being replaced. Looks like JJ Abrams is stepping in and that might be a good thing, but here's my concern.

What if Disney is going to the well too often on this franchise. Every year we're getting a star wars movie, I think that's too much, and it has the potential to dilute the brand (for the lack of a better term).

We have Episode IX, queueing up, Disney mentioned an Obiwan movie, rumors of a Boba Fett movie, we have the Han Solo movie being worked on. It seems that it could be too much of a good thing.

You mean like Apple?
I think if they brought a phone/watch/OS out when there was significant reason to do so rather than just because it's on a 12 month refresh cycle a lot of us would be happier.

I'm a die hard fan. I've watched the ewok movies and the Chewbacca holiday special.

Maybe I should change my name to StarWars fanboy!

 

[skottichan]

I had a thought regarding the whole franchise.
First, we heard about the director for the Han Solo movie getting fired, now recently, the Episode IX director is being replaced. Looks like JJ Abrams is stepping in and that might be a good thing, but here's my concern.

What if Disney is going to the well too often on this franchise. Every year we're getting a star wars movie, I think that's too much, and it has the potential to dilute the brand (for the lack of a better term).

We have Episode IX, queueing up, Disney mentioned an Obiwan movie, rumors of a Boba Fett movie, we have the Han Solo movie being worked on. It seems that it could be too much of a good thing.

Honestly I remember when people said the same thing about the MCU stuff. Now we're getting multiple movies a year with no sign of brand dilution.

 

[Huntn]

I'd say it depends on what they do. If all they do is go for "sure shots" like Han/Boba/Obiwan movies, without actually expanding the universe, then I agree they will end up diluting it.

But if they try new things, like Rogue One, I think it could be interesting

Agreed on the Rogue One comment, that was an excellent movie, and to further complicate and confuse my point, I would love to see a Darth Vader movie. Yet with that said, I do wonder if these things will cause the movie going public to just get bored with the franchise.

Rogue One was great... but can they keep churning out great stories feeding off the original trilogy? Well, maybe a Hans Solo movie. But imho, they are making a mistake if they insist on dwelling in the past. I could be all wet but my belief is the franchise must move forward beyond the Death Star arc... a Death Planet, lol no, The New Hope reboot, almost an insult, unless you are so sentimental and desperate you'll take any SW crumb they offer.

 

[kazmac]

The one element of Star Wars EU I do miss is Dark Horse comics. They created some great storylines and in around the movies and comics & characters that felt like SW. Still annoyed the Disney acquisition axed my favorite DHC SW storyline while the creative deep were deep at work on Book IV. So it felt rushed and incomplete because it had to end at Book III, but is still better than anything Marvel's come up with since reacquiring the comic license.

Ah well.

That said, I am finally giving a new novel a go (actually not new), a Rogue One tie in written by Greg Rucka. Because it's Greg Rucka and I hope Chirrut is fleshed out a bit more.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Not thrilled about J.J. returning to write and direct IX.

I'm not thrilled about his return either. JJ (JarJar?) Abrams talent seems to be in reboots. He did it brilliantly, IMO, with Star Trek, and he did it again with Episode 7. I liked that movie, but an Episode IV reboot was not the movie I was looking for. When we get to Episode IX, I really don't want to see a re-boot of Return of the Jedi.

I would much rather have seen Gareth Edwards take over Episode IX. He did brilliantly with Rogue One, and I think that was a tough movie to get right. I think his success with Rogue One is the reason why Disney decided to step in and change the Han Solo movie. There's now a high quality benchmark the spin-off movies (if not the upcoming Episodes) will be measured against.

The original directors of the Han Solo movie had a background in comedy movies. From what I understand (from the internet, so not a proper source) the movie they made was a comedy. Again, from what I understand (from the internet, so still not v reliable), there's been some significant adjustments / re-writes, since Ron Howard took over. Ron Howard has made some great movies, so I have much higher hopes for that film than I did have.

I think there were safer hands available for Episode IX than Abrams.

 

[kazmac]

I think there were safer hands available for Episode IX than Abrams.

Yep, Rian Johnson or Joe Johnson. Rian at least took the time to discuss characters with the actors and considered their input.

Joe because of his work on the original trilogy and he has made some fun character-centric movies (I wish he could do that Winter Soldier movie he wanted to do.)

 

[Huntn]

I'm not thrilled about his return either. JJ (JarJar?) Abrams talent seems to be in reboots. He did it brilliantly, IMO, with Star Trek, and he did it again with Episode 7. I liked that movie, but an Episode IV reboot was not the movie I was looking for. When we get to Episode IX, I really don't want to see a re-boot of Return of the Jedi.

I would much rather have seen Gareth Edwards take over Episode IX. He did brilliantly with Rogue One, and I think that was a tough movie to get right. I think his success with Rogue One is the reason why Disney decided to step in and change the Han Solo movie. There's now a high quality benchmark the spin-off movies (if not the upcoming Episodes) will be measured against.

The original directors of the Han Solo movie had a background in comedy movies. From what I understand (from the internet, so not a proper source) the movie they made was a comedy. Again, from what I understand (from the internet, so still not v reliable), there's been some significant adjustments / re-writes, since Ron Howard took over. Ron Howard has made some great movies, so I have much higher hopes for that film than I did have.

I think there were safer hands available for Episode IX than Abrams.

Prophetic inlight of the half assed cannon that has despoiled the Star Wars universe of late.

Rogue One (2016)
“I will run no longer! Save yourself, save the dream!”
​

Rogue One’s greatest achievement, besides being a stellar episode 2.5, is proof that 3 decades later, a worthy Star Wars movie can still be made, and be slightly over 2 hours. Thanks to Gareth Edwards and the writers.

The depiction of Yavin 4 is wonderful. K2SO voiced by Alan Tudyk Of Firefly fame is superb. I love it, but just wish there had been survivors. With some imagination, this could have spun away to it’s own branch.

Filming locations:
The islands of Gan and Baresdhoo of the Laamu Atoll in the Maldives, as well as RAF Bovingdon, were used to represent Scarif. Wadi Rum in Jordan was used to represent Jedha. Pymmes Park in Edmonton, London was also used for location filming, and scenes set on Yavin 4 were filmed at RAF Cardington. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_One

 

[maflynn]

Rogue One’s greatest achievement, besides being a stellar episode 2.5, is proof that 3 decades later, a worthy Star Wars movie can still be made, and be be slightly over 2 hours. Thanks to Gareth Edwards and the writers.

Indeed, but also remember this film was in trouble, Colin Trevorrow stepped down (or was fired, I don't know), and Gareth Edwards steps in and orders a new ending, major rewrites and a lot of reshoots. Some charachters that we were looking forward to seeing more of, lost out, such as Saw Gerrera.

I'm not complaining, because Disney and Edwards made the right decisions, and the final product was excellent. Aside from the original trilogy, this is the best Star Wars movie.

The trouble with producing new films for a beloved franchise is complex imo.

First new movies will almost always mess with people's ideals of what that franchise ought to be. There's no way to get around this, Luke's new force powers are a prime example. You cannot tell a new story without introducing new elements. You can't have new plots, new situations when you're using the same charachters, abilities and flaws as the original film. It just becomes a retread, i.e., complaints about Force Awakens.

The second issue is flamiliarty breeds contempt. What I mean by this is that for many people, Star Wars is special and part of that specialness is its rareity. We have the orginal trilogy, we then had the new prequels, and some of the cartoons that filled the storyline for the prequels. Now we're seeing annual releases, and I think that may very well dilute the brand. It stops being special because its not rare.