Star Wars: Lucasfilm/Disney Planning Stand Alone Movies

[Master Magnus]

The CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger, has in an interview with CNBC confirmed that Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinsberg are working on stand-alone Star Wars movies that are to be released during the period the Sequel Trilogy is being produced. Lucasfilm has released a statement on the Official Site:

New Spinoff Films Set to Expand the Star Wars Galaxy
February 05, 2013

The Star Wars cinematic galaxy is about to experience a Big Bang. Lucasfilm is officially announcing new spinoff films that will expand the mythos and depths of the Star Wars universe in previously unexplored ways.

One of the standalone films will be written by Lawrence Kasdan, screenwriter of The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and co-writer of Return of the Jedi while the other will be penned by Simon Kinberg, writer of Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The movies will be separate from the upcoming Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, on which Kasdan and Kinberg are also consulting, and are expected to be released sometime after Episode VII. Each standalone film will focus on a specific character, and two spinoff films are currently confirmed.

In a call to investors, Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, revealed while the original focus was on the highly-anticipated sequel trilogy, the idea of spinoff films was bandied about early and the additional films are now becoming a reality. "We are in development of a few standalone films," he said, "that are not part of the Star Wars saga...there are now creative entities working on developing scripts for what would be those standalone films."

Stay tuned to StarWars.com as more exciting developments unfold.

StarWars.com: New Spinoff Films Set to Expand the Star Wars Galaxy

CNBC: Partial transcript from the interview with link to video

[Miasmo]

Hello Ewok Adventure 3!

[borgmatrix]

The CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger, has in an interview with CNBC confirmed that Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinsberg are working on stand-alone Star Wars movies that are to be released during the period the Sequel Trilogy is being produced. Lucasfilm has released a statement on the Official Site:

So based on that statement you posted above, if I'm reading it right, they don't have any actual ideas. They decided first to do standalone films, and now they're trying to figure out they'll be about.

I don't feel thrilled about that. If they had a great idea for a standalone, and then decided to move forward, I'd feel better. I don't want additional movies to exist for no reason.

[Master Magnus]

So based on that statement you posted above, if I'm reading it right, they don't have any actual ideas. They decided first to do standalone films, and now they're trying to figure out they'll be about.

I don't feel thrilled about that. If they had a great idea for a standalone, and then decided to move forward, I'd feel better. I don't want additional movies to exist for no reason.

There have been rumors for the past few days before the movies were confirmed that the first spin-off movie is going to be about Yoda (another rumor I read about, though I can't remember where, is that George Lucas also suggested a Jabba the Hutt spin-off).

[Talcy]

Aint It Cool (via EW) are talking about not only Boba Fett but also young Han Solo.

AICN - "Who's Scruffy Lookin'?" A Han Solo Origin story...

[Lord Tesla]

All these ideas fill me with dread to one degree or another. Least dreadful seems Yoda, though it would probably be the easiest to screw up. Most dreadful: Jabba. I mean...two hours of subtitled Huttese? And can you imagine the sluggish pace...

Seriously, the whole thing strikes me as weird. With a capital 'W".

But I am really most drawn to the Yoda possibility.

[Talcy]

I;ve said this elsewhere on more than one occasion:

A Boba Fett film is a no-brainer.

And forget all this instant complaining of, "Waah! But it'll ruin the mystery! Waah!"

He finds his origins in Clint Eastwood's Man with No Name. And they managed to get some pretty damn good movies out of that character without giving anything away about him.

Solo, I'm not so keen on. But we do know some of his past as well: Abducted as a baby and then abandoned by space gypsies, raised by Wookiees, expelled from the Imperial Academy for betting against his tutor (and winning), freeing some Wookiee slaves...

[Justin]

Actually we don't really know anything about his backstory other than what is revealed in the movies. EU stuff don't count! I'm down for a Han Solo movie much more than any of the others, I think that could be pretty cool. I don't think Yoda will make a good protagonist (he's best as the wise mentor), and GL's Jabba idea illustrates perfectly why he shouldn't be making Star Wars movies anymore.

I thought Boba Fett was going to be the TV show.

[Talcy]

Is that EU stuff? It was Lucas' own history of the character when SW first came out.

[Talcy]

Boba Fett on TV came from McCallum. Disney/LFL can do what they want.

If there is a Yoda movie, I'd like to see him in that 7 Jedi/Samurai idea that did the rounds recently. Yoda has a lot in common with the lead Samurai in 7 Samurai - Lucas deliberately gave him the same charactert ticks. So Yoda leading some kind of 7 Jedi story would be cool to me. For a start, he wouldn't have to carry the entire film.

[Master Shrive]

This is my preferred direction for the franchise. After the ST I don't want to see any more episode numbers, but just more films (hopefully of good quality) that take place in the Star Wars universe. I don't even think these need to involve established characters, nor do they need to be set in the same time period. That would give them more freedom, if they so chose. That said, ideas about Han, Yoda or Boba could have merit. If something was done with Boba it could also make the voice change in the OT more of a logical fit.

[bango31]

Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett Boba Fett

Also, Boba Fett.

[Justin]

Boba Fett on TV came from McCallum. Disney/LFL can do what they want.

If there is a Yoda movie, I'd like to see him in that 7 Jedi/Samurai idea that did the rounds recently. Yoda has a lot in common with the lead Samurai in 7 Samurai - Lucas deliberately gave him the same charactert ticks. So Yoda leading some kind of 7 Jedi story would be cool to me. For a start, he wouldn't have to carry the entire film.

That would be far better. If they do something like this, they should bring back Qui-Gonn and Mace Windu!

[Darth Darthy]

It'd be pretty tough to fill Harrison Ford's shoes as Han Solo. That idea sounds quite stupid, actually.

Kasdan's writing the Yoda movie.

[thepepgal]

Biggest rumour on the 2 movies is that they will be about Yoda and Boba Fett. Mind you there is no evidence of these being true. I'll wait until the official announcement.

If it is Yoda, I presume that it will cover his time at the temple as George never wanted Yoda's species (ie origins known). Plenty of material in his temple time as he did train jedi for 800 years.

I'd like a spin off movie on the X-Wing pilots. Disney already know the books were successful. It would the action movie fans would like. They could show battles not involving the big three (especially Luke). Anyone can play Ackbar to give mission briefings. If they choose a squad other than Rogue then recasting is not needed. Big question is that a similar thing was tried with Wing Commander and wasn't successful so better writing would be needed for a Star Wars variant.