Star Wars sequel trilogy

The "Star Wars" sequel trilogy was a film trilogy originally planned to be part of the "Star Wars" franchise, and made by Lucasfilm. [ [http://www.comingsoon.net/news/topnews.php?id=6318 Mark Hamill Talks Star Wars Epis. 7, 8, & 9] ] However, in recent years Lucasfilm and George Lucas have continually denied plans of making a sequel trilogy. [ [http://www.killermovies.com/s/starwarsepisodeiii/articles/4415.html George Lucas Talks On 'Star Wars' Sequels 7, 8 & 9] ] Lucas has fiercely denied any plans of a "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, insisting that it was meant to be a six-part series. [ [http://www.industrycentral.net/director_interviews/GL01.HTM George Lucas interview] ]

Initial details

After the initial success of "", a sequel was inevitable, but over time, conflicting reports spread as to how many sequels were planned. In 1978, a "Time" magazine article reported that the newly formed Star Wars Corp. would be producing "Star Wars II", and then, count them, ten other planned sequels." ["George Lucas' Galactic Empire" "Time" (Monday, Mar. 06, 1978). "Lucas has set up four corporations: Star Wars Corp. will make Star Wars II and the ten, count 'em, ten other planned sequels". Retrieved on 3 December, 2007.]

By 1983 Lucas was describing a sequel trilogy to "": "The sequels, the three movies that would follow "Jedi", are considerably vaguer. Their main theme will be the necessity for moral choices and the wisdom needed to distinguish right from wrong. There was never any doubt in the films already made; in those the lines were sharply drawn, comic-book-style. Luke Skywalker, who will then be the age Obi-Wan Kenobi is now, some place in his 60s, will reappear, and so will his friends, assuming that the creator decides to carry the epic further." [CLarke, Gerald. "I've Got to Get My life Back Again". "Time" (Monday, May. 23, 1983). ]

In the book "Icons: Intimate Portraits" by Denise Worrell, Lucas is reported to have only a vague notion of what will happen in the three films of a sequel trilogy. He is quoted as saying "If the first trilogy is social and political and talks about how society evolves, "Star Wars" is more about personal growth and self realization, and the third deals with moral and philosophical problems. The sequel is about Jedi Knighthood, justice, confrontation, and passing on what you have learned."

In the foreword of the special edition of "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" George Lucas states "As the saga of the Skywalkers and Jedi Knights unfolded, I began to see it as a tale that could take at least nine films to tell - three trilogies." (ISBN 0-345-32023-9 Library of Congress card catalog number 77-28428)

Status

Currently, there are no firm plans to produce such films. Lucasfilm's stance is that the six "Star Wars" films comprise the entire story Lucas intended to tell, despite mentions to the contrary in the press and official publications over time.

Producer Gary Kurtz revealed the original outline for nine "Star Wars" films, but nothing came of this. In the interview with TheForce.net, he stated that the plans for Episode 6 was for Han Solo to die and Leia to become "Queen" of her people. Leia was not originally planned to be Luke's sister. Episode 7 was to focus on Skywalker's life as a Jedi, while Episode 8 marked the appearance of Luke's sister (which was not Leia), and Episode 9 was to be the first appearance of the Emperor. [ [http://www.theforce.net/latestnews/story/gary_kurtz_reveals_original_plans_for_episodes_19_80270.asp Gary Kurtz Reveals Original Plans for Episodes 1-9] ]

In a 1997 issue of the "Star Wars Insider", Lucas said " [The whole story has] six episodes....If I ever went beyond that, it would be something that was made up. I really don't have any notion other than 'Gee, it would be interesting to do Luke Skywalker later on.' It wouldn't be part of the main story, but a sequel to this thing."

In a 1999 interview with "Vanity Fair", Lucas denied ever having any plans to make nine "Star Wars" movies. "When you see it in six parts, you'll understand", Lucas said at the time. "It really ends at part six." When asked about the possibility of someone else taking over the film franchise, Lucas said "Probably not, it's my thing."

In an interview with the BBC, Lucas again denied any possibility of a "Star Wars" sequel trilogy. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/249825.stm No Star Wars sequels, says Lucas] ] He stated "I never had a story for the sequels, for the later ones," he told the BBC. "And also, I'll be to a point in my age where to do another trilogy would take 10 years."

However, Lucas did make reference to a possible future film in a May 2002 interview: "The challenge for me is telling a six-part story: so in Episode I there are things that I have to get in that refer to Episode VII — no, hang on, we're not there yet. I mean Episode IV." [ [http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Exclusive/0,4029,715962,00.html Forceful Lucas defends Phantom Menace | News | Guardian Unlimited Film ] ]

In March 2005, Lucas stated that the idea of a sequel trilogy was "amusing" but didn't seem realistic at the time. [ [http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/770/770273p1.html George Lucas On the Future of Star Wars] ] In May 2008, speaking about the upcoming "", Lucas remained his status on the sequel trilogy, maintaining his status that there was no story to tell, and no sequel will be made, stating "I get asked all the time, 'What happens after "Return of the Jedi"?,' and there really is no answer for that," he said. "The movies were the story of Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker, and when Luke saves the galaxy and redeems his father, that's where that story ends." [ [http://www.moviehole.net/news/20080508_star_wars_the_clone_wars_poste.html "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" poster, and Lucas on Return of the Jedi sequel] ]

See also

*Star Wars (film series)

References

External links

* [http://www.starwarsfanworks.com/timeline/ "The Star Wars Timeline Gold"] , compiled by "Star Wars" fan Nathan P. Butler.
* [http://www.starwars.com/hyperspace/member/banthatracks/bt02/index.html Issue #2 of "Bantha Tracks"] , the Official "Star Wars" Fan Club Newsletter, 1978. (Subscription required to view.)
* [http://time-proxy.yaga.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,915986,00.html "TIME" March 6, 1978] .
* [http://time-proxy.yaga.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,924122,00.html "TIME" May 19, 1980] .
* [http://time-proxy.yaga.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,953915,00.html "TIME" May 23, 1983] .
*"Vanity Fair"; February 1999.
* [http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=interviews&Id=8 Gary Kurtz Interview ]
*2004 [http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2004-09-13#film6 Studio Briefing article] with comments from Hamill and Lucas on sequel trilogies.