George Lucas captured the imaginations of multiple generations with his epic adventures. Star Wars and Indiana Jones are some of the most iconic franchises in the United States and the world.
Lucas also offended multiple generations by revising the classic Star Wars trilogy repeatedly. No take backs George. Han shot first.
Dabbling in prequels and crystal skulls did not help the situation either. In fact, Star Wars episodes I, II & III cheapened the overall quality of the franchise. The magic wrought by the original trilogy became overshadowed by merchandising. We are not stupid. We know Luke Skywalker piled sacks full of gold into Lucas’ lap. But fans perceived a love of storytelling at the core of the original trilogy. The prequels did not instill the same feeling.
In October of 2012, George Lucas announced that he sold the rights of the Star Wars franchise. This was a surprising decision. What is Star Wars without George Lucas? The idea was an interesting one until Disney revealed themselves as the buyer. A cold, sickening despair struck the hearts of every Star Wars fan.
Disney is notorious for its poorly produced sequels of dearly loved films. Mulan 2, Little Mermaid 2, George of the Jungle 2, High School Musical 2, Disney Channel. The list goes on. Fans were further disturbed when Disney outlined immediate plans for a sequel trilogy, Star Wars episodes VII, VIII, IX. Even with the announcement of Michael Arndt as writer, who wrote for Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3 (a spectacular sequel), the sense of foreboding was not lifted.
Then a bright, shining lens flare of hope appeared on Jan, 25. Disney hired J.J. Abrams to direct the next installment of the Star Wars saga. Bravo. Walt would be proud.
Abrams is a talented director well loved for his work on Lost, Mission Impossible, and the recent Star Trek reboot. The phenomenal launch of the new Starship Enterprise indicates that J.J. is up to the task. He demonstrated his ability of remaining faithful the Star Trek legacy while also adding something new to the franchise. This is the type of person that needs to handle Star Wars. J.J. Abrams already respects the franchise and we can expect him to treat it with all the love it deserves.
J.J., may the force be with you, live long and prosper.
