New Star Wars Animated Series

[IrishJedi]

Karen Traviss can go pound sand. If the much superior Drew Karpyshyn can suck it up and write around silly EU timelime and story elements, she can too. And if any of the good SW authors should have a beef with Lucasfilm it's James Luceno, yet he dutifully plugs along. But like most involved with the 501st, Traviss has let the stuff go straight to her head.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Some more news...

Use the farce, Luke
Lucasfilm gears up a new 'Star Wars' toon
By DAVID S. COHEN

"Let us assure you this isn't going to suck as much as you think it is."

That was Seth Green's message to "Star Wars" fans following Lucasfilm's Monday announcement it is developing an animated "Star Wars" sitcom.

The show is in early development and Green, creative consultant on the project along with fellow Robot Chicken creator/exec producer Matt Senreich, admitted the announcement was made only to quash rampant rumors: "We're trying to get ahead of it and say what it's not."Jennifer Hill, a Daytime Emmy winner for "The Backyardigans" who is producing for Lucasfilm, told Daily Variety the pair "will be shaping the type of comedy we're looking for and the look of the show."

Green promised: "We can't guarantee its excellence, but we're swinging by the fences."

Skein will not be a sketch comedy show like "Robot Chicken," and it's not a spoof. Senreich said it will be a story comedy and "character driven." It may include crossover appearances from the movie characters. But Hill said no crossovers with the hit "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" series are planned.

Hill told Daily Variety the length of the episodes have not been decided, but they will be no longer than half-hours. No network or start date has been set for the laffer. Todd Grimes ("Back at the Barnyard") will direct. Brendan Hay ("The Daily Show") will be the head writer and Lucasfilm expects to hire a staff of up to 10 more writers.

The animation will be done outside the U.S., at a studio to be determined -- but not necessarily at Lucasfilm Animation Singapore.

"Robot Chicken" has aired officially sanctioned spoofs of "Star Wars," as has "Family Guy." But while the first "Star Wars" movie won legions of fans with its mix of humor and adventure, Lucasfilm has had spotty results seeking laughs with the rest of the franchise -- most notoriously with the character of Jar-Jar Binks in "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace."

But Senreich promised, "We're on the same page as the fans, because we are fans." Green concurred: "We're not talking about Jar-Jar electrocuting his tongue. It's not that kind of humor. If George (Lucas) would have wanted to make that version of 'Star Wars,' he would have hired other people to do it."

One early reaction suggests even skeptical fans may be willing to give the project the benefit of the doubt.

Among the most vocal critics of the later "Star Wars" efforts have been the makers of docu "The People vs. George Lucas." But writer-director Alexandre Philippe told Daily Variety, the new series "is a great example of how 'Star Wars' is still able to connect with fans old and new, and we're looking forward to seeing it."

"Clone Wars" has been a success on Cartoon Network and Lucasfilm has long been in development with a live-action "Star Wars" series. But that too has yet to set a start date or begin casting.

Nonetheless, "Star Wars" remains a formidable franchise. During its 30-plus years it has spawned merchandise, videogames and spin-off series and has earned more than $22 billion, according to a 2007 report by Forbes.

 

[LOTRFan]

Typical Lucas, take something creative, original and inspired and drain it until it's just a shell. :emperor

Sharks everywhere object to the vertical onslaught.

 

[galactiboy]

"Let us assure you this isn't going to suck as much as you think it is."

That was Seth Green's message to "Star Wars" fans following Lucasfilm's Monday announcement it is developing an animated "Star Wars" sitcom.

That's hilarious... at least he's willing to address that it sounds like stupid idea Confidence mildly increased... skepticism and low-expectations still in place.

 

[OSCORP]

Meh, damage control.

 

[Agent0028]

Karen Traviss can go pound sand. If the much superior Drew Karpyshyn can suck it up and write around silly EU timelime and story elements, she can too. And if any of the good SW authors should have a beef with Lucasfilm it's James Luceno, yet he dutifully plugs along. But like most involved with the 501st, Traviss has let the stuff go straight to her head.

I agree. And Luceno really is a great author, he made me actually enjoy Millenium Falcon which I thought sounded like a completely ridiculous and horrible idea for a story.

 

[niennumb1]

I dunno whether to love or hate Star Wars anymore.

I can't believe it's blown up into what it has become.

I've never been a big fan of Star Trek by any means, but there's something to commend them for which is consistency. They did make efforts to maintain integrity of what 'Trek' was all about. I guess only from what I've read that Enterprise didn't do too well, but the feel of most of the shows that were on the air were pretty consistent, am I wrong? At least every time it was on and I was flipping through channels that's what I noticed.

And though not being a big fan of the franchise I felt that even the new movie by Abrahms was AMAZING and I loved what they did to update it faithfully. Many audiences seemed to appreciate the lore of the originals, but updating it to make it an exciting film for new fans.

I think Star Wars is really broken... bad. I've grown up a seriously devoted fan of the Trilogy since being 2 years old (1980). Never through my eyes have I ever seen Star Wars anything less than magical and envious that I couldn't live in that world.

Around 2007 things started to take a steady nosedive for me. Yes, 27 YEARS after being a hardcore fan and huge supporter of Star Wars things really started to change. On one end it was a dream come true after so many years that Star Wars was going to be having more stuff coming our way, but after the introduction of the Clone Wars CG movie I just couldn't believe this was the evolution of Star Wars. While I've heard great things about the actual series happening now, I really felt broken after that movie.

I don't buy much Star Wars stuff any more. I maintain my focus on Return of the Jedi collectibles if anything. I have an exclusive Luke Skywalker Jedi PF on order, but other than that I haven't made a big Star Wars purchase in a very long time. My last big buy was a ROTS PF Anakin Ex. back when it was available as well as the Salacious 1:1.

I embrace change. I love to see something new, but I think some of this new stuff really looks like trash to me. It could be SOOO much better. It had a lot going for it. With the mix of so many licenses out there for goofy products I think the collectible aspect has deteriorated over time. It's almost like it's a big joke now.

I love comedy and spoofs, but I'm not warming up to the idea of this idea of an actual Star Wars show.

Someone get me out of this nightmare!

Sometimes less is more.

 

[thenammagazine]

Apples and oranges really. One is Science Fiction and is limited by a basic scientific principle. The other is Science Fantasy and is only limited by your imagination.

 

[jkno]

I think Star Wars is really broken... bad.

Lucas had a great vision, and with the help of the outstanding people surrounding him he made what we know as Original Trilogy, with its inevitable flaws, but still extraordinary after so many years.

Recently Lucas thought he had another vision, and surrounded only by people who kissed his backside, he managed to create midichlorians, Jar-Jar and Ypeee Vader, and thus he gave us the Prequels...

 

[thenammagazine]

Lucas had a great vision, and with the help of the outstanding people surrounding him he made what we know as Original Trilogy, with its inevitable flaws, but still extraordinary after so many years.

Recently Lucas thought he had another vision, and surrounded only by people who kissed his backside, he managed to create midichlorians, Jar-Jar and Ypeee Vader, and thus he gave us the Prequels...

Which must've been just absolutely inferior to the bad choreography, sarlacc pit-sized plotholes, overacting and little furry Ewoks of the OT.

 

[niennumb1]

Which must've been just absolutely inferior to the bad choreography, sarlacc-sized plotholes, overacting and little furry Ewoks of the OT.

Well and for the record I never had a problem with those furry Ewoks. In fact I love everything about the original cut of ROTJ.

I DON'T like Jedi Rocks or the sarlaac beak and extra tendrils. The Anakin thing I am eh with, but I would have been fine if they just cleaned up the translucent matteboxing and other blue screen compositing. Overall I was very happy with 'Jedi'.

I was 5 when I first saw Return of the Jedi, so maybe that's why I liked the Ewoks right off the bat, but even today at 32 years old I still like them just fine.

 

[LOTRFan]

Plain and simple Star Wars has been bastardized, there is no vision anymore and certainly no father to the francise.

Lucas hasn't been creative/innovative in who knows how long.

 

[thenammagazine]

Well and for the record I never had a problem with those furry Ewoks. In fact I love everything about the original cut of ROTJ.

I DON'T like Jedi Rocks or the sarlaac beak and extra tendrils. The Anakin thing I am eh with, but I would have been fine if they just cleaned up the translucent matteboxing and other blue screen compositing. Overall I was very happy with 'Jedi'.

I was 5 when I first saw Return of the Jedi, so maybe that's why I liked the Ewoks right off the bat, but even today at 32 years old I still like them just fine.

I just think it's quite absurd claiming superiority of one over the other, or even discrediting the Special Editions (with the exception of Shaw's removal at the end). If Lucas had possessed the money and technology back then, all the films would've looked and felt like the PT.

 

[RJMacReady16]

If Lucas had possessed the money and technology back then, all the films would've looked and felt like the PT.

And there's a good chance we wouldn't even be talking about Star Wars today.

 

[thenammagazine]

And there's a good chance we wouldn't even be talking about Star Wars today.

Only the people who hug their knees and rock themselves to sleep at night blubbering about how Lucas raped their childhood.

 

[RJMacReady16]

Only the people who hug their knees and rock themselves to sleep at night blubbering about how Lucas raped their childhood.

Meaning, it wouldn't have had the same impact, and it sure as hell wouldn't have 6 titles under it's belt.

Lucas' original vision of Star Wars was a mess.

 

[Agent0028]

I gotta throw down the bs flag on that one. None of the changes to the OT really change anything about the movie, the only reason people don't like them is because its different than what they originally saw. Yeah some of the changes weren't so great (like adding Fett into ANH) but it still does nothing to change the story of Jabba being after Han.

Edit: Greedo shooting first...that was a major change and a bad one.

 

[RJMacReady16]

I'm being misunderstood somehow.

His original vision of Star Wars, not the special editions.

As in:
Later that year, Lucas began writing a full script of his synopsis, which he would complete in May 1974. In this script he reintroduced the Jedi, which had been absent in his previous treatment, as well as their enemies, the Sith. He changed the protagonist, who had been a mature General in the treatment, to an adolescent boy, and he shifted the General into a supporting role as a member of a family of dwarfs.[5][24] Lucas envisioned the Corellian smuggler, Han Solo, as a large, green-skinned monster with gills. He based Chewbacca on his Alaskan malamute dog, Indiana, who often acted as the director's "co-pilot" by sitting in the passenger seat of his car.[24]

Just an example of what Star Wars might have been if he had "full control" of the OT as he did the PT.

As far as Special Editions go, I actually prefer Empire SE. ANH and RotJ are indeed a mess though.

 

[Agent0028]

Okay, now I see what you mean. But, I still disagree for two reasons.

As ridiculous as that sounds compared to what we eventually got, it may have still turned out good and we might have still liked it.

Plus anytime you have a project like this that you are working on it undergoes numerous changes. Even what you posted is not really his original vision given that it was apparently a rework of an earlier draft. I doubt that all the changes between what you posted to what Star Wars turned out to be is totally due to the influence of others.

Maybe I'm still missing your point, and if so I apologize for being dense.

 

[RJMacReady16]

Okay, now I see what you mean. But, I still disagree for two reasons.

As ridiculous as that sounds compared to what we eventually got, it may have still turned out good and we might have still liked it.

Plus anytime you have a project like this that you are working on it undergoes numerous changes. Even what you posted is not really his original vision given that it was apparently a rework of an earlier draft. I doubt that all the changes between what you posted to what Star Wars turned out to be is totally due to the influence of others.

Maybe I'm still missing your point, and if so I apologize for being dense.

No we're on-track now. And I see your point, and I understand all films go through several drafts and transformations, but it's almost like the PT needed that same evolution, but never got it.

As they say, no one creatively challenges Lucas anymore, so it's almost like the first drafts of the PT is what was filmed.

And I can't say without a doubt we wouldn't be talking about Star Wars---but it definitely seems that the PT had significantly less of an impact on this young generation than the OT did on us.

My son couldn't give two s@#$s about Star Wars. Luckily he's an Indyphile. It would be awful if he didn't genetically inherit some kind of nerd attribute.