Disney Takes A Chainsaw To The Star Wars Expanded Universe

[JoeG]

Of course, with Disney pulling this crap now, it's in the air. And yes, I won't be happy about Disney wrecking KOTOR, Legacy, and other stories for me.

How are they wrecking it? The stories still exist, don't they? You can still read them\watch them\play the games whenever you want, can't you? So what if those stories aren't acknowledged onscreen? Except for a couple of tiny cameos in the PT, none of that stuff was ever referenced onscreen anyway.

This changes nothing, in reality. I love the Heir to the Empire books. Despite whatever happens in these new films, I can always go back and re-visit those stories and I'll still enjoy them.

 

[Frosteon]

I think you misunderstand. The way I understand it is, the games and books are considered canon, yet should GL, or Disney now in this case, see it fit to erase already established stories for new movies, then that particular EU story is wiped away, no question about it.

 

[Bryancd]

I think you misunderstand. The way I understand it is, the games and books are considered canon, yet should GL, or Disney now in this case, see it fit to erase already established stories for new movies, then that particular EU story is wiped away, no question about it.

LucasFilm, facing a future of potential TV only future content decided to crate a hierarchical version of canon which could allow for the EU. With the acquisition and plans for new films, TV, comics, and books, the current EU's status, especially in regards to time periods Disney will want to develop, is invalidated. But it was never canon, only what GL created was Star Wars canon.

 

[Jannix Quinn]

You have to remember this is an opinion piece. The only quote was saying they are editing what is canon. They haven't said they are getting rid of all the existing stuff, nor disallowing new stories.

Everything else was just some guy called Lee Hutchinson. Lucasfilm's Leland Chee loves Star Wars and is a huge geek. There's no need to worry just yet.

 

[Bryancd]

How are they wrecking it? The stories still exist, don't they? You can still read them\watch them\play the games whenever you want, can't you? So what if those stories aren't acknowledged onscreen? Except for a couple of tiny cameos in the PT, none of that stuff was ever referenced onscreen anyway.

This changes nothing, in reality. I love the Heir to the Empire books. Despite whatever happens in these new films, I can always go back and re-visit those stories and I'll still enjoy them.

That's far too reasonable a position, shame on you.

 

[Wes R]

Nothing is good is going to come out of the unholy mouse owning the property, they're going to make a mess of it and Indiana jones and everything else they get their greedy hands on. I always looked at the EU as an alternate universe sort of like the mirror universe is star trek. It's entertaining but removed from everything else.

 

[JoeG]

That's far too reasonable a position, shame on you.

Yeah, I forgot. This is the internet. I should be posting things like this

Nothing is good is going to come out of the unholy mouse owning the property, they're going to make a mess of it and Indiana jones and everything else they get their greedy hands on.

:rolleyes

 

[Frosteon]

Canon - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki

There's G canon, which is George's universe, and then the T, C and S canon, which is general contiuity. While GL himself doesn't follow these, he still at least made the effort to allow room for these stories, if possible, because he knew fans liked them. Again, T, C and S canon are typically considered canon, unless GL or Disney alters or erases it with a new movie. For example.... I remember hearing the AT-STs were mentioned in an EU book as being introduced during the Clone Wars. However, with the prequels and CW show now, we know that's no longer accurate canon. So as far as I'm concerned right now, the Legacy comics, the Yuuhzan Vong wars, etc may no longer be accepted as canon because Disney may cut it from the timeline. Yes, I can still read them if I want, and I will. yet it's a disappointment that They never took place, possibly.

My answer to solve all that is, just go the Trek alternate reality route, and let them both be canon in their own universes, and just let the fans decide which canon They want to follow.

 

[metal wood]

umm... yeah. not touching this one. will wait on the side lines to see what happens to our beloved (and diverse) SW.

some hope though is that like us JJ is a big SW fan, wouldn't you all rather have a fan doing this than someone else?

 

[rodneyfaile]

I think we have a better chance with Disney than we had with Lucas. I like Tron:Legacy better than the prequel trilogy.

How about Pirates of the Caribbean, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Flight of the Navigator, Sky High, Cool Runnings, and National Treasure? Not all perfect, but I like those better than the prequels too.

It doesn't appear that Disney acquiring Marvel is going to hurt the Marvel movies any.

As far as canon goes, they are just clearing some space for 7. 8. and 9. I'd rather them do that than just turn the EU into movies.

 

[Jeyl]

The EU is irrelevant to the story which is Star Wars.

The recent Clone Wars series didn't play out like it was irrelevant. Heck, many users here have supported it more than the original 2D animated Clone Wars saying that Lucas actually took part in the development and writing process throughout the series. By all accounts, the new Clone Wars series should be regarded as canon by everyone here since it meets three important criteria. One, as previously stated, it's a George Lucas endorsed show. Two, it follows Anakin Skywalker through the Clone Wars (following your criterial at least). Third, and probably the most important one here, the first story was released as a legitimate theatrical movie complete with MPAA rating. Despite the fact that the Clone Wars is regarded as EU, it was a legitimate Star Wars movie, and according to a lot of folks here,

I'd prefer if the movies were the only official stories

- My simple equation: canon = movies
- it isn't in my own personal canon until it makes it into a movie

Movies = Canon.

I heartily endorse this equation. What is on the big screen is canon all the rest is sometimes entertaining alternate universe diversions.

This is a film franchise and with the Disney acquisition is one that is alive and well.

So what is it? Does the movie count? And if it does count, doesn't that acknowledge the existence of the series that followed since it's clearly an "in-universe" story with all the creative teams and main actors? And if you don't consider the Clone Wars series AND the movie as canon, what is the exception that a legitimate Star Wars movie doesn't count?

 

[Joosh]

I had a feeling this was coming and that it would have happened with our without Disney's involvement. The expanded universe is a mess. Over 100 (anyone know off the top of their head exactly how many there are) novels, then you have games, it's a nightmare of characters and planets and who knows what else and that's even before you get into who created what characters and who has the rights to them, blah!

As a writer if someone told me I was constrained by what was set forth in the novels alone I'd walk away from the project.

From the article:

Most of the EU is simply layers and layers of garbage. It's filled with thinly veiled Mary Sue characters, ludicrous minutiae, and a ponderous and plodding history (past AND future) of the galaxy. It's creaky under its own weight, and Chee's pruning is a welcome change. In him, Disney has a person who intimately understands the core elements of what makes Star Wars, Star Wars.

I enjoyed the Thrawn series they were well written. I despised the Jedi Academy and the Solo children books, they- for the most part- were not.

If Lucas or Disney had insisted that the writers be constrained by the writings of who knows how many different authors in creating new movies I couldn't foresee any new movies being less than an unmitigated disaster.

After the two Trek movies I have little confidence in JJ Abrams to deliver anything of substance, but this news gives me some hope that Disney has a real interest in delivering a quality product and not just a bunch of actors madly running from place to place in search of a story while the camera shakes and stuff explodes.

Of course I also live in constant fear that we'll get a JJ Wars special edition and it will look like this:

 

[blewis17]

EXACTLY


The Clone Wars WAS a theatrical release, and the premiere was attended by GL himself.
So, at least that "film"/ movie is canon, right?






Here is what Lucas had to say about it:

Speaking to reporters, Lucas explained how the movie came about.
"When I did the last film, Revenge of the Sith, I lamented over the fact that I couldn't do anything about The Clone Wars because they didn't really have anything to do with Anakin," he said.

"That story is just his story, so I thought it would be great to be able to do something a little more open.

"So at the time we did an animated film while I was working on that film for the Cartoon Network, called Clone Wars, I said, 'You just turned out so well, when I get done with the feature film, I'm going to go back and do a real animated series'," added the film-maker.

 

[Jeyl]

After the two Trek movies I have little confidence in JJ Abrams to deliver anything of substance, but this news gives me some hope that Disney has a real interest in delivering a quality product and not just a bunch of actors madly running from place to place in search of a story while the camera shakes and stuff explodes.

You shouldn't have much to worry about when it comes to JJ Abrams and Star Wars. Unlike his relationship with Star Trek, he actually sounds like he gives a crap about the Star Wars property on both a professional and personal level. With Star Trek, he was very happy to let his hollywood dogs do the writing. With Star Wars, he fired the writer that was originally hired for the project and is now going to be a writer on the movie. You think he would ever want to write for Star Trek? No freaking way.

 

[Joosh]

You shouldn't have much to worry about when it comes to JJ Abrams and Star Wars. Unlike his relationship with Star Trek, he actually sounds like he gives a crap about the Star Wars property on both a professional and personal level. With Star Trek, he was very happy to let his hollywood dogs do the writing. With Star Wars, he fired the writer that was originally hired for the project and is now going to be a writer on the movie. You think he would ever want to write for Star Trek? No freaking way.

Where JJ Abrams goes, I always have fear. Actually that isn't really fair of me to say. I fear where most "big time" producers and directors go. They have an insatiable need to outdo themselves so the more movies they make the "bigger" EVERYTHING has to be. Everything that is except the story which seems to get smaller and smaller with every movie.

 

[Duncanator]

When we embarked on production of Episode 1, we knew there was no way that every fan would be happy with the results. Star Wars meant so many different things to so many different people that it just wasn't possible to satisfy the imagination of everyone. It was inevitable that some folks weren't going to like the new films, and that some folks would love them. These new Disney films are in the same boat.

 

[Joosh]

It was inevitable that some folks weren't going to like the new films, and that some folks would love them. These new Disney films are in the same boat.

Isn't that true of every movie?

I think the prequels were more emblematic of how George Lucas has changed. Not knocking George. I didn't like the prequels, but I have trouble bashing him. He has brought some iconic characters to life. By change I mean in the same vein that everyone changes as they get older. In the original trilogy there was more mysticism and much more was left to the imagination. In the prequels it seemed much more had to be explained and justified (see midichlorians).

 

[Duncanator]

You are right! It's true of every movie!
But if we're so afraid of anyone not liking what new things get made, then we may as well let it die and never add to the Star Wars universe.

I say give Disney a chance. Some will love it, some will hate it - but the fictional world we are fans of will keep growing.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

The writer of that article didn't know what he was talking about. Maybe 50% of the EU was crap. There are other series that put the Prequels to shame. He makes some comment about all the SW authors randomly writing stories and nothing being organized and that's a complete load of crap. All the stories starting with the Zahn trilogy were coordinated so that they all fit within the EU. Some things had to be retconned, but nothing like this guy was saying.

I also always find it funny that the people who always bash the EU are quick to say that it's not canon because Lucas didn't make it, but in the next breath bash Lucas and the Prequels. So how can something suck when it has some stories better than what the creator of the property wrote?

Either way I'm now done buying anything SW other than videogames. You can't trust that what they say is canon won't change in a few years. I can't see anyone buying any SW books in the future unless they're morons.

 

[Bryancd]

The recent Clone Wars series didn't play out like it was irrelevant. Heck, many users here have supported it more than the original 2D animated Clone Wars saying that Lucas actually took part in the development and writing process throughout the series. By all accounts, the new Clone Wars series should be regarded as canon by everyone here since it meets three important criteria. One, as previously stated, it's a George Lucas endorsed show. Two, it follows Anakin Skywalker through the Clone Wars (following your criterial at least). Third, and probably the most important one here, the first story was released as a legitimate theatrical movie complete with MPAA rating. Despite the fact that the Clone Wars is regarded as EU, it was a legitimate Star Wars movie, and according to a lot of folks here,







So what is it? Does the movie count? And if it does count, doesn't that acknowledge the existence of the series that followed since it's clearly an "in-universe" story with all the creative teams and main actors? And if you don't consider the Clone Wars series AND the movie as canon, what is the exception that a legitimate Star Wars movie doesn't count?

The Clone Wars will likely be part of the future canon. The EU we are discussing us books, comics, games. Try and keep up, I forgot how you seem to get lost in debates.

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You can't trust that what they say is canon won't change in a few years. I can't see anyone buying any SW books in the future unless they're morons.

So what? I have never read a Star Wars novel where my enjoyment of it was predicated on it's considered canon or not.