Now that it’s official that “Star Wars” 7, 8 and 9 are in the works, plenty of hardcore fans are chiming in about the future of the franchise. The Walt Disney Co. (the parent company of ABC News) announced Tuesday that it had acquired Lucasfilm, the company behind the hugely successful “Star Wars” movie series, from founder George Lucas for $4.05 billion in stock and cash. Along with news of the deal came the announcement that the seventh feature in the series would be scheduled for 2015, with new films coming every two or three years after that. “I’m doing this so the films will have a longer life, so that more fans and people can enjoy them in the future,” Lucas said in a YouTube video posted Tuesday by the official Star Wars website. “It’s a very big universe I created, and there’s a lot of stories that are sitting in there.” Lucas, who has passed on the reins to the new films to Kathleen Kennedy, a longtime associate of Steven Spielberg, will act as a consultant. He said in the video that he already has story treatments for films 7,8,9 and more, along with hundreds of books and comics to cull from. “We are in the midst of the really fun part of the process, which is we’re sitting down with a couple of writers and starting to discuss ideas,” Kennedy said. That hasn’t stopped fans from voicing their opinions on where the franchise should go from here: Devi Laskar, Bay Area resident and “die-hard disciple” of the franchise “I hate to say it, but the ‘Clone Wars’ are animated and doing just fine, and the ‘Star Wars’ movies are complete so what is the next one? And the people who played in these movies are now, tragically, old and will look stupid being an older or younger version of themselves.” Tom Hodges, comic artist, most notably “Star Wars” web comics (2004-2011) for Starwars.com “First and foremost, so long as it’s truly “Episode 7″ and (Mark) Hamill, (Harrison) Ford and (Carrie) Fisher reprise their roles and they’re not recast, I’ll be happy.” “I’d like to see an elder Luke, much like Obi-Wan in Episode 4. Possibly having spent years rebuilding the Jedi, not unlike in the Expanded Universe. I could see Han Solo in the role of leader of the New Republic’s Military. While Ford has said in the past that Han Solo was ‘one dimensional,’ at this point, the character has likely evolved. It would be interesting to see how it plays out. As for Leia, I think knowing now what we know from the Prequels and the ‘Clone Wars,’ she should be someone who is a strong Chancellor for the New Republic. I’m not sure if I want to see her as a Jedi. Definitely having had training but putting the Republic first, the Force second.” “I also think characters such as Ahsoka Tano from the ‘Clone Wars’ should be included. … Also, bring into the fold the Solo Children, Luke’s wife, Mara Jade … the question on that is who do you cast in that role. I’m unsure where to go on this because many of my choices may be too young. I could see anyone from Amy Adams to Kate Walsh to Angelina Jolie in that role.” “I’m a HUGE Disney fan … just as much as I am a ‘Star Wars’ fan. Fans who are worried bother me. This is a perfect marriage. Has Disney changed Pixar? No. Has Disney changed Marvel? HECK NO! Why would this be any different? It’s an exciting time to be a ‘Star Wars’ fan.” Tracy Duncan, who runs and writes for ClubJade.net, a website dedicated to mostly female fans “I’m still flabbergasted by the announcement. As a fandom we’ve been denying that a sequel trilogy would ever happen for years if not decades, so to call this a shock would be an understatement.” “What I’m hoping for from this is an all new, fresh take on the ‘Star Wars’ saga, which still has so much potential. There are existing stories in books and comics that take us decades past ‘Return of the Jedi,’ but I don’t think any of them are exactly suited to be an Episode 7 or above. They are very much creatures of their medium, and I don’t think a cinematic take on them would be in Disney’s best interests. Still, there are plenty of great characters and ideas in the books that could be used in movies, and I’d rather see them repurposed than completely abandoned.” “Outside of the actual episodes, I can see Pixar taking popular sideline characters from the books, like Luke’s (eventual) wife Mara Jade or the ever-popular Boba Fett (yes, he survived the Sarlacc!) and creating side stories around them.”
