Star Wars Episode VII : 2015 WHAT?!?!?!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_sequel_trilogy#Disney-Lucasfilm_Star_Wars_episodes_VII.2C_VIII.2C_and_IX_.282012.E2.80.93present.29

I think I'm at a loss for words...

...

...


(fifteen minutes later)

I mean... but... but....

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(fifteen more minutes later)

WHAT?!?!?!?!

Okay, deep breaths.
This is a very strange concept to me. I am in no way worried about Disney taking over the enterprise. They really haven't hampered the creativity of other companies they bought out (Marvel, Pixar). However, let's face it. We've lost all confidence in Lucas, and are still having sore feelings about Jar Jar Binks 13 years after the release of Episode I, and Greedo shooting first in the remade original trilogy. Luckily, he isn't actually going to be the executive producer here but a "creative consultant" which is probably a good thing (Kathleen Kennedy will take that spot).

I think ultimately the appeal of the original trilogy was the authenticity, and Darth Vader as one of the best "bad guys" of all time. The prequels were problematic simply because it was almost as if Lucas wanted to focus much more on the visual environment than on the story or the characters. In Episode III, we don't get a feeling for why the hell Anakin is turning to the dark side other than panicked dreams about Amidala dying in childbirth. The slow descent into madness is really critical to get right, but Hayden Christiansen just didn't pull it off, and the motivation was just not there.

However, I think the new movie could be a great one if the right amount of new material is injected, only making parallels to the existing material. For instance, The Clone Wars animated television series is completely incredible. I would far rather watch that than any of the prequels (and, as the father of a budding fanboi and fangrrll, these kinds of things end up on in my house on a daily basis, so I know basically the entire story line). The Anakin Skywalker in this animated series is infinitely more appealing than Christiansen's version. The animated character is capable, charismatic, confident, unorthodox, and ultimately someone you would WANT to follow, were you a genetically engineered clone of Jango Fett or a Togruta Padawan learner. We catch glimpses of his capability for anger, and this motivation hits very hard, when people he finds dear to him are actually killed (like an episode arc where Obi-Wan Kenobi fakes his own death). The film character is more like an incompetent, obnoxious and petulant child who everyone basically finds distasteful and wants to get rid of (except, of course, Emperor Palpatine who needs a new lackey).

So what could the sequels be about? There's no dearth (get it? DEARTH!? Haha!) of information to choose from. However Lucas has mentioned that the story line will be a new one. I would say that a rebuilt Galactic Republic is a good place for a story line, and the ever-present battle between the Jedi and the Sith could really take some cool turns now. How about a star system run by Lando Calrissian as governor coming under attack by the reincarnated Darth Maul and his brother, Savage Opress? Or the children of Princess Leia and Han Solo rebuilding the Jedi Temple for their Uncle Luke Skywalker? Or maybe, just maybe, a bloody battle between the Gungans and the Ewoks where we can watch Jar-Jar Binks be bloodily slaughtered by Wicket, painfully torn limb from limb, and then the entire species being blasted by a new Death Star?

One can only dream!