Weekend Update: Pinch Me, I'm Dreaming...
Like many Star Wars fans, my Tuesday was completely rocked when I learned about the Disney purchase of Lucasfilm and the subsequent announcement that there would be a new Star Wars movie in 2015. I was rather skeptical at first, wonder if perhaps I hadn't somehow lost my mind, if the day wasn't actually April Fool's Day. The more I read, the more I found myself growing in amazement, excitement, and a lot of trepidation.
Those of you who've followed this blog for a while know that Star Wars was truly my first fandom love (you can read all about that here). I have followed the Expanded Universe novels for years, until 2005, which is when I attended the Odyssey Writing Workshop and was plagued by the fear that somehow, the writing and storytelling might let me down (legitimate fear, considering what an intense, six-week experience the workshop is). Years have passed, and while I've only read one Star Wars book since (it was something of a fluke). However, I still have a handful of Star Wars books waiting for me to pick them up, and lately, I've had a hankering to get caught up on the series as a whole.
The announcement of a new movie has fanned that flame. I'd forgotten, but after reading so much speculation online, hearing others talk about the Expanded Universe novels and the characters there that could carry the movies, how much I appreciated those books. No, not every one was a home run. But there were some characters that I utterly adored, characters who are complete fictional constructs. And even when I was reading the series vivaciously, I always had this fear: if Lucas did episodes VII-IX, would he ignore the books and tell a completely different story?
For a while, I had this theory (one that Timothy Zahn says was true at one point): that Lucas had given the Expanded Universe the go-ahead to do whatever they wanted: within a certain period of time. In other words, whatever story he had in mind for that third trilogy, Expanded Universe writers wouldn't be able to touch it. But more and more books started coming out, and Han, Luke, and Leia got older. And older. Their children got older. And while I'm not caught up, I'm pretty sure those children are adults in their own right, and let's not forget: some seriously EPIC EVENTS have happened in these novels that, should a new trilogy get made that keeps continuity with the books, there's going to be some major gaps to fill. I mean, seriously: how do you explain the events of the New Jedi Order series to a movies-only fan? It's insane!
Which leads, of course, to the big question: what's the story going to be? I don't care about directors right now. Hell, I don't even care about writers right now. I know that George Lucas will serve in a creative consultant capacity only, and that's all I need. But as I was trying to explain the other day, it's going to be really, really, REALLY hard for me to get excited about the new film trilogy if it ignores all those books that made up the Star Wars universe for a good portion of my life.
And that doesn't even touch on the fact of how the original cast will or won't be incorporated. The idea of re-casting any of those roles, however, makes my poor brain hurt.
Of course, now I know how Star Trek fans felt with the J.J. Abrams film. ;)
So what do I want to see?
Something that remains true to the Expanded Universe as it stands today. Something that incorporates those original characters and still allows for Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford to reprise their roles, but in an age-appropriate storyline. I would kill, kill, kill to see some of my favorite female characters from the books grace the big screen: Jaina Solo, Mara Jade, Mirax Horn, Tenel Ka, Tahiri Veila.
So no, I really don't want to see a movie adaptation of Zahn's trilogy, because it would likely mean re-casting the iconic roles of Luke, Leia, and Han. And obviously, it would pain me greatly if Lucasfilm/Disney decided to say, "To hell with the Expanded Universe, it's going to be an alternate timeline, and the movies are officially the absolute cannon." It would pain me, but you can bet your ass that as long as the original actors filled those roles? I'd be thrilled.
In the meantime, I've got -- what, three years? -- until Episode VII. That gives me PLENTY of time to do a catch-up of the Expanded Universe novels! Whether or not the new movies ignore their continuity, it's time to embrace what made me fall in love with space opera to begin with. Honestly, I can't wait. For the books, or for the new movies. :)
Note: cover art used in this post came from Tsuyoshi Nagano, who did all of the Japanese art for the New Jedi Order. Mara is the red-head beside Luke; Jaina Solo has a lightsaber.
Those of you who've followed this blog for a while know that Star Wars was truly my first fandom love (you can read all about that here). I have followed the Expanded Universe novels for years, until 2005, which is when I attended the Odyssey Writing Workshop and was plagued by the fear that somehow, the writing and storytelling might let me down (legitimate fear, considering what an intense, six-week experience the workshop is). Years have passed, and while I've only read one Star Wars book since (it was something of a fluke). However, I still have a handful of Star Wars books waiting for me to pick them up, and lately, I've had a hankering to get caught up on the series as a whole.
The announcement of a new movie has fanned that flame. I'd forgotten, but after reading so much speculation online, hearing others talk about the Expanded Universe novels and the characters there that could carry the movies, how much I appreciated those books. No, not every one was a home run. But there were some characters that I utterly adored, characters who are complete fictional constructs. And even when I was reading the series vivaciously, I always had this fear: if Lucas did episodes VII-IX, would he ignore the books and tell a completely different story?
For a while, I had this theory (one that Timothy Zahn says was true at one point): that Lucas had given the Expanded Universe the go-ahead to do whatever they wanted: within a certain period of time. In other words, whatever story he had in mind for that third trilogy, Expanded Universe writers wouldn't be able to touch it. But more and more books started coming out, and Han, Luke, and Leia got older. And older. Their children got older. And while I'm not caught up, I'm pretty sure those children are adults in their own right, and let's not forget: some seriously EPIC EVENTS have happened in these novels that, should a new trilogy get made that keeps continuity with the books, there's going to be some major gaps to fill. I mean, seriously: how do you explain the events of the New Jedi Order series to a movies-only fan? It's insane!
Which leads, of course, to the big question: what's the story going to be? I don't care about directors right now. Hell, I don't even care about writers right now. I know that George Lucas will serve in a creative consultant capacity only, and that's all I need. But as I was trying to explain the other day, it's going to be really, really, REALLY hard for me to get excited about the new film trilogy if it ignores all those books that made up the Star Wars universe for a good portion of my life.
And that doesn't even touch on the fact of how the original cast will or won't be incorporated. The idea of re-casting any of those roles, however, makes my poor brain hurt.
Of course, now I know how Star Trek fans felt with the J.J. Abrams film. ;)
So what do I want to see?
Something that remains true to the Expanded Universe as it stands today. Something that incorporates those original characters and still allows for Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford to reprise their roles, but in an age-appropriate storyline. I would kill, kill, kill to see some of my favorite female characters from the books grace the big screen: Jaina Solo, Mara Jade, Mirax Horn, Tenel Ka, Tahiri Veila.
So no, I really don't want to see a movie adaptation of Zahn's trilogy, because it would likely mean re-casting the iconic roles of Luke, Leia, and Han. And obviously, it would pain me greatly if Lucasfilm/Disney decided to say, "To hell with the Expanded Universe, it's going to be an alternate timeline, and the movies are officially the absolute cannon." It would pain me, but you can bet your ass that as long as the original actors filled those roles? I'd be thrilled.
In the meantime, I've got -- what, three years? -- until Episode VII. That gives me PLENTY of time to do a catch-up of the Expanded Universe novels! Whether or not the new movies ignore their continuity, it's time to embrace what made me fall in love with space opera to begin with. Honestly, I can't wait. For the books, or for the new movies. :)
Note: cover art used in this post came from Tsuyoshi Nagano, who did all of the Japanese art for the New Jedi Order. Mara is the red-head beside Luke; Jaina Solo has a lightsaber.