Stand-Alone Movies David Benioff and D.B. Weiss to Write and Produce New Series of Star Wars Films

[Mask&Cape]

I'm talking about the announcements themselves. We've just had a huge drought of Star Wars stuff during January, and we're getting ready to have an even bigger drought after Solo comes and goes. Instead of announcing this series during either of those droughts they choose to announce it right after the first Solo trailer is released (where it could easily be overshadowed).

Edit: Another unrelated complain:

It bugs me that they're announcing these movies without giving any kind of premise or idea of the storyline. Obviously I'm not expecting a full plot synopsis, but just saying "these guys are making a movie about the Old Republic" (for example) would be sufficient. We still have yet to hear what this series, Rian's trilogy, the third spinoff, and the live-action show are even about.

Yet another example of Lucasfilm expecting us to get excited for something just because "Look, it's Star Wars".

Because Star Wars fans do excited and the world does take notice.

And Lucasfilm is not releasing further details because they don't need to and the wild speculation will generate enough publicity to keep this going for a long time.

There is absolutely nothing to be gained by telling us this early what this series or Johnson's trilogy are going to be about.

 

[Mask&Cape]

They've got multiple tv shows in development, a Rian Johnson trilogy, multiple films from D&D, multiple anthology films in early development, and they are about to begin production on Episode 9...

Yep one basket.

Just read about those multiple TV shows. That is unexpected.

I thought we'd have the new animated show and one live action.

Iger says there is an announcement coming soon for one of them. I suspect it is for the animated show that is replacing Rebels and they'll talk about it after the series finale.

 

[Mask&Cape]

Also, Iger says these new TV shows are for the forthcoming Disney streaming service.

Does this mean they'll be exclusively for that service and not be released on iTunes the way Rebels is?

 

[Marvolo]

Also, Iger says these new TV shows are for the forthcoming Disney streaming service.

Does this mean they'll be exclusively for that service and not be released on iTunes the way Rebels is?

Yeah they'll be exclusive. Just like Netflix's stuff is exclusive to their streaming service. Tho Im willing to bet that Disney's star wars shows will get a home video release on bluray and DVD at some point after the shows are released on their streaming service.

 

[TheVileOne]

Well the thing is... people are assuming that GoT was like their brain-child or something.

It's a George RR Martin's story.

They simply adapted the book into a show for HBO. I mean... honestly, does that give them the leeway to create something from scratch?

I get some Snyder-vibes whenever people pick up talent solely-based on materials of other people's work. It's something completely different to do something on their own.

If anything, Disney could just take a well known story from their now non-canonical library of novels and have them adapt that. But I remain skeptical unless they create successful original content not based on someone else's work.

Well technically, Star Wars isn't their story either.

 

[Elayis]

Lulz, thanks for the laugh today.

Well, it's how I honestly feel. Popularity and commercial success is not synonymous with quality. The writing was always not up to part with GRRM's, but after they ran out of the book material the show's quality plummeted. Granted, it's a minority view but that doesn't change the facts. People might not have a problem with the writing becoming worse (maybe other things about the show are more important to most viewers), but I think even fans of the show would concede that D&D aren't GRRM level writers.

 

[Grootster]

Because Star Wars fans do excited and the world does take notice.

And Lucasfilm is not releasing further details because they don't need to and the wild speculation will generate enough publicity to keep this going for a long time.

There is absolutely nothing to be gained by telling us this early what this series or Johnson's trilogy are going to be about.

But are fans going to still be excited for future movies if they keep up this approach for the next decade? I have trouble feeling any excitement or urge to speculate when we know absolutely nothing about the storyline. I don't see how anyone could even reasonably speculate on this or why they'd want to. Maybe that's just me, but I don't see the point.

If Paramount or Universal announced a new film with the same amount of information we have on this (no plot details, actors, or anything), would people get excited? Probably not. Why is it any different here?

Don't get me wrong, I get it, it's Star Wars. Fans eat up anything. But will they ten years from now? I think they'll catch on. Call me crazy, but it almost seems a bit manipulative to string the fans among this much. This little information about a movie wouldn't excite most fanbases, but Star Wars knows fans will eat this up. I would just prefer they naturally release information, I think it will give them more respect from the fanbase in the long run.

Also, Lucasfilm has sort of pooped on speculation with TLJ. Why speculate? Everything we think is important doesn't matter.

 

[Sithborg]

But are fans going to still be excited for future movies if they keep up this approach for the next decade? I have trouble feeling any excitement or urge to speculate when we know absolutely nothing about the storyline. I don't see how anyone could even reasonably speculate on this or why they'd want to. Maybe that's just me, but I don't see the point.

If Paramount or Universal announced a new film with the same amount of information we have on this (no plot details, actors, or anything), would people get excited? Probably not. Why is it any different here?

Don't get me wrong, I get it, it's Star Wars. Fans eat up anything. But will they ten years from now? I think they'll catch on. Call me crazy, but it almost seems a bit manipulative to string the fans among this much. This little information about a movie wouldn't excite most fanbases, but Star Wars knows fans will eat this up. I would just prefer they naturally release information, I think it will give them more respect from the fanbase in the long run.

Also, Lucasfilm has sort of pooped on speculation with TLJ. Why speculate? Everything we think is important doesn't matter.

Are you kidding me? Other films do it ALL THE FREAKING TIME!!!!

New movie by X director. X actor joining up with Y movie. Writer Z writing new project for studio 1.

I mean, the Misc. Film section is littered with those types of thread titles.

And no, it is all our fanfiction speculation means squat. We do not know what is made and will be made more than those actually doing the creating.

 

[Elayis]

I don't see any problem with the announcement itself. There probably isn't much to say about the film(s) so far, and the details may change significantly before production starts. Or maybe the project never gets past the script phase. And as Sithborg said, plenty of other franchises make these kinds of announcement. They just did it with Star Trek & Tarantino.

My only issue was with who the filmmakers were, not the way it was handled. I just don't think they're good storytellers.

 

[Mask&Cape]

Yeah they'll be exclusive. Just like Netflix's stuff is exclusive to their streaming service. Tho Im willing to bet that Disney's star wars shows will get a home video release on bluray and DVD at some point after the shows are released on their streaming service.

Are there any details on that streaming service yet? Is it just for the US?

Over here we have DisneyLife and if these new shows were on that service it would be okay but outside the US they could go to the highest bidder like Sky.

If they went to Netflix here it would be ideal. Waiting for a iTunes or discs would be torture.

Well, it's how I honestly feel. Popularity and commercial success is not synonymous with quality. The writing was always not up to part with GRRM's, but after they ran out of the book material the show's quality plummeted. Granted, it's a minority view but that doesn't change the facts. People might not have a problem with the writing becoming worse (maybe other things about the show are more important to most viewers), but I think even fans of the show would concede that D&D aren't GRRM level writers.

If it is a "view" then it is an opinion. And opinions are not facts.

Not all fans of the GoT show have read the books so it is impossible to say what the majority opinion is on who thinks what about whose writing.

 

[Elayis]

That might've been sloppy word choice on my part. In my defence I'm operating on ~1 hour sleep for the last two days so my mind's a little frazzled. My point was that even the most die hard fans of GoT (and even critics) were a little underwhelmed by season 7 and its blatant fanservice.

A little off topic, but I was actually an Unsullied (non book reader) until last fall. Even then, I noticed the huge drop off in quality starting with season 5. Before I would've ranked season 1-4 in my top 10 shows, but the taint of season 5-7 has greatly affected my overall opinion of the show.

Plus, now having read the books the quality difference between them and even the good seasons (particularly season 1, the most book faithful) is pretty astounding. D&D were truly amateurs when it came to running a show, and only due to the very talented cast & crew they surrounded themselves with was the show (at least for a time) able to rise above their mediocre talents.

 

[Mask&Cape]

But are fans going to still be excited for future movies if they keep up this approach for the next decade? I have trouble feeling any excitement or urge to speculate when we know absolutely nothing about the storyline. I don't see how anyone could even reasonably speculate on this or why they'd want to. Maybe that's just me, but I don't see the point.

Of course fans are going to keep getting excited. Just because you and a few others (be that dozens or thousands) have an issue with this pair of guys working on Star Wars there are many fans who are excited by this news and many, many, many, many more fans who are excited that there is another trilogy/series/etc. in the works irrelevant of who is writing, etc.

Just because you don't want to speculate doesn't mean thousands of others don't either. And most speculation here and on other forums is rarely reasonable anyway. It is just done for fun.

If Paramount or Universal announced a new film with the same amount of information we have on this (no plot details, actors, or anything), would people get excited? Probably not. Why is it any different here?

A great many people would be excited that the Game of Thrones duo would be working on a space fantasy series for any studio.

Would it be at the same level as Star Wars news? Of course not because it is Star Wars.

Using this kind of example is just ridiculous.

Don't get me wrong, I get it, it's Star Wars. Fans eat up anything. But will they ten years from now? I think they'll catch on. Call me crazy, but it almost seems a bit manipulative to string the fans among this much. This little information about a movie wouldn't excite most fanbases, but Star Wars knows fans will eat this up. I would just prefer they naturally release information, I think it will give them more respect from the fanbase in the long run.

Catch onto what? There is nothing to catch onto?

Controlling the release of information is how you keep people interested. Just because you live in the age of the internet and social media does not mean you need to know anything about the story. What possible reason could Lucasfilm have to tell you the basic gist or anything else?

Why do you need to know what it is about right now?

Also, Lucasfilm has sort of pooped on speculation with TLJ. Why speculate? Everything we think is important doesn't matter.

I assume you are moving that TLJ did not deliver on your personal or perhaps the general fanbase speculation or something.

So what?

It is not Lucasfilm or Rian Johnson's job to provide a story based on the speculations of the fanbase.

"Everything we think is important doesn't matter." What does that even mean? You built up expectations and assumptions in your head and the movie was different? Your problem, no body else's. Neither TFA not TLJ was any of what I had imagined (for the last 30 years) happened next. I can liv with it.

 

[Mask&Cape]

That might've been sloppy word choice on my part. In my defence I'm operating on ~1 hour sleep for the last two days so my mind's a little frazzled. My point was that even the most die hard fans of GoT (and even critics) were a little underwhelmed by season 7 and its blatant fanservice.

A little off topic, but I was actually an Unsullied (non book reader) until last fall. Even then, I noticed the huge drop off in quality starting with season 5. Before I would've ranked season 1-4 in my top 10 shows, but the taint of season 5-7 has greatly affected my overall opinion of the show.

Plus, now having read the books the quality difference between them and even the good seasons (particularly season 1, the most book faithful) is pretty astounding. D&D were truly amateurs when it came to running a show, and only due to the very talented cast & crew they surrounded themselves with was the show (at least for a time) able to rise above their mediocre talents.

Sleep deprived or not, your opinion is your opinion and you shouldn't assume it to be world view.

 

[Mask&Cape]

I don't see any problem with the announcement itself. There probably isn't much to say about the film(s) so far, and the details may change significantly before production starts. Or maybe the project never gets past the script phase. And as Sithborg said, plenty of other franchises make these kinds of announcement. They just did it with Star Trek & Tarantino.

My only issue was with who the filmmakers were, not the way it was handled. I just don't think they're good storytellers.

I think it is safe to say that Lucasfilm wouldn't be making the announcement if the movies weren't getting past the script phase.

They'll have at least delivered a treatment (maybe even a first draft) and Lucasfilm has probably already been hard at work on working out he logistics and stuff. These deals don't get announced as they happen - they've been meeting for months talking and working things out.

Sure there have been problems like Trank and Lord & Miller but that kind of thing happens in all businesses.

Yes, stuff about the films and story will change as it is developed but Lucasfilm does have sufficient information they could release as to what it is all going to be basically about -the basic gist that will not change. However, there is no need to release that information at this time. It is years away and we will find out what is going on when Lucasfilm thinks the time is right.

 

[Elayis]

I think it is safe to say that Lucasfilm wouldn't be making the announcement if the movies weren't getting past the script phase.

They'll have at least delivered a treatment (maybe even a first draft) and Lucasfilm has probably already been hard at work on working out he logistics and stuff. These deals don't get announced as they happen - they've been meeting for months talking and working things out.

Sure there have been problems like Trank and Lord & Miller but that kind of thing happens in all businesses.

As you said, things can happen. I doubt there's much more than a script treatment, given how much time is involved making a season of GoT, let alone the expanded, action heavy finale. They may have had multiple meetings with Lucasfilm and have a general outline of what they want to do, but their first priority would be GoT, which is still deep in production. I just don't see how they'd find the time even for a first draft.

 

[Fincher]

My point was that even the most die hard fans of GoT (and even critics) were a little underwhelmed by season 7 and its blatant fanservice.

A little off topic, but I was actually an Unsullied (non book reader) until last fall. Even then, I noticed the huge drop off in quality starting with season 5. Before I would've ranked season 1-4 in my top 10 shows, but the taint of season 5-7 has greatly affected my overall opinion of the show.

I don't know about critics or the most die hard fans, but my overall opinion of the show is higher after Season 7 than it was at any point prior to it.

 

[Lord]

Not excited at all. Had i heard they were preparing a single film, i might have. But i'm just getting tired of Lucasfilm announcing new whole sets of films, when they seem to constantly be having problems with even the Anthologies. Was actualy hoping they might take a slight hiatus between Episode IX or the 3rd Anthology and Rian Johnson's trilogy. But right now it seems like they're gonna keep to the annual schedule.

 

[Elayis]

I don't know about critics or the most die hard fans, but my overall opinion of the show is higher after Season 7 than it was at any point prior to it.

Season 7 seemed to be the first time there was noticeable backlash or disappointment with the show from critics and viewers. The Wight Hunt was singled out as the most egregious and nonsensical, but there was a good deal of dissatisfaction with character development and pacing. Before this the only notable criticism Game of Thrones got was for season 5's Dorne arc, which was seen as an aberration on an otherwise fantastic show.

The biggest problem I have with D&D's hiring, aside from their unremarkable writing skills, is their questionable capacity to competently run a production (they micromanage GoT to death and are still very inexperienced despite the show's success) and their inability to take constructive criticism. In all of the interviews, commentaries and behind-the-scenes articles I've read they don't come off as very good collaborators, and have a dictatorial, top-down way of doing things. It wouldn't surprise me if their project never gets off the ground, at least with them still attached in any meaningful capacity.

 

[Lord]

If you asked me what this was, I'd go with Boba Fett/Underworld. But we shall see.

Would that need an entire series of films though? Like Han Solo, it has potential but i don't think it would need an entire trilogy.

I'm frankly hoping Lucasfilm is finaly listening to the fan demand for seeing the Old Republic era explored. If that is their intention, hiring D&D is a choice that would make sense.

 

[Mask&Cape]

As you said, things can happen. I doubt there's much more than a script treatment, given how much time is involved making a season of GoT, let alone the expanded, action heavy finale. They may have had multiple meetings with Lucasfilm and have a general outline of what they want to do, but their first priority would be GoT, which is still deep in production. I just don't see how they'd find the time even for a first draft.

I did say maybe but yes that is highly unlikely.

However, my point is that clearly the powers that be consider this project a go so I see no need for doomsday considerations regarding it falling apart.

 

[Mask&Cape]

I don't know about critics or the most die hard fans, but my overall opinion of the show is higher after Season 7 than it was at any point prior to it.

Amen to that.

I haven't seen anything "underwhelming' in the show last season and it is still firing on all cylinders as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Mask&Cape]

Not excited at all. Had i heard they were preparing a single film, i might have. But i'm just getting tired of Lucasfilm announcing new whole sets of films, when they seem to constantly be having problems with even the Anthologies. Was actualy hoping they might take a slight hiatus between Episode IX or the 3rd Anthology and Rian Johnson's trilogy. But right now it seems like they're gonna keep to the annual schedule.

Every movie and studio has hiccups and problems, we just don't here about every issue and rumour like we do with Star Wars.

If people would just calm down and stop being so intense and scrutizising every rumour of the production we might have got some better extra features on the TFA and Rogue One home releases without Lucasfilm having how any on set negativity will endless drowned on about online.

Why would you want Lucasfilm to stop? What problem are being caused for you by these behind the scenes issues?

If production rumours upset you, then don't read about them. If you feel there is "too much" Star Wars then you take a break.

 

[Lord]

Every movie and studio has hiccups and problems, we just don't here about every issue and rumour like we do with Star Wars.

If people would just calm down and stop being so intense and scrutizising every rumour of the production we might have got some better extra features on the TFA and Rogue One home releases without Lucasfilm having how any on set negativity will endless drowned on about online.

Why would you want Lucasfilm to stop? What problem are being caused for you by these behind the scenes issues?

If production rumours upset you, then don't read about them. If you feel there is "too much" Star Wars then you take a break.

The problem for me is that due to Lucasfilms's tight schedule, they're not spending enough time developing their films in order to get them in perfect shape. I liked Force Awakens and Last Jedi, but i think they could have been improved if Lucasfilm had spent a bit longer thinking about what they wanted their overall new trilogy to be about. From what Gareth Edwards has revealed about Rogue One's development, Lucasfilm pretty much started giving him plenty of freedom to make a different film than usual and then got cold feet and decided to reshoot stuff. That time spent on rethinking about the plot should have been spent during the scripting phase, no post-production. But because they had to keep to the annual schedule, they had to rush things. Rogue One was aparently being constantly re-edited until it was released. That reminds me of what happened with Suicide Squad, but in least Rogue One came out decent. Solo also seems to have been a victim of some of the same problems Rogue One had.

I could take a break from Star Wars, sure. But that won't make the films any better when i finaly watch them. Lucasfilm doesn't need to try turning SW intro Marvel. If the end results are improved, i would rather have a SW film every three years than an annual "Ok" Star Wars film.

What i don't like is that they're simply trying to plan more than they can properly manage.

 

[Zant]

Kinda feel for the current young cast members. Seems like Disney can't wait to get rid of them once their trilogy is done. Just shows how replaceable and disposable they are.

 

[Abudefduf]

Never watched GoT... heard mixed things about it, especially the last season. Aren't those two guys the ones who wanted to make a show based on the premise "But what if we still had slaves??!?!?"

Yeeeeeesh.