There’s going to be a seventh “Star Wars” movie. Oh how I’ve waited to hear those words.
I can remember when I was 6 years old and my dad forced me to sit down on the couch and watch some space movie with aliens and dinosaur-looking things. I instantly fell in love with the concept of a lightsaber. This led to, for a span of time, anything remotely close in length to a lightsaber being treated as such and swung around the house. Since that day on the couch, I’ve been hooked on the trilogies. And needless to say, “Star Wars” was an integral part of my childhood and remains integral in my life today.
On Tuesday, it was announced that The Walt Disney Co. acquired Lucasfilm Ltd., a film production company founded by “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, for a whopping sum of $4.05 billion. With this announcement came an even more important notice though – in 2015 a new “Star Wars” film, with the working title “Episode VII,” with films eight and nine to follow.
This latter announcement comes with a flood of mixed opinions. And here’s mine: Is this really necessary?
Don’t get me wrong, I will absolutely be at the midnight premiere of “Star Wars: Episode VII.” “Star Wars” is a fantastic series of films and I don’t want to see its legacy tainted by a disappointing seventh movie. Too often have great films been ruined by sequels. The foremost factor weighing on the next “Star Wars” film is that Disney has no experience with making a “Star Wars” film.
There is one main reason why I am afraid of this movie. For as much as I love the “Star Wars” films, they do have their issues. Episodes IV, V and VI were nearly perfect. Episodes I, II and III, however, could have been better. Episode I had no real main character and featured the most pointless character ever created, Jar Jar Binks. Episodes II and III had to build off of that and, at times, had a pretty shaky plot. What I fear is the continuation of this decline in quality. Lucas will no longer be the director, but he is still being kept on staff as creative adviser.
The movies should certainly veer away from how Episodes I, II and III were done. While Lucas directed the first three amazing movies (Episodes IV, V and VI), it can’t be discredited that he also directed the three most recent disappointments (Episodes I, II and III). I realize “Star Wars” was his baby, and I do appreciate his earlier work on the films, but given his latest additions to the series, it’s probably best that he is stepping away completely and giving Disney a shot.
Now comes the flip side of my take on a Disney-backed “Star Wars.” The ending of the “Star Wars” movies so far has left me with a desire for more. Will Luke Skywalker try and rebuild the Jedi order? What of Leia? Yoda said that if Luke were to fail, then Leia would be the Jedis last hope. What greatness is she capable of? Obviously she and Han Solo get married and who knows what amazing feats their all-star children will be able to accomplish. There must still be enemies lurking that followed Emperor Palpatine who are willing to avenge him or continue the way of the Sith.
There are so many ways the “Star Wars” universe can be continued. But as far as I’m concerned, there is only one certainty in this movie: As long as there are lightsabers, I will love it.
