In case you missed my Twitter and Facebook snarking or my open thread on SWPAS, Cinema Blend had a scoop today that Disney ditched George Lucas’s ideas and “went their own way” to develop TFA. That came from Lucas himself, so it is not rumor or speculation. I’m assuming that applies to Eps VIII and IX as well.
I had hoped that at the very least the post-ROTJ trilogy would be the Last Will and Testament of George Lucas in regard to the saga he created. I had hoped those in charge now would at least want to carry forward his intentions. But with news, all of this is in doubt and it has me worried about what will become of Star Wars.
If you watch Eps I-VI, you’ll notice there’s a pattern, a rhythm, a structure. Many have tried to analyze this structure. Lucas himself has referred to the six films as “tone poems” or a “symphony” with rhymes and call backs. There’s a compelling online essay about the ring theory that makes a lot of sense about how the saga is structured. Now I fear that has been abandoned and what we’re going to get are derivative films that won’t fit into the flow of the existing movies.
Moreover, there’s a morality behind the story that begins with Anakin and ends with Anakin. A recent post from ElevenThirtyEight.com nails it: it is all about compassion and selflessness. Will that be abandoned too?
How about Lucas’s intent that the torch be given to a new generation? It appears this still might be the case since we have a lot of younger noobies aboard. But based on rumors I’ve stumbled upon here and there, I’m concerned that the roles the OT-3 are fulfilling this time have taken on a post-modern bent that doesn’t fit at all with what Lucas established. I’m also concerned these movies might make the mistake of the expanded universe and revive the Sith, negate Anakin’s sacrifice and his meaning as the Chosen One, and set up every movie to be the same conflict every time.
I can’t help but think now that all Disney wants is generic sci-fi bravo sierra with a familiar brand name, not mythology. It wants Marvel in space…if that’s the case, you can just stay home and watch the slightly overrated “Guardians of the Galaxy” instead. Ah, but what about the story group, you ask? Well, they are Disney employees and they will ultimately do whatever their overlords tell them. The story group will have more control over books, comics, and t.v. cartoons, I think, than over the films.
We’ll see if Disney does any damage control. But I have a bad feeling about this.
lazypadawan's Holocron 
I don’t know what “The Force Awakens” will bring. I don’t know how Disney will handle Lucas’ work. I decided to wait and see. I had the same attitude about the recent “STAR TREK” movies, which ended up disappointing me and the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, which I am more than pleased with.
It’s all a crap shoot.
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“all Disney wants is generic sci-fi bravo sierra with a familiar brand name, not mythology” <- yeah that. It's sad but I'm afraid entirely predictable when you look back at Disney's first few months of ownership of LF. The warning signs were there but a lot fans stubbornly put on their rose tinted glasses and said it would all be fine, no, not just fine but AWESOME. Some of them still do, and probably will continue to even when TFA comes out because the truth is just too painful to face. It's amazing what people can believe if they really want to.
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I think we all fear the worst, but like ladylavinia, I’m just going to wait it out until December. And about that awesome ring theory essay, didn’t that conclude with the idea that the six films are part of that ring structure, that yin-yang idea, and that the third trilogy could represent the Third Path/Way that would actually diverge from the yin-yang of the original six films? So, following that reasoning, The Force Awakens wouldn’t necessarily have to follow the ring structure.
As for the six films beginning and ending with Anakin, I suppose (if they keep Luke alive past VII) we could end up with overlapping stories that would still preserve some sort of pattern. What I mean by that is that I-VI would be Anakin’s story, and IV-IX could include Luke’s story, with them overlapping in the middle.
And I don’t think we have to worry too much about them not pushing the younger characters. Knowing Disney, I can almost guarantee that they will. I am concerned a bit that Abrams might fall into the nostalgia trap in Episode VII, but I think that will diminish with Episodes VIII and IX as those episodes will be released as sequels to a new film rather than as a sequel to the original films. Honestly, though it’s all guesswork and speculation at this point.
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I agree and understand those concerns.
However, we still don’t know if what George said is the truth or not.
We have to keep in mind that George is the same guy who said to Jon Stewart that the dogfight in Red Tails would be the closest thing to Star Wars Episode VII. Clearly he fooled us, and maybe keeping a low profile on this is a way to fool the hate boys and be contrarian with the media.
Until JJ opens his mouth and says something, or Lucasfilm releases an official statement, we can’t know for sure.
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While I’ve already seen other comments to the effect of “George Lucas says one thing one time and another the next,” this doesn’t seem quite like “He reserves the right to change his mind, okay?” Maybe the problem is that, as was said, it “feels” all too familiar given what’s happened since the sale of Lucasfilm.
I suppose I am contemplating how, when certain people are trying to be negative in a less blunt way, they’ll say things like “Lucas ought to just be the ‘idea guy,'” but now things have got to the point where he may not even be allowed to be that…
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That is both concerning and troubling, and speaks very badly on the part of Kathleen Kennedy, Abrams and Kasdan, if it is indeed the case. We’ll see.
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Really worried about this…not of fan of Rebels…already Disney has lost points with me…hope this I’m isn’t true
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