JJ Abrams, Kevin Smith, Jon Favreau And Others React To The LucasFilm/Disney Deal

By David Wharton | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

When the news broke about Disney buying LucasFilm, and with it Star Wars, last week, I’m not ashamed to say it caught us completely off guard. This was one of the first times I can remember a deal of this size and importance going down without anybody (at least that I’ve seen) having reported rumors or even outright details of what was coming. I’m not lying when I say I did literally double-check the calendar to make sure I hadn’t slept until April 1st.

But fans and bloggers such as ourselves weren’t the only ones reacting with shock at the news that one of the defining movie franchises of all time was now separating itself from the man who created it. Many of the industries biggest talents took to the interwebs to offer their thoughts on the jaw-dropping announcement. The folks at EW specifically contacted several big-name folks for their reactions, while others took to Twitter to gab about it like all the rest of us. Here are some of the highlights from the aftermath. First up is J.J. Abrams, who pretty much sums up my feelings pefectly.

J.J. Abrams (Star Trek):

Part of me? Thrilled. Part of me? Terrified. Most of me? Thrillified.

Jon Favreau (Cowboys & Aliens, Iron Man):

The idea of another trilogy that further shrouds the Force in mystery as its secrets are lost to time – that’s extremely compelling.I want so bad for it to be good. Can you imagine?

James Gunn (Slither, Super):

Shawn Levy (Real Steel):

The Star Wars franchise is nothing short of a generational touchstone…I literally can’t think of any comparable cultural phenom that has so pervasively shaped and galvanized viewers to the extent that Star Wars has. It’s embedded in my — and our — cultural DNA in a unique way and these are enduring strands.

Damon Lindelof (Prometheus, Lost):

All I can say is my heart literally started racing when I heard.

George Nolfi (The Adjustment Bureau):

I can’t imagine a larger event-film for our generation than a sequel to Return of the JediStar Wars literally defined ‘the magic of movies’ to me as a child. No other film had more impact on my subconscious desire to become a filmmaker.

Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, Ted):

Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Machete):

What an amazing world and legacy George Lucas has created — and it needs to continue in capable hands.I do think Disney is the best studio for the job and the fact that they brought in Kathleen Kennedy? I can’t imagine a better scenario. And 2015 can’t get here fast enough.

Kevin Smith:

Can’t wait to see all the new movies they’re gonna make. The 7 year old Kev who saw STAR WARS during its initial release in 1977 is finally gonna get all 9 STAR WARS movies he was promised back then. I’ll be first in line to pay for whatever they do.

Another name being thrown around a lot in the aftermath of the news is science fiction author Timothy Zahn, who served up the Thrawn trilogy beginning in 1991, a time when Star Wars novels weren’t nearly the omnipresent commodity they have become. With the early rumors that Star Wars VII would be a true sequel to the first trilogy of films, many wondered if Zahn’s books might serve as the basis for the next three new films. While that possibility seems to have been largely discounted in the days since. Once again, EW was on the ball and reached out to Zahn for his reaction to the news. While he dismissed the possibility, explaining that “the books were always just the books,” he was able to offer some insights on Lucas’ sequel trilogy ideas back in the day.

The original idea as I understood it— and Lucas changes his mind off and on, so it may not be what he’s thinking right now – but it was going to be three generations. You’d have the original trilogy, then go back to Luke’s father and find out what happened to him [in the prequels], and if there was another 7th, 8th, or 9th film, it would be Luke’s children. The Thrawn Trilogy really would have fit into the gap.

Zahn also shared his thoughts about what he’d like to see from the new Star Wars films.

I’d love to see a good father-son, or mother-son, or daughter story. I’d like to see family. We haven’t seen a lot of good family stuff in Star Wars. A lot of it has been dysfunctional, and driven by somebody else. Anakin was a slave and manipulated all his life. Luke and Leia never knew each other…Some family interaction would be something different for the new movies to do – against the backdrop of excitement and adventure that forms the basis of Star Wars. There are a lot of directions you can go with the Skywalker families and really kick some serious butt.

 

Header image by Joi

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