Disney Acquires Lucasfilm, Reveals Plans for Star Wars: Episode 7 in 2015

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Disney Acquires Lucasfilm, Reveals Plans for Star Wars: Episode 7 in 2015

Post by Dan @ 08:10am 31/10/12 | 106 Comments

Adding another huge brand and production arm to their empire, at no small price, Disney has today announced the US$4.05 Billion acquisition of Lucasfilm --the entire umbrella of companies that includes the Star Wars franchise, it's film and animation arms, effects house Industrial Light & Magic, and videogame publisher and developer LucasArts (thanks Mental).

Accompanying news of the purchase, is Disney's plans to continue the core Star Wars film saga with a Star Wars: Episode 7 targeting a 2015 release.

"For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next," said George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I'm confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney's reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products."

...Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney's global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

It's unclear how this development might impact the videogame side of things, with Lucasarts currently working on the intriguing Star Wars 1313. However, we do hope that it results in the company loosening up on it's classic IP, so we can see all of those classic Lucasarts adventure games finally come to Gog.com.

disney star wars lucasfilm lucasarts

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Zakson
Posted 10:30am 31/10/12

I preferred 1-3, the graphics were way better.

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fpot
Posted 10:33am 31/10/12

Also the action sequences were so good!

edit: seriouspost, the visual effects in Empire and Jedi were so much better than anything they produced in 1-3.

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Reverend Evil�
Posted 10:39am 31/10/12

George needs to be as far away as possible or else he'll fuck them up with his constant meddling.

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Nerf Lord
Posted 10:55am 31/10/12

There's a small discussion on it here -

I'm keen, even if they're not great. Seeing some live action star wars, thankfully by new directors, may not be great, but it probably won't make things any worse. ;)

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thermite
Posted 10:57am 31/10/12

Yipeeeeee!

Sounds like George was suggesting Star Wars rides and theme parks.

last edited by thermite at 10:57:45 31/Oct/12

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implode
Posted 11:05am 31/10/12

Disney? what a horrible idea, happy endings & G ratings from now on. The Star Wars movies will become even more childish...

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Mass
Posted 11:06am 31/10/12

The last time George didn't make a Star Wars film we got Empire Strikes Back, I am looking forward to see what can be done.

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thermite
Posted 11:08am 31/10/12

Star Wars Episode 7, starring Eddie Murphy and Selena Gomez

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ravn0s
Posted 11:11am 31/10/12

holy shit this is unexpected.

Disney? what a horrible idea, happy endings & G ratings from now on. The Star Wars movies will become even more childish...

disney doesn't make just kids movies anymore.

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trog
Posted 11:17am 31/10/12

Disney? what a horrible idea, happy endings & G ratings from now on. The Star Wars movies will become even more childish...

there is just no way that is actually possible. There is nothing they could do to the brand that would make it worse in my eyes.

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Rdizz
Posted 11:26am 31/10/12

hmm i love star wars but i dont know if this is a good or bad thing.

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Taipan
Posted 11:34am 31/10/12

Weve already seen what Disney type characters look like in the star wars universe..... Jar jar binks. I dont think things could get any worse but i have serious doubts itll get any better either.

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fpot
Posted 11:37am 31/10/12

If they got a dream team together of Lawrence Kasdan writing, Peter Jackson/Christopher Nolan/Steven Spielberg directing, and George Lucas in a soundproof room with a set of crayons and colouring books then we could have a movie here.

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Crash
Posted 11:44am 31/10/12

If they can do the same for what they have done with the Marvel brand, including the movies then count me in.

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SquashedDuck
Posted 11:52am 31/10/12

I hear Carrie Fisher is doing a cameo in Star Wars 7, playing Jabba the Hutt's revengeful daughter.

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ravn0s
Posted 11:58am 31/10/12

lucas will only be serving as creative consultant on the movies.

last edited by ravn0s at 11:58:22 31/Oct/12

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Taipan
Posted 11:58am 31/10/12

I hear Disney is going to try and save the John Carter franchise. In his next adventure he is teleported to some out of the way back water planet call Tatooine or something.

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Khel
Posted 12:23pm 31/10/12

Disney made Tron Legacy, and I liked that. And despite it being a box office flop I liked John Carter as well, so they could actually suprise everyone and make a decent Star Wars movie, especially without George Lucas helming it.

But yeah, its not like they could make it any worse.

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BladeRunner
Posted 12:24pm 31/10/12

Fuck you guys lol. I enjoyed Ep 1 and 2.

I don't like the EU (expanded universe) after Episode 6. LucasFilm may have signed off on the book about the time after EP6 and consider it cannon but I do not. Just have to wait and see what they do exactly. Making 7-9 would have been a good idea back in the 80s but all the actors now are old, replacing them with new actors will not feel right.

What they should do is make films in the KOTOR era, there is plenty of stuff there now to use and more to create.

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fpot
Posted 12:26pm 31/10/12

I'd really like to hear people's thoughts on what redeeming features the prequels had.

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ravn0s
Posted 12:29pm 31/10/12

have you guys forgotten that disney owns marvel? therefore movies such as the avengers are disney movies.

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DM
Posted 12:31pm 31/10/12

Also the first 2 pirate movies were awesome so while I couldn't care less about this news at least the fans have a better chance at a good movie.

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konstie
Posted 12:36pm 31/10/12

If they got a dream team together of Lawrence Kasdan writing, Peter Jackson/Christopher Nolan/Steven Spielberg directing, and George Lucas in a soundproof room with a set of crayons and colouring books then we could have a movie here.

lol agreed

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thermite
Posted 12:52pm 31/10/12

I've always hoped Disney and Lucas would do something with Captain EO.

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HERMITech
Posted 01:19pm 31/10/12

Personaly I loved the fight between Maul, Obi & Qwe* something something.. darkside

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ravn0s
Posted 01:27pm 31/10/12

qui-gon jinn

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Khel
Posted 02:05pm 31/10/12

Yeah, that scene was good, would have been better if it wasn't interspersed with shitty annakin bits though. Also, the way Darth Maul dies is dumb, he just stands there like a noob watching Obi Wan pull his lightsaber over, leap out of the pit, flip over him and cut him in half. Hes sposed to be this uber badass guy with mad skills, then suddenly he becomes a noob with the reaction time of a sloth.

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ravn0s
Posted 02:09pm 31/10/12

what's more surprising is that darth maul actually survived that.

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Crakaveli
Posted 02:33pm 31/10/12

Pixar star wars?

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dais
Posted 02:45pm 31/10/12

I wonder if Disney will bow to public pressure to release the theatrical versions of the original trilogy in high definition?

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Mantorok
Posted 02:59pm 31/10/12

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greazy
Posted 03:03pm 31/10/12

What the hell happend to her? She went Jubba.

Claiming this term.

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Nerf Lord
Posted 03:09pm 31/10/12

What the hell happend to her? She went Jubba.

Several decades of ageing? :P

Though I am glad that she's a disney princess now, the circle of life feels complete.

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Mordecai
Posted 04:49pm 31/10/12

I'd really like to hear people's thoughts on what redeeming features the prequels had.

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Phooks
Posted 05:23pm 31/10/12

I remember after leaving the midnight screening of ep3 I was really sad that it was the last star wars movie I'd ever see.

Not sure how I feel about this. Either way It's getting my money, even if it's a complete pos...

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implode
Posted 06:36pm 31/10/12

I'd like to see her Sarlacc...

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Damo
Posted 06:49pm 31/10/12

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sLaps_Forehead
Posted 07:57pm 31/10/12

I'd rather fap to Carrie Fisher from ROTJ than Robot Natalie Portman in the shitquels.

... just sayin

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Linker
Posted 08:18pm 31/10/12

It is funny how after all the times GL has been so adamant that 7, 8, and 9 don't need to exist as the Skywalker story is complete, he now comes out and says he's been writing them. Says it himself in the Corporate handover vid:

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BladeRunner
Posted 10:13pm 31/10/12

If the movies will not be about Skywalker and the gang, then this may be good after all. They could go KOTOR or other stories during the Galactic civil war or Jango/Boba Fett. Who wouldn't like a movie about Jango Fett taking names and kicking arse.

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Hogfather
Posted 10:26pm 31/10/12

I heard 7 was going to be an original story?

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ravn0s
Posted 10:33pm 31/10/12

if it's not going to focus on the skywalker family then they shouldn't be calling it episode 7.

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dais
Posted 12:55am 01/11/12

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Damo
Posted 07:35am 01/11/12

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arkter
Posted 10:36am 01/11/12

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Hogfather
Posted 10:40am 01/11/12

if it's not going to focus on the skywalker family then they shouldn't be calling it episode 7.

Is there a rule that says episode 7 can't be non-skywalker? Its Star Wars after all, not The Skywalker Story?

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ravn0s
Posted 11:07am 01/11/12

Is there a rule that says episode 7 can't be non-skywalker? Its Star Wars after all, not The Skywalker Story?

probably not. it's just the way i feel.

love that pic damo.

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Khel
Posted 11:12am 01/11/12

Episode 7 should be about Kyle Katarn.

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maRtz
Posted 11:15am 01/11/12

we never saw emperor palpatine die, just fall so it's probably got to do with that old fart and his comeback...

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Tollaz0r!
Posted 11:21am 01/11/12

There are plenty of Canon books and media that continue the story well past Episode 6.

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ravn0s
Posted 11:36am 01/11/12

according to e! online, the movies are going to be an original story and wont be based on any novels etc.

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tspec
Posted 06:06pm 01/11/12

Looks like Lucas in planning to give most of it away to help education. Quite an awesome move by him.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-deal-george-lucas-will-384947

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fpot
Posted 06:07pm 01/11/12

Disney have become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

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dais
Posted 06:30pm 01/11/12

we never saw emperor palpatine die, just fall so it's probably got to do with that old fart and his comeback...

Er he exploded and all the dark spirits flew out of him.

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maRtz
Posted 06:49pm 01/11/12

really? hmm don't remember that. Probably cause I watched the movie 20 years ago.

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thermite
Posted 06:55pm 01/11/12

[Shock troopers are searching for the body of Yoda]
Clone Commander Thire: There is no sign of his body, sir.
Mas Amedda: Then he is not dead?
The Emperor: Double your search!

In star wars, if someone falls a long way, but you don't see where they wound up, they probably made it...

Er he exploded and all the dark spirits flew out of him.

He could have ruptured a gas pipe on his way down and then lightning farted out his arse and caused an assplosion.

last edited by thermite at 18:55:22 01/Nov/12

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Nerf Lord
Posted 06:56pm 01/11/12

Looks like Lucas in planning to give most of it away to help education. Quite an awesome move by him.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-deal-george-lucas-will-384947

Super awesome, and sigh at the comments about how he's giving 'lazy people handouts', that lot is getting crazier by the year >_<.

In star wars, if someone falls a long way, but you don't see where they wound up, they probably made it...

Heh, they brought back darth maul from episode 1 in the tv show, despite lucas saying something like he was chopped in half so that people knew that he was definitely dead. Afaik the books also bring the emperor back. I sort of hope that episode 7 doesn't follow some of those books...

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thermite
Posted 07:09pm 01/11/12

look at us

discussing Star Wars theories on the Internet again

this is the best!!!

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BladeRunner
Posted 07:25pm 01/11/12

From what I remember of the EU, he is dead but Palpatine has several clones in production around this time. The empire is still a threat after the battle of Endor and the Moffs or who ever are fighting over whats left.

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Crakaveli
Posted 09:26pm 01/11/12

look at us

discussing Star Wars theories on the Internet again

this is the best!!!

seriously. This is awesome, in my opinion if george isn't directing this then it's gonna be a winner.

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dais
Posted 09:31pm 01/11/12

They would be twits not to include the OT cast (who are all still kicking around) and have a similar time difference between six and seven as there was between three and four. Though obviously some of them will need to go on diets to look presentable.

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Nerf Lord
Posted 09:41pm 01/11/12

The skywalkers probably can't pull it off, but Harrison Ford and C3PO are still kicking. It's going to mean no Yoda/Vader/etc, personally I'm hoping that they come up with an entirely new story just set in the same universe, and stop the repetitive nature of the whole SW franchise. If I wasn't dead and bitter on the inside, I'd even be excited!

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Hogfather
Posted 09:43pm 01/11/12

I can't imagine the money they'd need to throw at Ford to make that happen. If they own a license to use his image maybe they coudl just do a Jar Jar on him.

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Nerf Lord
Posted 10:03pm 01/11/12

From what I remember they changed Indie's appearance in the games because they couldn't do that there at least.

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Mantorok
Posted 11:05pm 01/11/12

I don't think that's true, since they still used cover art that resembles Harrison Ford, and they even included Han Solo as an unlockable character in Staff of Kings. Last I checked Ford was still willing to appear in a fifth Indy movie too.

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dais
Posted 11:10pm 01/11/12

The skywalkers probably can't pull it off

I disagree. It's not like either of them have left the business. Mark Hamill has been kicking arse as The Joker in all the animated Batman stuff as well as the games. Carrie Fisher is doing stand up comedy. They have both done the occasional movie too.

last edited by dais at 23:10:12 01/Nov/12

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ravn0s
Posted 11:18pm 01/11/12

last movie i saw mark hamil in was

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Nerf Lord
Posted 11:43pm 01/11/12

I disagree. It's not like either of them have left the business. Mark Hamill has been kicking arse as The Joker in all the animated Batman stuff as well as the games. Carrie Fisher is doing stand up comedy. They have both done the occasional movie too.last edited by dais at 23:10:12 01/Nov/12

I just mean visually :P. Mark Hamill's definitely been kicking ass in all sorts of things, e.g.:

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Linker
Posted 12:15am 02/11/12

Star Wars is kind of the Skywalker family story, but there is so much more to it expanded on in books, comics and the other TV series they've done. Calling it Episode 7 does indeed sound like it will definitely involve the Skywalkers.

I agree, this story should be left and they should do something else. There is enough expanded universe content out there to make movies for the next 100 years as GL says - they shouldn't need to directly have the Skywalker family in it to succeed hopefully. It's kind of unsettling how quickly they've decided to throw together the movie too. Either way, they will have my money in 2015.

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dais
Posted 12:36am 02/11/12

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dais
Posted 02:00am 02/11/12

With Disney owning the rights they can have any director they want for the next trilogy. Imagine if it was Christopher Nolan...

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ravn0s
Posted 10:48am 02/11/12

star wars isn't chris nolan's sort of movie.

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koopz
Posted 02:42pm 03/11/12

worth a quick read

pics shamelessly flogged from the OCAU news page

last edited by koopz at 14:42:53 03/Nov/12

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ravn0s
Posted 02:47pm 03/11/12

i facepalm every time someone suggests joss whedon as director. he's going to be way to busy with avengers 2 which is also being released in 2015.

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Khel
Posted 03:56pm 03/11/12

Bryan Singer should do it

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dais
Posted 04:39pm 03/11/12

FYI Bryan Singer is directing the next X-Men prequel: http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/25395/singer-set-for-x-men-days-of-future-past

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Nerf Lord
Posted 04:48pm 03/11/12

Maybe I'm crazy, but I'd like to see Star Wars done by whoever did the Starship Troopers movie.

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thermite
Posted 04:51pm 03/11/12

same guy who made Showgirls, Robocop, and Total Recall.

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fpot
Posted 04:51pm 03/11/12

Paul Verhoeven would be an interesting choice to say the least.

One of the biggest flaws with the prequels were their over-reliance on CGI over practical effects. If they could get the mob who worked on the LOTR movies visual effects I would be very happy.

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HERMITech
Posted 05:03pm 03/11/12

What the hell happend to her? She went Jubba.

Claiming this term.

When I saw Carri Fisher on Good News Week my first comment was
"Carrie Fisher ate Princess Leia" and was sad in the pants

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ravn0s
Posted 05:20pm 03/11/12

One of the biggest flaws with the prequels were their over-reliance on CGI over practical effects. If they could get the mob who worked on the LOTR movies visual effects I would be very happy.

weta? they used a combination of CGI and bigatures for the environments in LOTR.
they're not using bigatures for the hobbit afaik.

i wonder what the cost difference is between practical effects and CGI.

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koopz
Posted 07:19pm 03/11/12

What the hell happend to her? She went Jubba.

I don't get it.. men and women both get older.

Western women regularly spend 'the money' in today's effluent Western economy.

Are you on drugs or something?

last edited by koopz at 19:19:25 03/Nov/12

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IncrEdible_vEgetable
Posted 02:21am 04/11/12

Any future "Star Wars" movies can eat a sizable cock IMHO.

*Spoiler tags added ahead in case you are easily offended by my 'graphic yet accurate' description.

The only three movies that belong in the canon are the OG 'unfiddled with' versions of Star Wars: A New Hope, Empire and Return. The dinosaurs in the desert can fuck right off and as for the rest of the Spoiler:
abortion clinic dumpster rejects
, well I think you might be able to guess what George Lucas can do with those.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is either too young to understand or doesn't care enough about the movies of their childhood to comment. Either way, I feel sorry for your mother(s).

The End.

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IncrEdible_vEgetable
Posted 02:30am 04/11/12

effluent Western economy

Not sure if you meant to say 'affluent' or you believe Western society is toilet water but I guess it makes sense either way...

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Sc00bs
Posted 05:52am 04/11/12

Anyone who thinks otherwise is either too young to understand or doesn't care enough about the movies of their childhood to comment. Either way, I feel sorry for your mother(s)

im glad there is someone like you to tell everyone how we should feel about movies

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Tollaz0r!
Posted 08:50am 04/11/12

lol Incred Vege has no idea, but it's OK.

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IncrEdible_vEgetable
Posted 01:40pm 04/11/12

im glad there is someone like you to tell everyone how we should feel about movies

You're welcome.

lol Incred Vege has no idea, but it's OK.

Ep 1-3 fanboi? Worse than Hitler. Doom avatar? Slightly redeemed.
Ok I get it that there is a bunch of books and assorted rubbish that "flesh out" the Star Wars universe but frankly I don't care. The canon is the three movies. Everything else is an afterthought and glorified fan fiction. Star Wars is a time and a place (at least for me it is). Not some rotund foam-lipped mouth breather's 'take' on Vader's grandad or a snapshot of Ewok folklore.

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Whoop
Posted 02:10pm 04/11/12

I'm with him. I refuse to admit any of the star wars movies exist apart from the original 3 and before they were "remastered" (read: fucked with by CGI hungry clowns).

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tspec
Posted 03:28pm 04/11/12

So how do you guys feel about Caravan of Courage and Battle for Endor given Lucas was involved with both and they're well before his CG tampering. I know they're not technically Star Wars movies but they're about as close as you'll get and roughly within the same time period of the original trilogy. I always thought Caravan of Courage was a pretty good kids movie but I hated Battle for Endor even when it came out, probably because I always thought the title was very misleading.

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