October 22, 2009 | by Kofi Outlaw 

New Star Wars Trilogy Coming in 3D?

Star Wars Universe

So a rumor recently popped up online stating that there’s a new Star Wars Trilogy in the pipeline that is going to be filmed in stereoscopic 3D. The rumor originated from Market Saw, who attributed the news to a source close to the Lucasfilm camp who was feeding them this exclusive info. This new 3D Star Wars would NOT be a conversion of the existing trilogy (or those prequels we do not speak of), but rather an entirely new three-part chapter in the Star Wars canon!

Another part of the rumor was that George Lucas would NOT be directing this new trilogy, but would instead produce them, handing the helming duties off to more able other seasoned directors, such as Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola, who are both friends of Lucas.

Sci-fi fans, are your heads still attached to your necks?

Fueling this latest turn of the rumor mill is (surprisingly enough) James Cameron’s upcoming 3D sci-fi epic, Avatar. According to Market Saw’s source, if Avatar is a smashing success (inevitably kicking off a new popular sci-fi/adventure franchise), then Lucas would have the necessary technology and motivation to give Cameron some good ol’ fashioned competition by jumping back into the Star Wars universe.

But how true is any of this?

Market Saw swears that their source is someone who “SHOULD KNOW. This source is absolutely connected. So odds are it is seriously being talked about at Lucasfilm. Right now.” However, the guys over at Collider have posted an article on their site diseccting this Star Wars 3D rumor, and this is what THEY came up with:

…because this was such a sensational rumor, Eric Vespe over at Ain’t It Cool News had to take time out of his day to send the Laura Wuhlhammer of Lucasfilm’s Public Relations department an e-mail asking her to confirm or deny the rumor.  She, of course, denied it. I imagine Vespe then sighed, looked at the clock, and knew he would never get those 90 seconds back.

Star Wars George Lucas

Eric Vespe did in fact contact Laura Wuhlhammer over at Lucasfilm – not once, but twice. Upon first query, Wuhlhammer addressed the question of whether Lucasfilm was developing any Star Wars trilogy in 3D. Here was her response:

Hi Eric,

Thanks for your email. Lucasfilm is not currently working on a 3D version of the Star Wars movies.

Best,
Laura

Vespe (being the savvy guy that he is) read that and figured “Hey, she could be referring to converting the OLD Star Wars films to 3D…” and so, like any good reporter, he followed up with a more specific question. Upon second query, Wuhlhammer stuck a definitive fork in this overcooked rumor:

Hi Eric,

We do not have any Star Wars theatrical movies planned.

Thanks,
Laura

If that’s not enough, Collider points out that Lucasfilm currently DOES have its hands full with a Star Wars project: a live-action TV series set between the events of Episode III: Revenge of The Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope. Last word was that the TV series is moving into pre-production and script prep, and would continue gearing-up into to the new year, with 2012 marked as a tentative air date. That means that Lucas and company will have their hands full trying to create a whole new mythos for the time period between the fall of Anakin and the rise of Luke Skywalker; seems like planning a whole new film trilogy (using new technology, no less) would be something of a tall order.

Collider and Ain’t It Cool are shooting this one down as a wild rumor prematurely reported by Market Saw. I’m a bit fairer, so I’ll keep in open mind that anything can happen in the world of movies, but I would NOT get your hopes up for a new Star Wars trilogy coming anytime soon.

Star Wars Force Unleashed

New Trilogy, New Jedi?

Come 2012, if the TV series is doing well and interest in Star Wars is at a peak and 3D motion-capture tech is still improving by leaps and bounds…we’ll see how George Lucas feels about taking on James Cameron’s Avatar universe for the title of “most worshiped geek franchise in the world.” Until then…

How do you feel about a new Star Wars trilogy using new 3D CGI technology? Do you need a new trilogy (with quality directors) to help erase the memory of the prequels? Or should the franchise be left alone before it rolls any further downhill? And just what kind of story would a new trilogy have to tell?

We’ll keep you posted as these rumors inevitably get punctured by the truth.

Source: Market Saw, Collider & Ain’t It Cool News

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  • They are converting the original trilogy to 3D. They showed footage of that to the Totally Rad Show folks @ Revision 3.
  • hud
    at first i wanted a trilogy to be in the same time as the knights of the old republic games, but after thinking about it im not sure i want any more prequels.Even though the bad guys from that time are bad ass,i think id want some sequels to episode 6
  • hud
    i did play the force unleashed(which is in the time period between 3 and 4) and i think it would make a good tv show, but i dont think it will be based on that.
  • Andy S
    Kind of funny how the new rumor is EXACTLY what fans have been clamoring for: NO more George Lucas directed Star Wars films. I think this will happen, and I agree with Joshi: 10 years from now or so it WILL happen.
  • greenknight333
    Luke goes to the Dark Side and the Solo/Leah twins become the universe's new hope...Well if the quality doesn't improve, instead of milking this lucrative franchise they'll be flogging it to death!! CPR for Star Wars..
  • M-Cat
    Cmon we need a new star wars trilogy. Petition for the last three movies!
  • I've been dreaming up a Star Wars sequel trilogy for years. In my head Han is an old General, Leah a beloved Senate delegate, while Luke has become a Yoda type, rebuilding the shattered league of the Jedi.

    With the Empire gone and democracy spread throughout the cosmos opportunity for great changes in tradition have arisen - though some factions are starkly opposed to the idea.

    Some people fear peacetime more than wartime and the first film would examine that concept as well as facing the issue of how to bring democracy and fair rule to an entire universe.

    For the story, a young Jedi in training and his (3-4) "pledgemates" would embark on the final test of their training (a journey to a remote planet filled with bad guys) only to emerge at the end of the first film with very different destinies (some turn good, some go Sith, one dies tragically).

    Of course steering the young Jedi's destinies would be a final snake in the galactic garden - a mysterious figure in exile, who has been keeping the dark arts of the Sith alive in solitary practice...

    Ooooo we might have to do a whole post on this!
  • K-man
    Any updates on the live action TV show?
  • Adam Seely
    1. Understand this: The "prequels you don't speak of" are 5 times the movies that Steven Spielberg and/or Francis Ford Coppola would do in this series. Star Wars is George Lucas' saga. Period. All six of them are the greatest gift to cinema any filmmaker has given us to date. Even Kershner and Marquand were guided by his hand.

    2. This article, and the vague "source" it came from, are about as credible as a tabloid next to the chewing gum at your local supermarket. A real fan of Star Wars would not have posted this drivel, knowing full well that George's masterpiece ends at 6 theatrical movies.

    3. I pity the people that missed the point of the prequels, and can't see the genius in them and think that another director would have done them justice in the style of the original three. Couldn't be more delusional.

    4. As for James Cameron's "Avatar", Mr. Lucas and/or Lucasfilm has absolutely zero interest in its box office performance, nor will that film's success dictate what future projects (3D or not), Mr. Lucas will embark on.

    5. Star Wars is Forever. George Lucas is to cinema what Shakespeare was to plays.
  • you know its going to happen..if warner bros can make a ton of cash from the harry potter books, why not make a series based on the dark horse books and comics??Kenner has already pushed the envelope a bit by making toys based on the comics-which have been a hit (i still haven't got my "white darth vader",dammit),also characters have nbeen killed off in the books that no one even knows has happened unless you are that deep into the sw lore..Chewbacca's dead??-and even if they did base the films on their other media, they could go whatever way they wanted..twist stories and situations around etc..

    Or better yet, reboot the whole damn thing with a new cast,ala star trek.
  • The Big Dentist
    My head's still firmly attached to my neck, but George's appears to be PART of his neck. This may account for why no-one's managed to lynch him yet.
  • Steven
    Would be great if they would deliver another film, or films in the coming years. I'm not a geekish fan of Star Wars, but I really liked the whole universe. I liked all the movies, series (Clone Wars), and games about it.

    It's just such a great pool for story-telling.

    If the film(s) are a sequel to the (chronological) last film, than maybe the game Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy wouldn't be bad to insert into it.
    Here we see Skywalker finding and training new younglings in ancient temples.

    Anyways, I really like Star Wars and would love to see some more of it.
  • Vin
    @rob
    thanks man, sorry 4 goin off topic on the a team thread lol
  • the old man
    Adam I beg to differ on some of your analysis I think you should try to gain some perspective even in the narrow genre were talking about.

    http://pulphope.blogspot.com/2007/08/dunestar-w...
    http://pulphope.blogspot.com/2009/10/muad-dib.html
  • JessSayin
    I thought it went without saying all episodes would be converted to a 3D version eventually.

    What I don't get is why it's taking so damn long for Lucas to get us a 3D version of Howard The Duck!
  • JessSayin
    @Andy S,
    I'm with you on that one.

    IMO the best Stars Wars film episode? The Empire Strikes Back.

    Why? Well for one of many reasons, it was directed by Irvin Kershner.

    (And he did it without using even one Ewok.)
  • jordi
    @Joshi

    Wait, you mean Adam was serious? Man, I've got to get my sarcasm-detector fixed!
  • 790
    Too bad its in 3D, these aren't the sequels I'm looking for,,,

    All films in 3D within 10 years.
    The end is near folks...
  • Huggybear
    Cool, 3d jar jar binks! Now we can all visualize choking him much better! :)
  • jordi
    @790

    I'm sure they said the same when 'talkies' first came out as well :) Don't worry it's just a fad!
  • 790
    Well I disagree Jordi, as "Talkies" were a natural evolution in Cinema, 3D is a visual augmentation that was once a gimmick and is now going to be used for subliminal purposes.
    Totally different agenda...
  • jordi
    @790

    Ah you've taken my flippant comment in totally the wrong context :(

    Play me out Johnny!...
  • 790
    Well I always try and touch on that when there's a 3D thread going on...
  • Jago
    I'd love to see a 3d star wars game... Now that would be cool. Not really excited for the movies though, i thought they were all boring(sorry?)... I do love yoda and the lightsabers though. P.s... I would watch any indy film several times before i'd watch a star wars one.
  • the old man
    3-D movies have come and gone numerous times since I've been attending the movies. I agree with jordi and it will be many years more before it gets to where it's portrayed in SF/F films, if ever.

    LOL Huggybear sometimes you have a brief, unique and cogent way of putting things. Hear hear...

    Hey Big D, LOL, Lucas is going to win the Mr. No-Neck contest! I think they may have modeled Dexter Jettster, Obi-Wan's buddy the cook off Lucas, Whatta ya think?
  • Josh Rose
    @adam

    I'm not going to repeat everything Joshi said, but I feel I need to correct one really bad error you've stated. Lucas had practically NO involvement with Empire Strikes Back, which is exactly why neither director Irvin Kershner or producer Gary Kurtz came back for Jedi.

    Kershner was NOT guided by Lucas's hand, as you put it. Unfortunately, Lucas DID have the movie re-edited to be faster pace, a decision Kershner was not happy with, but Lucas did nothing to affect the actual direction by him.

    Marquand and Jedi was an entirely different story, though, and you're right that Lucas was basically the puppet master there. But of course, Jedi is (usually) considered the weakest of the original trilogy, so yeah.

    As for the rumor, I highly doubt we'll see sequels to the OT, simply because there's so much Expanded Universe stuff (which I couldn't care less about, save maybe the Thrawn trilogy) that any sequels would either have to be based completely off it, or completely disregard it. I have a hard time believing Lucas would purposefully render hundreds of EU stuff moot, nor do I think he would up for making any films based on the stuff. That's the only reason I don't think it's happening, least not while Lucas is still alive.
  • M-Cat
    @hud

    definitely any star wars movies need to come after Return of the Jedi and nothing in between. Continue from 6 on...

    @Kofi

    sounds like a good start to a story. get that post started because it sound awesome! And Kofi, check out the book that follows right after Return of the Jedi. You'll probably love it and there's a badass Sith in it or some type of Jedi-like enemy.

    @Adam

    relax dude. no need to go all fanboy on us. George Lucas gave us a treat that we'll never forget with A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi but the prequels were just plain bad. there were some very cool parts, don't get me wrong, but it didn't have the effect the original trilogy did - not even close actually.

    @JessSayin

    Empire Strikes Back is certainly the best film IMO and it probably has much to do with the slightly darker tone to the film (more than the others) and because it focused on Darth Vader - the greatest villain of all time!
  • M-Cat
    @Josh Rose

    thanks! that's what I was looking for - the Thrawn Trilogy.

    Kofi - check it out if you haven't already.
  • Evan
    I wouldn't care if Lucasfilm made a new trilogy in 3D if it was GOOD... but these days, that seems to be a tall order.

    I have a feeling a different director could do a lot for Star Wars. You know who would be cool, Irvin Kershner... he is 86 though, and I think he has been retired for like the last decade. But, we all know that he directed the best, most iconic Star Wars film of them all--Empire Strikes Back!
  • 790
    They should just do a 3D Lego Star Wars movie and stick a fork in this flamed out rancor carcus!

    Joking aside I've never heard such venom when it comes to a franchise. Star Wars prequels raped me, Empire Strikes Back was the best, Jedi was gay, Ewoks raped me,,, on and on it goes.
    man o man, will this train of discussion ever evolve?

    M-Cat its the Thrawn trilogy, the Thrawn trilogy for the love of god,,, how many times,,,, lol. ;-)
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