Star Wars spinoff/standalone films

[MattG]

Two films have been confirmed, outside of the sequel trilogy, to be penned by Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinsberg respectively. Anticipated to be released post-EP-VII, but between the sequel films. That makes for quite a frequent dosing of Star Wars movies!

The films "...will focus on a specific character [each]"...

http://starwars.com/news/new-spinoff-fi ... alaxy.html

So I guess, like the EP-VII thread, we need a place to discuss and gather info as it comes to hand.

Spoilers are inevitable...

[Archon Revuge]

This is such an incredibly exciting time to be a Star Wars fan

[The Kiwi Jedi]

Oh thats fantastic news. Thanks Matt

[Buzz Bumble]

The first movie is rumoured to be about Yoda.

This is from ComingSoon.net ...

Disney Confirms Stand-Alone Star Wars Films
Walt Disney Pictures Chairman and CEO Bob Iger has confirmed rumors that the studio is looking at a series of Star Wars films that will see release independent of the new trilogy and that will focus on specific characters from the overall Star Wars universe.

"There has been speculation about some stand-alone films that are in development," Iger tells CNBC. "I can confirm to you today that, in fact, we are working on a few stand-alone films. Larry Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are both working on films derived from great 'Star Wars' characters that are not part of the overall saga. We still plan to make Episodes 7, 8, and 9, roughly over a six-year period of time, starting in 2015. There are going to be a few other films released in that time, too."

Iger goes on to say that Kasdan and Kingberg are serving in a consulting capacity on J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: Episode VII with Michael Arndt supplying the screenplay. Both writers are simultaneously working on new, as of yet unknown, Star Wars films.

The news arrives on the heels of yesterday's rumor that claimed the first such film would follow the adventures of Yoda. While that rumor has not been confirmed, Iger's comments suggest some truth to the reports.

You can watch a Flash player clip of Iger's announcement, courtesy of CNBC, at ComingSoon.net.

As long as it's not called "The Yod" and he does not keep saying, "Like me you will not, when angry I am".

[Reverend Strone]

A conflicting report from Entertainment Weekly claims these standalones will center on Boba Fett and Han Solo. I think I'd prefer those over Yoda, personally, but at this stage I'm excited about all these possibilities. New Star Wars movies, and lots of them! It'll be great taking the kids to see these in the cinema just like my parents did with me a generation ago.

Entertainment Weekly has learned details on two of the spin-off projects: A young Han Solo saga, focusing on the wisecracking smuggler’s origin story, and a bounty hunter adventure with Boba Fett at the center of a rogue’s gallery of galactic scum.

[...]

The Han Solo story would take place in the time period between Revenge of the Sith and the first Star Wars (now known as A New Hope), so although it’s possible Harrison Ford could appear as a framing device, the movie would require a new actor for the lead — one presumably much younger than even the 35-year-old Ford when he appeared in the 1977 original.

The Boba Fett film would take place either between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, or between Empire and Jedi, where the bounty hunter was last seen plunging unceremoniously into a sarlacc pit. Exactly who would play him isn’t much of a complication – in the original trilogy, he never took off his helmet. And in the prequels, we learned he was the son of the original stormtrooper clone, played by Temuera Morrison, who’s still the right age for the part if his services were required.

[oota goota]

interesting stuff thanks for the heads up Matt. If one was about Boba Fett it would have to be post-sarlacc!

[MattG]

I'd put a shade more stock in EW than the sources for the Yoda story for now.

It is interesting that there was originally a cameo, but plot-significant, appearance of Han Solo scripted for EP-III, which was canned (probably for the better...it sounded like an necessary inclusion). If that route is followed, and a story revolved around a pre-EP-IV Han Solo, then (as some internet sites have pointed out) it will exist during the height of Vader's Imperial career...maybe the rumours we heard a little while back about Vader re-appearing on the big screen make a little more sense if they relate to a spin-off tale rather than a sequel film.

[Archon Revuge]

...maybe the rumours we heard a little while back about Vader re-appearing on the big screen make a little more sense if they relate to a spin-off tale rather than a sequel film.

Good point Matt. I'm also hoping that if we see a Solo / Fett pair of films that - eras permitting - there might be some crossover in characters and casting.

[Anaria]

I love the idea of a film about a younger Han Solo Keeps away from the problem of recasting, as it would feature a younger Han Solo than even Harrison played, and there's a lot of potential for storylines in the smuggling underworld - like the Star Wars 1313 videogame, and the Clone Wars has had many good episodes featuring smugglers/bounty hunters etc.

I would hope that anyone signed on to play a role in any new Star Wars film would require signing a multi-film deal, to keep continuity.

[Buzz Bumble]

They could get Shia Le Beouff to play young India... err, Han Solo. Or maybe Sean Patrick Flannery.