Rumors that Disney is in negotiations to sell Star Wars back to George Lucas!

[Douglas Dubh]

Who cares how many people watched Andor?

Investors who are thinking about investing in Disney.

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

Yeah, but you constantly equate financial success with quality. Would you prefer the content be bad but bring in more viewers? I doubt that would make you happy. Let people named Bob worry about the numbers and just enjoy the content for what it is.

Andor has been very well received by those who watched it. Should more people watch it? Absolutely, but that just doesn't speak to the quality of the show at all.

Financial success is not always indicative of quality, I agree with you on that. I do think when you give a fan base what it wants, you will most likely see financial success, and the fans will like it. I don't care what critics think about something, to tell you the truth if the critics absolutely love a movie and give it like a 98+% rating........it often suggest to me that I probably will not like it. I put much more stock into what fans think about something, because I am a fan and not a critic.

For example Ghostbusters 2016 had an incredible critic score, and a terrible fan score. To my eye it was a really bad movie and I was pretty ticked off that I even spent $4.99 on Amazon Prime to stream it. Maybe not always, but for the most part I find myself agreeing with what the fans think about a movie. So, if a movie has a solid box office run and a solid fan score.........there is a 90+% chance I will like the movie. I could care less what some critic drinking lavender tea thinks about a movie I am interested in.

 

[BrianL]

Financial success is not always indicative of quality, I agree with you on that. I do think when you give a fan base what it wants, you will most likely see financial success, and the fans will like it. I don't care what critics think about something, to tell you the truth if the critics absolutely love a movie and give it like a 98+% rating........it often suggest to me that I probably will not like it. I put much more stock into what fans think about something, because I am a fan and not a critic.
For example Ghostbusters 2016 had an incredible critic score, and a terrible fan score. To my eye it was a really bad movie and I was pretty ticked off that I even spent $4.99 on Amazon Prime to stream it. Maybe not always, but for the most part I find myself agreeing with what the fans think about a movie. So, if a movie has a solid box office run and a solid fan score.........there is a 90+% chance I will like the movie. I could care less what some critic drinking lavender tea thinks about a movie I am interested in.

But, again, you act like "giving the fanbase what it wants" is so easy - WHAT does the fanbase want? I'm part of the fanbase and I like what they have done. Also, it takes way more than the fanbase, even one as large as Star Wars to equal true success. It has to reach general, mass audiences to get the kind of numbers that they need.

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

Investors who are thinking about investing in Disney.

Of course they do, it's obvious. I care a lot about Disney and have owned Disney stock since the1980s and I personally want to see Disney turn this thing around and to see my stock value start heading in the right direction again. Them starting to pay dividends again would be great too! I think Iger is a very smart man, and for one am hoping he can turn it around. Part of turning it around is getting Disney+ to profitability, and in order to do that they need very high viewership and millions of new subscribers.

 

[nancipants]

Yeah, there's a billion different parts of the Star Wars fanbase. It's not uniform. There's OT fans, prequel fans, sequel fans, TV fans, book fans, comic fans, video game fans, animation fans, etc. etc. etc. And then there's sub-sects of all those groups, i.e. Thrawn/Chiss fans, High Republic fans, Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor fans, Reylos, Legends fans, etc. etc. etc. Nothing would make me happier than Mara Jade returning, but the majority of fans would probably say "who?" or "well Luke doesn't get married." So there you go.

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

But, again, you act like "giving the fanbase what it wants" is so easy - WHAT does the fanbase want? I'm part of the fanbase and I like what they have done. Also, it takes way more than the fanbase, even one as large as Star Wars to equal true success. It has to reach general, mass audiences to get the kind of numbers that they need.

I do really think it is that easy. Hire the smartest people on planet earth that really know George Lucas Star Wars like the back of their hand. Use the data you have from all the Disney+ shows to determine what the majority of fans really like, and let that guide your decision making process. Bring George in occasionally to give a few pointers, and watch it print money. No outside studio head mandates or rules or anything like that, give them free rein to make the best possible Star Wars product in the same vein of George's original vision. I really do think it is that simple.

I will use the Barbie example once again. Not my cup of tea and not made for me, and that's fine as I am not their target fan for Barbie. However, they appeared to have given the Barbie fans (mostly women and lots of mom's) exactly what they wanted in this movie. They are having huge box office success and the fanbase appears to be loving what they gave them. We haven't seen dress up night at the movies at this level in years, it's pretty darn incredible. Do you think the director figured out what her core Barbie fans wanted in this movie? It sure seems like to me she did......and she seems like a really smart lady to me. A really smart lady that is about to be incredibly wealthy as well after this box office hit.

 

[jade1]

Everybody has a different take on Star Wars.

Could another company buying Lucas have done a better job? For sure, but would they have?

I'm just glad somebody that did buy it has created so much new content.

I tend to rate/recommend on if I watch something more than once (or multiple times) and that list is below.

However, knowing something new is coming soon-I care far less when something isn't IMO all that great, or even OK at best (which many have been) because what might be next will or could be a hit IMO.

Things I would never even have without Disney buying Lucas.

I will say though, the more they make that are not successful viewership-the more they are likely to slow down/cut projects. Heck make money for Disney.

Re-watched/will re-watch:

Original Trilogy.
Force Awakens.
Rogue One.
Boba Fett.
Mando 1.
Mando 2.

Can't do animated Star Wars, but with the strike etc might eventually.

 

[BrianL]

I do really think it is that easy. Hire the smartest people on planet earth that really know George Lucas Star Wars like the back of their hand. Use the data you have from all the Disney+ shows to determine what the majority of fans really like, and let that guide your decision making process. Bring George in occasionally to give a few pointers, and watch it print money. No outside studio head mandates or rules or anything like that, give them free rein to make the best possible Star Wars product in the same vein of George's original vision. I really do think it is that simple.

I will use the Barbie example once again. Not my cup of tea and not made for me, and that's fine as I am not their targe fan for Barbie. However, they appeared to have given the Barbie fans (mostly women and lots of mom's) exactly what they wanted. They are having huge box office success and the fanbase appears to be loving what they gave them. We haven't seen dress up night at the movies at this level in years, it's pretty darn incredible. Do you think the director figured out what her core barbie fans wanted in this movie? It sure seems like to me she did......and she seems like a really smart lady to me.

Yeah, because the fans love everything George has done since The Empire Strikes Back. Why do you think that is a surefire recipe for success?

Honestly, the DID hire people who know and love Star Wars, some really smart people too. They made the product and you don't like it. Lots of people do. That's the way of things.

Honestly, while I applaud Barbie's success and understand what it is trying to be, I don't necessarily think that it's super respectful or whatever to the actual product or it's fans. It it were, it would be made for six-year-olds and not rated PG-13. It's also okay that it isn't.

 

[Kestryl]

THREE. Luthen, Kino, and Maarva. <3

Not to mention my favorite ever line about being a parent: "Tell him I love him more than anything he could ever do wrong."

EDIT: I forgot Nemik's manifesto!!!

I was going to yell FOUR and then I saw your edit.

 

[starlite_]

Honestly, while I applaud Barbie's success and understand what it is trying to be, I don't necessarily think that it's super respectful or whatever to the actual product or it's fans. It it were, it would be made for six-year-olds and not rated PG-13. It's also okay that it isn't.

I would say that Barbie the movie isn't for it's current doll fans. It's for every fan before them. For every lil girl that grew up.

 

[BrianL]

I would say that Barbie the movie isn't for it's current doll fans. It's for every fan before them. For every lil girl that grew up.

It certainly is, but it's also somewhat subversive towards the concept. The idea here is that Star Wars must ALWAYS stay true to this very specific vision, but that's not what Barbie has done at all.

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

That is my ultimate test of how much I like something as well, will I rewatch it many times over and over? Our lists are pretty close on what will make the rewatchable over and over list for me:

1) Original Trilogy
2) Prequel Trilogy
3) Rogue One
4) Mando 1&2
5) The Force Awakens

Every December I try and watch the entire first 6 movies or Georges original vision for the story, and I don't see that every changing.

 

[starlite_]

It certainly is, but it's also somewhat subversive towards the concept. The idea here is that Star Wars must ALWAYS stay true to this very specific vision, but that's not what Barbie has done at all.

For sure, and neither should Star Wars. Can you imagine having this huge franchise that has fans across generations from every background imaginable at this point and only catering to 60 year old men? How silly would that be?

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

WHAT does the fanbase want?

I think that this is the major stumbling block in this discussion. Some fans don't have any problem with the direction that things are going, while others can't stand it, and some fans like some of what is happening but not all of it. You are never going to please everyone and trying to do so, is the quickest way to upset all of them.

I've been a fan since seeing Star Wars in a theatre back in 1977 as a kid. Some movies I've liked better than others and some I've not liked at all. The same with the novels. Some have been easy reads that I finished in a night and have re-read multiple times and others have been a slog that were one and done for me. I've never watched Clone Wars or Rebels and don't really have a desire to do so. That doesn't make me any less of a fan of Star Wars.

My opinion on what has been good and what hasn't will differ from others. Some will like books or movies that I didn't, and others will agree with me. That is everyone right and I'm not going to say that people with a different opinion from me are wrong. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone's opinion is neither right nor wrong, it is just how they feel.

I just feel that this last part has been missing from this thread at times. I know that people are passionate about Star Wars, but this thread can be real frustrating to read at times.

I will also say that I don't follow social media at all and look at most social media reviews as just noise. I'll listen to people I know and go from there for most movies or shows.

Psy

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

I would say that Barbie the movie isn't for it's current doll fans. It's for every fan before them. For every lil girl that grew up.

Starlite is spot on with this take here. Current 6 year old girls don't care about barbies near as much as their 30-60 year old mothers, grandmothers, and aunts do. Most 6 year olds would much rather have an Ipad than a barbie. The movie knew exactly who their target audience was and gave that group of people exactly what they wanted. It's rated PG 13, so that tells me that young girls were not the intended audience at all.

I don't love how they seem to pit men and women against one another in the movie so much, but I don't really matter at all.........because I am not even close to their target audience for this movie. The Women that are going to see this movie love it and that is really all that matters.

 

[nancipants]

Yeah, because the fans love everything George has done since The Empire Strikes Back. Why do you think that is a surefire recipe for success?

The revisionism about the prequels is baffling to me. I remember people DESPISING The Phantom Menace. The overall reception for AotC wasn't much better. Revenge of the Sith was more liked, because it was what people expected.

But now everyone talks nostalgically about all of Lucas's movies, and meanwhile I'm over here laughing because the reaction to the prequels is one of the reasons Lucas sold the saga!

 

[BrianL]

Starlite is spot on with this take here. Current 6 year old girls don't care about barbies near as much as their 30-60 year old mothers, grandmothers, and aunts do. Most 6 year olds would much rather have an Ipad than a barbie. The movie knew exactly who their target audience was and gave that group of people exactly what they wanted. It's rated PG 13, so that tells me that young girls were not the intended audience at all.

I don't love how they seem to pit men and women against one another in the movie so much, but I don't really matter at all.........because I am not even close to their target audience for this movie. The Women that are going to see this movie love it and that is really all that matters.

Have you ever considered that YOU weren't the target audience for the Star Wars sequels?

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

The revisionism about the prequels is baffling to me. I remember people DESPISING The Phantom Menace. The overall reception for AotC wasn't much better. Revenge of the Sith was more liked, because it was what people expected.

But now everyone talks nostalgically about all of Lucas's movies, and meanwhile I'm over here laughing because the reaction to the prequels is one of the reasons Lucas sold the saga!

Well, we didn't have the Disney Trilogy to compare them to at that point in time. You didn't see me put them above 4,5,6 did you? There were some issues with the prequels no doubt, but their so much better than the Disney Sequels (In my opinion) that it's not even close.

 

[Smugpugmug]

The revisionism about the prequels is baffling to me. I remember people DESPISING The Phantom Menace. The overall reception for AotC wasn't much better. Revenge of the Sith was more liked, because it was what people expected.

But now everyone talks nostalgically about all of Lucas's movies, and meanwhile I'm over here laughing because the reaction to the prequels is one of the reasons Lucas sold the saga!

Yeah I remember how unanimously despised those movies were at the time. They were parodied and mocked to death. I also find it very weird that people love them now but that's just from an outside perspective (not a Star Wars fan). I just remember them being HATED and touted as the worst Star Wars media ever made before Disney even came into the conversation.

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

Have you ever considered that YOU weren't the target audience for the Star Wars sequels?

Sure, that's a valid point. But my question is why? You have a built in demographic of long time Star Wars fans that buy the movies, games, and action figures..........why would you not at least want to keep your built-in fan base around?