10. Finally... A Shadows Of The Empire Movie?
I doubt Disney has forgotten about the Direct-To-Video market. With Lucasfilm Animation going strong, a steady succession of computer-animated Star Wars movies for the small screen seems like a no-brainer. Say what you will about The Clone Wars - the art direction and animation have been solid throughout. It's time to give the studio a bigger challenge. Disney could do worse than follow the Warner Brothers model for their DC animated films: release two movies a year and adapt fan favorite stories. It's an easy way to get this market off the ground while still delivering the goods. And Shadows Of The Empire is the perfect place to start. Shadows Of The Empire was the last true publishing event for the Star Wars novel line. Lucasfilm created a media onslaught for it - there was a video game, a graphic novel, even an original soundtrack to go along with Steve Perry's novel. Set between Empire and Jedi, Shadows only requires that you've seen those movies to follow its story. All the classic characters from the original trilogy get their moment in the spotlight (at least, the ones not being used for decorative art, that is), and Steve Perry truly captures the spirit of Star Wars. The plot is fairly simple: Prince Xizor, the most powerful crime-lord in the galaxy, wants to usurp Darth Vader's place as the Emperor's favorite errand boy. Vader discovers Xizor's plan, and the two scheme and plot and vie for the Emperor's favor. While there are a few humorous scenes where Xizor and Vader shower the Emperor with gifts like flowers, candy, and even a Rodian singing telegram (the Rodian's fate is comedy gold), the Emperor's gentleman callers know what he really wants: Luke Skywalker... dead or alive. There are a few challenges with getting this one on the screen. First, the story still needs fine-tuning. Would Xizor really be number two on the Emperor's speed-dial? Without getting too spoiler-y, Xizor wants revenge as much as power. The revenge angle works better, and would allow Xizor to stay more, well, in the shadows. Also, the Han Solo substitute, Dash Rendar, should be something more than just that. Disney should avoid the few mistakes that DC has made with their animated adaptations - don't cut the story down to the bone and don't cast famous actors unsuited for voice work. Still, this story is an excellent starting point for this untapped market.
Jeremy Wickett
Contributor
Jeremy Wickett was raised from an early age in one of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma's classier opium dens. A graduate of The University of Oklahoma, he now resides in Phoenix, Arizona - where the desert heat is oppressive enough to make him hallucinate that he's a character in Star Wars.
And of course he can speak Bocce - it's like a second language to him.
His so-called musings can be found here: http://geekemporium.blogspot.com/
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