7. Episodes VII-IX
Outside of the many, many expanded universe stories (some of which are approved by George Lucas, most of which are not) the future of Star Wars is anybodys guess. Except it isn't at all. Over the years George Lucas and those around him have talked up the Star Wars sequels and here are a few of the details that have been given to us long before we even knew an Episode VII was even coming. Episode VII would begin roughly 20 (or perhaps 30 or 40) years after the end of Return of the Jedi (according to Lucas in 1980 and 1982). R2-D2 and C-3PO would be the only characters who might continue through all nine films (Lucas in 1980, 1981 and 1983). The trilogy would deal with the rebuilding of the Republic (Lucas in 1980). "It's like a saga, the story of a group of people, a family" (Lucas in 1980). Luke would have a romantic relationship with a female love interest (Lucas in 1988). The main theme of the trilogy would be moral and philosophical problems, such as the necessity for moral choices and the wisdom needed to distinguish right from wrong, justice, confrontation, and passing on what you have learned (Lucas in 1983 and 1989). The key actors, Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, would appear, in their 60s or 70s (Lucas in 1983). In Episode IX, Hamill would cameo, "like Obi-Wan handing the lightsaber down to the next new hope" (according to Hamill, in 2004) Additionally there was little snippet from 1980, which makes the talk of sequels feel more like a stretched out version of Episodes V and VI as opposed to the vast multi-story arc hinted at before: The focus would be on Luke Skywalker's journey to becoming the premier Jedi Knight, with Luke's sister (who was not Leia in 1980 when Lucas said this) appearing in Episode VIII, and the first appearance of the Emperor, and Luke's ultimate confrontation with him, in Episode IX (a storyline as planned pre-1980, according to A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back producer Gary Kurtz). Okay, so most of that could be conjecture. Much of it is probably throw away comments while being asked questions about the future of Star Wars in a time where mega blockbusters were a fairly new thing. A lot of it contradicts other elements and indeed the films that followed and over a course of forty years its expected that ideas changed, evolved and grew given the size the Star Wars franchise blew up to in the early 80s and still continues to today. However, it is interesting to see how early Lucas was toying with the idea of a much older Luke, Han and Leia for the sequels (1983!!) and how his patience between trilogies was already beginning to take shape. Of course the big deal with Episode VII is that George Lucas himself has submitted a story treatment and these slivers of potential storylines show the man has obviously toyed with what comes after Episode VI a whole lot over the years. From initial notes, through to his return to the Saga with the prequels, its not a stretch to say that many of these ideas will travel into the new episodes. Many consider the Disney deal and Lucass limited input to be a marketing ploy but as we delve deeper theres a sense that Lucas is actually just playing out a long burning master plan instead.