My first two posts were very much concerned with the “now” of the big news, analyzing and defending why I found myself optimistic for Star Wars Episode VII. But to close out my reaction to all this, I wanted to look back on the past and see what Star Wars really means to me.
Then things took a turn. Actual concrete news began to pour out about Episode VII, much faster than I had anticipated. Suddenly a screenwriter was confirmed for the project. This added another wrinkle to my thoughts.
So let’s begin with the official announcement that Michael Arndt is confirmed as the writer of Star Wars Episode VII.
I consider this to be a move firmly in the right direction. Little Miss Sunshine had a few flaws. In particular, it was largely very obvious, written in broader strokes than a lot of other dramas. But it was a movie with heart. A movie with several layers of subtlety, too. And those were the two most glaring omissions from Episodes I-III.
Then there’s the fact that Arndt also wrote Toy Story 3. Anyone who has seen Toy Story 3 knows that it is a work of genius, and possibly the best film in that particular franchise. Again, it was a film with a lot of heart.
Honestly, I think Michael Arndt has a great Star Wars script in him. The only possible hiccup may come from his inexperience at writing tent pole action films. But we will get to see his hand at that soon, too - Arndt is writing The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. With that due to be released in November 2013, we will have a taste of what a giant action film written by him looks like, and an even clearer idea of what we might be able to expect from Star Wars Episode VII.
This ties directly into why I remain so optimistic for the new trilogy.
One of my favorite scenes in A New Hope is quite early in the film. After finding out that he won’t be allowed to enlist in the pilot academy, a young Luke Skywalker stares out at the horizon of Tattooine from his small farm home. The twin suns are setting, the sky is orange and shades of nighttime blue, and the music swells into a beautiful crescendo. The moment has heart. The moment has genuine emotion to it. And I cannot think of a single moment in the prequel trilogy that matches this simple scene.
My hope is that Arndt will bring a strong emotional center back to the franchise. It seems to be the uniting component in all of his previous work, so I don’t consider myself overly-optimistic for thinking he has that potential.
Let’s also not forget the news that Episode VIII and IX now have writers as well, in the form of Simon Kinberg (who wrote Sherlock Holmes and the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past) and Lawrence Kasdan (responsible for a little flick, maybe you heard of it, The Empire Strikes Back). It is presently unclear if they will be co-writing both films, or if each of them is writing a different script, but both of these strike me as hires with immense possibility. Especially Kasdan, who many people credit with the best film in the franchise.
With screenwriters now in place for all three films, it seems as though Disney really is intent on giving us a new Star Wars film every two years. Love it or hate it, this is the reality we live in. I’m personally loving it. I like their choice in writing team already. Now all we need is director news.
My personal hope? I want different directors for all three films. If I got my pick then I would go with Joe Jonhston, Guillermo del Toro, and Joss Whedon. Probably in that exact order, too. Johnston could bring a fun factor to it while also keeping the first film relatively safe, del Toro would make for a hell of a cool (and darker) middle chapter, and then I can easily see Whedon bringing us a crowd-pleaser of a finale (I’d also expect him to successfully inject a few painful twists along the way, though). But this is just my dream team of directors for the project.
I feel I’ve quite thoroughly explained why I feel a new hope (sorry, I had to) for these impending films. Let me ask one question though, to the naysayer’s and pessimists who believe this is a terrible idea - why do you feel that way? What is gained from expecting the worst, at this point?
I’d encourage you to think back to before the prequel trilogy. In those days leading up to the release of Star Wars Episode I, how did you feel? I, for one, felt as though my inner child was back for more. My mind was abuzz with the infinite possibility presented by new Star Wars films. Epic adventures filled with dashing heroes and sweeping majesty played in my mind every night before I went to sleep. Sure, we didn’t get the perfect new Star Wars films we all hoped for, but does that devalue the excitement and anticipation which came before them?
My final argument is simply this… there is so much more to be gained from optimism now. Because even if the films turn out to be disappointments, we could all share in the hope and joy which comes from gathering together in friendship and celebrating what may come next. There is something genuinely important in those late night debates among friends, in chatting on message boards with strangers about ideal casting choices, and there even exists merit in jumping on any new rumors about casting or directors.
Because more than anything, the true heart of Star Wars lives within the passion of the fans. The only day that Star Wars is truly a lost cause is when we surrender our enthusiasm for apathy.
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