Star Wars Episode VII Already Written?

A report by the website, Screenrant, says that Toy Story 3 writer Michael Arndt has already written the script for the new, as yet untitled, Star Wars Episode VII film.  The film franchise, under the auspices of Lucasfilm Ltd, is now owned by Disney since the late October acquisition by the family-oriented entertainment company from Star Wars creator George Lucas for $4.05 billion.

Although the piece maintains that the completed work is simply a "treatment," Ardnt has reportedly already written the synopsis points for episodes VIII and IX as well.

In other related news, actor Ewan McGregor has stated he would be "happy" to reprise the role of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi if the producers of the new films come calling.
"I guess, yeah, of course. If they need me, yeah, I'd be happy [to go back]," McGregor said.

New Ideas for Star Wars Episode IX?

Now that Disney has purchased the Star Wars franchise from creator George Lucas for a whopping $4.05 billion (that is just under what Lucas has earned from the previous six feature films, plus merchandising profits) and Disney has apparently found a writer to start off the next three episodes (the first due out in 2015) the next question is, what will be the plot and who will be the next villain?

New Star Wars Trilogy Finds Its Screenwriter; Still Waiting on Director

The folks at Disney, now the owners of all rights to the Star Wars franchise since the purchase of all Lucasfilm holdings from George Lucas two weeks ago for $4.05 billion, have apparently found their screenwriter who will take the reigns of the SW franchise into the future, for one film at least.

Michael Arndt, who won an Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine, has been hired by Disney to write the first instalment of the new trilogy due out in 2015.

Conversely, the brass at Disney are still hunting for their new director that producer Frank Marshall has hinted is close to a conclusion.  Plenty of names have been mentioned such as Star Trek director J.J. Abrams, although he has recently ruled himself out of the running.  As have Quentin Tarantino, Guillermo del Toro and Steven Spielberg.

More Star Wars news has it that an interesting, if not confusing rumour has been mentioned about the possibility of Darth Vader being resurrected for the new trilogy, although I have no idea how they'll pull that off seeing that Vader, armour and all, was burned to a cinder at the end of Return of the Jedi (Episode VI). However, this is the universe of clones running amok.

Ford Open to Reprising Solo Role in New Star Wars Film

Maybe it was the fact that he is older, or that recent films in his otherwise lengthy and successful career, such as Cowboys and Aliens, haven't been exactly blockbusters, or maybe it's the fact that there are new owners of the Star Wars franchise since Disney bought out Lucasfilm and all its subsidiaries that might allow Harrison Ford to reprise the role of the ever-popular Han Solo.  Although there are reports that Ford is "open" to the idea, there are also reports that he may want a cause in his contract that mandates a death scene for the Han Solo character, something that he felt was warranted for Return of the Jedi (Episode VI for you younger readers)  Lawrence Kasdan, co-writer of The Empire Strikes Back along with the deceased Leigh Brackett, agreed with Ford that "someone had to die" in the darker 1980 sequel.  Kasdan thought it should be Solo since "he had no family, and at this point he had no story obligation."  He should die as a result of self-sacrifice."

But George Lucas didn't want to give up the guaranteed merchandising sales that came with the Han Solo action figure, which at the time was the best selling one. 

But I wonder, should this come to fruition-with Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill reportedly also interested-where this is going to go?  I mean, are they going to make it 30 years in the future?  They would have to, wouldn't they?  I mean they can't very well CGI 70 year-old Harrison Ford into a 40 or even 50 year-old Han Solo, right?  Actually, they probably could.  Aren't visual effects awesome?

Lucas Sells Star Wars Franchise for $4 Billion; New Trilogy to Be Made

Star Wars creator George Lucas has sold his famous space opera franchise to Disney for a whopping $4.05 billion.  Lucas made his name through bringing the Star Wars universe to multiple generations of movie-goers with his sci-fi/fantasy tale that spanned six movies, an CGI-animated show, a couple of made-for-TV movies (including the 1978 Star Wars Christmas Special that neither fans or Lucas himself ever wish to discuss, and rightfully so-it is a-w-f-u-l) plus billions of dollars worth of merchandising sales since 1977.  He is also the innovator of Pixar, the company born out of Graphics Group in 1978 (which itself was begat by Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) in 1977 that was sold to Apple in 1986 and then finally to the Walt Disney Company in 2006.  The franchise has to date brought in $4.4 billion combined global box-office receipts.

But enough about the history of George Lucas and his business offshoots, he has sold his baby and he himself was quoted as saying, ""I've always believed that 'Star Wars' could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime,"
New Star Wars movies on the way, baby!!

With new producers and directors at the helm, will this mean the end of corny lines and bad acting?  Maybe. But maybe not.  After all, that is part of the whole SW universe is it not?  Of course we could all have done without Hayden Christiansen as Anakin Skywalker, midiclorians and of course, Jar-Jar Binks.  But really, do even the most die-hard SW fans really care?  Did they ever?  Or were they like me and just were almost orgasmic that three brand new movies would allow us to relive our collective childhoods at the same time introducing the greatest movie trilogy to our children?

Maybe the piece I wrote a while ago has something to it.

But there is a downside...a big one.  What if Disney over-saturates the SW universe and makes either too many or just plain bad ones?  I mean look at movie franchises such as Friday the 13th, Halloween or Police Academy that just went on too long in pursuit of the almighty dollar and ruined even the first couple of movies that many might consider gems or even classics.  There are exceptions, such as the Harry Potter series, but that is a big exception.

But again, who cares?  Unless the above happens and Disney totally soils every memory and all those hours upon hours of my time spent alone (proudly) creating new stories (but mostly just re-creating scenes from Star Wars through Return of the Jedi-that right! the franchise was originally three movies and they had actual names, not this silly "Episode 1," "Episode 2" crap) I'll be happy to see what they do with it.  Maybe some OLd Republic stories, maybe a contuing arc with cameos by Mark Hamil, Harrison Ford or Carrie Fisher.  Don't hold your breath on that one, but theoretically, it could happen.

Yay, new Star Wars movies.

Worst NHL Logos...Whattya Think?

Since there is no real hockey news to discuss thanks to the inexcusable lock-out of National Hockey League players by the owners due to everyone involved needing more than their $5 million/year (at least) contracts and $2 billion revenue for the league itself, I'm relegated to link to a article about the worst NHL logos.  Fortunately, this type of thing interests me, so I'm hoping it has at least some sort of entertainment value because watching KHL or American Hockey League games from Russia on-line just isn't cutting it.

Why Just the NHL?

When the National Hockey League made an arrangement with the Board of Trustees of the Stanley Cup (the people responsible for maintaining and protecting it) in 1947 (and again in 2000) it was determined and agreed upon that Lord Stanley's mug would be the de facto championship of the NHL after the demise of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (later the Western Canada Hockey League, then finally the Western Hockey League) in 1926.  Many think that since the cup was originally presented to the "amateur hockey champions of the dominion" (Canada) that Canadian teams have the right to challenge for the cup if there is a labour dispute or work stoppage that would result in the cup not being awarded to a NHL team, much like what happened in 2005.

Two Toronto beer-league hockey players launched a legal challenge during the 2004-05 lockout to amend this aspect of the agreement between trustees and the NHL, leading to an out-of-court settlement a year later.  The court ruled in the players favour, however the powers of who ultimately decided who gets to compete for the cup remained with the trustees and they say no team outside the NHL will hoist the cup.

1. The Trustees hereby delegate to the League full authority to determine and amend from time to time the conditions for competition of the Stanley Cup, including the qualifications of challengers, the appointment of officials, the apportionment and distribution of all gate receipts, provided always that the winners of this trophy shall be the acknowledged World's Professional Hockey Champions.
2. The Trustees agree that during the currency of this agreement they will not acknowledge or accept any challenge for the Stanley Cup unless such a challenge is in conformity with the condition specified in paragraph one (1) thereof.
3. The League undertakes the responsibility for the care and safe custody of the Stanley Cup including all necessary repairs and alterations to the cup and sub-structure as may be required from time to time, and further undertakes to insure the Stanley Cup for its full insurable value.
4. The League hereby acknowledges itself to be bound to the Trustees in the sum of One Thousand Dollars, which bond is conditioned upon the safe return of the Stanley Cup to the Trustees in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and it is agreed that the League shall have the right to return the trophy to the Trustees at any time.
5. This agreement shall remain in force so long as the League continues to be the world's leading professional hockey league as determined by its playing caliber, and in the event of dissolution or other termination of the National Hockey League, the Stanley Cup shall revert to the custody of the trustees.
6. In the event of default in the appointment of a new trustee by the surviving trustee, the "Trustees" hereby delegate and appoint the Governors of the International Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston, Ontario, to name two Canadian trustees to carry on under the terms of the original trust, and in conformity with this Agreement.
7. And it is further mutually agreed that any disputes arising as to the interpretation of this Agreement or the facts upon which such interpretation is made, shall be settled by an Arbitration Board of three, one member to be appointed by each of the parties, and the third to be selected by the two appointees. The decision of the Arbitration Board shall be final.^[13]

-SOURCE: Wikipedia

I get all the agreement stuff and legal mumbo-jumbo.  The NHL essentially owns the cup (if not officially) and even if there is a work stoppage or another entire season wiped out, no team from the amateur ranks (say the competitors for the Allan Cup-the successor to the Stanley Cup as Canadian amateur supremacy) or juniors, no other kids that have dreamed of hoisting hockey's Holy Grail, unless they're a member of an NHL team, will never get that chance.  Somehow, I doubt that was the original intention of Lord Stanley, the Earl of Preston when he purchased the sterling silver punch bowl to crown Canada's hockey kings.

But think about it.  Wouldn't it be an exciting time for hockey, professional or otherwise, if any team could have a chance to challenge for the Stanley Cup?  Not juniors.  They have the Memorial Cup and the Stanley Cup was never meant or advertised for junior hockey competition.  But pro-am and minor league teams?  Why not?  Imagine the intrigue if minor league or amateur team were told they had the opportunity to be hockey's club world champions?  A kid that had dreamed of playing in the NHL only to be cut, injured or otherwise told his dream of hoisting the Stanley Cup one day was done was now in the running to have his name etched on the cup with the heroes of yesteryear.  Maybe even a true world tournament.  Much like the World Championships or Olympics, the best or best available could compete from all over the globe.

Isn't the Stanley Cup, regardless of who or what league supposed to be the emblem of hockey's best?  Isn't that better than having the greatest symbol of hockey supremacy, and the oldest and hardest team trophy to win collecting dust because a decision can't be made on what millionaires should make the most money?