Disney-Lucasfilm Star Wars episodes VII, VIII, and IX (2012–present)
On October 30, 2012, as part of its statement that it had agreed to acquire Lucasfilm, The Walt Disney Company announced a Star Wars Episode VII "targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga".[1] Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger stated that Episode VII "will be followed by Episodes VIII and IX—and our long term plan is to release a new Star Wars feature film every two to three years". Iger added that Lucas would be "creative consultant" on new Disney-Lucasfilm Star Wars films, and that current Lucasfilm co-chair Kathleen Kennedy would executive produce. In the same announcement, it was stated that, post-acquisition, Kennedy would become President of Lucasfilm and serve as brand manager for Star Wars.[1]
The Disney announcement makes no reference as to whether the story content of the planned episodes VII, VIII, and IX will relate to Lucas' earlier sequel trilogy plans. In fact, it states that Star Wars "offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases" and refers to "ts universe of more than 17,000 characters inhabiting several thousand planets spanning 20,000 years offer[ing] infinite inspiration and opportunities".[1]
Iger, during a live video chat with Disney board members and stockholders, stated that there would be "no news about the upcoming Episode VII" until "the ink is well dried on the buy". He added that he hoped to have major news near the end of summer, and that Disney personnel were more focused on 2012/2013 and non-Lucasfilm properties.
In October 2012, Mark Hamill told Entertainment Weekly that he and Carrie Fisher had met with Lucas in August 2012, and that Lucas had told them of plans for the sequel trilogy to be produced.[34] Hamill said he had not discussed with Lucas whether or not he or Fisher would be cast in the trilogy. Subsequently, on Twitter, Hamill said he could not comment on Episode VII further until he had "all the facts".[35]
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