THE MANDALORIAN

[TheButcher]

From The Force.net:
Live-Action Series Concept Illustrator Q&A

Our friend Tagne from the French site Starwars-Universe.com noticed that a few concept artists/illustrators were already listed on the IMDB page for the live-action series. One of the concept illustrators, Jonathan Bach, was nice enough to participate in a short Q&A.

"Could you tell us what your work exactly is?

I am a concept artist and work in many capacities with many different parties in order to bring ideas from words to images. Sometimes I'll work freely in order to provide ideas to a client who is still forming a loose picture of a project, while at other times if a project is further along I'll provide visual solutions to meet specific requirements whether that be from a director, production designer, art director, etc.

How many times did you work with Lucasfilm? What can you say about the Star Wars live-action project?
I was fortunate enough to work for Lucasfilm for about 2 years (until the end of 2009). Working on the show was an incredibly rare and exciting opportunity and I am extremely grateful to have contributed to the deep mythology that is Star Wars. The live-action series is still in development and of course as such I can not give any details. However, I will say that it is quite different than anything that has come before it in the Star Wars
universe and will certainly be worth the wait.

[TheButcher]

From SciFi Wire:
Star Wars live-action TV show due sooner than later!

From The Chicago Tribune:
'Star Wars' live-action series: Is it far, far away or getting pretty close?

[Fievel]

'Star Wars' Live-Action TV Series In A Holding Pattern, Says George Lucas

The live action TV show is kind of on hold because we have scripts, but we don't know how to do 'em. Because, they literally are Star Wars, only we're going to have to try to do them ... a tenth the cost. And, it's a huge challenge ... lot bigger than what we thought it was gonna be.

My first thought on reading this was that the overall scope of what they planned was too large for a series and that they wouldn't be able to make the money on TV that they would if released theatrically. I still wish that Lucas would drop this whole story and jump back to the Old Republic days.... but that's just me.

[ONeillSG1]

'Star Wars' Live-Action TV Series In A Holding Pattern, Says George Lucas

The live action TV show is kind of on hold because we have scripts, but we don't know how to do 'em. Because, they literally are Star Wars, only we're going to have to try to do them ... a tenth the cost. And, it's a huge challenge ... lot bigger than what we thought it was gonna be.

My first thought on reading this was that the overall scope of what they planned was too large for a series and that they wouldn't be able to make the money on TV that they would if released theatrically. I still wish that Lucas would drop this whole story and jump back to the Old Republic days.... but that's just me.

Old Republic or Post OT. Either one has so much potential for storytelling.

[RaulMonkey]

Post OT would be great, without paying any attention to Timothy Zahn's trilogy of novels ("Heir to the Empire" etc.) or any of the other books or comics. No knock against them, but I'd love for the writers to be completely free to explore their imaginations and give us fresh STAR WARS, without having to work toward future continuity. Set it a hundred years after ROTJ if you have to. Just advance the story already.

[Fievel]

Post OT would be great, without paying any attention to Timothy Zahn's trilogy of novels ("Heir to the Empire" etc.) or any of the other books or comics. No knock against them, but I'd love for the writers to be completely free to explore their imaginations and give us fresh STAR WARS, without having to work toward future continuity. Set it a hundred years after ROTJ if you have to. Just advance the story already.

There's a comic series out right now called Legacy that is set 125 years after ROTJ and features a descendant of Luke as the main character. I like it because it doesn't have so much canon/continuity to worry about, yet still features a hint of familiarity here and there, so I could dig that type of jump ahead.

[RogueScribner]

i'd love an Old Republic TV show. You get to see the Jedi and Sith in their prime, but sew the seeds for what's to come. A post-OT series could work too. But yeah, basically do anything outside of Skywalker time line please.

[Peven]

this show almost writes itself......

set in post OT...

it is a "buddy" show......

main characters are....

...the 20-something yr old daughter of Han Solo and Leia and the son of Chewbacca

don't say anything right way....let it settle in...

[TheBaxter]

the will-they-or-won't-they sexual tension would be too much to bear.

[Lord Voldemoo]

Post OT would be great, without paying any attention to Timothy Zahn's trilogy of novels ("Heir to the Empire" etc.) or any of the other books or comics. No knock against them, but I'd love for the writers to be completely free to explore their imaginations and give us fresh STAR WARS, without having to work toward future continuity. Set it a hundred years after ROTJ if you have to. Just advance the story already.

Agreed. I would expect that a post OT series would probably have pretty free reign, perhaps incorporating expanded universe elements where logical/convenient and ignoring anything that isn't, which is pretty much what Lucas did for the PT. The name "Coruscant" and its description as an all-city capital planet, for example, was originally penned by Zahn in Heir to the Empire, and it made it into the PT, but the PT conflicts with a bunch of other books in different places. I think Lucas's position has always been that the books, video games, etc., are only "canon" to the extent that he wants them to be...

[TheBaxter]

I think Lucas's position has always been that the books, video games, etc., are only "canon" to the extent that he wants them to be...

unfortunately, that's his position with the OT as well...

[TheButcher]

DEADLINE VIDEO:
George Lucas Has 50 Hours Of Scripts For 'Star Wars' Series

George Lucas gave a long-winded explanation of why the re-release of the Star Wars prequel trilogy will be important, in an interview with G4's Attack of the Show. Personally, I was underwhelmed by the prequel and am not as sparked up for a 3D conversion as I would if The Lord of the Rings were being converted. But Lucas dropped a nugget that will have Star Wars fans salivating. He said that on his planned Star Wars TV series, he's got 50 completed scripts that are ready to go, if they can just find a way to chop down the cost of shooting them. That's a lot of Star Wars, and Lucas seems determined to find a way to get them done. Here's the interview, and you might also notice that Lucas does the chat with Disney Imagineering's Tom Fitzgerald. He must be a silent partner in this operation, because Lucas doesn't even let him get a word in:

[DennisMM]

REALITY: George Lucas has 5 hours of decent scripts for TV Star Wars.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

REALITY: George Lucas has 5 hours of decent scripts for TV Star Wars.

Reality Part 2. They're not gonna be live action, but over CGI animation again. All that money saved on actual sets just to go on green paint and a new Mac. That's how he's really gonna make it.

[TheButcher]

From Bleeding Cool:
Star Wars TV Series Has Third-Draft Scripts, Will Shoot In Czech Republic

There’s been some misinformation and misinterpretation bouncing around of late, in respect of the Star Wars live-action TV series. I can’t have been the only one who, seeing George Lucas pop up on the BBC’s coverage of the Grand Prix today, hope that they’d grill him to set the record straight. They didn’t. They spoke to him about the weather.

The best info comes from Rick McCallum, producer of the prequels and the in-development show, in conversation with Czech Position. Recently, McCallum and Lucasfilm shot Red Tails in the Czech Republic, so the question arose about using the same resources and stages for the planned Star Wars show:

Oh, absolutely. This would be one of the primary places because of the talent…

But when? He went on:

The TV series is on hold, but that has nothing to do with the Czech Republic; it has to do with [the episodes being] so ambitious.

And McCallum also clarified the nature of this ambition:

We have 50 hours of third-draft scripts, but the problem we have is there is a lot of digital animation; we don’t have the technology yet to be able to do them at a price that is safe for television. Since we would be financing them, it would be suicide for us to do this… So we are going to wait three or four years.

Though McCallum does fear that, by then, TV may have become nothing more than a morass of reality shows. At least he says he fears that, but does anybody really believe it’s going to get so bad that drama will disappear from the networks completely?

Not that the networks seem like an ideal home for this particular show. The way McCallum pitches it, the series sounds an awful lot like a strand of The Wire, just a long time ago and in a galaxy far away:

Basically, it is like The Godfather; it’s the Empire slowly building up its power base around the galaxy, what happens in Coruscant, which is the major capital, and it’s a group of underground bosses who live there and control drugs, prostitution.

Star Wire it is, then. And if we want to see it, all we have to do is boycott Dancing With The Stars and its ilk for four years.

Deal.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Deal.

No I don't think so.

This...

is there is a lot of digital animation

Doouuhhhh......!! (Which means I think this is shit)

And this...

it’s the Empire slowly building up its power base around the galaxy, what happens in Coruscant, which is the major capital, and it’s a group of underground bosses who live there and control drugs, prostitution.

I don't want/need to see this. It's prequelitis irrelevantis unnecesarinessness.

[TheButcher]

From BAD:
Hypothetical STAR WARS TV Show Gets A Title

[Fievel]

From BAD:
Hypothetical STAR WARS TV Show Gets A Title

Best part of that article is the picture used.

[so sorry]

From BAD:
Hypothetical STAR WARS TV Show Gets A Title

Best part of that article is the picture used.

BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Awesome...

[TheBaxter]

this show better have kate beckinsale in a supertight latex outfit, or else lucas will have raped my adulthood as well.

[TheButcher]

From AICN:
An Intriguing Potential STAR WARS UNDERWORLD Plot Point!?!?
SPOILER ALERT !!

[TheButcher]

ABC to Consider Live-Action STAR WARS TV Series

The sticking point for getting this show off the ground was always money. Each episode was budgeted at around $5 million, which is a lot in the world of television. Moreover, Lucasfilm wanted to retain ownership of the series, giving whichever network aired the show a smaller cut of the profit. Now that Disney owns both Lucasfilm and ABC, obviously the network is going to look into possibly making the show. ABC president Paul Lee had this to say to EW:

“We’d love to do something with Lucasfilm, we’re not sure what yet. We haven’t even sat down with them. We’re going to look at [the live-action series], we’re going to look at all of them, and see what’s right. We weren’t able to discuss this with them until [the acquisition] closed and it just closed. It’s definitely going to be part of the conversation.”

[TheButcher]

ABC to look at 'Star Wars' live-action TV series

ABC entertainment president Paul Lee says he’s going to take a look at the long-gestating Star Wars live-action TV series now that the Disney deal to acquire Lucasfilm is complete.

“We’d love to do something with Lucasfilm, we’re not sure what yet,” Lee exclusively told EW. “We haven’t even sat down with them. We’re going to look at [the live-action series], we’re going to look at all of them, and see what’s right. We weren’t able to discuss this with them until [the acquisition] closed and it just closed. It’s definitely going to be part of the conversation.”

Even many working in Hollywood don’t realize a live-action Star Wars TV series has been sitting on the shelf the past few years. The project was commissioned by longtime Lucasfilm producer Rick McCallum, who enlisted writers such as Battlestar Galactica‘s Ron Moore and swore them to NDA secrecy on the plot details (more on the show’s storyline below). Fifty scripts were written. McCallum once called the scripts the most “provocative, bold and daring material that we’ve ever done.”

And then … nothing.

The scripts gathered dust, the scope of the production and the extent of the show’s necessary visual effects deemed too expensive for a broadcast or cable network. The president of one premium cable outlet told me last summer the project just didn’t make any financial sense. The closest comparison was HBO’s lavish Game of Thrones. But that deal gave HBO control of a major chunk of the Thrones empire, including DVD and international distribution which significantly offset the show’s high production cost. The Star Wars show was budgeted at more than $5 million per episode and Lucasfilm wanted to retain ownership.

But now Disney has purchased Lucasfilm for $4 billion and Disney owns more than a couple TV networks. The financials for a big-budget TV show are more compelling if the license fee and other income sources stay in the family. Already one Star Wars-related project is in the works for kids network Disney XD. Cartoon Network’s popular and innovative animated title The Clone Wars will likely shift to XD after its current deal expires. Could the live-action show finally see the light of day too? It’s a tricky question because a new Star Wars film is planned for 2015. Cautious brand managers are sometimes reluctant to have a live-action TV show on the air when producing live-action films — such as Warner Bros. putting the kibosh on any Batman TV projects while making Christopher Nolan’s trilogy.

Lee said he wasn’t sure if the project was still viable. “It’s going to be very much up to the Lucasfilm brands how they want to play it,” he said. “We got to a point here with Marvel, a very special point, where we’re in the Marvel universe, and very relevantly so, but we’re not doing The Avengers. But S.H.I.E.L.D. is part of The Avengers. So maybe something oblique is the way to [approach the Star Wars universe] rather than going straight head-on at it.”

Sources say the live-action series centers on the story of rival families struggling over the control of the seedy underside of the Star Wars universe and the people who live within the subterranean level and air shafts of the metropolis planet Coruscant (the Empire’s urban-sprawl-covered home planet). A bounty hunter may be the main character. Set between the original Star Wars film trilogy and the prequels, the time period allows for all sorts of potential appearances from classic figures from the Star Wars universe.

Extensive art work including character designs, costume designs, and set designs were all developed by a top team of concept artists and designers who worked for more than a year on the third floor design studio at George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch’s main house on the project. The team was closely supervised by McCallum and Lucas.

If all this sounds vaguely familiar, it might be because this roughly matches the description of the upcoming Star Wars videogame 1313. In fact, sources say story materials and the designs for the TV project were used to help make the game. So if you want to see what the TV show was supposed to look like, check out art from 1313 (one example above). This creative strip-mining could arguably help the TV show’s chances — it’s not like Hollywood has been shy about doing crossovers between videogames and films before.

Can you imagine that ultra-hypothetical ABC Sunday-night lineup? Once Upon a Time, Star Wars: 1313 and S.H.I.E.L.D?

[TheButcher]

IGN:
ABC President on Star Wars TV Series Possibilities: "We've Started Conversations"
Could a galaxy far, far away be in store for ABC?

[TheButcher]

Disney CFO Talks 'Star Wars,' ESPN Competition, Deal Outlook

Discussing key growth drivers for Disney, he said he expected growth contributions from all units in the coming years. After the recent box office successes of Marvel, Lucasfilm's Star Wars VII, set for a 2015 release, will be a key driver of Disney's studio performance, Rasulo said. He also said there will be much more in terms of Star Wars consumer products on offer around that release. Overall, he said investors should expect Lucasfilm to follow the successful Marvel path now that it is part of Disney as the company would look to push its content across various Disney and other platforms just like in the case of the Marvel acquisition.

[TheButcher]

New Star Wars Content May Follow Marvel’s Netflix Deal

[TheButcher]

Star Wars TV Show: Moore's Argument with Lucas
Ronald D. Moore reveals how he once lost an argument to George Lucas over the failed live-action Star Wars TV show

[TheButcher]

Bleeding Cool Rumour:
Casting Underway For Live-Action Star Wars TV Shows‏

[TheButcher]

'Big Bang Theory,' Lucasfilm Team for 'Star Wars' Day Episode (Exclusive)

[TheButcher]

'The Goldbergs' Sets 'Star Wars' Day Tie-In With Lucasfilm (Exclusive)

[TheButcher]

Scrapped STAR WARS: UNDERWORLD Live-Action Series Would Have Featured Young Han Solo, Lando, and More

[TheButcher]

Bob Iger Hints At Streaming Service Plans For Marvel And ‘Star Wars’

The Disney CEO tossed in the possibility of new direct-to-consumer offerings in response to a question, in a call with analysts, about the company’s involvement with Dish Network’s new Sling TV streaming service. There’s “definitely an opportunity” for Disney to do something more involving ESPN as well as “other Disney brands…. We think we have that opportunity with a Disney branded service. We may have an opportunity with a Marvel type product and possibly even Star Wars.”

[TheButcher]

Rumor: Live Action Star Wars TV Show Close But Waiting on Movies; Could Star Character From Books

There will be a live action Star Wars TV show. That’s not me using The Force either, it’s a fact. When Disney bought Lucasfilm one of the things they were most excited about was the possibility of putting a Star Wars show on ABC, just like they did with Marvel. It’s going to happen. The only question is “when?”

With Marvel’s show, the company exhibited patience. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D didn’t premiere until Fall 2013, which was after Iron Man 3 was released. So there was already seven Marvel movies in the can to raise awareness and help build that world. There were also two movies (Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier) coming right after that to tie into the film.

The latest rumor about the live action Star Wars TV show is Disney wants to employ a similar strategy. They are waiting to launch the TV series until the movies are in full swing. Also, it could star a character who first gets introduced in the books. Read more below.

The Star Wars TV Show rumor comes from Cinelinx, so again take it as a rumor. That said, it makes logical sense.

According to their report, the Lucasfilm Story Group is already thinking about the live action show, but they won’t move forward until the production schedules for the movies are more settled. This way, they can jump in and film the show at Pinewood, on the actual sets being used in the movies. (You assume they’d only shoot partially at Pinewood, cause they’ll need their own sets too.) That would also allow the films to create and reintroduce the world to audiences.

As it stands now, we’ve heard Rogue One and Episode VIII will have very little time between productions, maybe even overlapping a bit. Then, who knows what’s happening with the 2018 spin-off and Episode IX. Somewhere in the middle, when the production schedule gets settled, into a groove and the crew has openings, that’s reportedly when the company move forward with the show.

Cinelinx also reports early discussions have the show starring a character from one of the books. Whether that’s a book that’s already out, or coming out, we don’t know for sure. We also don’t know what time period the show would take place in, but if they are using the sets from the movies, it’s almost certainly going to be during the Sequel Trilogy and beyond.

Lots to digest here but it seems like those Star Wars underground scripts George Lucas and team had been working on are going to become a thing of legend. How would you handle a live action Star Wars TV show?

[TheButcher]

STAR WARS: Star Wars Loves Joss
… Joss Whedon is being courted by team Star Wars RIGHT NOW.

Whedon could go in the Trank spot. The Fett movie sounds like a mess. Not only was/is Boba Fett hard to crack for Disney, but now that this is an “origin story” it’s probably going to change everything for one trilogy.

I’m still a fan of the idea that Boba Fett from The Clone Wars somehow dies or passes on the armor to Boba Fett from Empire Strikes Back (no, Boba Fett is not in A New Hope, what’s a Special Edition?). I like this idea because we get to spend the movie with two Boba Fetts, potentially, and a complex relationship that doesn’t reveal itself until you realize they’re both characters we’ve liked from other movies….

...no? Too complex? Can’t kill Boba Fett? I understand your frustration.

The other and more tantalizing option is that Joss Whedon won’t end up primarily directing for the Lucasfilm Story Group, but instead do one of his other jobs that he’s shown himself to be good at. Like script polishing or executive producing a TV show.

Script and story work seems less likely, especially since the Lucasfilm Story Group seems to have that all on lock. Whedon is a good polish and detail man, but he’s getting pretty big for those types of quick-hit story jobs. It’s possible, but not as exciting as the idea of Whedon working on the live-action TV show.

If you haven’t been tracking Star Wars’ long trek to television, it’s been something that even George Lucas toyed with back when he was still running his franchise. The problem with a Star Wars TV series, Lucas-style, was that the man wasn’t building many sets. Most of the prequels existed (and still exist) as little more than digital elements to be manipulated.

Now that Marvel has shown you can semi-successfully boot a TV series inside your unified universe, Star Wars looks viable again and Lucasfilm is smart this time around: Assets are being passed back and forth between films. That means those assets could also be used to lighten the load on a television budget. Want a Hutt character for an episode? Good thing we already have all these Hutts built!

If we assume asset-sharing is going to make the TV show possible, then you have to look at where these movies are placed on the Star Wars timeline: those are around where we’d get our series.

In other words: no Old Republic Era, we’re probably in the “Rise of the Empire” era between Revenge and A New Hope. The other place, obviously, to put it is on the road to The Force Awakens,

Bottom line: Joss Whedon’s circling Star Wars. They are courting him. He is very tired, but - hey! - it’s Star Wars

blastr 1/17/2014:
The The Boba Fett rumor that might rewrite Star Wars

[TheButcher]

RUMOR: Star Wars Live Action Television Headed For Netflix

With the increased popularity of original programming airing on Netflix, and the 2012 deal between the two for Netflix to be the exclusive U.S. subscription television service for Disney's new releases starting in 2016, this is looking to soon become reality.

From Cinelinx.com:

Let's move on to the NEW information I've heard, from a couple of individual sources now. Disney is looking to continue their partnership with Netflix for their Star Wars shows. Yes, I said shows. I've heard there's talk of potentially three different live-action shows for Netflix, in much the same way Marvel has deals in place for Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, etc.

Yes you read that right. Three series are possibly in the works. Get the full scoop here at Cinelinx.com!

[TheButcher]

STAR WARS LIVE-ACTION TV UPDATE: NETFLIX BOUND! (EXCLUSIVE)

We've broken some exciting news regarding a potential live-action Star Wars show in the past, and today brings an update on some of the progress of the potential show(s) and where they could be headed. Come inside to check it out!

I've sat on this news for a little bit in the hopes of learning something a tad more substantial. Sadly, I don't know about when I might hear more so I've decided to run this information as more of a "minor update" on the state of Star Wars TV rather than a meatier scoop for you guys.

Last we heard anything regarding a live-action Star Wars show, was back in March when reports were coming out that Disney was ramping up discussion on a live-action TV show set in the Star Wars universe. We exclusively revealed this was the case, but that Disney were currently in the process of trying to get the schedule down, as they hope to shoot the series between films in order to utilize the same sets.

As far as I know this is still the plan. As we've seen over the recent weeks, Disney/Lucasfilm have firmed up their schedules quite a bit, going so far as to reveal a release date for their SECOND Star Wars Anthology movie, which will once again get back to the May release window. Basically, with schedules more firmly in place, they're looking more and more into their TV options.

Let's move on to the NEW information I've heard, from a couple of individual sources now. Disney is looking to continue their partnership with Netflix for their Star Wars shows. Yes, I said shows. I've heard there's talk of potentially three different live-action shows for Netflix, in much the same way Marvel has deals in place for Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, etc.

Because of the extreme success of Daredevil, Netflix is working with Disney on the cheap and more than happy to continue their relationship. For Lucasfilm this makes a lot of sense, as they want to keep the cinematic feel of the movies going with the TV shows. Netflix allows for such a presentation much better than network television, while also giving them a chance to explore stories and characters which otherwise might not be a good fit somewhere else.

While initial rumors surrounding Star Wars on TV pegged ABC or another Disney owned channel as being the likeliest spot for a series (like Agents of SHIELD), that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Let's look at the facts, Netflix and other online options are quickly overtaking regular TV. This year's Emmy nominations are absolutely PACKED with shows from non-traditional sources and in terms of revenue, Netflix is set to overtake network TV very shortly. It's the way the world is moving and Disney is great at keeping with current trends.

They already have a great relationship with Netflix that they intend to keep going (look at yesterday's news about their schedule for the Marvel shows), so why wouldn't they use it for Star Wars as well (especially since they already used the platform to release the final Clone Wars season) In terms of WHICH three shows they're considering, I have no idea, nor a time frame for when they want to start/introduce them. My guess would be a release in 2017, but that's a GUESS and nothing more.

Like I said, it's a smaller update on what's going on with live-action Star Wars TV plans and I wish I had some more information on what's in store. In the meantime some information is better than nothing and it's nice to hear that not only are live-action shows still being considered, but plans are starting to fall into place for them.

What do you guys think? Is Netflix the best place for the live-action Star Wars shows? What would you want them to be about?

-Jordan

[TheButcher]

THE STAR WARS SHOW IS HERE!

[TheButcher]

io9:
That Scrapped Star Wars TV Show Would've Starred a Sympathetic, Heartbroken Emperor


/film:
Star Wars: The Emperor’s Real Name Finally Revealed In New Novel


Netflix To Begin Exclusive Streaming Of Disney, Marvel, Star Wars And Pixar In September

[TheButcher]

‘Star Wars’: Live-Action TV Show in Discussion at ABC
We all want a live-action 'Star Wars' series, but do we want it from ABC?

During ABC’s presentation at the Television Critics Association press tour, the network’s newly hired president Channing Dungey revealed that they are in active conversations with Lucasfilm to bring the Star Wars universe life on TV with a live-action series.

Speaking with the press, Dungey said,

Oh, as a fan, I would absolutely love to say ‘yes.’ The conversations with Lucas, we have had conversations with them and will continue to have conversations with them. I think it would be wonderful if we could find a way to extend that brand into our programming.

While the fact that any network would “absolutely love” a Star Wars TV show falls under “no shit” territory, it’s an interesting comment because it’s a bit of 180 since the network’s last official comments on the matter. Back in January, former ABC Boss Paul Lee told reporters, “we don’t have any plans at the moment,” and stated that their focus would remain on the animated universe.

“It’s all a little bit hush, hush…That company [Lucasfilm] exists under a huge banner of secrecy. If you thought Marvel was secretive, Lucas takes it to a whole other level… We don’t have an official timeline yet.”

[TheButcher]

Star Wars: Underworld Live-Action TV Show Finally Coming in 2018?

[TheButcher]

VARIETY NOVEMBER 9, 2017:
New ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy in Works With Rian Johnson, TV Series Also Coming to Disney Streaming Service

Disney has closed a deal with director Rian Johnson to develop a new “Star Wars” trilogy, and it is planning a live-action “Star Wars” TV series to air on its entertainment streaming service that is expected to launch by the end of 2019.

Disney chairman-CEO Bob Iger announced the “Star Wars” news during the company’s quarterly earnings call. In addition to the “Star Wars” TV series, Disney is working on TV series adaptations of Pixar’s “Monsters Inc.,” the Disney Channel’s “High School Musical” franchise and an original entry from Marvel.

THR NOVEMBER 09, 2017:
'Star Wars' Live-Action TV Series to Launch on Disney Streaming Service

While this will mark the first live-action Star Wars TV series, George Lucas' franchise has spawned five animated series, going all the way back to 1985's Star Wars: Droids, which aired on ABC (long before ABC and LucasFilm were under the same corporate umbrella), as did the second series, Star Wars: Ewoks. The most recent animated entry, Star Wars Rebels, airs on Disney XD, a sister network of Disney Channel. Next up is Star Wars: Force of Destiny, which will debut on YouTube. Both Rebels and Forces of Destiny are produced by LucasFilm Animation.

Over the years, there have also been three live-action TV specials, most famously the widely lampooned Star Wars: Holiday Special that aired on CBS shortly after the original 1977 film's release.

News that a Star Wars live-action series will be premiering on Disney's streaming service has to be disappointing for ABC, which is also owned by Disney. Network president Channing Dungey expressed her optimism about ABC possibly airing a new Star Wars series at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour in 2016 and said talks about that possibility were ongoing.

As a fan, I would absolutely love to say 'yes,'" she said at the time when asked if it was one of the goals of her tenure. "We have had conversations with Lucasfilm, and we continue to have them. I think it would be wonderful to extend that brand onto our programming."

Like Star Wars and LucasFilm, ABC is also under the same corporate umbrella as the Marvel universe. In recent years, the network has launched two live-action Marvel series, Agents of SHIELD, which is going into its fifth season, and first-year drama Inhumans.

Disney first announced plans to launch its own streaming service in August. Subsequently, all Marvel and Star Wars films will leave Netflix and move to Disney's in-house service when it begins in 2019.

The decision to create a Star Wars live-action TV series is a no-brainer, given the lasting impact of the original trilogy as well as the success of the newer films. It's also not surprising given the rise of reboots, revivals and remakes of known IP as various platforms look for ways to break through the clutter of the "Peak TV" era. CBS All Access tried a similar approach earlier this fall with the launch of a new Star Trek series, Star Trek: Discovery. The drama is just one of two original scripted series on the young streamer, with a third set to launch Sunday. Star Trek: Discovery has already been renewed for a second season.

[Peven]

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jon-favreau-hired-star-wars-series-fans-mixed-feelings-164808876.html

seriously, white male privilege is no more evident than it is in Hollywood.

[Fievel]

I'd be willing to jump on the lack-of-diversity train if Lucasfilm hadn't been courting him since Episode 7 (fact), he hadn't shown skill/success at handling franchise characters/stories (Iron Man), and had major success within the Disney umbrella (Jungle Book). Now if he brings in an all-white male team of writers and directors, then yeah - WTF. But this could be a great opportunity for diverse writers and directors to get their feet in the door. And given the instant amount of flak that Lucasfilm is getting on this, they have no choice BUT ensure diversity behind the camera.

[TheBaxter]

favreau has had success with big franchises before, but it's a circular argument. if previous franchise success is a prerequisite, how are women directors ever supposed to have that kind of success until they are given the chance to helm these kinds of projects in the first place? considering the sheer number of star wars movies, tv shows, etc in production, surely they can find something they can trust to a non-white/non-male.

[Peven]

Fav's made an entirely uninspiring, though visually pretty, Jungle Book movie. success? did it capture the imagination of a new generation of kids who hadn't seen Jungle Book? not really, not at all, he just didn't fail. he got a lot of play for Iron Man's success, but go back and rewatch it. meh. no real reason he should be getting this job instead of a qualified woman except that he is entrenched as one of the good ol white boys in Hollywood's good ol white boy club.

[Ribbons]

I guess I agree with the point you guys are making, but don't think Jon Favreau's the right guy to make it with. I know this got some traction on "Film Twitter" as well, but they have a pretty terrible track record of confusing separate issues. You're not wrong that Disney/Lucasfilm has so far uniformly given control of their Star Wars franchise over to white men. But that's not a problem if we're talking about JJ Abrams or Jon Favreau. Regardless of how they initially got their feet in the door, they've consistently proven that they can shepherd giant tentpole projects to both critical and commercial success (yes, they've also both released several clunkers). Hiring guys like that makes perfect sense. On the other hand, going all-in on directors like Josh Trank, Colin Trevorrow, Gareth Edwards and Rian Johnson -- guys who've only made a big film once or, in some cases, not at all -- does seem a bit fishy, particularly when the results have been mixed. But just because Rian Johnson and Jon Favreau are both white dudes doesn't mean that hiring them is the same thing; giving someone unproven a huge opportunity and getting someone historically reliable are opposite things.

[Peven]

do you realize how much of an apologist you are being for a white patriarchal system that has excluded non-white, non-male executive/artistic leadership for generations? what the fuck is Favs going to bring to the table? is he going to blow our minds with a new fresh take on the SW universe or give us an inspiring story with fresh characters we haven't met in a million other action stories before, give us a different perspective than we're used to, or give us a visual style that is new and different?? right. the f@t fuck is going to do a paint by the numbers "we all saw that coming" production which will be nice and vanilla and predictable and white male dominated. here is an opportunity for Disney to hire someone who isn't white and/or male and they couldn't do either. of ALL the women and people of color out there that they could have chosen they once again land on "white guy" to be the one to run the show. there is no excuse. your excuse making rationale allows racial and gender exclusion to go on unhindered under the umbrella justification of "it's a good business decision". weak sauce.

[TheBaxter]

I guess I agree with the point you guys are making, but don't think Jon Favreau's the right guy to make it with. I know this got some traction on "Film Twitter" as well, but they have a pretty terrible track record of confusing separate issues. You're not wrong that Disney/Lucasfilm has so far uniformly given control of their Star Wars franchise over to white men. But that's not a problem if we're talking about JJ Abrams or Jon Favreau. Regardless of how they initially got their feet in the door, they've consistently proven that they can shepherd giant tentpole projects to both critical and commercial success (yes, they've also both released several clunkers). Hiring guys like that makes perfect sense. On the other hand, going all-in on directors like Josh Trank, Colin Trevorrow, Gareth Edwards and Rian Johnson -- guys who've only made a big film once or, in some cases, not at all -- does seem a bit fishy, particularly when the results have been mixed. But just because Rian Johnson and Jon Favreau are both white dudes doesn't mean that hiring them is the same thing; giving someone unproven a huge opportunity and getting someone historically reliable are opposite things.

this isn't specifically about jon favreau. he just happened to be the most recent in a long, unbroken string of white males hired to make SW projects. (and announcing his hiring on international women's day just made it that more obvious). but if there had been a couple women or minority directors hired on previous films, favreau's hiring wouldn't have raised any eyebrows. people could cheer or jeer based on their feelings about his previous work or success, but the white male privilege angle wouldn't have had any traction. it's exactly BECAUSE of all those other guys you mention that favreau's white-maleness became an issue. the criticism isn't specific or isolated to favreau, but rather, is criticism of the entire process that somehow resulted in nothing but white men being hired to helm these projects.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Oh who gives a fuck about his skin colour or sex. He's just a normal person. I swear this is reverse sexism where if it isn't a black handicapped woman or is now reduced to being just a brain (which is smaller than a man's) in a jar you get all prejudiced against the person. Just wear a slave bikini and shut the fuck up people and let me direct the next series. I'll give you flying sharks raping Twileks to make that race pay for only being female!

[Fievel]

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