You must have missed the Star Wars Convention that was held in Orlando, Florida this past August. There was kind of a big announcement made. I was there. 
I want to see Jar Jar Meets Godzilla.
They can’t “shut down” parody. It’s protected as fair use. See Campbell v. Acuff-Rose.
I just want more Monkey Island games.
Will this allow them to get that stuff going as well if they like? Do they own LucarArts and all the Lucas companies now, too?
As have I, dear lord has it really been over 30 years?
No one else got off a shot originally 
I’m confused - didn’t Lucas say we had always been at war with Eastasia … uh, I mean … didn’t he say he never planned for nine films, only six???
Oh, and he seriously looks and sounds old. Really old. He looks terrible in that video with Kathleen Kennedy. I think he’s gained 40 lbs in the last few years.
He needs to get in shape.
When Disney acquired Marvel, I read that the idea was to improve the number of characters popular with boys, as the traditional Disney characters (such as the princesses) were more popular with the girls. So I think this too was meant to get characters that boys like. And Disney will continue to license the Star Wars properties for merchandise.
The Avengers cost about $220 million and grossed $1.5 billion. Perhaps Disney netted $400-500 million from that, or about ten percent of the $4 billion that Disney spent to acquire Marvel. So buying well-known properties like this can be really profitable in the right hands.
Whedon was my first thought too. I don’t know Abram’s work well enough to really comment. I’d be happy to see Peter Jackson do it, although he’s got his own things going on. And honestly, I think Spielberg would do well if he can be talked out of cutesy Jar Jar characters for the kids.
John Carter of Mars had a lot of what I’d like to see in a modern Star Wars movie. At any rate, I don’t see how Disney can do any worse than the prequels.
To date, Disney hasn’t screwed up the Muppets or the Marvel properties, so I’m not that worried about massive changes to the brand.
I do assume that a 7th movie will mean tossing the rather extensive Expanded Universe material (not all of which is bad, and virtually all of it is better than the prequels) into the trash bin.
Garry Marshall might be available, if he’s not making a third Princess Diaries movie.
And these hands are in white gloves.
Excellent analysis. Also remember that Disney did well with Pirates of the Carribean.
Princess Diaries is Disney so I don’t think that will necessarily be a problem.
I really wish that part of the deal is to destroy the prequels and completely retell them: just Darth/Anakin & Obi Wan and a whole host of new characters. And no damn brats running around either.
Maybe not. There is enough material out there that Disney could go all sorts of directions. They’re screwed with the just-post-Jedi stuff unless they totally recast the main parts, but Red Squadron could easily be done.
If they recast (the best idea), of course, all bets are off.
I want Thrawn!
Yes, but Disney also produced the John Carter movie, which was a massive failure.
Thrawn would be awesome!
Not all of it is. Kevin J. Anderson’s stuff was absolute shit, and Barbara Hambly’s books sucked, but most of it’s great. Especially the Thrawn trilogy, the X-Wing books, the New Jedi Order and most of that. I hope they’ll follow the EU stuff. I THINK it was hinted that they won’t ignore most of it.
Maybe they’ll do a lot beyond that, or pre-prequels?
I think the Thrawn trilogy was awful. It was basically just a fanboy rehash of the original trilogy. I think they should move away from a direct followup, set it years ahead and have an entirely new original story with entirely new characters, no direct crossover. Except possibly the droids. Maybe.
Hooray! I can’t wait for more of that sweet, sweet trade federation dialog. Maybe there’ll be a thirty minute Galactic Senate filibuster montage.
Will any original cast members do reprises? And if so as small cameos or as significant figures?
I seem to recall that before Lucas said he planned on six all along, he had said (at the time of the original three) on a trilogy of trilogies, one prequel and one sequel. At the time I had pictured it being set thirty or so years in the future and using original cast members having aged into playing themselves older. Well?
When was Star Wars ever not a kid’s film?