In October 2013, just shy of a year after the acquisition announcement, Lucasfilm said that Arndt was out and would be replaced by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan ( Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi). For example, Lucasfilm told the publication that that Lucas' treatments centered around teenagers. Abrams, the director of the upcoming movie Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, told Vanity Fair.

Abrams would direct Star Wars: Episode VII.īut at some point after that, Lucasfilm president Kennedy and Disney 'decided they should consider other options,' J.J. In January 2013, Lucasfilm announced that J.J.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens bad guy, characters, locations, story and snowtroopers revealed The release also said that Kennedy and Lucas had 'begun story conferences' with Arndt. That same month, the official Star Wars website revealed that screenwriter Michael Arndt ( Toy Story 3) would pen the script for Episode VII, the first movie in the new trilogy. Lucas didn't own the companies he founded, but the announcement said the creator of Star Wars would be available as a 'creative consultant.' In October 2012, when Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the companies also announced that the $4.05 billion deal came with Lucas' story treatments for a new trilogy. Kennedy, Steven Spielberg's longtime producer, agreed on the spot, and the pair started transforming Lucasfilm from a company that generally relied on past products like Star Wars licenses to one that would also produce new products. George Lucas wanted the third Star Wars trilogy to star teenagers, but those in charge after he sold his empire to Disney and relinquished creative control - including his hand-picked successor - rejected Lucas' plans.Īccording to the cover story in this month's issue of Vanity Fair (which is not available online), Lucas courted his friend Kathleen Kennedy to take over his production company at a lunch meeting in April 2012.

George lucas the star wars trilogy