I remember the weekend of May 19, 2005, quite vividly. Receiving the golden ticket to “Revenge of the Sith,” the Wehrenberg theme song, heck, even the tangy taste of my movie theater root beer. But the thing I remember the most was the rush of emotions that overcame me when Obi-Wan handed baby Luke to Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. It was not only the end of the Star Wars saga, but also the end of my childhood.
Wait a second.
Turns out “Revenge of the Sith” was only a tease, a ploy by Mr. George Lucas. In case you’ve been living under a rock, on Oct. 30 Disney officially announced its acquisition of LucasFilms, the production company founded by Lucas that has produced all six “Star Wars” movies. But that’s not all; Disney’s first move as the new owners of the “Star Wars” franchise was the announcement of a seventh movie.
The news was like a slap in the face from Lucas himself. I left the movie theater seven years ago with the impression that this would be the final “Star Wars” movie ever, and quite frankly, I was content with that. The ending was everything I could dream of; a combination of gaiety, gloom, and gratification, which was enough to evoke a rare Blake Beck smile.
But little did that ten year old Blake know, seven years later, a seventh “Star Wars” films would be given a 2015 release date. With several days for the news to sink in, I still don’t think I’m able to make sense of the whole situation. Deep down inside, I’ve had a guilty desire for a third trilogy, one that follows the adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han after they take down the Empire. But that’s my inner child, whereas my 17 year old self scoffs at the idea of another “Star Wars” movie, especially after the trainwreck that was the prequel trilogy.
Which, speaking of trainwrecks, will more than likely describe “Star Wars” episode seven and beyond. The movies will be so dismal, but it’s going to be so difficult not to watch. None of the original actors will be returning, not only because they’re ancient, but for a multitude of reasons. Mark Hamill can’t recreate the sick flow, Harrison Ford is something Indiana Jones would go on a quest to find in an ancient temple, and Carrie Fisher is not exactly the woman she was in “Return of the Jedi,” if you know what I mean.
But much like “Star Wars,” even in the darkest times, there is a small beacon of light. It’s not the Rebel Alliance this time, however. It’s Disney. Disney princess jokes aside, Disney has a decent track record when it comes to colossal franchises. Many people seem to forget that Disney produced “The Avengers,” which everyone, for some reason or another, enjoyed. It is also producing all Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Avengers sequels, as well as other Marvel films.
In spite of this, I’m still considerably upset over the news. “Revenge of the Sith” was a storybook ending to my favorite movie series of all time. But you know Mr. Lucas, unpredictable as always.
Look on the bright side though. Maybe this means we’ll be spared from those dastardly remastered and rereleased versions of “Star Wars?”