Disney and LucasFilm’s Star Wars: Episode 7 will feature a completely original plot, according to E! News . Those who were hoping the next installment would be based on one of the many novels set in the universe are about to be seriously disappointed.
According to a source close to LucasFilm, the next Star Wars film will follow a storyline that fans have never encountered before. This means the film probably won’t follow the adventures of Luke, Lei, and Han Solo chronicled in the popular series by author Timothy Zahn.
“It’s an original story,” the source explained.
This ultimately derails rampant speculation that Zahn’s stories would serve as the basis for the next three films. Even the folks who run TheForce.net believed the author’s series was the next logical step for the franchise.
“Of all the speculation out there about the content of this new trilogy, that’s the single most concrete idea,” explained Eric Geller. “It’s almost inevitable that the story will take place in the same time frame as those books.”
For those individuals who have read the books, here’s what Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy is about:
“Luke Skywalker meets a real would-be assassin lady named Mara Jade, who was trained to avenge the Emperor by crushing Luke’s pretty blond head. Instead, Jade falls for Luke and, a subsequent graphic novel, the two marry. Skywalker also has to deal with the fact that he’s the only Jedi left, at least, for now, and he goes about trying to fix that.”
Since news broke that Disney had acquired George Lucas’ science fiction empire for a cool $4 billion, fans have been speculating as to where, precisely, the story would head next. Since Timothy Zahn’s books are well-known to Star Wars aficionados, it seemed only logical that Disney would tap this series for cinematic inspiration.
Regardless of whether or not LucasFilm decides to go original or not, interest in Zahn’s books has been renewed. Many Twitter and Facebook users have started discussing the series with their friends, prompting some to request the book’s inclusion on Kindle.
What are your thoughts on Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm? Are you looking forward to Star Wars: Episode 7 ?