How Star Wars: Episode VII Can Succeed

When I first heard the news that Disney had purchased Lucasfilm and were making more Star Wars films I was initially shocked. After processing this information though this seemed naive of me. The Star Wars franchise ticks a lot of boxes, it has an established fan base that spans generations, a rich and deep universe with plenty to explore and many different angles to approach and most importantly from Disney's point of view it rakes in the cash at the box office. So why wouldn't they make more movies? As far as Disney is concerned it has become a juggernaut of the film space after its acquisition of Marvel. However, there are pitfalls to avoid here and things that need to change. Here's how I think Star Wars Episode VII can succeed...

A (Hopefully) Fresh Approach

One thing some fans of Star Wars will be pleased about is that the franchise is no longer solely under the direction of George Lucas. Although Lucas will be a consultant on the film, helping where he's requested, for the most part the writer's have a Lucas-free take on the movie. While I think Lucas had a good sense of a story arc, he was not so good at screenwriting. Directed by J.J. Abrams (Star Trek reboot) little is known about the plot of Episode VII. Despite the official scheduling showing that production is supposed to begin soon there have been no official cast announcements although it is rumored that Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford may return in supporting roles.

Although I don't dislike the prequels as much as some fans (as I grew up with the prequels they conjure certain happy memories from my childhood) I can see their faults and missteps. As a fan of the series, if Abrams can learn from the mistakes of the prequels then the new film will be off to a good start. In essence: Less midichlorians (literally) and more Darth Maul (not literally). The writers need to not be afraid to move away from the Skywalker lineage, that story's been told now, and move to more uncharted territory. With fresh eyes on the franchise there is great potential for some truly spectacular cinematic moments.

Expand the Universe

Since the original trilogy was released there has been a veritable gold mine of games, books, comics and even television concerning the expanded universe of Star Wars. This should not be disregarded as a byproduct of the Lucas era. In my opinion, Episode VII should be an original story but there's no reason not to give nods to other characters or storylines from the expanded universe and even use some of the characters for future films. Not all storylines would be appropriate for the big screen but there's certainly lots there to look at. This expanded universe should be nurtured by the new head honchos in charge of the franchise and not be ignored. If Disney can take up a similar role as they do in the Marvel films then there is hope.

Cast Wisely

One thing that I think Star Wars has sometimes done well in the past and sometimes not so well is casting. The new film needs to have enough tried and true actors with a bit of pedigree but also some new blood to inject the franchise with new life. After all the next few films will ideally inspire a whole new generation to become fans of Star Wars. The main three protagonists from the original trilogy should not be shoehorned in as fan service, but given a purpose and a legitimate send off to give way to the new actors.

The franchise needs a villain that is dangerous, a physical threat rather than get bogged down in politics as Episode I and II often did especially after having a villain as good as Darth Vader was. If the new film is to go down the younger actor route, the writers need to be careful and show much more nuanced character development than they did with Anakin's character. Too often was Hayden Christensen in the prequels moving through the emotional gears too quickly which made him come off unlikeable and unreasonable. Give us characters we care about and are emotionally invested in.

New Worlds

One of the great things about Star Wars is its near limitless potential for different locales. From the hot and dusty desert of Tatooine to the icy and cold ranges of Hoth, the franchise has shown variety in abundance. However, we've seen Tatooine lots, show us new planets that are different and offer something new. Not only will this help the film distance itself from the previous films but it will give us new fiction and demonstrate the writers commitment to expanding this universe.

Star Wars Episode VII is set to release on December 18th 2015

In case you missed it here's my most anticipated movie list of 2014: http://whirz.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/my-5-most-anticipated-movies-of-2014.html

What do you think the next iteration needs? What characters would you like to see?
Let me know in the comments below.