Star Wars fanatics - help me settle an argument!

[amnesiac]

My friend says that there are a series of books from which the story lines from Episodes I-III are based (in essence, books which detail the general sequence of events) -- the catch being these books were written YEARS ago before the actual screenplays were conceived. I think he's full of crap. Can someone provide evidence proving one of us right?

AFAIK george lucas has written all the screenplays either himself or with a writing team but completely using ideas generated within, not from external fiction (i.e. Zahn or Salvatore..)

 

[Instagib]

Lord Maul would know

 

[Czar]

as far as I know your friend is correct, they started with the 4th book because they couldnt make the special effects for the first three books.

but what do I know, I dont even like starwars that much, most overrated movies in movie history.. but thats just me

 

[Babbles]

Don't know about that particular question, but I would guess Lucas wrote it becuase of that rumor about making a character named Jar Jar because one of his kids wanted it. Then again he could have just adapted that.

But, I do believe that Lucas did borrow some ideas from Timothy Zahn. I remember something about the fact that there was no planet named Corsucant in the original trilogy but was an invention of Zahn. And, when Lucas release the 'special edition' of RoTJ in theaters he incorporated that into the dance scene at the end of the movie; toppling the statue of Palpatine.
Also, I think the midichlorians, or whatever the hell they are called, they talked about in Phantom Menace came from Zahn as well.

 

[Copperman]

Use the Force.......... It never lies

Cliff

 

[C'DaleRider]

There was an entire series called Luke Skywalker...........Lucas bought the "franchise" and the books disappeared from retail shelves. They still turn up in old book stores. The idea for his Star Wars series is not his.............he just bought the idea.

 

[amnesiac]

Ok that's like 4 different responses none of them with any weight.. does anyone know for SURE?

 

[zimmie6576]

Originally posted by: C'DaleRider
There was an entire series called Luke Skywalker...........Lucas bought the "franchise" and the books disappeared from retail shelves. They still turn up in old book stores. The idea for his Star Wars series is not his.............he just bought the idea.

Gee, do we know any other rich and powerful people that did the same kind of thing?

*cough*Bill Gates*cough*

 

[LordMaul]

I think, personally, that it owuld be GREAT if Lucas did a series of movies, set, say, 20 years after ROTJ or so. I mean, think about it! Most of the main characters are still alive! Han, Luke, Leia(she might have to drop a few pounds, though. ) Lando, 3-P0 and R2, etc...It'd be amazing if he pulled it off right.

 

[LordMaul]

One more thought: It's a possibility that if the next 3 movies ROCK and/or make some BIG TIME cash, Lucas may go ahead and do the amazing 6-9...

 

[Instagib]

Hey Maul did you see Star Wars yet?

 

[LordMaul]

Originally posted by: Instagib
Hey Maul did you see Star Wars yet?

No, my tickets are for tomorrow night. I came here this morning and checked to see the general opinion of the movie, just to see what people though...then I realized there wasn't too many SW threads...so I'm just steering away from the ones that are here(except this one, which didn't look Episode II-ish. )

 

[kgraeme]

I owned some of these books back in '70s-'80s. There was quite a variety of them, some featuring all the characters, some focusing on one character. My favorite was the Han Solo book that was about his life before meeting Luke and crew.

 

[Instagib]

Originally posted by: LordMaul

Originally posted by: Instagib
Hey Maul did you see Star Wars yet?

No, my tickets are for tomorrow night. I came here this morning and checked to see the general opinion of the movie, just to see what people though...then I realized there wasn't too many SW threads...so I'm just steering away from the ones that are here(except this one, which didn't look Episode II-ish. )

Thats cool. I'm goin tonight to the 10:15 show they have 107 tickets left in my town.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0
My friend says that there are a series of books from which the story lines from Episodes I-III are based (in essence, books which detail the general sequence of events) -- the catch being these books were written YEARS ago before the actual screenplays were conceived. I think he's full of crap. Can someone provide evidence proving one of us right? AFAIK george lucas has written all the screenplays either himself or with a writing team but completely using ideas generated within, not from external fiction (i.e. Zahn or Salvatore..)

Your friend is correct.

nik

 

[Thrillhou]

Originally posted by: LordMaul
I think, personally, that it owuld be GREAT if Lucas did a series of movies, set, say, 20 years after ROTJ or so. I mean, think about it! Most of the main characters are still alive! Han, Luke, Leia(she might have to drop a few pounds, though. ) Lando, 3-P0 and R2, etc...It'd be amazing if he pulled it off right.

I heard that R2 bought a condo in Boca Raton and he and 3-PO are going to retire there after Ep. 3 comes out. He said that he is tired of being "just a droid the beeps" so he said that he would not do any more Star Wars films other than the first 6. He did say that he would act if the right part in a drama or a romatic comedy came around. 3-PO on the other hand wants to do Ep 7-9, but he said without R2 it would not be the same and he doesn't want to work with an inexperienced R2 droid.

 

[piku]

I'm quite sure CptObvious has it right. That is why I don't think there will be episodes 7-9: all of them are already books.

(edit: pity too, because just about every post-ROTJ book is better than either Episode 1 and 2, especially the Timothy Zahn books.)

 

[amnesiac]

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt

Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0
My friend says that there are a series of books from which the story lines from Episodes I-III are based (in essence, books which detail the general sequence of events) -- the catch being these books were written YEARS ago before the actual screenplays were conceived. I think he's full of crap. Can someone provide evidence proving one of us right? AFAIK george lucas has written all the screenplays either himself or with a writing team but completely using ideas generated within, not from external fiction (i.e. Zahn or Salvatore..)

Your friend is correct.

nik

Just neffing through or do you have soemthing to back this up? Titles? Link?

 

[kgraeme]

Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0

Just neffing through or do you have soemthing to back this up? Titles? Link?

My word as someone who owned them wasn't good enough?

Here's a stupid link to one that I remember.

 

[amnesiac]

Originally posted by: kgraeme

Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0

Just neffing through or do you have soemthing to back this up? Titles? Link?

My word as someone who owned them wasn't good enough?

Here's a stupid link to one that I remember.

That's to a book branching off of the 2nd trilogy (granted, it happens *before* EPIV but has nothing to do with episodes 1-3 which are what the argument was about.