What do you think is going to happen to Star Wars after Episode 3?

[Tycho]

What do you think is going to happen to Star Wars after Episode 3?


I was just thinking about that.


HASBRO TOYS: I think Hasbro will do 3 3/4" figures until 2007 or 2008 and encompass probably everything.

2007 will probably see the last vehicles released, if anything is left to be made by then.

2008 might see some exclusive vehicle made for the 3 3/4" line for some special promotion.

Now Hasbro has the license for 10 more years.

I'm thinking they will switch sizes on the figures, and make Star Wars characters in the detail and with the accessories that mirror what ArtAsylum has done with Star Trek. Or in other words, they will make action figures, but more like something on the Unleashed size scale, with which they will revisit all the major characters previously made before, with the occasional extra alien or trooper, and those of us still down for the hobby, will be clamoring all over again for obscure characters like General Riekeen to be made for this line.

Me? I might buy some, but I think I'd be really particular, and just get a few that go together that are exceptionally detailed or something like that.

That's my guess.

To keep the 3 3/4" line going, they'd have to do at least one of several things:

1) keep rehashing or re-releasing Luke Tatooines, Cantina Hans, Naboo Pilot Anakins, Darth Mauls.

2) do an Expanded Universe line with vehicles etc. - This troubles me because it ought to have been done during New Jedi Order's height. Many of us remember Ulic Qel Droma and know who Kir Kanos is, however, many more of us DON'T read the Expanded Universe, and it greatly decreases the pool of potential buyers of say a Talon Karrde figure, almost 15 years after the character first made an appearance.

3) Change the size so that a larger group of us would possibly want the old characters like Tatooine Luke all over again.

4) Create a new multi-media thing having to do with video games, a TV show, or George actually making more movies. A really well-publicized new comic or book deal could work for Star Wars, too.

5) Action Fleet, or something with all ships in scale to each other, could come back as a new replica line.


VIDEO GAMES:

Star Wars video games will continue for probably a few years longer than the action figures line could. It may prompt some figures being made to coincide with it, but I'm not sure that would be extensive.


BOOKS; COMICS:

Novels may continue to do well. They might eventually lead to a point where we see the DEATH OF LUKE SKYWALKER, and the Classic cast. They ought to. Adventures of Jaina and Jacen Solo, and Ben Skywalker, should be promoted and could establish a good following.

Comics will have to be coordinated with the adult novels, or they will continue to get worse - being limited to taking place within the movie-years parameters, or playing out a tiring theme of Vader killing Jedi and some already-published book adaptations. New Jedi Order comic adaptations would probably still prove to be really popular though - especially if they put Jan Duursema on the art work.

Another Tales of the Jedi-like comic series, that is set significantly enough in the past or the future might do well. But it may have to stretch out even longer than the 22 months that Ulic Qel Droma's epic tale took to tell. That would only stretch out the life of SW comics by 2 years at best. There should be some plan for the long term in place, you know?

TELEVISION:

Cartoon shows like Clone Wars, be them original or adaptations of existing comics and books, could stretch Star Wars' life for as long as 7 more years (the average length of a Star Trek franchise's run).

Live action shows could do similar feats.

I kid you not, but an on-going SW prime-time soap opera (in other words, continuing stories that change subject matter and character casting over time) could be awesome. "Soap opera" does not mean the show would not have great SW battles and plenty of action. Sometimes Star Trek Deep Space Nine gets called a soap opera, but it was the best Star Trek of any - and by far, with a Five Year Dominion War going on! (technically 4 years, for those of you who want to get anal about it).

This I would not mind, especially in the case of Jaina and Jacen Solo's ongoing adventures, POST-NJO!


MOVIES:

That would be entirely up to George.

There are several possibilities.

1) George has or will have something planned.

2) a television Star Wars show, like Jaina and Jacen Solo's exploits becomes so popular, like Smallville, that a movie is demanded. George hands the franchise (on that angle) over to someone else to make the films with the TV cast.

3) George relinquishes control of the franchise.



CONVENTIONS:

Celebration 3 you know will rock. It will be the biggest by far, I'm sure.

2006-2016: conventions will see the regular bunch of attendies - that's a lot of us if they have special action figures.

2017- 2027: attendance will drastically fall. The need for disabled seating will rise amongst the still-attending, and the audience will largely consist of folks trying to recapture passing joy because their life hasn't gone anywhere but down the drain since they didn't have much of a life beyond Star Wars.
Professional counselors may be made available for people with pre-registration.

If a powerful television soap or something is still going on however, these conventions might be as lively and as enduring and full of young blood as say Star Trek conventions used to be before Deep Space Nine completed its first televison run.

Anyway, what do you think will happen?

[stillakid]

3) George relinquishes control of the franchise.

Never. They took away American Graffiti and he never forgot that pain. This is what I believe is driving his bull-headed and short-sighted decision to forgo the use of a writer for the Prequels. He's got the power and control and he won't give it up as long as he lives...and undoubtedly, he will place as many restrictions on the property as possible so that no one can mess with it for as many years as possible after he's put in the ground.

[Turbowars]

Man, what a sad thread. This will all come to pass soon enough and should not be discussed until it is necessary. LOL. this is statment just sucks, "2017- 2027: attendance will drastically fall. The need for disabled seating will rise amongst the still-attending, and the audience will largely consist of folks trying to recapture passing joy because their life hasn't gone anywhere but down the drain since they didn't have much of a life beyond Star Wars.
Professional counselors may be made available for people with pre-registration."

[bobafrett]

I will sink into a depression, until I find that I am actually able to start saving my money since there won't be a whole bunch of SW toys made. Then maybe I'll pay down the credit cards, and attend the 25th Star Wars themed party at Disney!

[Kidhuman]

Who knows. Maybe they will turn to Eu stuff. Make TV movies or something. I hope the toys keep going.

[jjreason]

A drastic decline in sales and interest in everything related. They're exploring a new avenue with the cartoon right now, likely a good idea, but I don't think that will lead to any real continued excitement in the brand once the movies have dried up. Hasbro has the rights to toys until 2015, so they'll be responsible for keeping interest in the toys going. I suspect they'll have to change their marketing strategy, the big chains won't be interested in units that don't shift off the shelves. I would hope they'll keep developing stuff for sale through the internet as long as there is enough demand to make it worth their while. Books and comics will keep going for a few years after the movie, but without the promise of new movies to keep the interest alive, I think we'll see a decline in sales and hence production of much of this stuff as well. It's inevitable, life moves on. We'll have to be happy with what we have - which is lots in my opinion.

[James Boba Fettfield]

And Steve will need to keep the site going then, too.

Perhaps in 2030 we can have the Sir Steve's Guide reunion.

It won't matter what happens with it all, though. I got the items to remember these films. I've been able to keep my interest for Night of the Living Dead alive even though Romero's not doing much with it, so I suppose the same will happen to me with Star Wars.

EU would probably continue for some time, not sure how my interest will be in the toys, as I've already started to lose it in the line already. Something big might have to be done to bring me back into the fold.

[stillakid]

I think that about 6 to 10 months after Episode III finishes playing in theaters, you'll see a dramatic slump in Hasbro sales of toys, similar to the recurring slumps that occur between each film so far. Only that there is no follow up therefore no reason for a resurgence.

So, as we move closer to 2005, we'll see a huge decrease in toys from the OT and the other Prequels as Hasbro gears up to shove out Episode III merchandise. Once that peters out (about 6-10 months later, tops), the toys will be the last vestiges of interest around. Hasbro will attempt to jumpstart the collecting aspect with another Fan Choice but except for people like us, kids will have moved on again. Therefore Hasbro will start thinking about closing up shop, contract or no.

The SuperNifty DVD release may give some incentive to continue the line for another couple years, but by that time, most of the core characters will have been made and bought so unless George starts inserting special guest star roles into the OT, Hasbro won't really have anything new to make that most people don't already have.

So, bottom line is that even if some TV property or comic books stuff continues, without feature films driving interest, the bulk of Star Wars interest will dive fairly rapidly by late 2006 or 2007.

[Tycho]

It seems logical - what Stillakid posted.

As it also seems logical for 2004 to be the big Classic Star Wars OT push - with the DVD releases and a 80% + focus on the Classic line for action figures.

I can't see a big deal being whipped up in 2006 for kids to want action figures based on DVDs of movies they can and probably already own on VHS.

But while SW is in a fevor pitch, building up to Episode 3, and after the Clone Wars and AOTC, which was arguably much better fan-and-kid-received than Episode One, they are going to milk the franchise is one huge orgy, going out with a bang with Episode 3.

At least this way no one is scratching their heads wondering why the big Classic Trilogy Promo failed in 2006 when there's nothing on the big screen. It would fail only because we've already had 9 years of OT products in the modern line, so what's there to get excited about other than specific fan favorites like the Whipid and Elom, when you know the assortments will contain resculpts or rereleases of Hans and Lukes you already own. You see in 1995, you had nothing like the modern line, so every figure was something to get excited about. Now I've yet to here a rave about how good a Tatooine Luke figure is since 1998 (Blastshield) which was released 6 years ago!

So Classic Fans rejoice. This will be YOUR YEAR (2004) - and it will probably be as good as it will ever get.

Prequel Fans - I think until 2007, it's realistic to think you'll continue to get good stuff until Episode 3 is totally milked and we have a Sith Infiltrator toy in our hands, and maybe the Gungan Sub. Bet you the AT-TE will be out in 2005, along with the new starfighters, the small AT-TP's or whatever they're calling them, and that sort of stuff.

ROTJ carried the vintage line until 1985 (2 years after Jedi left theaters).

We just have to hope retailers ORDER, not dismissing the Star Wars "phase" as over. I can see us needing a new letter writing campaign to Wal-Mart again