2046 wrote:There is no evidence that the old EU is now valid… the statements refer to one universe as a goal "going forward".
However, it could yet happen, which is the point of alarm. But as noted, EU-philes think this is the death of their EU, so it can cut both ways.
When I sad integrate as much as possible, it can go from 1% to 99%. It just depends on the freedom that's required for the new movies. If a whole city worth of EU goes to the trash, I won't be surprised. I didn't mean the old EU would suddenly be as valid as movies, but more like Disney may very well be much more willing than Lucas to borrow elements from the EU.
It's not like the original EUphiles will weigh much in cash compared to what the new movies may tug in their wake in terms of new merchandising.
Especially if they're more successful than the horrible prequels, which shouldn't be too hard. The biggest issue being that the story seems to be handled by plot-hack JJA (but I'm not much up to date on that part).
The EUphiles have, or
had I should say a view of their EU being "alive".
I don't think merchandising management would change much as far as books, games and comics are concerned. Authors will be signed in to produce some more and conform to the new movies probably, glue some gaps between the Rebels' episodes, etc.
The extra material, once called Expanded Universe, could very well be handled the same way.
What they left vague is if movies would be superior or not. Considering how the whole hierarchy seems to annoy them and they want one big universe, perhaps not. That's a huge change for the moment.
However, perhaps LSG doesn't plan on producing a flood of merchandising either, although that's doubtful considering how this has been making some money for years.
I mean, if they limited themselves to less side stories, less books, perhaps it could be reasonable to have books and movies at the same level.
Besides, Disney's business model doesn't need to conform at all to the way Lucas handled his empire. These days, you often get successful books or series of books turned into movies or shows. I could very well see Disney putting highly ranked authors on the task to pen a very good story arc, only to have plans to adapt them later on.
Which wouldn't be without problems regarding the same canonical debate.
So, ok, EUphiles are largely worried because they hoped for eons that their post-ROTJ characters would end in a movie, that they were worth that rank. Namely, that the next movies could very well be based on Zahn's books.
Which, incidentaly, if had it ever happened, would have probably not been without inconsistencies. But once they'd have seen their favourites characters on screen, I'm pretty sure they'd have suddenly displayed unique wills to brush those little problems under the rug. In other words, they'd have accepted their Mara Jade and Thrawn to be 90% identical to the books but largely hated that these same characters would be considered "wrong", outsiders of the real SW universe.
There are many Bantham fans out there as well...
They're concerned because the EU covers so much that those new movies could totally erase the post-ROTJ in order to be free. Would have Lucas made thoes 7-9 movies, they'd have cried the same way. Their EU is more than ever always at risk.
Now actors are too old for the New Republic trilogy. But there's still the ton of characters who appeared towards the New Jedi Order era, which is when the movies will take place, more or less. And there's zero indication that Disney plans to respect any of that at all.
So in a way, Disney may very well do what Lucas would have done, although the later clearly left himself be influenced by the EU more and more, especially to cash on fans' appreciation of certains EU characters (like the blue twi'lek Jedi, Ayala Secura I think).
The whole TCW, despite trampling some EU, also was a lazy big cart of fan service for easy bucks.
Last question: if Disney really reboots the post-ROTJ era, will it continue to produce materials that conform to the old EU as some kind of altverse arc, or will they entirely ditch it in favour of their One Big Universe?