rose_griffes (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rose_griffes) wrote2019-05-12 06:08 pm
rose_griffes) wrote2019-05-12 06:08 pm
I heard a rumor (you were trash-talking Star Wars)
Disney/LucasFilm finally announced some dates for upcoming Star Wars movies--another trilogy, starting in 2022, with a new film every two years. They offered little clarification on who would be leading the project. Speculation is that Rian Johnson will either be pushed out completely or work with the Game of Thrones writers in a collaborative effort, rather than getting his own trilogy. (The earliest announced plans were that Johnson would create his own trilogy, and that the Game of Thrones duo would write a TV series.)
I wrote earlier that whether or not I would watch a new Star Wars movie written by Rian Johnson would depend on reviews and word of mouth. The same is true for the two men writing for Game of Thrones, only more so: the show is already in the range of "things I would rather not watch", and their reputation for writing that show doesn't fill me with confidence.
I would much prefer a clean slate; get rid of Johnson and the Game of Thrones men. Call them "creative consultants" if they don't want to go to the trouble of actually firing them. Hire some women, and/or writers and directors of color. Kathleen Kennedy--current president of LucasFilm--once said that she wanted to give more women the chance to direct movies; let her prove it.
Unfortunately, Kennedy's track record in hiring writer/directors is not good so far. Colin Treverrow got fired well before he could film any of episode IX. A significant chunk of Gareth Edward's work on Rogue One was rewritten and reshot by Tony Gilroy. Solo's writer/director team was fired late in making the movie, which led to both a poor reputation and a lack of marketing materials leading up to the film's release.
That leaves JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson. Even they had significant rewrites and reshoots in making VII and VIII, by all accounts. The expenses in creating new films have undoubtedly gone higher than Disney planned, a loud minority of fans are disgruntled (to put it way too politely, but that's a whole other can of toxic worms) and they have the failing box office of Solo as their most recent film.
Given Disney's absolute behemoth status in the entertainment industry, and given the size of the loan they have for the initial acquisition of LucasFilm from George Lucas, I'm not worried about Star Wars ceasing to exist. People will watch blockbuster movies; Disney and LucasFilm are going to try making them. I just wish they would try something other than white male directors for their future films, and maybe make an attempt at having a cohesive, coherent story to tell before creating a new trilogy.
As for Disney's TV ventures, they'll available be on Disney's own platform, which means that they will have to have an AMAZING public reception before I'll consider shelling out money for yet another streaming service.
Anyway, on to TV I'm currently watching. Brooklyn Nine Nine has been uneven this season, with some brilliant and funny episodes, and some real duds. And that's really all I have to say about it.
The Passage got cancelled, to my disappointment. Although I'm not surprised, given the ratings.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is back, and apparently ignoring whatever's going on with the Marvel movie-verse... which is fine. It's already completely confusing as its own thing; adding in "half of humanity died last year" would just make it worse. Especially because Avengers: Endgame includes time-travel, from what I've read.
Anyway, at the end of season five Coulson dies. And I was honestly looking forward to the show without him; BUT NO. We have his doppelganger from... somewhere else in the universe? A parellel dimension? And he's BAD, of course. Or at least, he appears so right now. Who knows?
At least Mack gets to be director of S.H.I.E.L.D. But of course that means breaking up Mack and Elena's relationship. Because that's gonna stick. (It's not. I betcha they'll be back together by the end of the season. Unless one of them dies. AoS has this tendency to include characters of color and then kill them off.)
Honestly, this show. It is RIDICULOUS. But I'm still watching.
I wrote earlier that whether or not I would watch a new Star Wars movie written by Rian Johnson would depend on reviews and word of mouth. The same is true for the two men writing for Game of Thrones, only more so: the show is already in the range of "things I would rather not watch", and their reputation for writing that show doesn't fill me with confidence.
I would much prefer a clean slate; get rid of Johnson and the Game of Thrones men. Call them "creative consultants" if they don't want to go to the trouble of actually firing them. Hire some women, and/or writers and directors of color. Kathleen Kennedy--current president of LucasFilm--once said that she wanted to give more women the chance to direct movies; let her prove it.
Unfortunately, Kennedy's track record in hiring writer/directors is not good so far. Colin Treverrow got fired well before he could film any of episode IX. A significant chunk of Gareth Edward's work on Rogue One was rewritten and reshot by Tony Gilroy. Solo's writer/director team was fired late in making the movie, which led to both a poor reputation and a lack of marketing materials leading up to the film's release.
That leaves JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson. Even they had significant rewrites and reshoots in making VII and VIII, by all accounts. The expenses in creating new films have undoubtedly gone higher than Disney planned, a loud minority of fans are disgruntled (to put it way too politely, but that's a whole other can of toxic worms) and they have the failing box office of Solo as their most recent film.
Given Disney's absolute behemoth status in the entertainment industry, and given the size of the loan they have for the initial acquisition of LucasFilm from George Lucas, I'm not worried about Star Wars ceasing to exist. People will watch blockbuster movies; Disney and LucasFilm are going to try making them. I just wish they would try something other than white male directors for their future films, and maybe make an attempt at having a cohesive, coherent story to tell before creating a new trilogy.
As for Disney's TV ventures, they'll available be on Disney's own platform, which means that they will have to have an AMAZING public reception before I'll consider shelling out money for yet another streaming service.
Anyway, on to TV I'm currently watching. Brooklyn Nine Nine has been uneven this season, with some brilliant and funny episodes, and some real duds. And that's really all I have to say about it.
The Passage got cancelled, to my disappointment. Although I'm not surprised, given the ratings.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is back, and apparently ignoring whatever's going on with the Marvel movie-verse... which is fine. It's already completely confusing as its own thing; adding in "half of humanity died last year" would just make it worse. Especially because Avengers: Endgame includes time-travel, from what I've read.
Anyway, at the end of season five Coulson dies. And I was honestly looking forward to the show without him; BUT NO. We have his doppelganger from... somewhere else in the universe? A parellel dimension? And he's BAD, of course. Or at least, he appears so right now. Who knows?
At least Mack gets to be director of S.H.I.E.L.D. But of course that means breaking up Mack and Elena's relationship. Because that's gonna stick. (It's not. I betcha they'll be back together by the end of the season. Unless one of them dies. AoS has this tendency to include characters of color and then kill them off.)
Honestly, this show. It is RIDICULOUS. But I'm still watching.
no subject
no subject
(Hee. All of this has happened before... and it will happen again.)