Star Wars movies in 3-D, more trilogies: When is more just too much?

When I watched the original Star Wars trilogy as a kid, I was content with what those movies had done. With a compelling storyline and the best villain in movie history, the trilogy created a world that I wish existed. I never wanted much more. I loved the models and puppets they used in the first three. I love the time, effort, and attention to detail that went into them.

Things now are rushed, green-screened, and geared towards kids. I understand it’s cheaper to use green screens and that generating new audiences drives revenue. But come on, George—you have enough money to build your own Death Star. Take a bit of a hit and go back to basics.

But Lucas has promised us many more Star Wars projects in the future, such as reportedly turning all six episodes into 3-D.

Hearing this news isn’t so bad I guess. It might be kind of fun to see the action jump out at you. I can just imagine all the air-punching action by audiences as Darth Maul virtually jumps out of the screen. (Or trying to punch out Jar Jar Binks.)

The downside is that I don’t think transfers work as well as footage actually shot in 3-D.

Perhaps he’ll take out the unnecessary CGI that he put into the special edition versions of the original three? Nah, probably not.

I’ve always hated the Max Rebo Band's song, "Jedi Rocks", that he added in Jabba the Hut’s lair in the re-released Return of the Jedi. I actually yell at the screen when I see it. But I digress.

There has also been talk for a while now of there being a live-action Star Wars TV show, which is scheduled to air sometime in 2011 or 2012. The potential for it is great but, every other idea that Lucas has had past episodes four, five, and six has sucked except for the first few short Clone Wars cartoons. The fact that he is going to write and produce the first season is reason alone not to tune in.

The live action TV show isn’t the worst part. There's a rumour that George Lucas may be making movies out of episodes seven, eight, and nine, or 10, 11, and 12, or episodes much farther into the Star Wars future. Even though the rumour has been squashed by Lucasfilm, it doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.

However, I have a feeling that Lucas’s Jabba-like gullet is possessed by the Dark Side and makes him do terrible things. The only way any of his future projects could be any good is if he doesn’t write or direct them or he goes back to basics with models and puppets.

On a different note, the TV spot for the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II game actually looks pretty good:

Mind you, there’s no actual game play in the commercial but, it looks appealing and having played the demo, found it to be fun.