Star Wars Episode 7 News: With how rich in terms of story, characters, and possibilities the Star Wars Universe is, it is only natural for many fans, developers, and TV studios to expand, branch out, and write their own versions to link with the legacy George Lucas has imparted. However, recent reports say that George Lucas has clarified all these add-ons and spinoffs as non-canon.
"[George] Lucas always made it clear that he was not beholden to the EU [Expanded Universe]. He set the films he created as the canon. This includes the six Star Wars episodes, and the many hours of content he developed and produced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars," Lucasfilm stated in a recent blog post on the matter. "These stories are the immovable objects of Star Wars history, the characters and events to which all other tales must align."
I don't think anyone would argue with that - even if we might argue with Lucas' decision to helm the prequels himself. The next part is where things get serious.
"In order to give maximum creative freedom to the filmmakers and also preserve an element of surprise and discovery for the audience, Star Wars Episodes VII-IX will not tell the same story told in the post-Return of the Jedi Expanded Universe."
It is understandable that this announcement is to give the fans a clearer insight between what is real and not. In fact, it's so expansive that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has decided to specifically hire a story group that oversees and coordinates the creation of all things Star Wars, in case we get something like Patton Oswalt's proposed Star Wars/Marvel/Clash of the Titans crossover that fans all secretly and desperately want.
"While the universe that readers knew is changing, it is not being discarded. Creators of new Star Wars entertainment have full access to the rich content of the Expanded Universe," the statement continued.
"We have an unprecedented slate of new Star Wars entertainment on the horizon," Kennedy added. "We're set to bring Star Wars back to the big screen, and continue the adventure through games, books, comics, and new formats that are just emerging. This future of interconnected storytelling will allow fans to explore this galaxy in deeper ways than ever before."
