With J.J. Abrams confirmed to direct "Episode VII," our attention now drifts in the "Star Wars" galaxy to a tantalizing new rumor about those purported spinoff films whispered to be released in between the official new trilogy of films. The first "Star Wars" spinoff will be a stand-alone movie about Yoda, Aint It Cool News is reporting.
With its purchase last year of Lucasfilm, Disney plans "to focus on established characters and do solo films" and Yoda will be the first get his very own film, according to AICN.
"The first Stand Alone film is going to center upon YODA. At this stage specifics are sparse, but [President of Lucasfilm] Kathleen Kennedy is putting together a 'STAR WARS' slate," reported Aint It Cool News.
AICN also hinted that there might be Bobba Fett and Jabba the Hutt films in the works as well, noting "Captain America" director Joe Johnston has potentially already written a treatment for a Bobba Fett story and pitched saga creator George Lucas.
"I've also heard tale of a JABBA story that Lucas has floated to some of his buddies. But word is YODA is first," said AICN.
Lucasfilm and Disney haven't commented yet on just what films newly signed screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan ("Empire Strikes Back") and Simon Kinberg ("X Men: First Class") will write. Could Kasdan and Kinberg be helming some of these rumored spinoffs?
We'll have to wait and see but for now but the prospect of stand-alone "character driven" films is enticing enough to say the very least. No doubt many fans are foaming at the mouth at the very idea of a Bobba Fett movie. However, we're not as certain a movie centering on Jedi master Yoda would have the same infectious appeal.
If we do indeed see spinoffs, it would support recent comments made by George Lucas's biographer Dale Pollock.
While conducting research for his unauthorized biography of Lucas, "Skywalking: The Life And Films Of George Lucas," Pollock was allowed to read the outlines to 12 "Star Wars" stories written by the filmmaker, but, of course, was required to sign a confidentiality agreement.
"It was originally a 12-part saga," Pollock revealed to TheWrap. "The three most exciting stories were 7, 8 and 9. They had propulsive action, really interesting new worlds, new characters. I remember thinking, 'I want to see these three movies.'"
Whether the writers of these rumored spinoffs will use Lucas' stories, or just start fresh remains unclear.
Another theory making the rounds suggests the spinoffs could explore fresh cinematic territory in the "Star Wars" cosmos by dipping into the so-called "Expanded Universe" of the series popularized by Sci-Fi author Timothy Zahn. First released in 1991, Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy - a series of novels about Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia set five years after the end of "Return of the Jedi - became surprising bestsellers, and ushered in a new generation of fans for the epic saga.
According to Zahn, he was "briefed" on Lucas' plans for sequels years ago and how the Thrawn books would fit in. "The original idea as I understood it- and Lucas changes his mind off and on, so it may not be what he's thinking right now - but it was going to be three generations," said Zahn to Entertainment Weekly.
"You'd have the original trilogy, then go back to Luke's father and find out what happened to him [in the prequels], and if there was another 7th, 8th, or 9th film, it would be Luke's children. The Thrawn Trilogy really would have fit into the gap," the author said.
Zahn's trilogy, which began with "Heir to the Empire," gets its name from the new villain at its core: a blue-skinned, red-eyed Imperial general, Thrawn, who reconstructs The Empire from the remains of Vader and the Emperor's evil army after the two are killed in "Return of the Jedi."
"It could be an entirely new storyline, but if he picks and chooses bits and pieces from the expanded universe, we'd all be thrilled to death," said Zahn.
Zahn says it's totally possible they could be using his books as source material without his knowledge. The films are a franchise which he doesn't own, thus, LucasFilm owns his books; they don't have to tell him if they want to use parts of, or even his entire story.
"It certainly could be happening," Zahn said. "They have no obligation to touch base. As with any other franchise, once we write something, it's owned by Lucasfilm, as it should be. It's their property."