Disney's Risky Star Wars Plan

In the last couple of days, Disney and Lucasfilms released the second teaser for this Christmas's upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Not only is it a better teaser than the one released last winter, but it also gives a much better look at the film. I personally am impressed and happy to see that The Force Awakens (Episode 7) seems to be much closer in tone and style to the original trilogy. The effects seem far less cartoony than those of the prequels which is most welcome. Also welcome is the return of original cast members Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. What kind of film we get this Christmas remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: it's likely to be a huge hit.

While there's nothing wrong with Disney moving forward with a sequel trilogy (episodes 7, 8 and 9) I do have serious doubts about their other plans. While these sequels will be released in 2015, 2017 and 2019, it's those years in between that pose a huge risk for Disney and Star Wars itself. In those "off years", Disney plans on releasing a spin-off film. Star Wars: Rogue One is already slated for release in December 2016. However, this film will not be part of the sequel trilogy. Thus poses one of several risks Disney is taking. But first, let's look at their reasoning for this strategy.

Marvel Studios (which is currently owned by Disney, by the way) releases one or two of their movies every year. This has proven to be quite a success as the movies that fall into the "Marvel Cinematix Universe" are the biggest hits of recent years. I'm taking about the Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and of course The Avengers movies which all play in the same universe and are interconnected. Despite these relations, each film still follows their own characters in their own settings with some minor and major characters moving from film to film. Their strategy works because each lead character and each setting is different enough that there's little risk of confusing one movie from the next.

This has worked out both creatively and financially for Marvel and it's this formula that Disney seeks to duplicate with Star Wars. But Star Wars presents plenty of risks when tackling this strategy.

Risk #1: It's All Star Wars

One notable thing about the title of The Force Awakens (aside from having a cooler title than any of the prequels) is that it abandons the use of Episode VII. While personally don't have a problem with this and actually prefer it, the spin-offs will all subsequently follow the same practice. Thus increases the risk that casual moviegoers will go to the theater in December 2016 and expect to see the sequel to The Force Awakens. Instead, they'll find narratively unrelated Star Wars film. As a result, casual moviegoers may be turned off from going to see Episode 8 in 2017 because they won't know if they're getting a sequel to The Force Awakens, Rogue One or just another spin-off. With the Marvel movies, each standalone movie falls under their own character's name thus removing the risk of any confusion.

The easiest solution to this problem would be for Disney to just release the sequel trilogy every other year first and then launch into their spin-off movies. That way moviegoers won't risk getting confused between now and 2019 when the last of the sequel trilogy films is released.

Risk #2: The Characters

The biggest appeal of The Force Awakens is being able to see Luke, Han and Leia again. It's one of the film's big selling points and why the new teaser both includes a VoiceOver by Mark Hamill and the last shot being Han and Chewie. The sequels will primarily feature new characters but including familiar characters will bring a sense of familiarity to The Force Awakens so that those who are hesitant after the prequels will get a chance to see old faces while gettin to know new faces.

With the spin-offs, this familiarity is quite unlikely. While there's the potential to see a Han Solo origin story or a film featuring a young Princess Leia in the early days of the rebellion, they won't be played by Harrison Ford or Carrie Fisher. Moviegoers may not be as willing to accept younger actors in the roles especially if they still get to see the original actors every other year.

But the greater risk is that these will be new characters or ones featured only in novels or comics. If so, only the most die hard of fans will be excited to go to see characters who they alone are familiar with. While most moviegoers aren't very familiar with all of the Marvel superheroes, they at least have an idea of who Captain America and Iron Man are. The same cannot be set for Mara Jade.

Risk #3: The Setting

By the time Marvel released Guardians of the Galaxy, considered to be their B-level comic line, they had established their universe with almost ten movies before expanding it further. While there will have been seven Star Wars movies by the time Rogue One is released, the Star Wars universe is much more vast and covers a much larger period of time. All of Marvel's movies fall into the same time period, thus the dynamics of the universe are pretty much the same.

With Star Wars, if you tell a Han Solo or even a Yoda origin story, you're taking the franchise into different eras with each film. In a Yoda origin story, the Empire will have yet to exist. If you follow another character during a time between Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars (I will never refer to it as A New Hope), the Empire is in power under the Emperor. By jumping from one era to the next, you risk losing your casual audience. You can't have the Empire in power in one movie and then not in the next Star Wars movie. Those who don't follow movie news on the web will become lost and not know where they're at in the big picture story. If they get lost, they'll stop going to the theater.

Not to mention, you run the risk of space battles, blaster shoot-outs and lightsaber battles looking alike. People may start to feel one film isn't very different from the last one they saw.

Risk #4: Oversaturation

This is a risk that even Marvel runs especially with DC planning to release their own cinematic universe derived from Man of Steel. People will only be able to take so many superhero movies for so long.

The same can be said for Star Wars. The great thing about Star Wars for so long was that it was unique and rare. There were only so many stories to be seen. Now, though, there have been two animated series about the Clone Wars and now a third series is on the air about the early days of the rebellion. It's becoming not so rare anymore and now with the introduction of spin-offs in addition to the sequel trilogy, Star Wars movies and TV series will be all over the place. People might feel enough is enough, especially if the quality doesn't hold up. For a perfect example, look at the diminishing success of Star Trek in the late-90s into the earl-2000s when quality dropped because there were almost 800 TV episode. Only so many stories can be told that feel fresh. As I mentioned above, lightsaber duels and space battles can only be done so many ways so many times before they start to feel stale and old.

Risk #5: Even Regular Fans May Not Be Interested

You better believe that when Han Solo and Luke Skywalker return to theaters, I plan on being there to watch. But I personally have little interested in seeing Rogue One or even any potential Yoda or Han Solo origin stories. I'll go see the sequels but I'm gonna need to be sold on any of the spin-offs for me to not wait for them to hit DVD.

Thus presents the biggest risk: even big fans may cherry pick which films they go to see. The most die hard fans will likely go see anything Star Wars, but there are going to be those who decide to skip the spin-offs and just see the sequel trilogy, like myself.

I guess only time will tell how successful Disney's strategy will be. While I'm sure it may start off quite profitable for them, eventually that profitability will likely drop off. I, for one, only hope that the quality stays high especially with the sequel trilogy.

Time will tell.

Of course, I can't help but post the trailer!

Nissan's Impressive New Ad Campaign

This evening, my wife and I were watching TV with our son when we saw a new ad for Nissan. In it, a boy and his father (driving a Nissan) get into a race with a school bus to see who would get to school first. That's right...a school bus!

Needless to say, the Nissan won. But I didn't find it very encouraging that the whole concept of this commercial revolved around the promise that a Nissan would beat a school bus. As a school bus driver, I can assure you that it's not very difficult to beat a school bus.

Either Nissan overestimates the power of a school bus or their cars have finally just now achieved the ability and power to drive faster than a school bus!

Just saying...

The Jets Are Playoff Bound!

Well, Jets fans, it's finally happening! After 19 years, playoff hockey is returning to Winnipeg. It would've been nice if the Jets had actually won last night instead of limping over the finish line by going into overtime (and an assist from a Calgary victory over LA) but they're on their way.

It's been quite a year for the Jets and for a time during the second half of this season, it looked like they might blow it. But the Jets held on and considering they were competing in the best division in the NHL (every team earned at least 80 points) it's quite an accomplishment, one that has gotten a lot of attention from hockey analysts and sports writers who have loved this story all season.

I, personally, don't have high expectations for the Jets. Only twice in team history (I'm counting only the teams known as the Jets) have they cleared first round and both times were swiftly eliminated. Still, though, it's nice to see some success from the Winnipeg Jets. They have one game left tomorrow night but have still earned more points than at any other point in team history with 97 points. They're currently 1 win shy of the team high, but still 42 is a good number of wins. They've done really well and hopefully this is the start of a renaissance for the Winnipeg Jets.

Now if only the Blue Jays could get their act together...

Retaking an Old Test

Take the Star Trek Quiz I recently retook an old test while perusing my blog and my how things have changed in the last 6 years!

Why Conservatives Are Scared of Jeb Bush

Conservative Republicans claim that if Jeb Bush gets the nomination for President, he will lose because he's not conservative enough. They say that he and Hillary Clinton might as well run on the same ticket because there is no difference between the two of them. But what scares Conservatives about Jeb Bush isn't that he's too liberal. What scares them is that he's willing to run as a moderate without trying to appease the conservative base to get the nomination and can win without kissing their butts to win the Presidency. They fear that he's right.

For seven years, Conservatives like Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingram have been saying that the reason John McCain and Mitt Romney both lost to Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 is because they were too moderate. I disagree. I think the problem they both had was that instead of sticking to their guns, both McCain and Romney (especially Romney) ran for over a year trying to appease the conservative base and then made a pivot to the middle during the general election. Voters recognized this and we're confused by who they were getting.

The truth is, the 2008 election would've gone badly for Republicans regardless of who was their candidate. A Republican President, Geore W. Bush was residing over two seemingly endless and unpopular wars and both the house market and general economy began to crash in a scope not seen since the Grest Depression. Add to that, a young Barack Obama was touting hope and change, promising a better tomorrow in a way that energized and united Americans not seen in decades. John McCain was probably the only Repuvlican who not only would've done as well as he did but who had an actual shot at winning. Anyone else would've been in for an epic shallaking not seen since Reagan's re-election in 1984. Yet after McCain lost, Conservatives asserted that a "True Conservative" would've won instead of admitting that it was just going to be a brutal election for them.

2012, however, was different. The economy was in a sluggish recovery with most Americans still dissatisfied with the state of the country. Division in Washington was at it's worst, going contrary to Obama's campaign promise of uniting the country and setting aside politics. Obama was weak and Republicans had a shot at unseating him. Yet the Republican primary proved a circus with a revolving door of front runners who each couldn't justify their campaign for President besides "anyone but Obama". The eventual nominee, Mitt Romney, was a moderate Republican who served as governor in a very liberal state. He struggled throughout the primaries to win Conservatives who warned that he wasn't conservative enough. But to get the nomination, he took up far right positions which he then tried to turn back in the general election. He also faile to define himself and his candidacy and sell it to the American people. Through it all, Conservatives weren't sold on his candidacy either. Only when Romney obliterated Obama in the first Presidential debate did Conservatives fully embrace and accept him. Alas, come election night they were all disappointed once again. Obama handily own and the attack dogs were immediately turned on Romney as the same-old line of "a True Conservative would've won" was brushed off and used. The problem with Romney was the perception people had that he was an ultra-rich elitist with elevators for his cars who enjoyed firing people and who wrote off 47% of the country as never voting for Republicans because they enjoy their government hand outs. Ironically, Romney received roughly 47% of the vote. He could've and should've own but didn't not because he wasn't Conservative enough but because he tried having one foot in Conservative ground while also trying to claim the middle. People didn't buy it.

Which brings us to today. Another election is upon us and another Bush is ready to run for President. So far it appears that Jeb Bush doesn't plan to play to the Conservative base by taking up all their positions but instead intends to keep positions which are more moderate. This has led Conservative radio hosts to say that he's no better than Hillary Clinton and that he will lose if nominated. Truth be told, of the possible Republican candidates out there, Jeb Bush is the likeliest to win without pivoting to the right to get the party's nomination. And that frightens Conservatives.

If Bush loses, Conservatives will declare victory that they were right and that 2020 needs a True Conservative. But if Bush wins, he'll prove that a moderate Republican can win without playing to the Conservative base and thus render people like Limbaugh obsolete. Of course, in all likelihood if Bush wins then Conservatives will say they carried him over the finish line by rallying behind him. It was the line they had prepared on Election Day 2012.

The only way Conservatives will learn that their approach is detrimental to this country and ony increasing the divide within our government is for a True Conservative (someone like Ted Cruz) to lose the general election. This will prove them wrong and force the party back to the middle and hopefully help our government to work again.

Of course, chances are that if someone like Ted Cruz does lose, Conservatives won't learn a thing and will continue their pattern of insanity by doing the same thin over and over again to the same results.

Disney Is Genius

In late-2013, the animated branch of Disney released a little movie called Frozen. Said film has gone on to become the highest grossing animate movie of all-time with merchandising galore that can be found all over the place. Even the ABC series Once Upon a Time has introduced the Frozen characters into their storyline. Little girls sing the songs (I've heard them regularly on multiple buses since last winter) and even dress up as the princesses on for Halloween. There's no denying that Frozen is one of Disney's best animated movies in years and has impacted pop culture like none of their other movies have since 1991's Beauty and the Beast. A year-a-half after Frozen's release, there is no end in sight for this hysteria.

While watching Disney Jr. with my son Nicky, I recently saw a commercial that I found to be most brilliant. While Disney just recently announced plans for a sequel, they have also done an animated short film called Frozen Fever. The promo I recently watched treated this short as though it was a full-length feature film but also told us the only way to see it. You see, the only way to see Frozen Fever is by going to the theater to see the one movie that it's playing in front of; their live-action remake of Cinderella.

The moment I heard "to see Frozen Fever go see Cinderella only in theaters" I was blown away by the brilliance of this move! It's not customary for an animated short film to get a TV ad but Disney did it while telling us how to see it! If I had a daughter, I knew the first thing she would've said to me is "Let's go see Frozen Fever!" It wouldn't have mattered that we'd have to see Cinderella to do so; all she would be interested in is seeing Frozen Fever. I'm sure that's precisely what Disney intended and is likely what happened. I find this move to be brilliant as it capitalizes on the success of Frozen and makes it more likely that Cinderella will be quite profitable for the studio.

I fully expect that not only will there be further animated shorts spun from the Frozen world, but that they will also be promoted in similar fashion.

Nicky in Winter

We've had a good bit of snow dumped on us in the DC area over the past month. Fairfax County Public Schools have closed 10 times since the New Year due to either record low temperatures or snow.

During our last big storm that unloaded about a half foot of snow, Maggie and I decided to bundle Nicky up in his snowsuit and take him into the backyard. The result was less than successful as he wasn't too crazy about his snowsuit. There's always next year, I guess!

Bye-Bye Weather Channel

This afternoon my wife Maggie and I came home from a long afternoon at a doctor's appointment for Nicholas, turned on the TV and discovered AccuWeather in place of The Weather Channel. It turns out, our cable provider Verizon FiOS had decided, with little warning, to not renew their agreement to broadcast The Weather Channel. There was little warning unlike last year's well-advertised dispute between TWC and DirectTV.

It's entirely possible that this is merely a negotiating tactic by Verizon FiOS to cut a better deal with TWC (DirectTV went on to pick TWC back up). There are also two other big factors. One; anyone with a Smart Phone, Internet access or tablet can almost instantly look up their current forecast. And two; The Westher Channel doesn't do much forecasting these days.

In recent years, The Weather Channel has tried to stay up-to-date with current American television trends, including reality TV. As a result, most of TWC's programming includes shows about wind turbines, swordfish boats, the Coast Guard and even good miners. While I'm sure these shows would find a respectable home on networks such as TLC or The Discovery Channel, I find that there's little place for most of them on a channel that is primarily about weather forecasting...or was at one point. It's often frustrating to turn to TWC to see what tomorrow's weather holds only to find a four-hour marathon of people digging in a mountain trying to find gold. Of course, it doesn't help that lately it seems TWC forecasts have been pretty awful.

While I recognize the importance of The Weather Channel, I believe that in today's age of information technology they are in danger of becoming obsolete as long as they continue this programming trend. If they wish to stay relevant and not be dropped my cable providers, they should go back to regularly forecasting the weather and do less reality programming. Until that happens, I'm not lamenting the loss of The Weather Channel from our available channels.

Who Shouldn't Be Trusted?

Since President Obama and his administration began negotiations with Iran to dismantle their nuclear weapons program, Republicans nationwide have been critical. They claim that the talks (which include countries such as Britain, France and Russia, to name a few) are a waste of time. They say that all Obama and his people are doing is guaranteeing that Iran will soon have The Bomb. These warnings were recently echoed by the Israeli Prime Minister in an address to Congress (that whole debacle is a whole other issue of it's own). They believe that the best approach is to isolate and sanction and, if need be, bomb Iran. They also say the Iran may not hold to any agreement and should not be trusted.

While there is no guarantee that these talks will work (Obama himself has said they might not), it is better to try and fail then to not try at all. Besides, the Republican approach has proven so successful at preventing Iran's acquisition of a nuclear weapon! Note: I was being sarcastic.

Unfortunately, Republicans have now taken their objections and opposition of Obama's efforts to a whole new level. Today, a group of Congressional Republicans sent a letter to the leader of Iran "reminding" him of the U.S. Constitution and that any deal needs to be approved by Congress and that any deal is with Obama alone. They went as far as to say that Obama will be out of office in 2017 and that his successor could alter or back out of the deal with the stroke of a pen.

This is a new low for Republicans. Not only are they undermining Obama's efforts, they are also signaling that they would prefer war to peace. In saying that the next President could change the deal if he or she wants, Republicans have declared that we, the United States of America, are the ones to not be trusted and that we will do whatever we want regardless of our word. If these talks collapse in the coming weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if this move by Republicans will have been part of it. They have also all but guaranteed that a vote for Republicans in 2016 is a vote for war. How clear cut of a choice can you get?

Funny Star Wars

It's been a while since I last posted but I found a couple pictures that I'd like to share in preparation for the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII in late 2015! Enjoy!

A very good warning about Darth Vader for adults and children alike!