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Since the initial announcement of Star Wars: Episode VII, fans of the space opera franchise have been wondering whether or not the Expanded Universe of George Lucas’ galaxy far, far away will be referenced in the new installments. Now, Simon Kinberg, who’s writing one of the non-trilogy new projects, has addressed the question, albeit with an answer that’s both positive and negative.
Interviewed by IGN at this weekend’s WonderCon in Anaheim, California, Kinberg talked about the influence that previous Star Wars material — not simply the two earlier movie trilogies, but also the ancillary spin-off material — will have on the new movies from Disney and Lucasfilm.
STORY: WonderCon: Disney Debuts ‘Star Wars Rebels’ Scene (Video)
Asked if the new movies would look to the Expanded Universe of Star Wars comic books, movies and video games for inspiration, Kinberg said that “You know, it’s not off-limits, and it’s certainly inspiring — I’m working on an animated show for [Lucasfilm] as well, Star Wars: Rebels, that will take inspiration from everywhere, but — I know for the movies, the canon is the canon, and the canon is the six films that exist.”
“I’m definitely not allowed to talk about the content of the Star Wars stuff,” Kinberg said. “I can say that I’m a ridiculously huge fan, I love Boba Fett and I love, obviously, all of the characters in that world. For me — and I know it was true for J.J [Abrams], and Larry Kasdan and Kathy Kennedy and Michael Arndt — it was all about honoring the original movies, and yet wanting to take a step forward, too, and tell a new story.”
Star Wars: Episode VII will be released in December 2015.
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