It’s been some time now since we have heard something concrete about the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII. Wondering if it will tell the same story as the “Expanded Universe” when it comes to the offspring of Han Solo and Leia and so on. Well an official answer from Simon Kinberg (writer/producer of the upcoming film) is…”no.” Not only that, but there’s more news regarding the Expanded Universe.
The official Star Wars website had released this following statement:
“While Lucasfilm always strived to keep the stories created for the EU [Expanded Universe] consistent with our film and television content as well as internally consistent, Lucas always made it clear that he was not beholden to the EU. 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. These stories are the immovable objects of Star Wars history, the characters and events to which all other tales must align.”
The statement then continued with “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. 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. For example, elements of the EU are included in Star Wars Rebels. The Inquisitor, the Imperial Security Bureau, and Sienar Fleet Systems are story elements in the new animated series, and all these ideas find their origins in roleplaying game material published in the 1980s.”
The site also mentions that some of the E.U. books will be kept in print but under the “Star Wars Legends” banner.
Sources: THR, Star Wars.com