While we're all crossing our fingers and hoping that the new Star Wars trilogy will be good, it also has an important responsibility: to help us forget about just how bad the prequels were. With a great story to tell, cool characters to introduce and no mention of Jar Jar Binks, J.J. Abrams, Lucasfilm and Disney have a chance to completely revive the legacy. And in a way they've already begun.
Not only was Star Wars:Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D considered a disappointment when it was released in theaters last year, only adding about $43 million to its lifetime box office numbers in 16 weeks, the rest of the prequels won't even be getting the same opportunity. Deadline reports that Lucasfilm has cancelled plans to released 3D versions of both Episode II Attack of the Clones and Episode III Revenge of the Sith so that the company can focus on "rebooting the franchise" with the upcoming trilogy. Originally the movies were going to come out on September 20th, 2013 and October 11, 2013, respectively, but that will no longer be happening.
One could very well interpret this move as the Disney/Lucasfilm team actually trying to move away from the franchise's biggest critical disappointments, which should be a sigh of relief to Star Wars fans. We still have no idea what to expect from Abrams and writer Michael Arndt in Episode VII, but assurance that they're not looking to the prequels for direction is a very good sign.
