Star Wars animated series aimed for pre-schoolers a-comin' (you heard me right!)

Now THIS is something I don't like!:

http://iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8755:iesb-exclusive-new-star-wars-animated-series-on-its-way&catid=43:exclusive-features&Itemid=73

"Yes, you are hearing right. IESB has exclusively learned that George Lucas is currently in pre-production on yet another Star Wars animated series. The key demographic? Pre-School to Kindergarten aged children, yes, the Star Wars: Galactic Heroes will be gracing televisions very soon.

The latest from Lucasland a.k.a. Skywalker Ranch is that a director has been brought on board to direct the new series based on the popular line of toys.

The working title for the TV series is believed to be "Squishies."

Uncle George has always had a soft spot for making more money, hmm, I mean children. No word yet if Cartoon Network or its WB sister companies will be airing the series.

A few years ago, when IESB broke the news that both a live action and an animated TV show were in development, we were quite excited about the possibilities, this one on the other hand, just seems like another way for the Lucas Empire to fill up their piggy banks."

You guys are always talking about Lucas milking the cash cow too much, well this is something when he's really milking the cash cow too much (to me). This is something we don't need and it screams "sell out".

Does anyone ever remember Ewoks: the Animated Series? It was aimed at 5-year-olds too. Remember Yoda Stories, the video game for pre-schoolers starring Yoda? How about the some of the toylines out there like Galactic Heroes? I don't know why everyone explodes about "selling out" now, Lucasfilm was partly built on this sort of thing. 5-year-olds are an important demographic to the Star Wars franchise, just like 25-year-olds; the stuff targetted at each group is really no different in principle. The former has Yoda Stories and Squishies, the latter has Knights of the Old Republic and the Live-Action series. They are both about making money and both about making a quality product that appeals to each. Internet nerds never see the big picture.

http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Squishies/topic/11334/

See I don't have a problem if they are honest about the target audience.  If they want to cater to the kiddies, then cater to kiddies only, and don't try to mass appeal it like the Prequels.  The Prequels have Jar Jar Binks who appeals to 5 year olds and Anakin burning up on a Volcano planet for teenagers and adults, as Lucas can't have it both ways.

CO said:

See I don't have a problem if they are honest about the target audience.  If they want to cater to the kiddies, then cater to kiddies only, and don't try to mass appeal it like the Prequels.  The Prequels have Jar Jar Binks who appeals to 5 year olds and Anakin burning up on a Volcano planet for teenagers and adults, as Lucas can't have it both ways.

"Star Wars" has adorable beeping R2D2 and Luke's Aunt and Uncle's burning corpse.

"Empire" has more R2 cuteness, Ugnaut football games, giggling backpack Yoda, and Han being tortured and Luke getting his hand chopped off.

"Jedi" has cute lil Ewoks and Luke being electrocuted.

Lucas obviously CAN have it both ways.  

Lucas has always been going after the preschool/kindergarten market, the funny thing is that it never really works but he keeps trying. There was the wookie holiday special, two ewok movies, droids cartoon, ewoks cartoon, and an ocean of unsold, red-tagged Jar Jar Binks merchandise: none of it was exactly a Smurfs-type phenomenon with little kids. More trinkets is fine I guess. (Lucas doesn't mind that his high-fallutin' NoCal artists' sanctuary is often basically like a Tijuana company that makes paddle-balls).

TheBoost said:

CO said:

See I don't have a problem if they are honest about the target audience.  If they want to cater to the kiddies, then cater to kiddies only, and don't try to mass appeal it like the Prequels.  The Prequels have Jar Jar Binks who appeals to 5 year olds and Anakin burning up on a Volcano planet for teenagers and adults, as Lucas can't have it both ways.

"Star Wars" has adorable beeping R2D2 and Luke's Aunt and Uncle's burning corpse.

"Empire" has more R2 cuteness, Ugnaut football games, giggling backpack Yoda, and Han being tortured and Luke getting his hand chopped off.

"Jedi" has cute lil Ewoks and Luke being electrocuted.

Lucas obviously CAN have it both ways.  

You forgot Slave Leia.

Baronlando said:

Lucas has always been going after the preschool/kindergarten market, the funny thing is that it never really works but he keeps trying. There was the wookie holiday special, two ewok movies, droids cartoon, ewoks cartoon, and an ocean of unsold, red-tagged Jar Jar Binks merchandise: none of it was exactly a Smurfs-type phenomenon with little kids. More trinkets is fine I guess.

 It's interesting that Lucas is SO RIDICULOUSLY SUCCESSFUL that his sideprojects and spin-offs are deemed failures if they don't reach the level of international phenomenon.

(backing away slowly) Jesus Christ, I'll be more respectful of the ewok cartoon in the future.

In some ways, the merchandising existed first--when he was writing Lucas always had the idea of making R2-D2 cookie jars and having action figures and such; merchandising was a key component of Forbidden Planet, Wizard of Oz, Planet of the Apes, etc., and Lucas wanted audiences to have that fun with Star Wars. But since the story didn't take shape long after Lucas started (re)writing, you might say that this merchandise vision pre-dates the version of the story that he actually started pursuing (circa late 1975).

The thing is, the whole notion of "selling out" is primarily based on whether or not you like the film that the anscillary products are based off of. If you love Star Wars, then its really, really fun to have Luke Skywalker underwear and Princess Leia shampoo. But if you hate Phantom Menace, it's annoying to have Jar Jar coloring books and Queen Amidala toothbrushes. The principle is exactly the same though. And Star Wars has never existed without it. The only difference is that the films weren't quite as good in the latter period. And I don't think it's because he doesn't care, I think he just doesn't have the same skill he once did. IMO it really comes down to that. But that's just my view--to people who liked Phantom Menace, it's great that you can have a Queen Amidala toothbrush for the same reason it was great in 1977 to have a Princess Leia shampoo. In principle, Lucas has been fairly consistent actually.

CANON

SilverWook said:

I know there were wind-up Robby the Robots, but I've yet to see Krell Brainboost science kits, and Monsters from the ID plush toys. ;)

Bring em on.

In a world where plush full-sized face-huggers are a reality a plush Id monster would just spin my globes.

As long as it's a bit more tangible than this number:

I still LOL.

Kurgan said:

CANON

*pew pew pew*

Ok, who won?