SilverWook said:

Having the creator involved to some degree is simply a good business idea, not to merely placate the fanboys.

I'm not sure--from a pure money-making perspective, I'm left a little puzzled about what exactly they think they're getting out of his involvement. There is no George Lucas cachet anymore--and hasn't been for decades--your average cinemagoer isn't going to say "Hey, look, a new George Lucas movie--let's see that!" the way they would over Spielberg or even, hell, Apatow. They already have all the branding they can get in the Star Wars name--that's what they paid for, whatever that's still worth. Maybe some additional cachet from the involvement of Harrison Ford and J.J. Abrams, but not much else.

So if what they're getting out of it just isn't a big name they can hang on the film, they must be counting on him to make actual creative contributions. Which leaves me even more puzzled. No, not a good business idea. Not at all.