In one fell swoop we basically see two Star Wars-related news bits confirmed, and by Disney CEO Bob Iger no less. Presumably he would know a thing or two about what Disney has planned.
He revealed today that they are indeed planning a series of Star Wars stand-alone films based on specific characters, which he says are not part of the overall saga. Here's his quote...
"There has been speculation about some stand-alone films that are in development. I can confirm to you today that, in fact, we are working on a few stand-alone films. Larry Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are both working on films derived from great 'Star Wars' characters that are not part of the overall saga. We still plan to make Episodes 7, 8, and 9, roughly over a six-year period of time, starting in 2015. There are going to be a few other films released in that time, too."
So basically this all but confirms today's earlier story about a spinoff Yoda film, while also putting a stamp on last fall's rumors regarding Kinberg and Kasdan. They'll also be consulting on J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: Episode VII, so they're going to be hip deep in Jedi for years, at least through 2012 according to CNBC.
This is a pretty big deal, and reveals a lot about Disney's overall plan. Which characters do you want to see get their own film? Me, I'm rooting for Bossk.
