First he made more Star Wars, then he made another Indiana Jones film. Then he decided to convert Star Wars into 3D and you can guess the next part…
George Lucas is set to convert his archaeological adventure series into stereoscopic 3D, causing yet another ruckus amongst fans of the films and dividing opinion on whether both franchises are untouchable or not.
The announcement of the Star Wars 3D conversion was met with what was perhaps an unfair amount of cynicism, given that the films were remastered and vastly improved upon their re-release; but there has been some criticism of Lucas for adding to the Indian Jones franchise somewhat needlessly with The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The decision to go 3D with the franchise though, should not be treated with such raw scepticism.
Now that the famous Dr Jones is set to grace our screens again, this time with an added dimension, the onus will be on Lucas to prove that the conversion is a worthy improvement, not a financially motivated decision.
Whilst there will always be a financial incentive involved in any move such as this, with films which are so cherished by legions of dedicated fans there is always the risk of alienating them by detracting from the true charm of the films. However, there is always an option for fans; that is not to watch the 3D conversions. The films have rightly been adored by fans, Star Wars in particular, but there is a sense of preciousness surrounding both franchises.
For fans who are cynical of the conversion process there is this option not to watch the 3D versions, and not to cast aspersions on those fans who are open to the conversion, and the possibility of a new lease of life being breathed into these classics of Hollywood cinema.
Although no official announcement has been made yet, expect it shortly, and expect strong opinions to fly LucasFilm’s way. In the background however, Stephen Spielberg the director of both sets of films, is quietly going about work on his own 3D offering; The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn. The world of 3D is going bananas at the moment, and like some offerings or not, it is exciting times for audiences the world over.