Page 1 of 2

Would Disney try to crush it if someone would try to Orville Star Wars?

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 1:29 pm
by Karha of Honor
Would it be worth it financially? Is it possible legally? Is it possible creatively?

Re: Would Disney try to crush it if someone would try to Orville Star Wars?

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 2:44 pm
by TGLS
Viability of Pseudo-Star Wars
Financially? Probably, but don't expect much of a boost from styling like Star Wars, it'll be treated as just another space opera. Legally? Almost certainly; Space Opera is an established genre, and plenty of examples that are similar to Star Wars exist. Creatively? Maybe not. Modern space opera is very ossified and rigidly constructed, especially in film.

Re: Would Disney try to crush it if someone would try to Orville Star Wars?

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:38 am
by Draco Dracul
They probably wouldn't take legal action, but it's a moot point because no studio is going to be willing to spend that kind of money on an untested scifi property unless James Cameron is attached.

Re: Would Disney try to crush it if someone would try to Orville Star Wars?

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:39 am
by Admiral X
Isn't that basically what Space Balls is?

Re: Would Disney try to crush it if someone would try to Orville Star Wars?

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:20 am
by Darth Wedgius
Admiral X wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:39 am Isn't that basically what Space Balls is?
I think Spaceballs is more of a parody than Orville is, and parody has some strong free speech protections. Still Mel Brooks cleared it with George Lucas, and Lucas gave it his blessing as long as no merchandise was made.

Which was too bad, because that flamethrower looked fun.

FWiW, 20th Century Fox did bring suit against Universal for the original Battlestar Galactica encroaching too far on Star Wars, and they settled. Doesn't mean Disney would do what 20th Century Fox did, of course.

Re: Would Disney try to crush it if someone would try to Orville Star Wars?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 2:31 pm
by Nealithi
Darth Wedgius wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:20 am
Admiral X wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:39 am Isn't that basically what Space Balls is?
I think Spaceballs is more of a parody than Orville is, and parody has some strong free speech protections. Still Mel Brooks cleared it with George Lucas, and Lucas gave it his blessing as long as no merchandise was made.

Which was too bad, because that flamethrower looked fun.

FWiW, 20th Century Fox did bring suit against Universal for the original Battlestar Galactica encroaching too far on Star Wars, and they settled. Doesn't mean Disney would do what 20th Century Fox did, of course.
I wanted the lunch box.
But on a more realistic point. Since BSG was allowed to continue. Could Universal put out BSG movies to rival the SW movies?

Re: Would Disney try to crush it if someone would try to Orville Star Wars?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 5:15 pm
by Darth Wedgius
Nealithi wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 2:31 pm
Darth Wedgius wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:20 am
Admiral X wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:39 am Isn't that basically what Space Balls is?
I think Spaceballs is more of a parody than Orville is, and parody has some strong free speech protections. Still Mel Brooks cleared it with George Lucas, and Lucas gave it his blessing as long as no merchandise was made.

Which was too bad, because that flamethrower looked fun.

FWiW, 20th Century Fox did bring suit against Universal for the original Battlestar Galactica encroaching too far on Star Wars, and they settled. Doesn't mean Disney would do what 20th Century Fox did, of course.
I wanted the lunch box.
But on a more realistic point. Since BSG was allowed to continue. Could Universal put out BSG movies to rival the SW movies?
I'd lean toward optimism for that. The original case was settled after BSG went off the air, but nuBSG was allowed to air, so...

Re: Would Disney try to crush it if someone would try to Orville Star Wars?

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 6:20 am
by SlackerinDeNile
Farscape was arguably this concept to some extent.

Re: Would Disney try to crush it if someone would try to Orville Star Wars?

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 5:22 am
by Durandal_1707
DS9's Mirror Universe arc felt a lot like an Orville'd version of Star Wars to me.

Re: Would Disney try to crush it if someone would try to Orville Star Wars?

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 8:21 am
by Karha of Honor
Durandal_1707 wrote: Wed Jan 23, 2019 5:22 am DS9's Mirror Universe arc felt a lot like an Orville'd version of Star Wars to me.
Care to elaborate?