George Lucas originally had the idea for 'Star Wars' standalone movies

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The "Star Wars" franchise will have its first ever standalone movie when "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" opens in theaters on December 16, as another focusing on Han Solo is in production.

But standalone movies within the saga aren't a new idea that came together when Disney bought the franchise along with Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4 billion. 

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy revealed to Entertainment Weekly that "Star Wars" creator George Lucas was already toying with the idea when she joined the company around the time of the Disney purchase.

“He had often thought about doing it and he had actually written down three or four thoughts and ideas, directions you could go," Kennedy said. "Obviously inside the mythology there were lots of opportunities. So that was the first conversation I had.”

Kennedy said that the already announced standalone movies — "Rogue One" and the untitled Han Solo movie — were not Lucas' ideas, however.

“We talked a lot about the Jedi and the foundational ideas that George had thought about when he created the mythology," Kennedy said. "It was sort of spitballing ideas.”

It will be interesting to see if any of the ideas Lucas had written down on paper will one day become movies. 

Plans for more standalone movies have been kept mum with everyone at Disney/Lucasfilm taking a wait-and-see approach to how "Rogue One" does (or so they are saying in public). 

Early projections have "Rogue One" taking in over $130 million its opening weekend.

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