Lucasfilm recently announced that the upcoming Star Wars movies from Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins are no longer in active development. This news has sent shockwaves through the fanbase, with many wondering what this means for the future of the franchise.
What’s Going on with ‘Star Wars’?
Like DC, it seems as though Lucasfilm has been rethinking what the next generation of Star Wars movies are going to look like. Feige has scrapped the movie all together to start fresh.
Star Wars is a pop cultural icon and beloved staple in the Science Fiction genre. Despite this, the current films have had trouble finding stable footing that resonates with it’s fans and newcomers to the franchise. The Rise of Skywalker hit theatres in 2019 to mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. Despite mixed reviews, the film was a financial success, grossing over $1 billion worldwide. However, it still failed to live up to the high expectations set by the previous films in the series.
In addition to the lukewarm reception to The Rise of Skywalker, Lucasfilm has also faced criticism for its handling of the franchise’s expanded universe. In 2014, the company announced that it was wiping the slate clean of all previous canon.
This included past books, comics, and video games. This decision upset many fans who had invested time and money into the expanded universe. Furthermore, it also alienated some fans who felt that Lucasfilm was more interested in selling merchandise than telling compelling stories.
For the Future of Star Wars, It Might Pay to Look in Other Mediums
While the Skywalker family has been the focus of the main Star Wars films, there are countless other stories to be told in this rich and vibrant universe. Despite the movies not being able to take the same cultural foothold, other mediums seem to be a solid step forward.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, a 2019 action-adventure game, seemed to capture what a lot of fans and newcomers were looking for. The story builds off the known universe, set five years after Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Now, with Jedi: Survivor coming out later this year, fans anticipate another well crafted character driven game that builds on Fallen Order.
The Mandalorian, the hit Disney+ series set in the Star Wars universe, has been widely praised for its fresh take on the franchise and its compelling characters. Lucasfilm could look to build on this success by exploring other corners of the Star Wars universe in future movies.
What’s Next for the Franchise?
So, what can fans expect from the next Star Wars movie? Lucasfilm hasn’t announced any details about the film.
it’s likely that the company will look to bring in fresh talent to help revitalize the franchise. This could mean hiring new writers, directors, and producers who have a vision for where the franchise should go next.
Another possibility is that Lucasfilm could take a more experimental approach to the next movie. With the rise of streaming platforms like Disney+, there’s more room than ever before to take risks and tell stories that might not have been possible in a traditional theatrical release. For example, Lucasfilm could explore other genres using this franchise. For example, Star Wars horror movie or musical.
Regardless of what Lucasfilm decides to do next, it’ will be interesting to see what path forward Lucasfilm takes the cinematic universe.
