Star Wars offers something for everyone

This is Star Wars Celebration weekend and it all kicked off yesterday in England. The annual gathering of Star Wars fanatics is met head on with the cast of shows and movies and the head of Lucasfilm and many others. There are fractions of Star Wars fans who complain loudly things are a mess, I am here to clap back at that a bit. Not saying some complaints are not without merit but all is not.

LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: (L-R) Ali Plumb, Kathleen Kennedy, James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy onstage durng the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Disney)

Three new feature films have been announced James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy  will be directing the films. One film will see the return of Rey and is set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker. Another film will focus on the dawn of the Jedi/Force and the third film will be centered around the New Republic.

Ahsoka is by far the most hyped, most anticipated show of the year. It was met with a teaser trailer first thing in the morning:

Some said it is Rebels 2.0. Fair enough, but Star Wars Rebels offers some of the very best content of the franchise. Actor Lars Mikkelsen will appear as a live action Grand Admiral Thrawn after voicing him on Rebels.

While Season 3 of The Mandalorian has felt a bit off fans were told it is all about to come together with the last two chapters of the season and will answer and fill in the gap of unanswered questions to date.

No matter if you did not/ do not like shows like The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi or any other shows, it is fine. There are fans who do like/love them.

With upcoming shows such as Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Skeleton Crew and others remember they have a place in the Star Wars universe. One thing that is interesting of note if Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni said that they were told to take things from all over Star Wars, cannon or non-cannon and bring them into the fold. This is to give the overall arc more body.

LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: Daisy Ridley onstage during the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Disney)

Never forget that Star Wars is about self discovery. If fans can do that then perhaps all Star Wars content can find a path to calming people down with the bigger picture in mind.

 

Is there a future for Star Wars films

With Disney/Lucasfilm’s venture into streaming shows do Star Wars films have a future? The franchise was all but left for dead after “The Rise of Skywalker,” due to backlash from the fan base. Along came “The Mandalorian,” and that pulled Star Wars back up. Along with subsequent shows such as “The Bad Batch,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and others. But, what to make of the lack of film production and news?

D23 EXPO 2022 – The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by VISA – brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event, which takes place September 9, 10, and 11 at the Anaheim Convention Center, provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, series, games, theme parks, collectibles, and celebrities. (The Walt Disney Company via Getty Images)
Mandalorian

Star Wars fans have embraced streaming shows. ‘The Mandalorian,” quickly became a fan favorite. It did so not because it was better than any of the films, but because it went deeper into the Star Wars universe, something fans have been clamoring for, for some time now.

Can Disney/Lucasfilm collect their collective thoughts and revive films? Or for Star Wars has that day come and gone? Even without films the franchise has shown it can overcome and move forward with success. Perhaps, this is indeed the future for Star Wars.

While stand-along films, “Rogue One a Star Wars story” and the grossly underrated, ” “Solo a Star Wars story” were good films, the fan base did not fully embrace the stand-alone concept Star Wars was attempting.

While Disney/Lucasfilm has plans for future Star Wars streaming shows such as “Ahsoka,” “Skeleton Crew,” “The Acolyte,” “Lando,” and others there is either no plans for films or the company is being tight lipped about it.

LAS VEGAS, NV – APRIL 23: An interactive advertisement for the upcoming “Solo: A Star Wars Story” movie is displayed at Caesars Palace during CinemaCon, the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners on April 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

If I had to venture a guess, I suspect at some point, Star Wars will show up in theaters again. It would have to be the right well everything. From director to script to story. The question then switches to would it be a trilogy or stand-alone?

I have to imagine that would largely depend on where streaming shows stand as well as what story would be the focal point for any would be film. For now, fans should be grateful for the current format and content Disney/Lucasfilm is putting out. It has breathed life back into Star Wars and will be interesting to see where it goes.