The Future Of Star Wars
- Michael
- Jan 14, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 7, 2020
It’s safe to say the last few years of Star Wars has suffered its fair share of ups and downs — with a disappointingly high amount of downs. But now we’ve past the era of the dreaded sequel trilogy, can Disney finally take claim of the brand popularised by George Lucas and bring it back to the franchise behemoth it should be? Only time will tell… But first, let’s look at what the future could have in store for us.

Disney Plus
It’s no secret that Disney has positioned Star Wars as one of the leading brands on their new streaming platform, with the critically appraised The Mandalorian setting off things with a bang. But what can we expect as more and more shows are introduced to the service?
First off, Disney have announced the long-awaited Obi-Wan show to follow up The Mandalorian’s successful debut. With Ewan McGregor confirmed to be reprising his role, we are surely in for a treat. In what form this show will explore the character, we are still yet to find out, but it will likely follow on from the events of Revenge Of The Sith. As you will remember, Obi-Wan was now sworn to protect Luke Skywalker in exile on the desert planet of Tatooine. But don’t think this means we’ll be watching the war-torn Clone Wars veteran slouching around. Something tells me that there are many adventures left to be explored. Perhaps we will witness his discovery of Anakin’s survival or watch him assist an old Jedi friend who survived Order 66? Whatever the showrunners decide to focus on, I am well and truly on board.

Also confirmed is a show featuring Cassian Andor, who you will recall from Rogue One — one of the more praised films of the Disney slate. Details are again slight regarding this, so there’s not much to go on. I can’t say there has been much buzz in the fan community about this announcement, but who knows; it could be great.
Finally, and arguably one of the most pleasing confirmations to come from Disney since their acquisition of Star Wars, animated show The Clone Wars is returning to complete its final series. As someone who has watched all six seasons of the show, I am glad to see it receiving the finale it so desperately demanded. Hopefully now we will get to see Order 66 in full swing.

So, what else can we expect? While none of what I am about to talk about is confirmed, I wouldn’t be surprised to see announcements of these in the near future…
In the vain of exploring characters from the original trilogy, I could see Disney creating a show revolving around Boba Fett. If you remember back a few years now, it was said that a film starring the notorious bounty hunter was set for the silver screen. Alas, this never came to be. So, what better way to revive the idea than in television form. However, with the existence of The Mandalorian, it is possible we may see him show up there in one form or another. But still, a Boba Fett origin series would be a cool diversion from the escapades of its predecessor.
Another idea I have heard floating about the internet is a Luke Skywalker series set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi. There is a large gap to explore as Luke becomes the seasoned Jedi Knight we know ever so well, so there is a justifiable precedent there. Fans have even noted how the Winter Soldier actor, Sebastian Stan, embodies an uncanny resemblance to a younger Mark Hamill, so why not? And if they run out of space to tell new stories between those films, there’s always the time frame before the sequel trilogy. After The Rise Of Skywalker, I am eager to see more of Luke and Leia training together.

Old Made New
If Disney insist on treading old ground in movie form, I think it would be wise to dive into territory relatively unexplored for the general audience. Rogue One was a brilliant example of this, establishing a fresh group of new characters and expanding on our knowledge of the Star Wars universe. Solo, on the other hand, was a classic example of just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. I can’t remember a single person asking for this film, and the relatively tame box office — by Star Wars standards — reflected this.
Now, just because I said Rogue One was a good film does not excuse the relatively dull concept behind it. Similar to Solo, this wasn’t exactly a storyline fans were desperate for. So, what is a good idea for a film? Well, why not a film set during the Jedi Purge? The recently lauded video game Jedi Fallen Order has shown the potential of such a film. This is such an interesting era for Star Wars, with a recently reborn Anakin Skywalker taking on the mantle of Vader and establishing himself as the feared Sith Lord we know and love. How great would it be to see a desperate Jedi trying to outrun Vader? Remember, at this point few are aware of who he is, so this would be a brilliant opportunity to introduce tension and — dare I say — elements of horror.

In a similar vain to this, I wouldn’t be wholly against another Clone Wars-based outing, potentially starring a new cast of Jedi or maybe even clone troopers if Disney are feeling daring. Yes, we have experienced this in animated form, but a film would be able to present this on a grander scale; something akin to the war film perspective of Rogue One would match up well to this concept.
The Old Republic
As with many a Star Wars fan, I was a huge follower of the video game series Knights Of The Old Republic when it debuted back in the days of the original Xbox. Ever since this interesting dive into a previously unexplored time frame in Star Wars lore, we’ve been clamouring to see this era depicted on the big screen.
Across the years, the now non-canon Expanded Universe built on the times of old, presenting a universe flooded with thousands of Sith and Jedi alike and exploring the origins of the iconic ‘Rule Of Two’. For those unaware the Rule Of Two is a concept that restricts the Sith to a single master and an apprentice, ensuring that succession of power can only be achieved once the apprentice is strong enough to challenge the master.

Speaking for myself and a myriad of like-minded fans, this would be a visual and narrative goldmine for Disney to play with. And it would be amazing to see the recurrence of fan-favourite characters, such as Revan and Darth Bane. Of course, you would expect Disney to create new characters as well, hopefully this time free from the influence of their famous predecessors, as has marred the potential of Rey, Finn, Poe, and basically every character in the sequel trilogy.

Ultimately, no matter what direction they decide to embark on, Disney need to stop living in the past and begin to think of new ideas to truly make their mark on the franchise in a way that doesn’t amount to a hoard of angry fans.
Commentaires