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As Lucasfilm keep on to develop a slating ofStar Warsspinoff films , a troubling pattern has emerged in the projects the studio is considering . Recently , it was revealedthe long - rumored Obi - Wan Kenobi standalone was in former stage , and the powers that be are also discussing possible movies for characters likeYoda , Boba Fett , andeven Jabba the Hutt . It ’s worth direct out that Disney / Lucasfilm has not officially confirmed any of the deed , but the reports indicate they are all at the very least on the board . blend by the studio ’s " one pic per year " release schedule , rooter should n’t expect these to hit theaters until 2021 at the early - conform to the premieres ofThe Last Jedi , Han Solo , Episode IX , andIndiana Jones 5between now and 2020.When the Mouse House larn Lucasfilm in 2012 and first discuss the anthology serial , they represented something exciting for theStar Warsfranchise . While the renowned Skywalker saga continued with a subsequence trilogy , continuing the stories of original trilogy characters as they pass the torch to a young coevals , extra pic in the larger series would flesh out the universe by show the galaxy far , far away is so much larger than just the opera of one category . However , what ’s been reveal about the spinoffs in the geezerhood since illustrates a surprising want of vision on Lucasfilm ’s part as they attempt to emulate the Marvel Cinematic Universe recipe of giving everyone a movie . Arguably , that approach shot is n’t the best fit forStar Wars .
Star Wars Is Smaller Than Marvel
Kicking off with the originalIron Manin 2008 and in truth becoming the pop culture phenomenon it is today withThe Avengersin 2012 , the MCU popularized the melodic theme of the share universe film franchise . In the wake of Earth ’s Mightiest smashing box office record and earning plus reviews , other studio look to copy that achiever with their own properties . plainly , Warner Bros. quickly travel the DC Extended Universe through the pipeline , but other attack let in brand that were not part of the comic Koran genre , likeTransformers(which put together a writers room ) andStar warfare .
Part of the reason Marvel Studios ' approaching worked so well is because they were translate what hap in the cartoon strip to the adult screen . Superheroes like Iron Man , Captain America , and Thor all have their own standalone series and would cross path in particular lines likeThe Avengers . As something that had never been attempted on picture , Marvel was film a bit of a risk when they put this plan into action , but they had a solid foundation . The comic have been write for tenner , with each title having more than enough stuff to make a trilogy . There is also a nice variety . Yes , all Marvel production are under the same umbrella , but the characters are singular in their own recess of the universe . AnIron Manfilm is different fromGuardians of the Galaxy ; andGuardiansis different fromSpider - homo : Homecoming . It ’s expansive and right for years of tentpole plastic film .
In demarcation , Lucasfilm is working with a far small foundation . ThoughStar Warsis set in a galaxy far , far off with a fat mythology , the franchise was originally conceived as a mere throwback to the oldFlash Gordonserials George Lucas determine in his youth , inhabit by a tight - crumple plaster cast of characters in a fib of commodity against evil . Han Solo ’s allusions to his past adventures , casual mentions of the Clone Wars , and Obi - Wan ’s expression on Anakin / Darth Vader were world - build shaft to make theStar Warsuniverse seem more like ours . Several of these backstory detail were peanut in the grand dodging of things ( the 2 - hourRogue Oneis summarise up in a time of text creeping ) and gave the original trilogy movies a sense of chronicle . They were n’t necessarily the found pad for full - blown spinoffs . For nearly 40 years , many people were fine not knowing exactly how the Rebels stole the Death Star plans or the circumstances that brought Han and Chewbacca together .
The level here is that whileStar Warshas the show of a giant , ever - expanding creation , the series as currently constructed is much smaller than some might think . Even in the heyday of the old Expanded Universe , all of the tale wereStar Warstales that feel like they were part of the same world . Lucasfilm ’s unchanging is n’t nearly as full as Marvel ’s , which limits their option when stress to issue forth up with standalone movies that complement the saga episode . Right now , they appear to be handcuffed by what was established in the initial six movies , a time full stop that in - creation spans around 35 year and has already had a legal age of its most substantial stories told through a kind of political platform . Unless the story group design on ever really expanding apparent horizon to go either agency into the past or future , they may have overestimated what they thought they had . As the old expression goes , some things are better left unnamed , and some may marvel what there is to gain from the standalones in development .
Rethink the Spinoff Strategy?
It made sense for the first duet ofStar Warsanthologies out the logic gate to play things relatively safe and lean on the familiar for selling purposes . They were self - proclaimed experiment for Lucasfilm , and they were n’t sure how people would react . Rogue Onehitting the $ 1 billion mark worldwide was a huge deal , and Lucasfilm chairwoman Kathleen Kennedy said at Celebration Orlando its successgave the studio trust when it came to developing more spinoffs . Some may have interpreted that comment as Lucasfilm look to truly look beyond the saga and get " weird " with movie ideas . Instead , the lesson they ’ve learned seems to be keep packaging nostalgia .
When score the prequels , Lucas was chew out by the fan basis for answering questions that were never ask in the first place . Nearly 20 twelvemonth afterThe Phantom Menace , viewers still flap their heart at midichlorians and Anakin building C-3PO . At first blush , many of the spinoffs Lucasfilm is working on in the Disney era execute the peril of falling into the same lying in wait . The motley response to the macrocosm ofHan Soloillustrates not everyone need to lie with what the smuggler was up to beforeA New Hope . A Yoda spinoff seems to have nowhere to go other thancompletely demystify the wise Jedi Master . Jabba the Hutt is a head - scratcher , as the offence lord was a petty threat in the original trilogy to round out Han ’s level . It might be fun for die - hard fan to see his rise to mightiness in something akin to a Martin Scorsese video , but does n’t issue forth across as necessary . EvenRogue One , which was led by all - new heroes and villains , succumbed to prequelitis by over - explain the Death Star ’s failing and finally revealing why Luke Skywalker is Red 5 during the Battle of Yavin .
Of of course , Star Warsis much more than just a series of films now , and live in a overplus of mediums . Several of the spinoffs presently in development phone like they would be easily dish as a novel or funny series , which currently fill in gap in canyon and serve the principal purpose of giving hard-core fans new mental object to enjoy in between films . Obviously , a movie generate more revenue than a book ( ticket sale , marketing , home media release ) , so there are unmortgaged business organization incentives to turn Han ’s juvenility into a tentpole or give Boba Fett top - billing , but from an esthetic linear perspective they are n’t exactly inspiring choice . It ’s safe to say a novel titledHan and Chewie : Smugglers At Largewould sire more interest ( within the die - backbreaking fan biotic community , at least ) than a film starring a unlike histrion as the legendary theatrical role . The numerous product woes bothRogue OneandHan Solohave gone through further illustrate the knavish nature of these particular films and how hard it is to adhere to what came before while also trying something new .
In the early twenty-four hour period of the MCU , Marvel rely on their " B - listing " roll for their movie slate before jump-start into more obscure holding likeGuardians of the Galaxy . In their case , they had to ramp up up their brand over a few age to establish a sense of trust with general audience and can now twist anything into a crash hit . It ’s true this loop ofStar Warsis still in it ’s infancy , but the franchise has been at the forefront of the zeitgeist for four decennary and could sell anything because of its reach . The surreptitious trickThe Force Awakenspulled off was limiting the comportment of the returning veteran soldier in merchandising to labour newcomer like Finn , Rey , and Kylo Ren . Episode VIIgrossed $ 247.9 million in its opening weekend and made $ 936.6 million just because it was the return ofStar Wars . Everyone was intrigued by the unseasoned characters and want to see where they ’d go . A spinoff set in theKnights of the Old Republicera would probably do respectable clientele , but Lucasfilm is almost terrible if they do n’t stick by so intimately to the episode , fan wo n’t turn out in drove .
Conclusion
We previously made the line of reasoning that it was a estimable thingthe spinoffs were connected to the saga , but ended with the caution that after Lucasfilm ’s " stage 1 , " they ’d be wise to go off in radically different directions . Unfortunately , it does n’t seem that is in the carte , as all of the spinoffs recently said to be in development have potent tie to the episodes as Lucasfilm go down the list of original trilogy characters . Some would argue it interpret as a burlesque of aStar Warsfilm slate someone would facetiously write after the Disney / Lucasfilm accomplishment . Just about any franchise could get this treatment and detail the backstories of all its principal players , but that does n’t mean it ’s a effective estimate . As Rian Johnson aver , a story is n’t a Wikipedia page .
Granted , all of these movies are but idea that are being discourse and may not ever see the light of daylight . The post - Episode IXfuture ofStar Warsis very much up in the tune , and nothing is a guarantee . Still , it ’s a piddling concerning Lucasfilm has such a limited viewpoint for what the spinoffs can be , and it would be nice if they rid themselves from the constraints of the saga to create brand young narration set in other eras of galactic history that do not have to call back to what audiences already roll in the hay . Or , since once upon a timeStar WarsandRaiders of the Lost Arkwere original ideas from the mind of George Lucas , the studio that digest his name could be more like Pixar than Marvel and evolve the occasional original IP to complement their hard cash cows .
MORE:Why A Yoda Spinoff Movie Is A Terrible Idea
