As someone who grew up with Star Wars being a significant part of my childhood, I can’t help but feel a mix of emotions when I read about its journey at Disney. On one hand, it’s heartening to see that the franchise I loved is still going strong, expanding into new realms and captivating audiences worldwide. Yet, as a seasoned moviegoer, I can’t help but notice some of the bumps along the road.
In the movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there’s a scene where Rey and Finn are running from stormtroopers and trying to find an escape route. When they see the iconic Millennium Falcon, Rey initially comments that it looks like junk, but then she quickly changes her mind: “This junk will do!
More and more fans seem to adopt an opinion towards Disney’s Star Wars shows that goes something like this: “Sure, it may not be as incredible as before, but since it’s still Star Wars, it’ll manage somehow.
It’s important to note that Disney’s Star Wars productions are not just ordinary sci-fi content. They often receive rave reviews from critics, and their box office earnings and streaming ratings are the envy of most other studios – although they come with a significant price tag.
Let’s take a look at the entirety of Disney’s Star Wars legacy so far, from The Force Awakens to the upcoming The Acolyte. We can then try to deduce some insights as there are certain areas within their track record that seem questionable: For instance, a five-film series that was halted due to dwindling box office earnings. Also, six live-action TV shows, with only one of them achieving multi-season success. Furthermore, an astounding number of projects initiated and then left unfinished, much like abandoned starships on Bracca. And lastly, a highly ambitious roleplay hotel that was shut down following less than two years of operation.
It’s worth considering whether Disney might struggle with Star Wars, or if the combination of sky-high expectations and intense fan feedback could be overshadowing the fact that this franchise remains highly successful and profitable. Let’s delve deeper…
THE FILMS: “LET THE PAST DIE, KILL IT IF YOU HAVE TO”
Following the acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney in 2012, they reintroduced Star Wars as a trilogy franchise in 2015 with J.J. Abrams’ movie “The Force Awakens”. This film proved to be an enormous box office success. However, rather unexpectedly and ultimately problematically, Disney didn’t seem to have a well-structured creative strategy for the following two movies at that time (or at least one that was consistently adhered to).
2017’s The Last Jedi, directed by Rian Johnson, introduced a new twist in the Star Wars story that divided fans. Contrastingly, J.J. Abrams returned with 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker to steer the plot back towards his original plans. In improv class, comedians are taught to affirm and build upon ideas, saying “Yes, and…” Even though this can be difficult, the studio and Abrams seemed more inclined to say, “No, but…” (Rey is not significant. In fact, she’s a descendant of Palpatine!). This resulted in a trilogy that reflects conflicting creative ideas. While George Lucas took a more improvisational approach with his initial series, it was easier for him to preserve the saga’s unity since he directed all the films himself.
As a gamer, I’d say it like this: “The success at the box office spoke volumes too. While Disney’s Marvel movies were consistently shattering ticket sale records with each new release, Star Wars: Force Awakens raked in an extraordinary $2 billion globally, followed by a significant drop for Star Wars: The Last Jedi to a staggering $1.3 billion, and then Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker made a cool $1 billion – still a mind-blowing figure. These numbers are jaw-dropping for any film, but the trend was concerning; when the third installment of a new franchise sold half as many tickets as the first, it’s safe to say we may have taken a wrong turn somewhere.
At approximately the same period, the studio attempted two independent films. One was the visually stunning yet inconsistent “Rogue One,” released in 2016, which initially received mixed reviews but has since gained more appreciation, generating $1 billion. The other was “Solo,” launched in 2018, that underperformed for the franchise, raking in only $393 million. Both films experienced production troubles, with their original directors being replaced mid-shooting and subsequent reshoots.
Following the release of “Rise of Skywalker”, Disney temporarily halted production on large-screen Star Wars films, yet kept announcing upcoming projects from renowned creators. The list of notable writers and directors who have been involved and then departed is quite amusing: Rian Johnson (originally tapped to create a new trilogy), David Benioff and Dan Weiss (also recruited for a trilogy), Patty Jenkins, Colin Trevorrow, Damon Lindelof, David S. Goyer, Josh Trank, Guillermo del Toro, Taika Waititi, and Marvel’s Kevin Feige. Some of their projects were initially teased as definite productions only to later vanish, while others remained unannounced entirely.
In a studio known for its precision, the current state of Star Wars projects appears rather disorganized. However, it’s plausible that the studio is striving to ensure these Star Wars films are extraordinary. Several projects are still in development: James Mangold is working on a “Dawn of the Jedi” movie, Shawn Levy is busy with an untitled film, Jenkins’ “Rogue Squadron” was revived this year, and Lindelof’s film featuring Daisy Ridley’s Rey has been handed over to director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. The question remains which, if any, of these projects will eventually be produced.
Despite continually releasing news about films, Disney primarily shifted its attention towards bringing Star Wars to their Disney+ streaming platform on the television front.
THE SHOWS: “I CAN BRING YOU IN WARM OR I CAN BRING YOU IN COLD”
Once more, Disney made a powerful start with the release of Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian. This series, debuting in 2019 on Disney+, almost single-handedly turned the platform into an immediate success, impressed critics and viewers, and was even nominated for an Emmy in the best drama category. Interestingly, The Mandalorian demonstrated that live-action Star Wars on television was feasible – it’s surprising to recall that this show was seen as a significant risk at the time, considering Favreau was also responsible for launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2008’s Iron Man. However, in its third season, The Mandalorian experienced a creative dip, ratings dipped slightly, and for the first time, it faced criticism.
Rather than releasing the fourth season of The Mandalorian, Disney chose to transform it into their first Star Wars feature film since The Rise of Skywalker, set for release in 2026 as The Mandalorian & Grogu. While expectations are high for its success, it seems Disney may have spent numerous years and substantial resources developing a new Star Wars movie, only to find that an extended episode of their television series presented the most promising concept.
2021 saw the spin-off of “The Mandalorian,” titled “The Book of Boba Fett.” This is where some initial issues with the franchise’s television endeavors started to surface. A lot about this brief series felt awkwardly disjointed. Remarkably, two episodes from “The Mandalorian” were unexpectedly inserted into the seven-episode run of “The Book of Boba Fett, creating a sense that these episodes were hastily added to revive a struggling show. Initially planned as a series, “The Book of Boba Fett” was soon viewed as concluded rather quickly.
There have been four new shows since:
In the year 2022, the highly anticipated “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series, helmed by showrunner Joby Harold and director Deborah Chow, graced our screens. Fans couldn’t wait to witness Ewan McGregor once again embody Obi-Wan and Hayden Christensen return as Darth Vader. While it had a few less compelling moments, overall the series was well-received and a hit among viewers: Nielsen reported that “Obi-Wan Kenobi” garnered an impressive 1.03 billion minutes of viewing time, surpassing even the opening of “Mando” season three’s 823 million minutes. The series finale drew in a strong 860 million viewers. It’s important to note that “Obi-Wan Kenobi” was a limited series, and at this time, there are no plans for additional episodes.
— As a die-hard Star Wars fan, I can’t help but express my excitement about the adult-oriented series, “Andor,” from Tony Gilroy, the man who stepped in to save “Rogue One” during production. This prequel series, set before the events of the film, feels authentic and gritty, with a focus on practical effects and real-world locations (rather than the LED volume walls that sometimes give other shows a blurry, stage-play look). The budget for this show was enormous, reportedly as high as $250 million for just 12 episodes. Despite its hefty price tag, both critics and fans have been blown away by the result. “Andor” has even earned an Emmy nomination for best drama series. With a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s currently the highest-rated live-action Star Wars TV show or movie!
The popularity of “Andor” didn’t quite match its prestige. It started off strong with 624 million minutes watched, but dropped to around 400 million for subsequent weeks before spiking back up to 674 million for the finale. A second season is scheduled for 2025 to wrap up the story. Originally, Gilroy proposed a five-season run, but decided to truncate it himself. It’s likely that “Andor” will see an increase in viewership for season two as more casual Star Wars fans become acquainted with the series.
2023 marks the debut of Dave Filoni, the creative mind behind “Clone Wars” and a co-chief on “Mandalorian,” as the live-action director for the first time. The series has garnered generally positive reviews (86% on Rotten Tomatoes) but mixed reactions from fans. The premiere of “Ahsoka” was comparable to the opening episode of “The Mandalorian’s” third season (829 million minutes), however, viewership dropped to an average of approximately 570 million minutes for subsequent episodes. A second season has been confirmed in development since January, and it’s reported that production will commence next year.
In 2024, Leslye Headland’s creation, titled “The Acolyte,” is set to air. This series is a prequel, taking place a century before the events of “The Phantom Menace.” It boasts one of the franchise’s most diverse casts, with multiple leading female characters. Interestingly, it was reported by The New York Times that this eight-episode series will cost approximately $180 million, which is just $10 million less than the budget for “Dune: Part Two.
The Acolyte television series garnered mainly favorable reviews (78% on Rotten Tomatoes) but also ignited a heated debate within the online fan community, revealing some unsavory aspects of fandom once more. Criticism towards The Acolyte is complex, with fans expressing creative concerns about the show’s narrative and its innovative approach to Jedi mythology – “we didn’t enjoy this doesn’t equate to being racist,” in essence. Unfortunately, some detractors of The Acolyte were blatantly bigoted.
The debut ratings for “The Acolyte” were the smallest yet for a live-action Star Wars series launch (488 million minutes, as reported by Nielsen’s U.S. streaming data). Subsequently, the show’s ratings plummeted, with “The Acolyte” being absent from Nielsen’s Top 10 rankings for multiple weeks (which is unusual for a Star Wars series). Despite the season finale leaving things unresolved, Disney decided not to renew “The Acolyte” for another season. Some supporters view this cancellation as puzzling or even suspicious, but the show’s poor ratings, declining trend, and reception suggest a practical move on the studio’s part.
On December 3rd, I’m thrilled about the upcoming debut of “Skeleton Crew,” created by Jon Watts and Christopher Ford. This exciting space adventure revolves around a team of kids, making it an engaging choice for all ages in today’s entertainment landscape. Given that creating a hit series for everyone can be quite challenging, focusing on children – much like how “Andor” caters to adults – seems like a shrewd move.
LOOKING AHEAD: “WE HAVE HOPE. REBELLIONS ARE BUILT ON HOPE!”
Six live-action series have been produced over the past five years, but only one – The Mandalorian – has received widespread acclaim from both critics and viewers, and it’s the only one that has managed to sustain multiple seasons, which is generally considered the benchmark for a TV show’s success.
While it’s true that a single season of TV doesn’t necessarily guarantee success; limited series often become hits. However, there’s a reason shows like the first seasons of HBO’s “The White Lotus” and FX’s “Shogun”, which are typically self-contained, were given additional seasons and transformed into ongoing series. The goal for most productions is to create a show that can span multiple seasons, as this keeps subscribers engaged. This is true even for streaming platforms, as they benefit from having a consistent viewership.
After the conclusion of “Skeleton Crew,” all that remains on Disney+ are the final season of “Andor” and a second season of “Ahsoka.” The year 2020 saw Disney unveil plans for ten new Star Wars TV series at an investor gathering, marking the start of a promising new era. Among these were “Lando,” currently being reworked by its star Donald Glover and his brother Stephen into a movie, and “Rangers of the New Republic,” which was unfortunately canceled. Given that Disney likely didn’t anticipate only one ongoing live-action Star Wars series remaining after “Andor” wraps up, this may not have been their original plan.
Hanging over all of this is the increasing suspicion that the company may have wrung out the rag, creatively speaking, on storylines culled from Lucas’ original trilogy and his prequels. Even The Acolyte‘s haters should give the show credit for telling a story that’s far removed from the Skywalker Saga (as does Skeleton Crew). This isn’t entirely Disney’s fault, but it’s one the challenges moving forward. How do you make Star Wars feel fresh and new while still feeling like Star Wars and not like, say, Rebel Moon?
The animated sector has seen more stable success for the company, primarily due to Filoni’s leadership. Notable series like Star Wars Rebels (2014), The Bad Batch (2021), Visions (2021), and Tales of the Jedi (2020) have been widely praised by critics and fans, with Visions and Rebels achieving a remarkable 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, making them the top-rated Star Wars content. Resistance (2018) garnered approximately one third of the Nielsen viewership that Rebels did and concluded after two seasons, as its creators felt the story had reached a conclusion.
Speaking of Disney+ subscriptions, isn’t it that they are the main source of revenue? Disney+ experienced a rapid growth in 2019, peaked at 164 million global subscribers by the end of Q4 2022, and then saw a decline for the first time, currently hovering around 153 million.
Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, who has produced some of the most cherished and recognized films in cinema history, including reviving Star Wars on the big screen with “Force” and venturing into TV with “Mando,” has been managing the Star Wars franchise since 2012. Any discussion about Kennedy’s role in Star Wars cannot ignore the fact that she has faced hateful and unattractive criticism from fans, with “South Park” even joining in by mocking her in a recent episode. However, it’s important to note that Kennedy should not be exempt from constructive criticism. Recent political events have demonstrated the fallacy of the idea that only one person can effectively lead.
As for the parks, the company chooses not to disclose individual attendance figures for each themed area, making it challenging to accurately gauge the popularity of Star Wars land Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland locations worldwide. However, their third quarter investor report indicates that this attraction remains one of the most preferred within the park and holds the top spot in terms of guest satisfaction. Additionally, they have reportedly sold 1.2 million lightsabers, suggesting a strong interest. Unfortunately, their ambitious Star Wars interactive hotel experience, Galactic Starcruiser, which is said to have cost around $1 billion, unfortunately faced a premature closure after just one year, shuttering its windowless cabins and iconic cantinas serving blue milk.
As a passionate fan, I can’t help but marvel at the untapped riches hidden within the franchise – merchandising! Though Disney is tight-lipped about specific product line earnings, insiders suggest that Star Wars merchandise raked in an astounding billion dollars for the company last year. The Baby Yoda phenomenon, in particular, has been a retail savior (even though it’s hard to envision Bazil action figures being a hot seller).
In March, Disney presented data during a meeting aimed at countering an activist investor’s claims about excessive spending. Interestingly, they also disclosed that Lucasfilm had brought in approximately $12 billion in total revenue since its initial investment of $4 billion. However, this figure is quite broad and includes revenues from non-Star Wars titles as well as anticipated future earnings. Additionally, it fails to account for costs associated with production, marketing, etc. Consequently, the $12 billion figure primarily implies that Star Wars has been extremely profitable, a fact you might have already guessed.
So let us — at long last! — get back to that big question in the headline.
Is Disney bad at Star Wars? … On balance, no.
Disney has long been delivering what Star Wars enthusiasts have yearned for – an abundance of Star Wars content, created by visionary filmmakers, and some of it has truly been remarkable. A once stagnant franchise that adhered to a single dynastic narrative has now evolved into a multifaceted universe teeming with diverse characters and stories. Even the controversial sequel trilogy contains scenes within each movie that are undeniably breathtaking (despite its narrative shortcomings, the emotional farewell scene between Han Solo and Kylo Ren in “The Rise of Skywalker” is as moving as any other Star Wars moment). Shows like “The Mandalorian”, “Andor”, and “Rebels” surpass even the strictest standards a dedicated fan could envision. The online outcry indicates that, at least, audiences remain deeply invested in this franchise; a greater sign of failure would be indifference or disregard.
But here’s another question: Could Disney be better at Star Wars? … Cleary, yes.
The company’s live-action movies and TV shows could be improved, according to their performance on average. In 2018, Disney CEO Bob Iger acknowledged a misstep with Star Wars, admitting that they released movies too frequently and hastily. Upon Iger’s departure in 2020, Disney/Lucasfilm may have repeated this error on the TV side. As Lucas advised his actors to be quicker and more intense, this approach doesn’t often serve as a successful franchise strategy (as Marvel has learned). It remains uncertain whether Star Wars necessitates more structure or less — either stricter corporate control or more creative freedom. However, it appears that there might be an excess of both, leading to a frequently changing master plan and content that at times feels incomplete and awkward. Fans can’t help but feel uneasy about the direction of things.
While it’s important to keep in mind that any criticism directed towards Star Wars should be balanced with the understanding that: Crafting a successful Star War is no simple feat. In contrast, Marvel movies, with their interchangeable cast of renowned characters, might seem more straightforward. George Lucas initiated this phenomenon and produced six live-action Star Wars films spanning several decades. Only his initial two were universally praised by critics and fans (many younger admirers appreciate his prequels, although they were generally not well-received by critics). The appeal of producing additional content lies in the fact that the original Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back left an indelible mark on audiences, captivating generations and sparking a multitude of merchandise and earning billions in both direct and ancillary income.
In 1981, Lucas renamed his initial “Star Wars” movie to “A New Hope,” which truly fits its impact – it’s been the driving force for studio executives, creative minds, and fans alike, ever since. Whenever another “Star Wars” title unveils with an exciting theme, scrolling text, and a star-filled backdrop, we all experience that same sensation – a renewed sense of hope – time and again.
— Rick Porter contributed to this report.
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2024-10-03 15:57