However, in the wake of Solo's struggle, back and forth reports have emerged on the future of these spin-off films. Some claim Lucasfilm is readjusting their approach, while others report that they are being outright shelved. Whatever the case, we are definitely in store for a change on the release of future Star Wars films. Which is a shame, really.
The anthology films are the chance to really grow the Star Wars universe. Explore places and characrers we've never seen or heard before. Stories that are so far from the Skywalker saga that the characters may not even know who the Skywalkers are. The Star Wars universe is one that is vast and diverse. It's about time for the films to reflect that.
It's All Connected
The original pitch behind the anthology films was to explore perviously unseen corners of the Star Wars universe. True, both Rogue One and Solo are essentially standalone stories. But they're both directly tied to other films in the series.
Rogue One leads directly into A New Hope. Solo, naturally, deals with the origin of one of the franchise's most iconic characters (whether audiences wanted it or not). So, while they're films that could in theory stand on their own, they also lose a lot of their value without prior knowledge of the other films.
That's not to say they can't still feature established characters. Part of the fun of having a cinematic universe (which is what Star Wars is becoming) is seeing different characters weave in and out of films.
As much as I don't particularly care for Darth Maul, I thought his reveal at the end of Solo was great. It makes sense to see some of the more prominent characters show up in different corners of the galaxy. But I just wish the stories themselves weren't tied so closely to what we already know.
Everything Feels Small
Going off of the second point, part of why I want to see the Star Wars anthology films branch out is because as it stands right now, the galaxy feels small. It's a problem that began with The Empire Strikes Back, and a problem that has become worse.
While the Darth Vader reveal in Empire is one or the history books, it did have the unintentional side effect of shrinking the Star Wars universe. When Leia was revealed as Luke's twin sister in Return of the Jedi, it began to seem like everyone in the Star Wars universe was connected.
That's part of why the revelation of Rey's lineage was so refreshing. Not everyone in this universe needs to be part of the same family. Luke started off as a moisture farmer, and grew to become one of the most legendary figures in the galaxy. (Well, before he was revealed to be the son of the chosen one, but what can you do.)
There are thousands of these 'non-important' characters all throughout the galaxy. Sure, not everyone will be fighting off against Darth Vader or Kylo Ren, but in some way, every character makes a difference. There are so many storylines that aren't connected to the Rebel vs Empire story, and those are stories that deserve to be told.
That's part of why the revelation of Rey's lineage was so refreshing. Not everyone in this universe needs to be part of the same family. Luke started off as a moisture farmer, and grew to become one of the most legendary figures in the galaxy. (Well, before he was revealed to be the son of the chosen one, but what can you do.)
There are thousands of these 'non-important' characters all throughout the galaxy. Sure, not everyone will be fighting off against Darth Vader or Kylo Ren, but in some way, every character makes a difference. There are so many storylines that aren't connected to the Rebel vs Empire story, and those are stories that deserve to be told.
Less is More
One of the running theories as to why Solo bombed was simply because of Star Wars fatigue. Solo came out only five months after The Last Jedi. Was that too soon for a Star Wars movie? The 'more is more' approached has so far worked for Marvel, which is currently at three movies a year. So why hasn't the same worked for Star Wars?
Maybe it has to do with how the two franchises have operated in the past. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, obviously, has its roots in comics, which by nature of the medium, are long-running stories, with monthly releases in most cases. Star Wars, on the other hand, has no history with a yearly release.
Ever since the release of A New Hope, Star Wars has always felt like an event. There's always been at least two years between the release of films. When The Force Awakens came out, we hadn't seen a proper Star Wars release since 2005. It was a big deal. Now, with a new Star Wars movie coming out every calendar year, the series has begun to lose its luster a bit.
I think we all knew that once Disney acquired the franchise, we would be seeing yearly releases. Many lamented that, as it would possibly take away part of what made the franchise special. Now, I am never one to complain about more Star Wars, but maybe the general public isn't as interested in the series as we (or Disney) thinks they are?
Maybe it has to do with how the two franchises have operated in the past. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, obviously, has its roots in comics, which by nature of the medium, are long-running stories, with monthly releases in most cases. Star Wars, on the other hand, has no history with a yearly release.
Ever since the release of A New Hope, Star Wars has always felt like an event. There's always been at least two years between the release of films. When The Force Awakens came out, we hadn't seen a proper Star Wars release since 2005. It was a big deal. Now, with a new Star Wars movie coming out every calendar year, the series has begun to lose its luster a bit.
I think we all knew that once Disney acquired the franchise, we would be seeing yearly releases. Many lamented that, as it would possibly take away part of what made the franchise special. Now, I am never one to complain about more Star Wars, but maybe the general public isn't as interested in the series as we (or Disney) thinks they are?
Not Dead Yet
With Solo's failure at the box office and The Last Jedi's divisiveness within the fanbase (despite being critically acclaimed), some are wondering what the future of the franchise is. Some are already claiming its death, but don't be mistaken, one failure does not a failure make.
While every film post-Disney has had some form of behind-the-scenes trouble, every film released prior to Solo has made more than $1 billion at the box office. Despite the uncertain nature of the oft-rumored Obi-Wan and Boba Fett films, we still have more big-screen stories on the way. The first of the Rian Johnson-helmed trilogy could be out in 2020. A series from the Game of Thrones creators is still on-track. And that's just the films.
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will be debuting at Disney Parks next year. Television series, both animated and live-action, are in development. The comics and novels are still going strong. Electronic Arts is still holding on to that Star Wars video game license (for now).
The film side of things may be slowing down a bit, but don't be mistaken. Star Wars isn't dead. It'll still be around, for a long, long time. Lucasfilm and Disney may just need to reassess their approach.
What do you think of the future of the Star Wars franchise? Let me know, and be sure to follow me on Twitter @aidansimonds to see more!
