A big shake-up in the Force occurred last night when Lucasfilm announced they would not be making the latest live-action movie. Star Wars series, AcolyteThe end of a series doesn’t just mean the premature end of a particular show. The sudden decision Star Wars‘s future comes at a time when the franchise continues to feel the grip of uncertainty it has felt since its release. The Rise of Skywalker 2019. So, Acolyte What does the news mean? Star Wars‘The future?
Twilight of the High Republic
The High Republic The Transmedia Initiative is one of Lucasfilm’s biggest projects in recent years, and the books and comic series were announced from the start to have a specific three-phase structure, AcolyteThe series was the first big leap into the live-action continuum of its era, but its premature end put a bit of a damper on this project, which continues the books in what is likely its final third phase.
Lucasfilm is The High Republic simply Acolyte Of course, this also includes other programs such as the 3DCG Kids series. Adventures of a Young JediBut we equally knew from the beginning of this endeavor that we were building towards this live action show, this visual establishment of an entire period. Star Wars That idea within the larger continuity. There’s still plenty coming out of this era in book and comic form, but having it all piled up on a now-abandoned show feels like a blow to viewers and viewers alike. The High Republic The series includes Star Wars The fandom and the creators who were at the forefront of establishing its world.
However, it is already clear that Acolyte‘s story will likely find a future, if not on screen, then in the written word: At San Diego Comic-Con last month, Lucasfilm’s publishing panel was almost entirely dedicated to new comics and novels that flesh out the era and characters of the franchise. AcolyteAnd it wouldn’t be too surprising if a future story that brings together some of the show’s remaining ideas exists in that form at some point.
Please make my mando…
For now, unless Jon Favreau and Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni are directly overseeing it, the project will likely be put on the back burner for a while.Return of the Jedi Period Star Wars It all starts with a loosely spun thread The Mandalorianfrom The Book of Boba Fettto AhsokaBetween that and several other upcoming films, this is pretty much the only thing that feels certain about Lucasfilm’s schedule at this point.
It was announced at the same time Star Wars Since last year’s celebration, there has been little movement on the studio’s future plans.The Rise of Skywalker We haven’t heard anything definitive about the New Jedi Order movie starring Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Daisy Ridley, or James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi project, or the announced third movie about the New Republic vs. Imperial Remnant film that Filoni had originally planned for a theatrical release. Have We’ve heard a lot about the director’s plans for the film’s eventual release, including a release date next year. The Mandalorian and Grogu (first Star Wars Movies since 2019) and Ahsoka (Confirmed a few months after the climax of the first season).
Other movies have had their release dates announced and then changed in obscurity, but in the case of Ray’s film, it has also become the target of some vicious culture war shenanigans. The Mandalorian and Grogu It’s the only theater project with tangible proof that it still exists, in the form of a video shown to audiences at D23 earlier this month.
…But what else will be made?
The only definitive series we know of today is one that has already been produced. Lego Star Wars special Rebuilding the GalaxyScheduled for release next month. Skeleton Crewdue for release this December (loosely connected to the “Mandaverse” series, with Favreau and Filoni serving as executive producers). The Mandalorian) and the second season AndreIt’s set to be released in 2025. But what happens after that? On TV and in theaters. Star Wars It remains quite vague AcolyteAbolition of.
That in itself is a pattern Lucasfilm has repeated since the release of Star Wars. The Rise of Skywalker 5 years ago. Star Wars Projects announced during that period were either cancelled entirely, quietly cancelled, put on vague hold, reworked or never made. These included: land The show (which hasn’t been talked about much again since it was made into a film), Rogue Squadronand a whole bunch of projects from Shawn Levy, Taika Waititi, Kevin Feige, and others. Lucasfilm has greenlit and then abandoned more projects in the last five years than it has actually released. In fact, the studio never officially announced that it would no longer be making trilogies with Rian Johnson; that announcement came just before the release of Star Wars. The Last Jedi It seems to have fundamentally changed the cultural conversation. Star Wars Forever (more on this later)!
What all of this has created is a pattern of uncertainty about just about everything. Star Wars The announcement, whether it be via a trade report, a Disney shareholder meeting, or a glitzy fandom convention, Star Wars Why should fans get excited over an announcement that’s almost inevitably going to fizzle out? Why invest in a series that’s going to be tossed aside as soon as the first season ends? Especially when it’s not directly related to the immediate motivation behind the franchise’s current obsession. The Mandalorian?
For the love of God, protect them. Skeleton Crew Kids
Despite the inconsistency of the studio’s release schedule, there’s one thing Lucasfilm has consistently been bad at: its inability to speak out and protect its creative talent from vicious attacks and harassment. The Last Jedi It created a “culture war” moment. Star Wars Any project that even remotely questions the franchise or puts diverse talent forward faces a fierce wave of vicious attacks about the so-called “woke agenda.”
Studios have made at least some progress in fighting these attacks, especially by rallying publicly. Obi-Wan Kenobi Actress Moses Ingram – Lucasfilm has a history of leaving talent unsupported in the face of online abuse, with stars like Kelly Marie Tran and John Boyega Star Wars fandom and the vilification they have received, or, more recently, Lucasfilm’s silence after the intended director of The New Jedi Order film, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, was the target of a misinformation campaign by right-wing influencers earlier this year over unrelated comments she made in 2015 about the production of her own film.
First AcolyteFollowing the release of The Hunger Games, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy made a big deal about supporting the series if it faced a similar campaign, given its diverse leading cast and its status as a rare breed. Star Wars “It can be intimidating to work on these huge franchises now, with social media and levels of expectation,” Kennedy said in a New York Times profile in May. “Leslie [Headland, The Acolyte’s showrunner] I’m having a bit of a hard time. Many women Star Wars “We’re going to struggle a bit more with this because it’s a male-dominated fanbase and so it gets attacked in a pretty personal way at times.”But Lucasfilm has remained silent when the series and its creators, particularly Headland and star Amandla Stenberg, have faced repeated targeted harassment over this “subversion.” Star Wars The fact that the show’s abrupt end prompted waves of celebration in some online circles (including, god forbid, Elon Musk) as the series was an example of “woke and broke,” along with the continuity of the inclusion of the Jedi Ki-Adi Mundi from the prequel trilogy and the show’s approach to the Force not matching up with certain preconceived ideas, speaks volumes about how completely unprepared Lucasfilm is when it comes to resolving this issue. Star WarsA precarious presence in the ongoing culture wars.
The next live-action series is Skeleton Crewis a show starring young children, and the series is a slightly different venture that has already begun with a film-like adventure series starring children. The Gooniesif Skeleton Crew Anything perceived as being even remotely different from the franchise will inevitably result in attacks on its stars, just as they did 25 years ago. The Phantom Menace Child actor Jake Lloyd received criticism for his performance as Anakin Skywalker. Skeleton Crew If accepted, Lucasfilm cannot leave the talent unsupported, as they have done so many times before.
The future is always moving
Producing movies and TV shows is hard, especially during the turbulent times that studios find themselves in right now, even ones like Lucasfilm that are backed by the fully-armed operational muscle of Disney: Plans are constantly shifting, series end poorly, things are constantly announced, canceled and postponed. Star Wars It was certainly no exception to the rule, and it has remained so ever since. The Rise of SkywalkerIt’s safe to say Lucasfilm will be back on the convention circuit next year. Star Wars At the celebrations in Japan, we will likely hear a little more about the near future and beyond – and there is equally no doubt that much of that future remains in flux.
But the sudden decision Acolyte The franchise now faces a tough crossroads. Star Wars The film is unashamedly experimental, trying to find a place for itself beyond the mainline cinematic story in the face of cultural falsehoods, or looking to a future committed to mining a particular vein that’s prioritized the familiar above all else since the end of the Skywalker Saga.
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