Star Wars movies now to be released every other year

[Winter]

If they're using that time to plan the series out, which is something they SHOULD have done from the start (seriously it's Star Wars the fanbase wasn't going anywhere all they had to do was let The Clone Wars run it's last two seasons and keep the Original EU around while they drew up their plans), it should be alright. On the more snarky side of things, the fact that the series may be taking a break for three years supports my theory that the company didn't have anything even remotely resembling a plan and things are so bad between the divided in the fanbase and the rift between the creators and the fans that a break is needed.

Personally I would be much more comfortable with the series taking a 5 year break in order to better plan out all ideas and to let the heated feelings for the Sequel Trilogy burn itself out. Then once the dust has settled Disney and Lucas Film can make a better assessment of how to approach the series that can please all parties.

Personally I would rather have Disney just make ONE Trilogy and then just focus on other medias, (novels, video games, comics, TV Shows all that jazz). Star Wars, as a film series, has proven that it just doesn't work as annual film series like the MCU or even The Worlds of DC where a film is released almost every year. Star Wars has proven that it can survive just fine as a TV series with The Clone Wars, an on going video game series with The Old Republic, and a series of comics and novels of which there are, or were, more then I can count.

But a film series. Even back when Lucas was making plans for the Prequel Trilogy and the Sequel Trilogy to be released one right after the other he was still just going to have it be 9 films and then stop and was willing to put the series on ice when he wanted to spent more time with his family. Say what you will like Lucas but he was thinking like a storyteller when he was making both the Original Trilogy and the Prequels where as Disney is thinking like marketers trying to sell something as much as possible before it goes out of style.

Now I'm not blaming them for thinking like that Star Wars is one of the biggest series of all time it makes sense that they'd want to fully capitalize on it. But here's the thing, the way everyone at Disney were talking about the new Era of Star Wars, it's almost as if they were here to deliver fans out of some sort of dark age the franchise was going through. I kept hearing/reading things like, "This will be the True Continuation of Star Wars" or "Now you can see what Really Happens next."

Now I'll be the first to admit that Legends dug it's own grave and that everything post Return of the Jedi was "True Star Wars" and that what they were making was the real McCoy that would, in Rian Johnson's own words, "We're letting the past die and creating new traditions."

All while Disney has mostly been doing nothing but recreate the glory days of the Original Trilogy by making films and shows that are, so far, pale imitations to the Lucas Era of the series. Again Lucas has his flaws but there was no questioning that his leadership gave us some of the best SW stories. The Thrawn Trilogy, Dawn of the Jedi, Knights of the Old Republic and The Clone Wars flushed because Lucas gave most creators the freedom to do whatever the Hell they wanted.

Sure this did lead to some bad stories, Legacy of the Force is still my least favorite SW story of all time, but Lucas loved the idea of experimentation and trying new things and encouraged others to try new things too. By contrast Disney is playing things very safe to the point that even anything that could be considered a risk is playing things safe.

The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi are just soft-reboots of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back and while I like Rebels and Rouge One neither was really willing to take any real risks. Rebels was a fun ride with arguably the best characters in the Disney Era but it was still unwilling to really try anything new and RO has some of the blandest characters in all of Star Wars.

I remember reading an article about The Thrawn Trilogy a year or two ago and a question it raised was this, Was TTT so popular with fans because, unlike The Last Jedi, it played things safe?

The Answer is no, because TTT didn't play things safe. Yes the heroes of the Original Trilogy all lived and the story was a much more simplistic but that does not mean it was playing things safe. TTT told a completely unique story instead of just retreading TOT and worked to continue the character development of the original characters instead of just more or less resetting everyone to before we met them.

Disney is playing things safe, Lucas never liked playing things safe and as such, even those the Lucas era was far from perfect it will likely be more fondly remembered in years to come while the Disney Era is forgotten to time.

The Prequels have manged to stay in pop culture well over 20 years as has Legends for almost 30 years. Disney is just doing what worked the first time and when the series finds it's footing again, which it will, odds are good that the only thing most people remember about the first half of the Lucas era will be that everyone got really worked up over a few okay films.

[Yukaphile]

Yo, Winter, do you feel this means possibly more Legends projects in the downtime in between? I'd love that. Every so often, take breaks, which means Legends fans get what they want!

[Winter]

Yo, Winter, do you feel this means possibly more Legends projects in the downtime in between? I'd love that. Every so often, take breaks, which means Legends fans get what they want!

Not at the moment as Disney is still very much in the "We're so much better then Legends" mentality. However, if The Rise of Skywalker, (could you have picked a more generic name Disney?), receives mixed or out right bad reviews from fans odds are good we'll see Legends a lot sooner in order to win as much good fate with the fans as possible.

Again I know the Legends Continuity will make a comeback at some point and that when Disney starts giving it proper adaptations, likely in film form, that The Disney Sequel Trilogy Will be forgotten in a Very short amount of time.

The Clone Wars had Lucas' ideas to fall back on and talented creators to bring it to life. Disney has the nostalgia of the Original Trilogy which is running dry a lot quicker then they likely expected it to. I like The Force Awakens and I still hold to my opinion that Legacy of the Force is Worse then anything from The Last Jedi but at the end of the day, their likely just going to be seen as okay films that have no real staying power, even when compared to the Prequels.

Of course I could be wrong as I know many people who thought the Prequels would be quickly forgotten in a few years after their release and most people still remember then 20 years later. Right now all we can do is wait and see.

[Yukaphile]

Legends is pretty much disposable in their minds, that is true. They're really arrogant.

[Mecha82]

Well George Lucas didn't care about Legends at all so does that make him arrogant as well in eyes of Legends fanboys? Look while I try to understand were that sentiment is coming from I don't believe Legends to be this perfect collection of stories because among many that I have encountered there has been plenty of trash. I would say that there has been more trash than treasure. I also understand that it's also easier this way for Lucasfilm. They don't need to keep track on every Legends story and make sure that it fits because if it doesn't then Legends fanboys get angry over that. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

George Lucas himself wasn't director and script writer so 2/3 OT was basically either help from more talented people that he trusted and his then wife as well as one that is today considered best movie in franchise having him least involved. He is world builder and focused on visual aspect so his skills as director and script writer is lacking. I would say that from PT 3rd one is only good one and that had been more time spend making it than with other two and other 2 movies in PT can be easily skipped.

Then again I don't hate Sequel trilogy so far because I have been able to enjoy those as well as Rogue One and Rebels and over all I have been open minded about new SW canon.

[Karha of Honor]

It would be essentially a different story, but what you said is just kinda self evident.

i am not sure, plenty of people caped for TLJ when it arrived.

Not just usernames and social media randos, like journalists.

Journalists/critics have a certain detachment and lens in lieu of fans. They'll base their opinions strongly on ulterior themes and originality next to overall execution of story and characters.

Anyway though yeah if you as a vested fan thinks the story sucks then like not much else is really going to enhance your opinion of it, which is completely understandable.

I disagree.

[Yukaphile]

Yeah, Lucas felt the same. At least with Disney now, as sad it is to say, there's a chance to get new Legends, unlike if Lucas had done the sequel trilogy he wanted. I don't doubt he'd have done a hard reboot and never looked back.

[Karha of Honor]

Yeah, Lucas felt the same. At least with Disney now, as sad it is to say, there's a chance to get new Legends, unlike if Lucas had done the sequel trilogy he wanted. I don't doubt he'd have done a hard reboot and never looked back.

Disney does not give a fuck. They ejected a valuable video game IP from the canon for no fucking reason.

[Yukaphile]

They give more of a fuck than Lucas ever did. They recently released a Legends comic. Lucas never would if he'd been in charge of a reboot.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

It would be essentially a different story, but what you said is just kinda self evident.

i am not sure, plenty of people caped for TLJ when it arrived.

Not just usernames and social media randos, like journalists.

Journalists/critics have a certain detachment and lens in lieu of fans. They'll base their opinions strongly on ulterior themes and originality next to overall execution of story and characters.

Anyway though yeah if you as a vested fan thinks the story sucks then like not much else is really going to enhance your opinion of it, which is completely understandable.

I disagree.

Given that I was agreeing with you for a considerable amount of my post, I'm not sure what you're referring to, or if you know the difference between critics and fanboys. Or at least, Rotten Tomatoes and something of the likes of CinemaScore/Metacritic.