Summary
Star Wars’ future feels incredibly ambiguous, just like it did after the release ofStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. For years,Star Warshas focused on building its Disney+ archive, experimenting with live-action TV for the first time, and introducing new animated stories. For the most part,Star Wars’output on Disney+ has been a success;The Mandalorian, especially, proved to be a massive hit, as it gave us a glimpse at a previously woefully unexplored era of theStar Warstimeline and introduced a fresh new dynamic.
WhenThe Mandalorianseason 1 was released, the future ofStar Warsfelt bright and innovative. And yet, while it was understandable that it wanted to pay homage to what came before, the inclusion of characters like Ahsoka Tano, Bo-Katan Kryze, Boba Fett, and Luke Skywalker inThe Mandalorianseason 2 tied everything back to the Skywalker saga. Though there’s been more content than ever – and much of it has been genuinely enjoyable –I get the sense that the franchise doesn’t know where it’s heading next, and much of that is due to its current narrative strategy.
Star Wars Movies In Order: How To Watch Release Order, Chronologically & With The TV Shows
What’s the best way to watch Star Wars? Here’s everything you need to know to watch in release or timeline order, and how to include the TV shows.
Star Wars' Movie Future Has Been On Hold Since 2019
SinceThe Rise of Skywalker’s divisive release in 2019,Star Wars’ cinematic future has been put on hold. It hasn’t been for lack of trying on Lucasfilm’s part, however – it became hard to track how many creatives had come and gone after it was announced that they would be working on aStar Warsmovie – but nothing ever seemed to stick. Of course, I’m certain the backlash against movies likeStar Wars: The Last JediandThe Rise of Skywalkerdidn’t help, and neither didSolo: A Star Wars Story’s surprisingly low box office haul.
Since then, however,Lucasfilm has arguably been too cautious with its theatrical plans. At last year’sStar WarsCelebration, a more concrete slate of movies was finally announced, and though they all have genuine potential, there’s a pattern there, too.The Mandalorian & Groguis an easy out – a way to get the Disney+ audiences to buy a ticket, especially if it ends up replacingThe Mandalorianseason 4. There’s anotherMandalorianmovie in the works as well, one that will likely require viewers to have not only watchedThe MandalorianbutAhsoka, too, and possibly evenStar Wars: Skeleton Crew.
The Mandalorianis a safe bet forStar Wars. I can see why they would choose it as their return to the cinema. Then there’sRey’s upcomingNew Jedi Ordermovie, however. Though it’s not currently being billed as “Episode X,” it’s a Skywalker movie nevertheless – Rey’s entire on-screen history is tied to their legacy. Hopefully,Star Warsis ready to distance this movie from what came before, but I’m worried it will be too easy for this movie to fall into the same trapThe Mandalorianultimately did, too. The entire brand is built on the Skywalker saga, after all.
As it stands, James Mangold’sDawn of the Jedimovie seems to be the only one entirely separate from what came before – the only one to truly try something new. That’s exciting, but for all four of these projects, I find it hard to get my hopes up.How manyStar Warsmovies have been canceled or left in limbo of late?Other than the most generic plot details, we don’t know anything about these movies. There’s nothing truly concrete to go on. I’m worried that some of these projects still won’t get made, despite the fanfare at last year’s Celebration.
The Star Wars TV Shows' Future Is Uncertain Too
Instead of focusing on the movie side of the business,Star Warsinstead turned its attention to the streaming model, and to a certain extent, it worked. AllThe Mandalorian-related shows, as well as separate shows likeAndorandStar Wars: The Acolyte, have provided compelling stories and interesting characters –Andor, especially, was an incredible triumph. It was easy to assume thatStar Warswas going to release (at least) two shows a year, either live-action or animated. Now, however,Star Warsis running out of series to launch.
At the time of writing, the only shows genuinely confirmed areStar Wars: Skeleton Crew– which has been continuously pushed back despite production wrapping in January 2023 –Ahsokaseason 2, andAndorseason 2. What happens after that, however? Will there even be a fourth season ofThe Mandalorian? Why hasn’t a new animated series been announced yet after the finale ofStar Wars: The Bad Batchaired earlier this year?I would love for there to be an equal balance betweenStar Wars’ TV and movie slates, but it’s hard to imagine them now building one without tying in the other.
I would love for there to be an equal balance betweenStar Wars’ TV and movie slates, but it’s hard to imagine them now building one without tying in the other.
That might pose a problem.What if they’re waiting to announce new TV shows because they want them to tie in with theupcomingStar Warsmovies?I don’t want there to be this much uncertainty. I wantStar Warsto expand, open up new parts of the timeline as it did with theStar Wars: The High Republicbooks, and give us the essence ofStar Warswith new characters and new places to love. The TV shows are the perfect way to do that.
Will they, though? Aside fromSkeleton Crew, all we have now are follow-up seasons. EvenStar Wars: The Bad Batch, which turned out to be one of the franchise’s strongest projects, was, at its heart, a continuation ofStar Wars: The Clone Wars.I wantStar Warsto take narrative risks. I’m not so sure that they will, though.
Upcoming Star Wars Shows: Story, Casts & Everything We Know
Several exciting Star Wars TV shows are set to be released on Disney+ in the coming years from the realm of both live-action and animation.
The Acolyte Should Have Opened Up So Many Story Ideas
The Acolytewas one such narrative risk. Set during the end of theHigh Republic era, an era previously only explored in print and children’s animation,The Acolytegave us a glimpse of the Jedi like never before. Guilt, revenge, betrayal, loss, fear, trauma, it was all there, wrapped in the story of two young girls, their Masters, and the loss of their mother. Legends lore was woven in, there’s a dark side romance on the horizon, and there’s plenty of potential left, too. WhetherThe Acolytewill be used as a jumping-off point for more out-of-the-box storytelling remains to be seen, though.
The Acolyteis set 100 years beforeStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. The High Republic era spans several centuries around that time.
Given the (often unjustified) backlash, it wouldn’t be surprising ifThe Acolyte’s future remained uncertain for some time. While I appreciated the story it was trying to tell, and characters like Sol and Qimir are incredibly fascinating to me, I wasn’t entirely on board with how the show was structured. On the whole, though,The Acolytecan be viewed as an experiment. It was a chance forStar Warsto tell a story from a different point of view and include some of the lore’s more outlandish ideas.Whether it worked seems to be an incredibly personal matter.
The Acolytecould have been the start of a new type ofStar Warsstorytelling, with shows exploring ancient, forgotten parts of the timeline, reveling in the franchise’s history without being burdened by it.
With theStar Warsfandom more divided than ever before,Star Warsis likely to be cautious about what it presents next.The Acolytecould have been (and still could be) the start of a new type ofStar Warsstorytelling, with shows exploring ancient, forgotten parts of the timeline, reveling in the franchise’s history without being burdened by it. I want more like it, even if it’s notThe Acolyteseason 2 but something else entirely. Right now, though, I can’t see that happening, and it’s a shame.
Star Wars’ Future Seems So Very Uncertain Right Now
There are just too many questions right now. What willStar Wars’next animated show be? Will they produceThe Mandalorianseason 4? Will they give us another animated clone project or be willing to provide something new? CanSkeleton Creweven get a second season if its child actors have already grown since production wrapped? How closely willAhsokaseason 2 be linked toThe Mandalorian, and how will that affect the Ghost Crew’s stories? Will Rey’s Jedi Order be allowed to fight an entirely new villain, or will the Sith return once again?
There are so many “what ifs,” that it’s hard to see where the franchise is headed. Is there a clear direction? Is their energy now focused entirely on the so-called “Mandoverse?” Will that squanderStar Wars’ endless storytelling potential?Everything feels iffy and undefined, like all currently announced projects could be ripped away from us at any moment.The franchise has arguably never been bigger, but that expansion has provided endless uncertainty. It’s hard to feel excited about the future ofStar Warswhen it’s impossible to know what to look forward to.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
