Even if a person isn’t a sci-fi fanatic, there’s a good chance that they’ve at least heard of the worldwide phenomenon known as Star Wars, the intergalactic franchise that has spanned nearly five decades since the first film was released back in 1977. Characters like Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Darth Vader, and Obi-Wan Kenobi became instant household names with dozens of others to follow in the years to come – all of them gaining their recognition and fame from Star Wars movies.
However, with the pandemic shutting most of the entertainment world down for the better part of two years, Star Wars fans may have failed to notice that the franchise hasn’t had a cinematic release since December 2019. However, that had nothing to do with the pandemic. Instead, the franchise has decided to take a brief break in releasing movies after they cranked out five from 2015 to 2019. Their next film is not scheduled until December 2023, and only two more Star Wars films are currently scheduled with release dates in 2025 and 2027. While some fans might resent the long wait after being force-fed (pun intended) so many Star Wars movies in such a short span of time, it’s actually a good thing that the franchise is stepping away from cinematic releases.
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Critics/Fans Were Torn on the Last Few Movies
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Star Wars is a franchise that people love and will always love. But that doesn’t mean that they have to love every single project that the franchise produces. The prequels have aged with time, but the original backlash for the trilogy is enough to prove that. Regardless, wherever a fan or a critic stands on a movie is never the end-all opinion on whether a film is good or bad, as every person gets to decide for themselves.
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With that in mind, it’s no secret that the last few movies – Rise of Skywalker, Solo, The Last Jedi – decisively split fans and critics, with a large majority admitting that they thought the films fell short of the typical Star Wars standard. Now, whether this is true or not isn’t the point. The point is that Star Wars and Disney are both smart enough to realize that having split fans isn’t profitable and only drives people out of theaters. So, stepping away from releasing films is a good thing because it implies to the audiences that the studio is taking their fans seriously – something that people (especially lifelong and loyal fans) always appreciate.
Star Wars TV Shows Are Killing It
Despite not having released any new movies since December 2019, that hasn’t stopped Star Wars from cranking out material. They’re just doing it in the form of TV shows on Disney+. With creator/director Jon Favreau at the helm, live-action shows like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett have become instant classics for the franchise, with many fans ranking them among the best Star Wars projects ever. The animated show The Bad Batch, which centers around a squadron of mercenary clone troopers, is also praised for its comparison to other Star Wars animated shows like The Clone Wars and Rebels.
If that weren’t enough, several projects are set to air on Disney+ in the next few years. The closest will be the Obi-Wan Kenobi series in May, followed by Ahsoka, Andor, The Acolyte, the third season of The Mandalorian, and the second season of The Bad Batch. Even with their halt on movie releases, Star Wars is busier than ever.
A Long Wait Could Help Bring Fans Back
As already stated, the last few movies left fans torn, resulting in audiences losing faith in the cinematic releases. However, pair the long wait that Star Wars is taking before their next movie comes out with how well the shows are doing on Disney+, which have won most of the irritated fans back. It makes a perfect combination to win over any straggling fans that are still waiting to hop back on the Star Wars train.
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Keep in mind, the break is only four years between 2019 and 2023, so it’s not like the 19-year break between Return of the Jedi and The Phantom Menace or even the 10-year hiatus between Return of the Sith and The Force Awakens – it’s not a reboot, it’s a touch-up. Star Wars has heard their fans loud and clear, and they’ve made the decisive choice to take a little time and make sure the next movies perform as well as their shows. Again, some fans might be upset about the wait - but hopefully, those fans will be rewarded in 2023 with a movie that pleases fans and critics alike.
