Over the course of April 7-10, 2023, fans will be swarming the ExCel Centre in London, England for the 15thStar Wars Celebration. The official Lucasfilm event is what it says to be: a celebration of all thingsStar Wars. A number of actors connected with the franchise, including the likes ofHayden ChristensenandIan McDiarmid, are slated to appear, but to date the force behindStar Wars, Disney, hasn’t committed to presenting anything. It’s likely there could be news for upcomingDisney+ series likeAhsokaandThe Acolytereleased over the weekend. Disney has also used past events to update fans on movie news: theApril 2015 Star Wars Celebration Anaheim saw the release of the second teaser forStar Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakensat the event, confirming appearances from the cast of the original trilogy. But it would be in Disney’s best interest to not only announce a new film, with definitive dates and all, but commit to bringing the beloved franchise back to the theaters in earnest. They, quite simply, have to bring it.
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Disney Has to Stop Teasing ‘Star Wars’ Films
Why? Because the fans don’t believe Disney anymore when it comes to upcoming films. The years sinceStar Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalkerhave seen numerous announcements and rumors regarding upcomingStar Warsfilms, with absolutely nothing to show for it. One of the first to hit a brick wall wasGeorge Lucas' planned sequel trilogy, which would have seen Leia (Carrie Fisher) elected as Queen of the People, the rebuilding of the Republic, and prequel favorite Darth Maul (Ray Park) becoming the overarching villain. Lucas handed over the notes he made about his trilogy plans when Disney bought the rights toStar Wars, which were, clearly, never used. A 2015 announcement thatdirectorColin Trevorrowwould helmStar Wars Episode IX, reportedly titledDuel of the Fates, fell apart in 2017 due to creative differences.
February 2020 saw a report thatJ.D. Dillardwas developing aStar Warsmovie… and then nothing until November 2022 when the director confirmed he wasn’t working on aStar Warsmovie. The successful Disney+ seriesObi-Wan Kenobiwas originally announced in 2017 as a spin-off film to be directed byStephen Daldry, but was canceled following the disappointment ofSolo: A Star Wars Movie. Never officially announced but widely reported was directorZack Snyder’s pitch for aStar Warsfilm, a more mature take on the franchise. The idea died quickly, and was instead reworked as theupcoming Netflix filmRebel Moon. Most recently, two promisingStar Warsfilms were shelved indefinitely, one from MCU mastermindKevin Feige, and the long-gestatingRogue SquadronfromPatty Jenkins. The sheer volume of promised works that have not come to pass has made the fan base jaded, and that’s not a good thing.
Disney+ ‘Star Wars’ Isn’t the Same
It’s painfully obvious that the franchise has been kept alive through television, primarily the big-budget Disney+ seriesThe Book of Boba Fett,The Mandalorian, and others, with more content on the near horizon. These series have rejuvenated theStar Warsbrand while honoring its spirit, which is no small feat. But it just isn’t the same as film. Television, by its nature, is arguably better able to carry a narrative over the course of a series, but spectacle and flash on TV pales in comparison to what can be done on film. Perhaps the best example is outside theStar Warsuniverse:Top Gun: Maverick. Legendary directorSteven Spielbergsaid of the film it “might have saved theatrical distribution"thanks to its spectacle and deft use of the tools available for film that aren’t available on TV; elements like sound, for example.
‘Star Wars’ Nostalgia Can’t Be Underestimated
The biggest rationale in prompting Disney to bringStar Warsback to the movie theaters in a meaningful way is something that can’t be measured: nostalgia. Fans who are parents wait for the day when their children can begin watchingStar Wars(don’t deny it), and for generations, seeingStar Warson screen has been tantamount to a rite of passage. Whether it wasStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the first generation to experience it on film, the next generation withStar Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, or the most recent generation that was able to take in the wonderment ofStar Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, it’s an experience that long-time fans of the franchise want to share with those they love. The association of the extended 20th Century Fox fanfare intro to the franchise, the child-like glee in watching the opening text crawl across the screen, the adrenaline of watching the Millennium Falcon evade scores of TIE fighters. The lightsaber duels. All of it. Sitting on a couch, watching TV with the distractions of home isn’t the same as being enveloped at the movies, a chance to escape the real world and enter a fantastical sci-fi universe.
So, Disney. The choice ultimately is yours: continue playing it safe withStar Warson the small screen, or aim for the fences and reclaim the Hollywood box office thatStar Warsowned for years. Let Star Wars Celebration be ground zero for bringingStar Warsback to the theaters where it belongs.
