Yahoo Movies Star Wars: Disney re-assessing plans for franchise after recent backlash, says Lucasfilm president
Star Wars bosses have revealed plans to reassess the future of the franchise, announcing the team intends to “step back”.
Kathleen Kennedy, the Lucasfilm president, opened up about what’s next for the series.
She said the team is keen to “step back and really absorb what George [Lucas] created”.
Kennedy told The Wrap, “That’s what we’ve been doing, and we’ve been having a great deal of fun doing it, and meeting with lots of different filmmakers and talent.”
A number of Star Wars films are currently in the works at Disney. However, Kennedy said that fans can expect to watch more in-depth small screen endeavours from the franchise beforehand.
“The ability to be very character-driven, with extended storytelling and connected storytelling... I think this space offers us a great opportunity to do that.”
She continued, “There’s so many fans out there and so many filmmakers that have been influenced by Star Wars for so long that it’s a fantastic opportunity to get a sense of who wants to be a part of this.”
The news will be welcomed by some fans who have called on the franchise to take a pause after audience reception of the 2019 film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ranged from mixed to disappointing.
One Twitter user wrote, “Decanonise the Disney trilogy and have George [Lucas] redo the whole thing properly.”
There is good in Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. But there is more that is disappointing. There are a number of choices that just don’t track, fan service that doesn’t work, and ignored details that are missed. I’m bummed. #StarWarsRiseofSkywalker pic.twitter.com/Ztk0VzGc6H
— Eric Eisenberg Wears A Mask (@eeisenberg)
Another said, “You ruined the Solo family,” while a third wrote, “George not being here speaks volumes... #notmystarwars you’ve made a mess of Star Wars.”
When Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, the news was met with trepidation from fans worried that the corporation’s content regulations and interest in selling merchandise would interfere with the quality of its films.
Kennedy also hinted that new untold storylines might be explored in the future.
She said, “Stories have been told within this universe over the last 40-odd years and there’s now the realisation that this is a mythology that actually spans about 25,000 years.
“When you really start to look at all the different stories that have been told, whether it’s in books and games.”
