In a galaxy far, far away when Disney acquired the rights for Star Wars in 2012, they quickly developed a new trilogy focusing on ending the Skywalker saga. Worldwide this trilogy collectively earned $4.467 billion, a staggering amount of money, which can be interpreted as a success. Yet many in the fandom had a bad feeling about this trilogy. Many of these fans thought the story was disappointing, that it was too “woke” and didn’t like the fate of the original trilogy’s heroes. On the other hand, some viewers enjoyed the series for the same reason why people disliked it.
Since then, LucasFilm (an entertainment industry owned by Disney) has announced several movies, which have been canceled due to various reasons from change in writers and directors to lack of interest from the audience or the studio changing its mind. Fans can still watch any of the new shows on Disney+. Shows like “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka” arguably sit better with fans, but many have been craving the blockbuster experience of the movies.
Nearly five years after “Rise of the Skywalker”, Disney approached Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy to direct a new trilogy based on the character Rey Skywalker, played by Daisy Ridley. Obaid-Chinoy will be the first female to direct a Star Wars film. However, some critics don’t think Obaid-Chinoy will be a good director because they dislike the fact that she is a feminist and might transform the space opera into a film that champions feminism too much. From a certain point of view, others may consider that Obaid-Chinoy can usher in a fresh new start for the beloved franchise.
With Ridley on board to reprise her role of Skywalker, she has recently expressed her excitement for the new trilogy in an interview with AlloCiné.
“Once I knew what the story was and everything, I knew that it was something I really wanted to do,” Ridley said. “I think it’s a really fantastic exploration of the Star Wars world. It’s a really cool way of taking the story in a bit of a different direction.”
Obaid-Chinoy and Lucasfilm are still in the early phase of development, and we may not see the iconic, scrolling title screen Star Wars is known for until 2026 or even later. While that waiting might not be fun, it’s never good to rush development. Many fans agree the latest trilogy was not well thought out and that it seemed like two different people behind the scenes were writing the story. In fact, in recent interviews Ridley even said that she didn’t learn Rey was Palpatine until the middle of shooting Rise of Skywalker.
With that being said, these movies won’t live up to everyone’s standards, just like how the Skywalker saga divided the fandom. Star Wars is a series near and dear to many people. One of the great qualities about Star Wars is how diverse the fandom is. People all over the world, from very young to old, enjoy the franchise that takes place in a galaxy, far away. At this point, it’s nearly impossible for every Star Wars fan to be on the same page.
I for one am looking forward to more Star Wars. Is Disney taking a risk by granting Obaid-Chinoy, an awarded yet relatively unknown director, to produce the future of Star Wars? That remains to be seen. Good or bad or even abysmally horrendous (maybe even better than the OG trilogy), I’m strapping myself in my theoretical X-Wing cockpit, ready for the bumpy ride.
