Discover the magic of the Star Wars universe beyond the movies! Sir Alec Guinness may have underestimated the impact of this franchise when he said, “People are going to read too much into it.” From dominating pop culture to becoming a global phenomenon, Star Wars has come a long way since its inception. But did you know that the franchise owes its success to diverse storytelling? George Lucas, the new director hot off American Graffiti, brought forward a film that quickly changed cinema as we knew it, for both filmmaking technology and the way films were marketed.
While the franchise has established itself among fans like a newfound religion, there’s a reoccurring element within the Star Wars fandom. “Nobody hates Star Wars more than Star Wars fans.” At first, the phrase may seem like a playful prod at fans who may be overly analytical towards new installments, but to some extent, it’s also true. All other theatrically released movies were critically scorned or loathed by audiences and, in some circumstances, both.
But, away from the starfield of films and into the reach of TV, comics, books, and video games, Star Wars continues to thrive in creating new characters, stories, and events. What’s more, for the most part, fan reaction is extremely positive. Jon Favreau has recently unleashed a dominant pop-culture hit with The Mandalorian, and Marvel continues to publish hit after hit with their Star Wars comics line. These comics also introduce new fan favorites such as Doctor Aphra.
While a number of these mediums may produce fan favorites, there are also numerous duds. But, we don’t hear the same level of anguish from fans as we do with films. For the most part, it introduces stories, events, and characters that exist either outside of the Skywalker bubble, or hundreds and sometimes thousands of years prior. We may learn what Leia, Han, and Luke were up to during the events between movies, but elements of the core trilogy are not altered. The extended media uses the foundation established by the original films and builds upon it. It doesn’t restructure or alter it.
For the New York Times, Annalee Newitz writes, “The Star Wars franchise is among Disney’s most lucrative properties. But each new installment has escalated conflicts between fans over everything from character arcs to the diversity of its cast. Filmmakers are torn between catering to the base, with its rabid nostalgia for the 1970s and ’80s movies, and striking out into new territory that feels more relevant to the 21st century. The cinematic results are uneven at best.”
Ultimately, every throwback to and dependence on the original trilogy risks upsetting fans. But, it seems that for the moment at least, the filmmakers are unwilling to let that era go in hopes of reigniting the spark that started it all. The extended media, however, continues to publish each month, furthering the lore and creating new characters. And if you don’t like that month’s book? You can pick up the next one. Overall,
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