Between Solo under-performing and The Last Jedi sparking fan outrage, it’s good that the Star Wars franchise is now more divisive than ever.
In 1977, when George Lucas released Jaws, it helped to birth the summer blockbuster genre and paved the way for decades of change in Hollywood. Star Wars cemented a new truth to the film industry: High-concept family fare franchises were the way to go.
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Star Wars is now eight films into its franchise, along with two major cinematic spin-offs as well as an array of TV series, books, video games and much more. Thanks to a much-hyped acquisition by Disney, Star Wars is now part of the expanded universe franchise age it helped to birth, and, as such, it’s required to appeal to the widest demographics possible. For the most part, the investment has been highly worthwhile for fandom reject the film’s plot and character choices, and kick-started the so-called backlash to the franchise. For a series that is specifically designed to be universally appealing, Star Wars has started to get divisive - and that’s a good thing.
- This Page: Why Star Wars Shouldn't Try To Make Everyone Happy
- Page 2: The Last Jedi Made Star Wars Divisive in the Best Way Possible
Star Wars Doesn’t Need To Play It Safe Anymore
By and large, Star Wars has made itself as appealing to as many people as possible. These are big films that cost a lot of money to make – Marvel Cinematic Universe, for example, has perfected the mold of the PG-13 effects-heavy action-adventure tale that appeals as much to kids as it does adults.
There’s nothing wrong with this approach. Obviously, it’s been highly successful for many years now, but it’s also something audiences are extremely familiar with - to the point of exhaustion. As demonstrated by franchise hits like Lucasfilm probably aren’t wild about how disappointing Solo’s numbers were, and while the film was reasonably well received, the major criticisms of it lay in its supposed predictability. For many critics, the film didn’t do anything new with the material, and that worked against its favor.
Star Wars Never Truly Appealed To Everyone
It’s something of a fallacy to claim that Star Wars was a Star Wars needs going forward.
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It would greatly benefit Disney and Lucasfilm alike to just acknowledge that Star Wars is never going to be a big deal in Marvel and their own animated films to stop vainly trying to chase success for Star Wars in that particular market. There’s an obvious audience for these films, but it doesn’t have to be the one that experts keep telling the industry is the most necessary part of meeting the profit margins.
Outside of China, audiences and critics alike are asking for something riskier. Even it doesn’t play well to absolutely everyone, there will be ion for those who appreciate the new directions taken. While they’ve given it a pretty solid shot, it’s impossible for any series of films to appeal to everybody, and Lucasfilm would do well to embrace that reality and build on it. In fairness, Star Wars have already delivered on that promise too.
Page 2: The Last Jedi Made Star Wars Divisive in the Best Way Possible
The Last Jedi Made Star Wars Divisive in the Best Way Possible
Much has been made about how various fans reacted to Rian Johnson.
Whatever you think of that film, the fact that it was so ballsy in its risk taking and willingness to deviate from fan and studio expectations is a major deal. This is a property of immense cost and an investment Disney want to keep going for decades to come. That will be reliant on the willingness to follow in sturdy footsteps that take risks and aren’t endlessly concerned with abstract notions of profitability and audience reach. The Solo is a damn fun film but even its ardent defenders can’t overlook how conventional it feels in comparison to the daring approach taken by The Last Jedi.
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For every fan who was turned off by The Last Jedi, there were others who hungered for more of that style. The film also offered a sharp reminder that a franchise, even one this beloved, can only coast on nostalgia for so long. Audiences’ attentions are more splintered than ever, and franchises need to keep making themselves relevant or risk becoming relics. In that sense, it’s a worthwhile business and creative investment to risk losing the goodwill of a few hardcore fans. Lucasfilm believed in Johnson's vision enough to give him the necessary creative control, and that should give them greater incentive to do the same up other talents, particularly since their distrust of directors and habit of replacing them shows the downsides of "playing it safe."
Being Divisive Can Make Star Wars More Interesting
Currently, Star Wars is beholden to the Carrie Fisher. The franchise has already begun the work of creating foundations for a new age of Star Wars beyond the Skywalkers, and they have greater power to expand beyond those limitations when the franchise isn’t beholden to the need to be universally appealing.
The Last Jedi was criticized by some for dissecting the beloved hero of The Force Awakens, for all of its qualities, couldn’t. Star Wars has to be something new now, and it’s easier to make that happen when you’re not universally adored or carrying those expectations all the time.
The Star Wars franchise is a rich and expansive universe with endless possibilities. It doesn’t have to adhere to industry ideas of what’s safe, what plays best to big audiences and what is guaranteed to make money. If Solo has taught them nothing else, it forces them to acknowledge their own fallibility and take more chances outside the box. The future of the franchise is dependent on Lucasfilm and Disney’s willingness to embrace their newfound divisiveness. It may not be easy but it’s a necessity, and It’ll be more rewarding in the long-term.
