Posted in: Movies, TV | Tagged: disney, lucasfilm

Will Star Wars Fans Get Streaming Series "Time Out" From Disney?

After the loss of The Acolyte, let's take a look at the present and future of Star Wars streaming/television series and why we're concerned.

If you're a "Star Wars" fan, the future is looking pretty bright – on the film side. Along with Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni's The Mandalorian & Grogu, you have Lando in development from Donald Glover & Stephen Glover, Patty Jenkins back on Rogue Squadron, and potential films from Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Taika Waititi, James Mangold & Beau Willimon, and others. But on the television/streaming series side, things are rather – brutal.

While there are still rumblings about a fourth season, The Mandalorian seems focused on the big screen. Temuera Morrison isn't sounding too optimistic about The Book of Boba Fett returning anytime soon, and Obi-Wan doesn't seem destined for a second run despite Ewan McGregor's interest. Diego Luna-starring Andor was a limited series just from the fact that it was a prequel lead-up to Rogue One so that was always living on borrowed time. The animated series The Bad Batch wrapped up its run after three seasons earlier this year, and social media is still raging over the recent loss of Leslye Headland's The Acolyte after one season.

Not that there aren't still some slivers of hope out there – at least for now. Later this year, the Jude Law-starring Skeleton Crew premieres, and a second season of Rosario Dawson-starring Ahsoka is reportedly in development. On the animation side, "Visions," "Tales," and "Young Jedi Adventures" are still in play, with LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy hitting Disney+ screens in September. Okay, maybe those are more like specks of hope. We have very high hopes for Skeleton Crew – but we can't have high hopes for Ahsoka Season 2 until we're certain that it's actually going to happen. We can't shake this feeling that we could see Ahsoka Tano's future adventures on the big screen. Two of the four animated series are anthologies, while one is geared toward younger viewers, and the other is set in the LEGO universe. Not exactly the strongest lineup that we've seen.

At this point, if you're getting the feeling that Lucasfilm is looking to put its series plans on the back burner to focus on rebuilding the film side of the "Star Wars" universe, you're far from alone. If you're looking for reasons, there are definitely a number to consider. Let's not forget that Disney CEO Bob Iger laid down the law some time back that Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios would be rolling back on the number of respective projects coming from each studio and spacing them further out on the calendar. If budgets are being slashed, then television/streaming tends to be the area that's looked at first. Along those lines, Disney and Lucasfilm are also looking for the best way to redefine "Star Wars" in a post-Luke Skywalker universe, and that means going back to what kicked off the franchise's universe in the first place – the films.

And then there's the reason that a lot of folks have been discussing on social media for some time – an issue that was enflamed once again when word came down that The Acolyte wouldn't be returning. Too many close-minded "Star Wars" gatekeepers have hijacked the conversation surrounding pretty much every series that gets released – and their trolling hate functions on two levels. On one level, we have those who will trash anything that dares to change or expand upon canon that they treat as gospel, preferring writers and directors to offer them just slight variations of the "same old, same old" instead of a work that truly embrace the franchise's infinite possibilities. On the other level, we have those who use their "knowledge of the franchise" to justify whatever personal issues they suffer from that cause them to take issue with having shows that actually embrace diversity.

Let's set aside the fact that in 2024, it's pathetic to have shows where a diverse audience can't feel as if they're represented on both sides of the camera. Let's set aside the fact that taking issue with that says a whole lot more about you than anyone or anything else (and none of it's good). That should be a fucking no-brainer. What's particularly mind-boggling is that they're waving the "white straight male flag" about a franchise that's set in a "galaxy far, far away" – made up of made-up civilizations. Think about it. They're getting angry about who's being cast to play imaginary characters. I know hate and stupidity tend to go hand-in-hand, but this might just take the title belt.

Of course, it would be a joke if they weren't winning – and maybe already run. We've seen the game plan before. Review bomb the series right when it comes out, harass the fans and stars online, and trash it every chance you get – made even more pathetic by the number of posts from folks who willingly admit to not watching it and yet still trash it. At this point, the real "Star Wars" fans just get tired of having to fight the good fight time and time again – with many calling out Disney for not doing more to protect the shows' casts and to push back on the hate. When The Acolyte star Amandla Stenberg took to social media shortly after news of the show being canceled hit, they noted how they weren't surprised that the show was canceled – and they spoke for many with that sentiment. Been there, done that.

That leaves Disney and Lucasfilm at a crossroads. They can choose to feed red meat to that angry mass of "Star Wars fans" and maybe get some short-term success – but that fandom isn't getting larger… or younger. The two need to find a way to reinvent the franchise in a way that's more welcoming and inviting to new fans because that just isn't working – but that would also require a willingness to take on a lot of folks who don't exactly do well when it comes to change. It's safe to say that 2025's Star Wars Celebration in Japan will have a whole lot of answers…

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