The Future of Star Wars
George Lucas had a vision for the future of Star Wars that differed from Disney’s plans for the franchise. While Disney aimed to produce new films and spin-offs to capitalize on the series, Lucas believed that the future of Star Wars lay in television. In 2005, he began exploring television projects such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Underworld. While Underworld was ultimately canceled due to budget constraints, The Clone Wars became a successful series with six seasons before its cancellation.
The positive response from audiences to The Clone Wars caught Disney’s attention, prompting the company to venture into the television format. Prior to the release of The Rise of Skywalker, Disney introduced new animated series and collaborations with actors like Pedro Pascal. These productions, unlike the recent trilogy, were highly acclaimed and received a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for their initial seasons. Disney saw this as a sign to shift its focus towards television and its Disney+ platform. Numerous Star Wars series have since been released, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, and Andor, with more on the way. This shift validates Lucas’ belief in the potential of small-screen storytelling for the Star Wars universe.