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In Disney they are the first to know that ‘Star Wars‘A considerable identity crisis is going through: the projects that have emerged after the trilogy produced by JJ Abrams have been falling one after another, and since 2019 the franchise does not premiere a new film. However, The Star Wars Celebration That this weekend in Japan has been held, two years after the 2023 in London, has fought to fall that feeling, and has presented a few projects that have new roads of exploitation of the franchise. More than a celebration, a plan has been presented in Japan.
What has been presented. The event has served to formalize the return of ‘Star Wars’ to the big screen: the main dishes are, on the one hand,’The Mandalorian and Grogu ‘which will continue the three seasons of the series starring Pedro Pascal and his adorable adopted son Grogu. He adds’ Starfighter ‘, self -clusive film directed by Shawn Levy (‘Deadpool and Wolverine‘) and starring Ryan Gosling. New seasons of ‘have been confirmedAndor‘ and ‘Ahsoka‘And an animated series of Darth Maul. On the horizon, although without date, projects appear as a story about the Jedi origins signed by James Mangold, an adventure by Tika Waititi and the return of King Skywalker.
Where do we come from. After Lucasfilm’s purchaseDisney bet strongly with a new trilogy that premiered between 2015 and 2019 and that, although devastated at the box officewith more than 4.4 billion admitted worldwide, The most traditionalist fans did not like to like. The spin-off ‘was only An unexpected batacazo: just 393 million dollars of collection, to which projects canceled in chain followed, including Kevin Feige and Patty Jenkins movies. Series like ‘Andor‘ either ‘Ahsoka‘They achieved the support of criticism and public, but its impact globally was incomparably lower to the movies. And the failure of the Ubisoft ‘video gameStar Wars Outlaws‘He has endorsed that the saga is no longer infallible.
The problem of nostalgia. Star Wars’s great dilemma in the Disney era has been his nostalgia addiction and to the Fan Service. Attempts to content the most traditional fans have resulted in products that, or are too conservative, such as the very critical and very unlike ‘The last Jedi’a film capable of being measured in terms of quality with the classics of the franchise, but Densed by fans). The audience has been fragmented: the riskiest projects, such as ‘Andor’, receive praise from critics but They click on a audience and They cost a fortune.
What does the new plan intend to solve? The prowned strategy at the Star Wars Celebration is clear: with fans it is not enough to maintain these films and series, such as They have demonstrated ‘Andor’ or ‘Ahsoka’. You have to return to the box office parameters of the films produced by Abrams, that is to say to films-Event that are worldwide phenomena at a mass scale. ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ bets on the accessible and charism of its protagonists (remember: Baby Yoda marked Star Wars even Before receiving an official name); And ‘Starfighter’ seeks a broader audience with a story that does not require “doing homework” and resorting to a star like Gosling, oblivious to the usual blockbusters.
But will it solve it? Obviously, it is complicated to predict because countless factors come into play. Projects such as the Spin-Offs ‘Solo’ and ‘Rogue One’ had all to win, but they worked with discretion (or directly) at the box office: their problem was, perhaps, the excessive dependence of the Lore Previous, the need to know the long history of the saga. Superficially, it seems that ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ and ‘Starfighter’ will circulate in another direction, which could inject the long -awaited revitalization of the franchise.
An important property. It must be taken into account, however, that since the purchase of Lucasfilm for 4,050 million dollars, Disney has tripled its investment: the ‘Star Wars’ franchise has generated CERCA of 12,000 million dollars in direct income Until 2024. That income comes from the box office of the films, yes, but also from attraction parks, cruises and, above all, merchandising. However, its profitability cannot be compared to franchises such as ‘Frozen’ or Marvel.
Internal earthquakes. In addition, the box office is not the only problem of ‘Star Wars’: Kathleeen Kennedy has started a discreet withdrawal of the Presidency of Lucasfilm and prepares his succession. Although Filoni and Levy’s films are still under their mantle, the announcement of the search for someone who relieves what has been Lucasfilm’s great architect since the purchase of Disney is the best example that things are changing in Disney.
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