Ah, yes—a galaxy far, far away isn't so far anymore; in fact, it's closer and bigger than ever before. Since Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm, the Star Wars universe has expanded in ways that even the great George Lucas could have never foreseen. With the recent release of "The Force Awakens" last December to this year's upcoming spinoff, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story", life is good in the lives of Star Wars fans and employees behind Disney Headquarters alike. As if Star Wars wasn't already alive and well in the hearts of so many Americans, this just puts the topping on an already delicious cake.
Whether you're an adult in your 30's or 40's who can't help but recall seeing the very original movie 30 times that summer of '77, or a 10-year-old kid who can't help but walk around every store with his Chewbacca action figure—this series means a lot to people. As a Star Wars fan myself, I grew up watching many of the prequels that were made in the early 2000s. At the time, it felt like they were the most amazing movies I had ever seen on the big screen; as I got older, I realized they're more than painful to look at. Maybe this is why George Lucas decided to step down and hand over his company to the Walt Disney Company. Maybe this was never how Star Wars was supposed to end in Lucas' eyes; he knew it needed to ride off into the sunset—so he sold his company to the Imagineers themselves.
I never wanted Star Wars to end at its prequels, because it just didn't justify how great the original series was. Its legacy was dented because of it, and that's just not how it was supposed to be. Though there were many skeptics to begin with, it's safe to say that "The Force Awakens" was indeed the hit everyone had hoped for. It was the long-awaited messiah of the trilogy. And this was all meant to jumpstart the next phase of movies that will reignite the passions of Star Wars fans, right? Not entirely.
At the same time as it's important to carry on its legacy, the prequels underline precisely why some things are best left untouched. The last thing I want is for Star Wars to become another Transformers series, where the directors just don't know when to end. I understand that it's human nature to build on past success, however, a trilogy such as Star Wars is a delicacy. It's a delicacy that requires very delicate treatment.
If there's one company that could make Star Wars even better, I'd put my money on Disney. But judging by what the Marvel Universe has become since Disney purchased it, I remain extremely skeptical. I enjoyed "The Force Awakens," and it clearly began taking Star Wars in a new and fresh direction; but its sequels and spinoffs will feature less-than-proven directors that aren't J. J. Abrams. That's an area of concern, and will continue to be until proven otherwise.
I'd hate to think that Disney is doing all of this just for the money. I know that they know it's more than that; but I'm afraid they may lose sight of that. All these new storylines are creative, but risky. Apparently, Darth Vader is supposed to be in the spinoff "Rogue One"? Don't try too hard, Disney, to recreate what's long gone in the series.
It's not even just the movies that are intriguing, though: it's what Disney is doing physically to bolster the franchise. Disneyland and Disneyworld just began works on their new Star Wars Land that will be opening up for guests in the next coming years. That's exciting news to many, including myself; but that also means saying goodbye to some of the older portions of the theme parks. Some of the parts that are being closed down to build these areas were loved by many of its guests (i.e. Hollywood Studios Main Street area). While I may personally be thrilled about this, I've talked to some that really aren't as thrilled. I would hate to think that Disney is expanding the Star Wars universe at the expense of its own brand.
Just remember this, Disney: even through all the company's success, Walt would always say that it "all started with a mouse"; so too, did Star Wars start with a galaxy. One was not meant to overtake the other: they were meant to coincide. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait for all of these upcoming events. I can't wait to see how it's all going to unfold! I'll certainly be hoping the Star Wars universe ends up being better off for it. That's also, though, why I leave you with one simple piece of advice: be careful what you decide to do. I really don't want you getting too crazy with all this.
