Star Wars is one of the most celebrated franchises in media history. It inspired a generation of viewers and helped lay the foundation – bring legitimacy – to to science fiction and science fantasy cinema. However, influential as it may be, it may be losing its grip, and everyone knows that nothing lasts forever.
Star Wars will have diminishing returns going forward because it is a series whose popularity was always heavily dependent on its novelty and brand name rather than sheer quality. The first Star Wars movie was one of the first fantasy movies with believable special effects, and combine that with a unique setting, it was bound to be hit, despite its archetypal hero’s journey story which it did little to deviate from.
We’re seeing the effects of it now. Star Wars recent movies have started to see signs of vulnerability; Solo was the first Star Wars lvie action theatrical release to lose money, and even though its box office expectations couldn’t be too lofty given its status as a sidestory, it stunned many when it flat out got ignored in favor of other movies that were to be released.
Many of the successful Star Wars movies the last two decades have often relied on its novelty to push massive box office gains. Phantom Menace was the first Star Wars movie in almost two decades after worries as to when another Star Wars movie would ever come out – or at least have direction from its original creator George Lucas. The Revenge of the Sith was the end of the trilogy (which always helps) and was the prequel to the original trilogy. The Force Awakens was, again, the return of Star Wars after a full 10 years.
The issue is that Star Wars can’t always rely on novelty and nostalgia to grip it. And we’re seeing that now. Star Wars has competition now. And love it or hate it, the sequel trilogy isn’t doing much in the way to provide a truly unique experience to viewers – something even the prequels accomplished. Nothing about the sequel trilogy is any better written or better looking or better designed than other blockbuster action science fantasy movies. There’s a reason why Marvel is resonating with today’s kids instead of Star Wars.
If Star Wars is to return to glory, it needs to be truly unique again. Because in the end, you can only tell the same story about a special Jedi who needs help from a rebel group to take down an evil empire and destroy their death star so many times before it gets old (That describes A New Hope, Return of the Jedi, Phantom Menace, Rogue One, and The Force Awakens).