The previous decade of Star Wars has been… so much: fascinating, thrilling, exhausting, disappointing. You choose a descriptor, and it might in all probability apply at any level after The Force Awakens revitalized the franchise, the 2 spinoff films did what they might, and The Last Jedi tried to take new swings. What one phrase describes The Rise of Skywalker within the cleanest, most charitable approach? How about “compromised”?
Rise of Skywalker launched in theaters on December 20, 2019, and again then, all eyes had been on it. This was a film in an unenviable place: past the mission of wrapping the Disney-branded “Skywalker Saga,” it needed to cope with dealing with Carrie Fisher’s passing in between films, plus discussions of how returning director J.J. Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio would build on the path set by Awakens and Final. And by hitting throughout Christmas season, it made itself the ultimate “final” in a 12 months that featured the equally momentous Avengers: Endgame and the Game of Thrones finale.
So yeah, there was quite a lot of stress on Rise to ship the products and finish in a approach that happy everybody. And after all of the buildup, it… didn’t do actually do this. Like, in any respect. Little question individuals just like the movie or discover it pleasing, however there’s no denying that it looks like one thing occurred throughout manufacturing, and the top result’s a movie that leaves a bizarre style in your mouth. After leaving the theater and hopping on-line, there was overwhelmingly a collective feeling of “what the hell was that?” that made it much more incendiary to talk about than Final Jedi. That half might have been unavoidable, however the remaining may be owed strictly to the film as is, from its bizarre moments of fan service to pulled punches and open data that it was born after original director Colin Trevorrow left the mission. No matter excessive factors the movie is alleged to have, they exist in a film that apparently got here in so sizzling, your entire catalyst for its occasions needed to be put in Fortnite pre-release, however not the film itself.
If Final Jedi’s shadow has loomed over Star Wars for seven years and counting, Rise of Skywalker is a monster that pulled your entire franchise into its mouth and has but to both digest it or simply quit and spit it out. Whereas it made cash, it didn’t take lengthy to suspect Disney might have been embarrassed by the reactions to it. (Living proof: the movie’s comic adaptation is lastly popping out in February after it was introduced again in 2020.) Any goodwill initially earned with Pressure Awakens mainly eroded in actual time as soon as Rise revealed that Palpatine returned one way or the other, or afterward when Chewbacca will get “killed.” And if that didn’t do it, the “Rey is Palpatine’s granddaughter” reveal would possibly’ve been the primary kiss of loss of life for the movie, and the ultimate one for Skywalker Saga. The movie finally posits that Rey being a Palpatine doesn’t matter since she’s chosen her personal title and household. However in adopting the Skywalker surname, she simply trades one legacy title for one more in what might hilariously learn as a narrative of a lady pulling off essentially the most elaborate identification theft scheme within the universe.
Is Disney unhealthy at this, proudly owning Star Wars? That query’s been hovering round for years, and sparked up as soon as once more within the wake of The Acolyte’s cancelation. The outcomes are inconclusive: on one hand, Andor is a few actually good-ass tv, and different media just like the Excessive Republic and numerous video games have been fairly constantly good. On the identical time, Disney simply can’t appear to get any type of agency deal with on the film and TV entrance: there hasn’t been a new theatrical movie since Rise got here out, and each new announcement for one (or three) movies which might be tooooootally occurring looks like an ongoing joke. Likewise, it’s a crap shoot as to how a present’s going to end up, what cameos it’ll inevitably function, and how much future it’ll have. Audiences appear to love the at present airing Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, however the jury’s nonetheless out on if it’ll go so far as the creators hope, or if its wings might be reduce out from below it and never get to meet its promise, an issue that goes nicely past this franchise.
There may be some gentle on the finish of the tunnel; particularly Dave Filoni’s Mandalorian & Grogu film in 2026 and a second season of Ahsoka, plus the second (and sadly remaining) season of Andor in April. Will audiences be keen to stay their neck out once more and see the place that is all going? It’s straightforward to say “sure” and level to Marvel, which many have felt has had its strongest 12 months since Avengers: Endgame. However the MCU has but to have a film that’s overtly damaged the enterprise fairly like Rise of Skywalker did, and it’s about to drag some interesting new tricks out of its sleeve. If Star Wars goes to be again at that very same degree… nicely, it’ll take some work, and extra importantly, consistency and conviction.
Need extra io9 information? Take a look at when to count on the newest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on film and TV, and all the things it’s good to learn about the way forward for Doctor Who.
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