Star Wars is one of the most popular franchises in film history, spanning decades of filmmaking and enthralling generations of fans. But that doesn't mean the galaxy far, far away is without error, as there have been some missteps in the beloved space opera. Disney acquired Lucasfilm back in 2012, with the House of Mouse putting out plenty of content over the past few years, including main installments and standalone films. But Disney CEO Bob Iger recently admitted that they might have put out too many movies in the beginning.
The Star Wars franchise was kickstarted back up with J.J. Abrams' The Force Awakens, with one new movie arriving every year through 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story. But Ron Howard's Star Wars movie failed to deliver at the box office, and there hasn't been any plans for another standalone flick. Bob Iger spoke to the particular challenges to George Lucas' colorful world, saying:
I just think that we might’ve put a little bit too much in the marketplace too fast. I think the storytelling capabilities of the company are endless because of the talent we have at the company, and the talent we have at the company is better than it’s ever been, in part because of the influx of people from Fox.
Well, this is interesting. It looks like Bob Iger and Disney might slow down their production on Star Wars movies in the future. But he's sure the space opera's story will continue indefinitely, especially with the new talent from 20th Century Fox following its merger with the House of Mouse.
Bob Iger's comments to the New York Times make a great deal of sense, and shows how methodically Disney and Lucasfilm are approaching the Star Wars franchise moving forward. While the company hit the ground running with the current trilogy and the first two standalone movies, Iger believes they might have put too much out at once. But that should change following the release of The Rise of Skywalker.
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J.J. Abrams' The Rise of Skywalker will complete the nine-film narrative Skywalker Saga, and wrap up the story that began with A New Hope. Once that conclusion is given to the fandom, Lucasfilm should have the freedom to take their time with each new release. There are two possible sequels in development for the franchise, coming from Rian Johnson and the creators of Game of Thrones. But those filmmakers are taking their time, so it should be a while before the Star Wars franchise returns to theaters.
But this hiatus doesn't mean that fans will be devoid of Star Wars content, as the property will break new ground with Disney+'s upcoming live-action series The Mandalorian. So while Bob Iger's comments indicate a more careful approach to new releases, the company will be putting out exciting new projects for the foreseeable future.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will hit theaters on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
