I think you need to remember that Disney not only completed the sequel trilogy, but also has more films outside the skywalker saga planned away into the future. Why? Because Star Wars is Star Wars, and Star Wars gets butts in seats, and money in Disney’s pocket. Regardless of the hate it received, there are still more people beyond the individuals who made hour long rant videos screeching about this and that who watched the film. They were the difference-maker: the casual consumer who just wanted a Star Wars movie and indeed got a Star Wars movie, not us.
Bionicle (at least at the time G2 released) DID NOT have this.
Lego attempted a similar feat to Disney’s strategy with Star Wars with a comparatively less significant brand and got a lukewarm response. They tried to use nostalgia alone to sell a product that at that time, the common consumer wasn’t even nostalgic for yet - they missed the nostalgia cycle by a good couple years or so (tragically, and somewhat hilariously, most of the “heh, remember bionicle?” memes started relatively soon after G2 had died quietly in a ditch with nobody to mourn it but the already bereaved die-hard fans). Nobody was looking for it, and Lego made barely any attempt to make it looked for in the first place. They learned pretty quickly that a niche fanbase who was alienated by their poorly-thought-out product to begin with was not going to be a viable consumer base. That casual consumer just wasn’t there. How could they be?
I don’t want novels. When I go to a movie there’s an expectation that the writing and editing will tell the whole story. I shouldn’t have to rely on books with constantly changing canon to fulfill that story.
spits out mouthful of root beer WAIT HE WAS IN THERE?
Five seconds of research later…
Yup, you’re right. This is the worst movie.
Yes, I honestly think the inclusion of either Shriv or Kalani may have saved this movie for me.
That’s not quite I interpreted. One of the last things said in that conversation is, “You’re just a child with a mask,” or something along those lines. In anger, Kylo destroys his helmet, hoping that this would be a metaphorical transformation for him. Apparently, that transformation lasted 4/5 of a film before he just fixed it.
I don’t think that’s using nostalgia, that’s filling in more to the story. The OT left plenty of room for a prequel trilogy to begin (Anakin Skywalker, the mention of Luke and Leia’s mother, Obi-Wan Kenobi, they even mentioned the Clone Wars)
I can see this, but the rest:
Except for maybe the whole C-3PO part, it all was pretty integral to the plot. It’s believable. Yoda was a great Jedi Master who mentored Obi-Wan, of course he would be there. The films lead up to the OT, of course we’re going to see how twin children end up not on different planets without knowing how the other exists.
This isn’t exactly fair. It was an apparent major piece to the world of Star Wars, and Lucas decided, “let’s make some films about Anakin, during the Clone Wars.” There isn’t any nostalgia or fan service in that, that is simply expanding on the story. Just because it was mentioned before doesn’t mean that it being shown is a fan service or use of nostalgia. Those are integral parts of the film because they are built around that simple idea. Nobody cares about going to see the Prequels because that one line by Ben Kenobi was a great part of their childhood, they want to see it because it’s Star Wars and they want to know what happened in the universe.
I know my argument is very unclear, but it’s also very hard to describe. I just see the Sequels utilizing the fans’ nostalgia in a way that seems to try to cover up the fact that they are not that great, while the Prequels, if at all, use nostalgia because that’s their story. (I still am highly disturbed that C-3PO and R2’s only absence from a film is Solo)
That’s how the story goes, the Geonosians designed the early stages of the Death Star.
We need to understand why Luke has an Uncle and yet Anakin is an only child. Imagine if he wasn’t in there, people would be able to write off the Prequels as not being canon (if they hadn’t already) because Luke should never have had an uncle. But since Shmi married Owen’s father, we see that Luke has more of a step-uncle.
Your arguments aren’t invalid, and there is a solid case that Prequels used nostalgia, but I see the Sequels use it more of a crutch than that extra seasoning on top. I think the #1 rule in all of storytelling, and I think many will agree with me (for once) here, is that you need to have a story first. Make it a good one, or else everything you add will be trying to compensate for it. Nostalgia and fan service is fine, as long as it isn’t used as a foundation and more as a support. Rise of Skywalker tried to take Endgame, flavor it Star Wars, and check off every piece of Star Wars movie must-have in, what? Two hours? Honestly, I think this movie could have been much better if all they did was add on another hour. Maybe an intermission, as I could see that fitting better in Star Wars than in Marvel.
Moral of the story: You can’t rely on nostalgia alone for the basis of a story and you should really plan ahead before you do things. Nor should you change things just because some fans get upset because either way you cannot please everyone.
Although people give Disney a lot of crap for trying to be people pleasers with Star Wars, I think part of the basis for this is that Disney has always made movies that generally have an appeal to a wide range of people. Inherently, this is not a bad thing at all, I actually really like Disney’s older films that had this type of appeal. Star Wars arguably had this when it first came out, it became a movie that transformed culture forever for a reason, and that’s why it got so many fans of all ages. That being said, no matter what, you cannot please everyone, there will be someone somewhere who may dislike something for some reason. You just can’t do it.
It’s like a kid at school who tries really hard to be cool and be liked by everyone, but inadvertently ends up being disliked by most people because he doesn’t just act like himself.
well those consumers and the fans who were alienated suck for killing something that probably could of been great. I don’t know I’m just still angry and upset about G2’s Cancellations
I am very much mad now. I only read the first book of the Aftermath series, but those characters were very good and to know now that one died before my eyes without me even realizing it…
And he was far from the only one whom TROS killed without telling you…
Remember this guy, Nien Nunb, who flew with Lando in ROTJ?
Yeah…he also died at Exegol, but TROS didn’t show it. AND, when he died, he died onboard the Tantive IV, Leia’s ship from ANH, and one of the most famous ships in Star Wars…
Fun fact: The Tantive IV was also destroyed when Nien Nunb died…
…
…And TROS didn’t show that either (in fact, TROS didn’t even mention that the Tantive IV was in the film)…
Alright, Nien Nunb was the last straw. He was one of my favorite heroes in Battlefront 2015, and killing him off offscreen is almost as bad as Ackbar dying. I hate the Sequels now.
I wish they’d killed off him and Ackbar More heroically but the sequels, though I didn’t like them in context to the rest of the series, weren’t the worst movies I have seen
This is incorrect. You can see the Tantive IV and Nein Numb inside the ship for a few brief moments during Palpatine’s dub-step Force lightning attack. The ship can be seen falling toward the ground in flames and we cut inside to see the crew panicking for a few moments.
Emphasis on a few moments. It’s VERY brief. But it is there.
Exactly. That’s why most Star Wars movies are as successful as they are. That’s actually part of why I say the prequels depend on nostalgia and the “Star Wars” brand. If they weren’t labeled under the Star Wars franchise, I don’t think they would’ve done that well.
Because he himself thought the mask looked intimidating, and now there was no Snoke to make fun of it.
True, but there’s still the appeal of “Hey, remember those movies you loved back in the day? Well, we’ve got some more of those movies coming out!”
Uh…yeah. Yes, there’s the whole universe-expanding thing, but still.
It wasn’t-until Episode II threw it in as a piece of fanservice.
You know, there was a rumor that the movie would be split into Episode IX and X. Thank high heaven, that was false information.
Ugh. Did the filmmakers themselves confirm this? If so, then it’s J. K. Rowling all over again…
The author of the novelization confirmed it on Twitter while the movie was still in theaters. Someone brought up that they noticed it on their second watch-through and the author said yes, that was indeed what happened.
That’s a lot. Time for me to add my input that literally no one asked for or cares about.
Filoni is carrying Star Wars in the audiovisual department, this is true.
The new trilogy is mediocre at best. TLJ has some of the best stuff in all of Star Wars but it was bogged down by prequel-tier B.S.
RO and Solo are not good. Fun/entertaining =/= good. Their final cuts are both from some of the most boring milquetoast directors working today.
The sequel trilogy was rotten from the outset. Prequels were made because Lucas saw an actual reason to tell a story. Profits were his secondary concern, for better or worse. Disney’s trilogy (and everything they’ve done in general) has all come from a place of profits first, storytelling second.
There was no sequel trilogy plan. J.J. had ideas but they were never set in stone. TFA was just blind fanservice and mystery boxes. And as we all know, Abrams relies on them like his life depended on them.
George’s plans for what the franchise was going to be changed dramatically throughout his tenure as CEO of Lucasfilm. Remember, Star Wars was made with no faith from anyone involved in it’s production. Splinter of the Mind’s Eye was going to be the canonical sequel, until Star Wars broke box office records and surprised literally everyone involved. Every new iteration directly under George’s supervision was equal parts planned and improvised.
I can agree on that. They should take another extensive break from making movies, a 5-year break at the very least. Instead of rushing in with another mediocre trilogy, they should take the time to actually plan it out from the start.
Unfortunately, the next trilogy of films is already planned to start in 2022, so it seems like they aren’t gonna take any significant break any time soon.
I agree with most of what you said, but I have to disagree on Rogue One and Solo, definitely some of the best content Star Wars has come out with in the past 5 years alongside the new Clone Wars, Rebels, and Mando.
