Naturally, everyone is very preoccupied with the imminent release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," but don't forget, Lucasfilm has also mapped out a handful of standalone Anthology films for the next few years as well. While "The Force Awakens" will lay the groundwork for future Saga films, many have been wondering if the "Star Wars" spinoff movies will build up additional future franchises.
Speaking with Slash Film, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy addressed the structure that the studio has in mind for these pictures.
"...[These movies] are not being designed to necessarily build new franchises...[they will] very definitely have a beginning, middle, and end," Kennedy said.
This is welcome news for fans who don't want Lucasfilm to stretch itself too thin or oversaturate the market place with diluted "Star Wars" content. But it's also an interesting approach from a business perspective. One would think that the planned Han Solo prequel, in which our lovable scoundrel will be in his late teens or early twenties, would be the first in a series of adventures for the intergalactic smuggler. Apparently, that is not the case. These spinoff films may truly be one-and-done, if Kennedy is to be believed.
Lucasfilm appears to be more concerned with episodic narratives as opposed to franchise building. For this reason, the studio could build a shared continuity that surpassed the Marvel Cineamtic Universe. The pressure of setting up a sequel has harmed the quality of certain MCU films ("Iron Man 2," "Thor: The Dark World"). Given more creative freedom and room for originality, Lucasfilm's Anthology movies could be a nice refresher in this age of blockbuster sequels.
This approach also allows the studio to pick literally any storyline it wants. From "Knights of the Old Republic" (technically no longer canon but still a beloved "Star Wars" property) to a Boba Fett origin story, there are no limits to what the "Star Wars" universe can show us.
Will this strategy work? We'll find out when "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" hits theaters on Dec. 16, 2016.
