Since its creation, Star Wars has always been a family saga. From Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker, the films have all had the Skywalkers at their core. Yet, for the first time, Darth Vader aside, we’ll be getting completely original characters in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Yes, we’ve had countless books, comics and animated series which don’t include a Skywalker, but this is the first time that Disney and Lucasfilm have departed from their storylines on the big screen.
The Force Awakens proved last year that Star Wars still has a lot left to give. It appears that Lucasfilm have capitalised on this already, announcing that a Han Solo prequel is in production. We’ll be getting the Han Solo film, starring Alden Ehrenreich, in 2018, as well as the next instalment in Rey and Finn’s story in Episode VIII. Finally, in 2019 we get Episode IX – the final part in the new trilogy. But where do the studio go after finishing the third trilogy in the saga? This is where the success of Rogue One comes in.
Marvel Studios have seen massive successes by creating a cinematic Universe of individual films and regular ensembles. Could Lucasfilm do the same? The Star Wars universe is full of stories and plots. If Rogue One does all that’s expected of it and more, a trilogy about Han Solo, or even a series of films about Boba Fett could definitely be on the cards.
In an article over on EW, Kathleen Kenedy, Lucasfilm president opens up the possibility of more stand-alone films:
That’s a conversation going on right now, too. I have to honestly tell you, could we [do nothing but stand-alones]? Sure. But I don’t know. We are looking at all of that.
Star Wars has been developing for over thirty years, so has the desire to see more of it. Unlike many drawn-out franchises, turning to a variety of stories and characters would likely be welcomed by fans. After all, with strange alien worlds, the Force and with a lot of room to experiment, who wouldn’t want to explore more?
Image: Disney/Lucasfilm
