After the announcement of a new Star Wars movie, it seems all but certain that the sequel will fail. Disney have revealed plans for a new Star Wars movie set years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. It will reportedly follow Rey as she attempts to rebuild the Jedi order, with Daisy Ridley returning.
Ridley’s previous Star Wars outings faced backlash (to put it mildly). Though her debut in The Force Awakens was generally well-enjoyed, subsequent films were decidedly less popular. The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker drew the ire of Star Wars fans who were unhappy with Disney’s handling of the franchise.
Though there are those excited by the continuation of Rey’s journey, the announced sequel already seems destined to fail. Disney’s track record with the franchise is inconsistent, but the reception to recent releases suggests a worrying trend. One way or another, further Star Wars sequels following Rey will almost definitely struggle to find success.
Why Any New Star Wars Movie Will Fail In 1 of 2 Ways
The most obvious reason for this likely failure is evidenced by the most recent string of Star Wars movies. Rey’s story so far has been marred by controversy and plagued by narrative inconsistency. While some criticisms levelled at the sequel trilogy are valid, they all provide a framework of failure that will likely apply to the new movie. Reactions to the sequel trilogy were so strong that it seems Star Wars fans are likely to find issue with any continuation of its story – something which will undoubtedly be a major hurdle for the next stage of Rey’s journey.
There’s also the matter of Star Wars‘ more popular TV shows to contend with. Though the Disney+ releases have been more widely enjoyed, they’ve also faced criticism of another kind. There are those who believe that Star Wars‘ latest tactic is to overload their stories with fan service. Though this might have worked, it will hardly be possible for Rey’s next movie: it seems that there aren’t enough truly popular left in the franchise after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Besides, a movie sequel built around fan service is also likely to face significant criticism.
The issue with the Star Wars franchise is that it’s undoubtedly top-heavy. With its most popular movies now decades in the past, it’s increasing reliance on new stories has not been well-received by fans. Though Star Wars might still be better than rival franchises, its fanbase seems too divided to establish any genuine consensus. With that in mind, it seems unavoidable that the new Star Wars movie will fail.