Just last month, fans found out the direction Disney will take when it comes to Star Wars. It was revealed during the 2023 Star Wars Celebration in London that three new movies will come out in the coming years, along with all the announced projects for Disney Plus. These movies will tackle the Jedi's origins, Rey's new Order, and the culmination of The Mandalorian series. And just like the Sequel Trilogy, there'll be a lot of pressure for these films under Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau to succeed. Here are the elements these new Star Wars movies must have to surpass all expectations.
5 crucial elements the new Star Wars movies must have to succeed
5. The Jedi Origins movie must inject something new into the franchise
Of the three movies announced during the most recent Star Wars Celebration in London, it's the Jedi Origins project that doesn't offer much detail to fans. What's generally known at this point is that the first Jedi discovered how to harness the Force and established the first semblance of an Order on Ach-To, the same planet Luke Skywalker hid in Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi.
Since there's nothing concrete known, Disney and Lucasfilm can go wild as they try to set the canon of this period. What's great here is that they have a lot of sources to pull from, including the Legends timeline and those from the most recent storylines from Marvel Comics. The key here is to bring something fresh and new to the table to make the Jedi Origins movie stand out from what fans have seen before. That, and delivering a compelling story from a galaxy far, far away will eventually win people over and make them advocates of this period in Star Wars history.
4. Create a compelling antagonist for the Jedi Origins film
Since the new Jedi Origins film won't have a dedicated Sith Lord to cause chaos, there's a gaping antagonist-sized hole in the project's middle. This is actually a good opportunity for Disney and Lucasfilm to make something new to deviate from the Sith as the franchise's consistent source of conflict and tension throughout the movies.
Although the Sith hasn't existed at the start of the Jedi Order, there are still many different options for villains. One good choice to consider is seeing how the Mandalorians will work as the film's primary antagonists since the two groups will eventually clash later in the timeline. Of course, planting the seeds for the Sith's rise is a welcome addition to this future project to make it more rewarding for Star Wars fans.
3. Elevate Rey into the heroine she should be in the New Jedi Order movie
It's no secret that the Sequel Trilogy didn't exactly live up to expectations, with many thinking they couldn't be possibly worse than the Prequel films. Turns out, the Original Trilogy is still lightyears ahead of The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and Rise of Skywalker due to the many inconsistencies and questionable parts of the sequel's overall story. Of course, one of the biggest victims here is no other than Rey.
What was supposed to be the next Star Wars hero for modern times turned out to be a dud, especially when compared to Luke Skywalker and company. Even though the character itself was alright, the situation Daisy Ridley's Rey was placed in left the heroine's impact to be less than what was expected by many. The recently-announced Jedi Order movie starring Rey must fix most of the Sequel Trilogy's faults, starting with elevating the character itself to new heights. In line with this, a new story that's built on what came before is essential to making Rey's character succeed here. It's important to give her a proper hero's journey without sacrificing the quality of the story for too much fan service. If that happens, Rey will deserve to breathe the same air as Luke, Han Solo, and other franchise heroes.
2. Vindicate John Boyega's Finn
Speaking of deserving, there's one other character who got the short end of the stick in the Sequel Trilogy. It's no other than John Boyega's Finn. During the Sequel Trilogy's entire run, we see Finn's character relegated more and more into the background. We see him start as a stormtrooper who turned on the First Order and eventually see Finn become a leading figure in the Resistance. Throughout the whole run, Star Wars fans don't see much evolution in Finn like Rey or Poe Dameron did in those three films.
The upcoming film on Rey's new Jedi Order can correct that mistake by giving him the story arc he deserves. Whether it's a position of authority in the New Republic or as a galaxy-traversing hero fighting whatever remained of the First Order, it's imperative for Finn to come back as a compelling hero that can justify Boyega's talent. If Disney and Lucasfilm manage to do right by Finn, expect the New Jedi Order film to win more fans to its side.
1. Keep The Mandalorian movie's story concise and tight
While the Jedi Origins and Rey's New Jedi Order are exciting, the culmination of the Mandoverse's story arc is the true highlight fans are looking forward to. With the success of The Mandalorian on Disney Plus, and the expansion of overall lore, thanks to Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, there's really a lot riding on the success of this project.
The thing is, there's always a chance for The Mandalorian film to fail. One point that has fans worrying is how it will cram the series' story along with that of the other Disney Plus projects, such as Ahsoka and The Book of Boba Fett. Add the upcoming live-action debut of Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Ghost Crew from Star Wars Rebels, and many characters will be already crammed into the said project.
Even if that's the case, Disney and Lucasfilm must remember to do away with elements that don't serve the overall story and help it move forward. While it might be nice to include Moff Gideon in the story, having him take too much screen time can be detrimental since he has been the focus in The Mandalorian's three seasons on streaming. If that potential mistake can be avoided, the overall story and quality won't suffer, much like what The Last Skywalker experienced during its theatrical run.
With new life being injected into Star Wars by Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, there's really a lot to expect from the upcoming films. Fans must keep an eye out as these projects can herald a new age of prosperity and popularity for the franchise for years to come.
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