Disney CEO says to “expect some slowdown” with future Star Wars movies
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Phil Roberts 
Bob Iger takes full responsibility for the oversaturation of Star Wars content and promises a decrease in production in favour of a more thought out approach.
Whether you have liked, loved or loathed the recent tidal wave of Star Wars movies that have been released since the sale of Lucasfilm to the Walt Disney Corporation one thing is undeniable…the notion of a new Star Wars movie every single year was never going to be sustainable.
Rian Johnson’s highly anticipated sequel The Last Jedi was released to rave reviews but failed to appease a vast number of the fans who found his divisive take on the galaxy far, far away a bitter pill to swallow. And yet, despite this negative backlash Disney forged ahead with plans to alter their schedule and release Solo: A Star Wars Story less than five months later. The result was catastrophic.
Despite the majority of fans sites waxing lyrical over Ron Howard’s superb movie, many of the fans just couldn’t bring themselves to make the pilgrimage to the cinema and risk further disappointment. The result was a less than impressive return at the worldwide box office and a major rethink from the studio that quickly shelved every future project bar J.J Abrams’ Episode IX.
With no official word from Lucasfilm or Disney regarding that fate of planned spin-off movies involving Boba Fett, Jabba The Hutt and Obi-Wan Kenobi, the fans began to fear the worst. However, Disney CEO Bob Iger has today addressed the issue and taken full responsibility for the shortsighted release of Solo: A Star Wars Story while outlining his plans for the future.
Bob Iger Talks to the Hollywood Reporter:
I made the timing decision, and as I look back, I think the mistake that I made — I take the blame — was a little too much, too fast. You can expect some slowdown, but that doesn’t mean we’re not gonna make films. J.J. [Abrams] is busy making [Episode] IX. We have creative entities, including [Game of Thrones creators David] Benioff and [D.B.] Weiss, who are developing sagas of their own, which we haven’t been specific about. And we are just at the point where we’re gonna start making decisions about what comes next after J.J.’s. But I think we’re gonna be a little bit more careful about volume and timing. And the buck stops here on that.
For a CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world to deliver an apology of this nature is a rare occurrence, but this information will go a long way in rebuilding bridges with Star Wars fans the world over. The original idea of releasing a new movie every year was ambitious, to say the least, but whereas the Marvel Cinematic Universe has a plethora of established characters to call upon at any given time, the Star Wars universe needs a loving and delicate touch that upholds the traditions of George Lucas’ legacy without diluting the narrative.
Disney slowing the whole process down will undoubtedly ensure a better standard of moviemaking moving forward and should turn the tide of Star Wars oversaturation. A more realistic schedule of a new Star Wars motion picture every two-years will go a long way in restoring the anticipation levels of previous movies and reinvigorate our optimism for a franchise we love through and through.
Until Episode IX is unleashed upon the world, only Lucasfilm knows what awaits us next in the galaxy far, far away…
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Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Phil Roberts is the owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. He is a huge fan of Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies.
If he’s not in the cinema he’s probably streaming something equally awesome!
