Mandalorian Season 3

[Cazza]

Yeah, Stephen Knight's involvement is very encouraging and hopefully the combo will bear fruit. Time will tell. I really like Rey as a character, but hope they develop a thoroughly planned story. I'd rather they really take their time to craft something special, than rush it out. You would think they have learned their lessons...

 

[sith-smith]

I've just started watching all the SW TV series again. Forgotten how great Season 1 and 2 were of Mandalorian. Though I do remember season 3 was not the greatest!

Looking forward to a feature length film for sure.

 

[monkey_roo]

Not a mando rumor - but there is enough noise out there to say the Rey movie is in trouble: https://www.jeditemplearchives.com/...ain-rey-movie-allegedly-delayed-indefinitely/

I guess it is all pinch of salt stuff - but it wouldn't surprise anyone if the film was being backburnered - at least until Mando is done and there is a view as to what the appetite for more SW movies is?

Whatever the truth - frankly Lucasfilm seems to be a total mess right now - no clue what there strategy is, I even read the other day that after the success of Marvels' What If (and it is good) - they are looking at a SW What If show - of course that was done in the comics by Dark Horse years ago.... but still a good idea, although to an extend isn't that what Vision is?

Anyway - is Rey on the Rocks.......

 

[Twin30mm]

Yeah, its an extremely sad state of affairs.
Lucasfilm just seems to be in total disarray and the situation is quickly descending into farce, if the rumours are to be believed.
The list of announced, then cancelled projects, seems to be ever-growing.

The Mando announcement seems to have come out of nowhere (probably a knee-jerk reaction to the Obaid-Chinoy debacle) and has apparently leap-frogged the Rey movie. On paper, it seems a better bet than the Rey movie, but after the execrable S3 and the waning novelty of Grogu, I don't think its the sure-fire hit it may once of been. Hopefully, Favreau can be given free reign to create something of worth.

Did anyone really think the Rey movie was going to happen?
The bland lead character from the extremely divisive ST, coupled with an inexperienced activist director, was just asking for trouble.
Surely, there are better options they can explore.
I feel sorry for Daisy Ridley, she seems a nice person and her career definitely doesn't need this bad press.

The only chink of light seems to be Andor S2, but that seems to be an age away.

 

[monkey_roo]

It does appear a total mess.

The sequel films may not have been failures, but they weren't smash hits either, in that they haven't become engrained in pop-culture the way the OT was. The Force Awakens was enjoyable enough and if the story had followed on from there we would likely have had a better trilogy overall, but we didn't and there you have it. Three films that did OK, where enjoyable enough, a bit messy and ever demising character development, but didn't have the larger impact Disney would have wanted (Someone should have written all three before a single minute was filmed....)

Rogue One and Solo were fine as well, Rogue One excellent, but they didn't do Disney numbers (and that is what Disney are about...), mind you almost none of their films of late have hit the Billion Dollar mark...

Over on Disney+, Disney are so desperate to win the streaming wars their green lighting process seems geared to that rather than world-building.

At this point they need to bring in a strong Uber-fan to rebuild their universe and start to construct stories from the ground up, build a coherent timeline between films and shows, live and animation.

Fiege did that for Marvel for the first 10 years and it was amazing (now needs a bit of a rethink)
Gunn is doing it for DC now (I am sure it will also be amazing)
To an extend Jackson did it for Middle Earth (different IP ownership setup so more the Tolkin Estate giving their blessing...)

Big worlds need clear visions and real stewardship/leadership - SW doesn't have that.

 

[Twin30mm]

At this point they need to bring in a strong Uber-fan to rebuild their universe and start to construct stories from the ground up, build a coherent timeline between films and shows, live and animation.

Totally agree.
Nothing will change whilst Kennedy is still in charge. I wouldn't put it past them to renew her contract in October.

Can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with John Campea. Bring in Tony Gilroy.
Whilst not a huge SW fan, he seems to have the creative vision to take the franchise forward in new directions.
Would love to see Gareth Edwards return, as well (The Creator was excellent on a small budget).
A Gilroy/Edwards/Favreau combo would be excellent imho.

 

[monkey_roo]

For me Favreau and Filoni are the two in the boxset and a corporate restructure to give them the ultimate control would make sense. Other directors can be hired for specific projects as and when, but I would let those two build a new SW post Mando. Again for me, a mixture of bringing back some fan favourites from the old Comics (Shadows of the Empire needs to be a thing...) mixed with new original characters and target only 1 or 2 films a year and only a small number of TV shows. Quality over quantity and build it all up slowly so audiences go on the right journey - sounds simple enough

Oh and for the most part - let the OT characters be, use the CGI/AI rendering in small doses to maximise impact and all that.

 

[Cazza]

Totally agree. It's a mess, which is a massive shame. I'm onboard for a Rey film, but they've got to get it right and the signs aren't good. Surely Filoni will be first in line should KK retire? Think that would be a good move, although some of his choices for Mando S3 were a little questionable- still enjoyed it though. I think it's best to stay well clear of all the sensational conspiracy theory BS on Youtube, though- most of it is completely made up, spin or hyperbole. Every franchise seems to have it these days- I don't know how people can continually buy and absorb so much negativity! Not good at all for mental wellbeing/mindset.

 

[Twin30mm]

Agreed, regarding the constant negativity.
But then again, apart from the odd highlight, there hasn't been much to be positive about recently.
I think the vast majority of fans (myself included) want DisneySW to be the best it can be and would rather be singing its praises.
But for some bizarre reason, they lurch from one self-inflicted disaster to another.

Unfortunately for Lucasfilm, at the moment, the behind-the-scenes shenanigans and online speculation are infinitely more entertaining than what they're producing.

 

[monkey_roo]

I've think you've hit the nail on the head there - Negativity, which for the most part it is coming from (or ignited by) Lucasfilm/Disney - all this constant hiring and announcing project and then canceling them or simply never talking about them again, chopping and changing plans and basically feeding the internet where folks then fill in the blanks.

Frankly as a fan watching the studio say 'we'll do X' and then they don't, 'we'll do Y' and it is never heard from again - not to mention the veritable revolving door of writers and directors attached to anything and then not - it doesn't inspire any level of confidence and that is the main issue. I think a large portion of the fanbase (the cinema audience) coupled with what media critics and to an extent the investors (after a string of mediocre to massive loss making efforts on + and in Cinemas) have all lost their faith and that is when folks get negative.

If you're going to may a Rey film (or three) - own it, love, do it - but don't announce it and a director/writer and then seemingly walk it back - it's almost like they are floating the ideas out there to see if any get positive hits - it's like their panels are some bizarre form of market research

Anyway -, to be positive - A Mando film could be great and I am looking forward to that, Likewise a big movie event to wrap up Ahsoka and Rebels stories could be good and Ahsoka season 2, Andor season 2, more SW Visions are all things to look forward.

For what it is worth the idea of Rogue Squadron as a film was also appealing, following the daring do's of an elite fighter unit during the rebellion would be awesome - Dark Horse wrote a fifty issue comic run on just that back in the day - it's basically a Damnbusters in space - sounds good to me...

They just need to lock in a plan before they announce stuff, and then delivery to that plan... Simple

 

[Twin30mm]

On a positive note, here's the fantastic Wingman fanfilm. As usual the fans are doing the best work.
Really gutted the Patty Jenkins Rogue Squadron never materialised, so this gives a glimpse of what may have been.