A Mysterious, Distant Galaxy
News is moving quickly on this story, folks. Earlier this week, it was reported that Disney would be slowing down production of Star Wars films due to the financial disaster that is Solo: A Star Wars Story. Well, the Disney–owned ABC reached out to Lucasfilm, who said that isn’t the case.
“Instead, Lucasfilm told ABC News there are still “multiple” Star Wars films currently in development that have not been officially announced. Those projects are moving forward separate from an already-announced “Star Wars” trilogy being overseen by “The Last Jedi” director Rian Johnson and another series of movies from “Game of Thrones” producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.”
If you ever wanted to know what synergy-based PR looks like, that’s it. Do you really think a Disney–owned company reached out to another Disney–owned company out of the blue? The “good press” is obvious, but chances are its true. James Mangold’s Boba Fett and Stephen Daldry’s Obi-Wan are probably happening!
To say that the studio was abandoning numerous films was most likely an exaggeration. But according to multiple sources, something did get cancelled. Luckily, it sounds like it would have been a film absolutely no one would have wanted…No one but Disney.
Mos Eisley – The Movie?
According to sources from Making Star Wars, it wasn’t the Obi-Wan or Boba Fett films that were affected, it was an unannounced Mos Eisley film. Mos Eisley is a desert city on Tatooine, home to the famous cantina of the same name. This is where a young Luke Skywalker and an old Ben Kenobi team up with Han Solo and Chewbacca. It’s the kind of location known for its “scum and villainy.” It’s a haven for mobsters and criminals. But home to a major motion picture? That sounds ludicrous.
When there are so many other potential characters and storylines to tell within the Star Wars Universe, would anyone have really asked for a film centered around a location? And if that, a desert town with sand buildings? If a planet’s story is to be told, venture to places like Dagobah, Coruscant, or Korriban before you get to the dreary and colorless world of Mos Eisley. Tatooine is one of the most recognizable settings in the Star Wars Universe. Not to mention if the Obi-Wan Kenobi film comes to pass it would most likely be set on the same planet. So why was Disney ever planning a Mos Eisley movie in the first place?
Well, for their theme parks. As “Galaxy’s Edge” becomes a sensation, Disney is going to want to build on that with memorable Star Wars locations and settings. There’s no better way to guarantee your guests are familiar with that location than to make a film about it! You don’t need Anakin to tell you sand isn’t all its cracked up to be.
Audiences want to see worlds they’ve never seen before, not the most familiar-looking setting in the entire Star Wars Universe.