We’d heard about the potential for a Star Wars television series by Disney CEO Bob Iger after Disney bought Lucasfilm back in 2012. Of course, we’ve had a couple great animated series since then, but we still haven’t had a live-action television series set in the Star Wars galaxy. Last November Disney said it wanted a live-action series for the streaming service it had planned, but no mention of anything since then. Finally, on today’s earnings call, Iger said we are very close to getting a TV series.
As it turns out, Disney wants more than one more Star Wars series for its new streaming service. Iger revealed the company is close to revealing at least one of the production teams, but still waiting for a few things to be worked out. He also promised that the level of talent will be as significant as what Disney has brought on for its movies.
Speaking of more Star Wars movies, just before the all, Disney announced that Lucasfilm had hired Emmy-winning Game of Thrones creators Benioff and Weiss to make a new movie series. That creative pair had been high on my list to produce a Star Wars TV series. I think the rich multi-season storytelling that we’ve seen on Game of Thrones (but set in the Star Wars Galaxy with The Force and all its rich history) is exactly what the Star Wars galaxy needs.
“Their interest was in creating a series of films that are Star Wars-based and we’ve actually been talking to them for a long time,” Iger said. “To my knowledge they didn’t express interest in creating a series. They have an idea for a number of films and at some later date I’m sure we’ll disclose to all of you just what those are. They are focused on a point in time in the Star Wars mythology and taking it from there.”
Star Wars history is rich ground to mine for stories. How did the Jedi Order come to be? What was it like for the first people to discover they could harness the power of the Force to move objects, even the odds, fight for justice or consolidate power? For that matter, there are worlds beyond the core planets, in the outer rim where wars are fought, empires built and lost, without ever having seen the shadow of the Empire or a Jedi’s laser sword. Surely there are force wielders on previously unheard of worlds with their own abilities and traditions just the same. The possibilities are pretty endless, but the need for compelling conflict, believable characters, and expertly woven suspense and adventure are not. You have to have the right people lined up to produce that. Let’s hope Disney and Lucasfilm have figured it out.
Although some may worry about peak Star Wars (the idea that we will have some many Star Wars stories to choose from the quality will drop or we just become inured to it), I think the idea of having a TV show or two and a couple big movies a year hasn’t hurt the Marvel Cinematic Universe. My guess is that’s the model Disney is shooting for with Star Wars.
What would you like to see from a Star Wars TV series built for a streaming service?