Editorial Piece – Star Wars and Profit Over Creativity

The critically acclaimed Star Wars franchise has no doubt been under a barrage of both praise and criticism, drawn mainly by Disney and Lucasfilm’s decision to move forward with a new trilogy of movies, referred to by fans as the Sequel Trilogy. This new trilogy (consisting of The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise Of Skywalker) is the first set of films (alongside spinoff films Rogue One and Solo) in the franchise to be helmed by Disney creative executives. This change in leadership from Lucasfilm’s former full autonomy to a new, corporate-focused hierarchy of business officials is, in the eyes of many, an unwise move. This opinion holds a large degree of merit, as businesses act in the interest of profit, while film studios are often times more interested in creating art pieces and allowing for creative freedom. Disney’s corporatist mindset towards the Star Wars brand has led to an excessive stifling of creative freedom, and an overly cautious approach to storytelling. Because of this, old story beats are lazily reused, new and interesting characters are relegated to minor roles and forward thinking ideas are put in the background if they do not properly align with projected overseas profits. The franchise, which has long celebrated the values of freedom, acceptance and hope, is instead being wrung dry by a money-hungry business, who could care less about passionately and attentively developing an ongoing, original and bold story.