Do we really need any more Star Wars movies?

The original Skywalker saga is over, yet that galaxy far, far away is still buzzing with activity and the potential for spin-offs. I reached out to some fans to discuss the future…

WORDS AND ILLUSTRATIONS by Meg McGowan

For a breakaway hit that was only shown in 38 cinemas upon its initial release in 1977, Star Wars sure has legs.

George Lucas’ gorgeously captivating space opera has grown beyond belief in the 40 years since its conception. Eleven films (I’ve just about remembered that Solo exists), several games, God knows how much merch, and one controversial sale to Disney later, the series appears to be more popular than ever.

What is the general consensus among fans? Are these cheap cash grabs or loving continuations of a saga that will forever need to be added to?

[VIDEO]

Whether fairly or unfairly, there has been a section of the Star Wars community that has been skeptical of everything produced by the brand ever since Disney bought the franchise in 2012.

Fears of the company milking George Lucas’ strange little universe for all it’s worth came up consistently amongst the fans I spoke with:

In an online poll I ran, 88% of the 54 people who participated said they felt Disney was milking the Star Wars brand. Of the same pool of fans, 72% admitted they didn’t enjoy the last installment of the Skywalker saga, ‘Rise of Skywalker’.

By comparison, the response to the roster of new titles was overwhelmingly positive. The much-talked-about Obi-Wan Kenobi series received the most buzz, with prospective viewers relieved to see the prequel’s Ewan McGregor return to the galaxy.

Here is some of the feedback I collected:

For a proper rundown on what’s to come for the brand and a debate on the legitimacy of these new series, I needed to have a thorough chat with a hardcore fan.

Enter Lara Beach, my confidante during numerous cinema trips, with whom I sat down (virtually) for a discussion about the future of the franchise:

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