Liam Neeson wants fewer Star Wars movies and shows, not more
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Liam Neeson believes there are too many Star Wars movies and shows in production that “dilute” the legendary sci-fi franchise.
The actor behind iconic Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn told Watch what’s happening live! (opens in new tab) that Lucasfilm and Disney must rein in their plans for that galaxy far, far away. The reason? The sheer number of Star Wars spin-offs takes away the magic from the movie trilogies that many viewers grew up with.
Asked if he’d be interested in reprising his role as Qui-Gin in a Disney Plus series – just like fellow Star Wars actor Ewan McGregor did in Obi Wan Kenobi – Neeson said bluntly, “No, I’m not. There are so many Star Wars spin-offs. It dilutes it for me, and it kind of took away the mystery and the magic in a weird way.”
Neeson, who made a brief cameo Obi Wan Kenobi‘s final episode as a Force Ghost version of Qui-Gon, added, “It was nice to do that little bit with Ewan after 25 years. I didn’t show up until the last episode and had two lines of dialogue. That was good, I loved it, but that’s it.”
If Neeson’s comments about not wanting to star in a, well, Star Wars TV show are like a dagger to the heart, diehard fans shouldn’t be too glum. The Irish actor has previously said he would consider playing Qui-Gon again, under one condition: it should be a movie, not a TV series. However, with Lucasfilm looking to the future with its Star Wars brand, a Qui-Gon solo movie is highly unlikely.
Analysis: Disney Plus show and tell us everything, Liam
Neeson’s comments about the Star Wars franchise may sound like he’s complaining about nothing, but is he right?
We think there is some truth to what Neeson says. Since The MandalorianWith its first season debuting on Disney Plus in November 2019, there have been a plethora of Star Wars spin-off shows – and unsurprisingly, some have been better received than others. Andor season 1 download And The Mandalorian have been acclaimed by fans and critics as television of the highest order. The will of Obi Wan Kenobi And Star Wars: Visionshowever, did not set the world on fire.
Initially a total of seven live-action and animated TV series – the aforementioned quartet plus The bad party, Stories of the JediAnd Boba Fett’s book – doesn’t sound like much. However, keep it in mind Star Wars: Resistance And The Clone Wars – both of which only aired in early 2020 – and we’ve seen nine Star Wars shows in the last three years. Add other upcoming shows like The Mandalorian season 3 download, Ahsoka TanoAnd Skeleton crewand suddenly the Star Wars TV lineup looks very full.
That’s not all. Of Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker marks the end of the latest film trilogy, Solo: A Star Wars Story – the first film spin-off – has been released. There’s been constant talk of other spin-off movies as well, including the in-limbo one Rogue Squadron, an untitled Taika Waititi-directed film, a Damon Lindelof-made film, and a Shawn Levy-produced film. We’re reportedly hearing more about this quartet at Star Wars Celebration in April.
Potentially, then, 13 new Star Wars productions — four movies and nine TV series — could be released over a seven-year period (late 2019 to circa 2026, depending on how quickly Waititi and company get their films made and released in theaters). launch). . Sure, that equates to just two new projects every 12 months, but it could be enough to cause Star Wars fatigue among fans.
Marvel fans and general cinephiles are already starting to tire of the sheer amount of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies and TV shows that have been released in recent years. Marvel president Kevin Feige has even suggested that the studio re-evaluate its current lineup, with the intention of releasing less content year after year. That means we’ll see significant changes to the MCU Phase 5 and MCU Phase 6 plans.
Lucasfilm should try to take a leaf out of Marvel’s book, even with returning CEO Bob Iger claiming that Disney will “lean harder” on its biggest franchises, like Star Wars, to improve its revenue streams. Less is more, as the saying goes, and Lucasfilm (and Disney) would do well to heed Marvel’s warning signs and reconsider – if they haven’t already – how many Star Wars shows and movies they like. plan to release in the coming years. .
For more Star Wars coverage, read how to watch the Star Wars movies in order. Plus, read all the new Star Wars movies and TV series coming soon.