Bob Iger expressed his cautious attitude towards future Star Wars films after Solo's disappointing reception in 2018.
The Disney CEO was asked about his thoughts on the future of several brands during his appearance at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference. With regards to Star Wars, Iger said Solo's poor box office returns gave the company "pause." Other executives suggested the company's approach to the film was "a little too aggressive." The Han Solo origin story was produced with a very high budget, costing at least $275 million, but failed to turn a profit. In fact, a year after its release, it's estimated the studio lost about $77 million. Critical response was neutral to favorable, but fan reception was more mixed.
Iger clarified that new Star Wars movies are still in development, but stated "we're going to make sure when we make one, it's the right one." One of these upcoming films will be directed by Taika Waititi, who also plans to act in a prominent role. However, there are currently no concrete details about this movie's plot or production schedule.
Star Wars TV Is Going Strong
The CEO also said episodic series in the universe, like Andor and The Mandalorian, have been very successful. The Mandalorian has especially found breakout success since its Disney+ premiere in 2019. The series is currently in its third season, and showrunner Jon Favreau has already finished writing Mandalorian Season 4.
The franchise's Disney+ presence has only grown stronger over the years, with new episodic series and spin-offs being added frequently. The upcoming Star Wars Celebration event, which will be held in London in April, may reveal new projects in development. Lucasfilm announced the event will include an Obi-Wan Kenobi panel featuring Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen and Indira Varma. There are no concrete details about a second season for the Obi-Wan show yet, but fans and McGregor himself have expressed excitement to continue the story.
Other upcoming Star Wars series this year include Ahsoka and Young Jedi Adventures. Ahsoka is a series centered on Ahsoka Tano, who studied as Anakin Skywalker's padawan during the events of The Clone Wars. The series stars Rosario Dawson and is set to premiere sometime this year, though it is unclear whether it will have a summer or autumn release. Young Jedi Adventures is the first Star Wars series aimed at preschool-age children and is set to premiere May 4.
All of the Star Wars films and series are currently available to stream on Disney+.
Source: Deadline