As part of its presentation during Disney's Investor Day 2020, Lucasfilm announced a massive expansion of the Star Wars universe on the small screen. With no less than nine new live-action and animated TV shows coming to Disney+ in addition to future seasons of The Mandalorian, it appears a galaxy far, far away will be driven forward by its streaming series far more than its movies for the next several years.
Among the Star Wars series announced at the event are The Mandalorian spinoffs Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic. The shows will focus on, respectively, the adventures of former Jedi Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and the New Republic's efforts to bring order to the galaxy during the timeline of The Mandalorian. The previously announced shows Obi-Wan Kenobi, Cassian Andor and the animated The Bad Batch were discussed, along with a Lando Calrissian event series, the High Republic-set mystery-thriller The Acolyte, the anime anthology Visions and an animated droid show titled, fittingly, A Droid Story.
A Rogue Squadron movie directed by Wonder Woman's Patty Jenkins and Taika Waititi's previously announced film were also confirmed, but it's clear the franchise's new TV shows will be essential to pushing Star Wars into the future. It's a smart move on Lucasfilm's part, seeing as the galaxy far, far away is in a transitional period on the big screen after wrapping up the Skywalker Saga with The Rise of Skywalker. Up until now, the company's attempts to branch out into stories tangential to the central saga with the movies Rogue One and Solo have had mixed results, both creatively and commercially.
By comparison, Star Wars has thrived for years on the small screen away from the Skywalker clan. So far, The Mandalorian has mostly told a smaller story set in the wake of the Galactic Empire's defeat that shines a light on life in the worlds of the Outer Rim, many of which have never appeared on the big screen. Lucasfilm's animated Star Wars Rebels similarly explored the rise of the Rebel Alliance by following a small group of Rebels from the Lothal System. Even Star Wars: The Clone Wars found room to tell character-driven stories about supporting players like Ahsoka, Rex and Maul against the backdrop of a galaxy-wide conflict.
Another benefit of having Star Wars on the small screen is the comparatively lower cost gives these shows the ability to let directors put their individual spin on the brand. This has allowed The Mandalorian to span a wide range of tones and genres, from the spaghetti western style of Jon Favreau's Season 2 premiere to Bryce Dallas Howard's Seven Samurai-inspired "Chapter 4: Sanctuary," and the action-comedy vibe of Rick Famuyiwa's Season 1 episodes. That should only continue with the next wave of Star Wars series thanks to the involvement of storytellers like Dear White People's Justin Simien and Russian Doll's Leslye Headland.
In many ways, Star Wars lends itself well to TV's long-form approach. After all, the property was inspired by the sci-fi serials that George Lucas grew up on, like Flash Gordon, and its universe is full of fantastical creatures and cultures that deserve more attention than a film can give them. Of course, Star Wars will always be a spectacle worthy of being experienced in theaters, and it's safe to assume Lucasfilm will never abandon movies as long as they continue to perform well at the box office. Still, for those who enjoy the greater narrative variety of Star Wars on the small screen, this expansion of the property's streaming footprint is exciting news.