Since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, fans have been eager for a glimpse of what's next for the big screen. And yet, after silence and speculation, Variety learned that Kevin Feige and Patty Jenkins' Star Wars movies are no longer in development at Lucasfilm. This news has fans understandably worried about the potential mismanagement of Star Wars cinema. The cancelations, however, could actually be a positive sign of things to come.
It's certainly difficult for Star Wars fans to see the news in a positive light. Star Wars movies are constantly being pushed back; Rian Johnson's trilogy is left completely in the air and the sequels are still argued over to this day. With multiple Disney+ shows debuting since the last movie, it often feels like the age of Star Wars cinema is at an end. However, with Lucasfilm not wanting to repeat the mistakes of the sequels, it's actually for the best that the next set of Star Wars movies takes their time.
The Future of Star Wars Needs a Plan
The number one criticism of the sequel trilogy is the lack of any planned overarching narrative. Despite everything that was set up in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the stories of The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker felt like things were being made up as they went along. So when it comes to the next batch of Star Wars movies, it's obvious that a clear plan needs to be put in place before production.
This is why the news of canceled Star Wars movies may not be as bad as it seems. While it is a shame to lose out on more Star Wars content, it's better that movies are scrapped rather than forced into production simply for the sake of it. It would be easy to pass around a weak script and have a movie made to fit a yearly quota, as at the end of the day a Star Wars movie will draw in ticket sales no matter what. But making the tough decision to delay and cancel movies shows restraint on rushing projects out the door.
Star Wars Isn't the MCU... Yet
It's easy to compare Star Wars with Disney's other behemoth franchise -- the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For a time, it seemed like Star Wars was going down the same path. Multiple movies were said to be on the way, and it seemed as though fans would be getting at least one cinema release per year. But everything was put on hold after the underperforming Solo: A Star Wars Story and the mixed reviews of The Rise of Skywalker -- a decision that may have saved the franchise.
Having a constant rush of new movies like the MCU feels like the logical next step, but going down this route may do more harm than good. It's no secret that the reputation the MCU once had is dwindling, with the never-ending onslaught of shows and movies being criticized for focusing on quantity over quality. So it may be for the best that Star Wars has gone in the opposite direction, with the lack of movies hopefully showing of focus on quality, not quantity.
Of course, all of this is speculation and looking at things from a glass-half-full point of view. The ideal outcome would be for Lucasfilm to not announce projects unless they're happening for certain. At the very least these cancelations show a willingness to let projects go rather than force them into production. This is certainly for the best, as these next movies must be well-received to prove Star Wars can still make for good cinema without being controversial.