The Disney-owned era ofStar Warshas had its ups and downs.Disney mishandled their sequel trilogyso spectacularly that almost everyone in theStar Warsfan base has some issues with it. Their two spin-off films didn’t fare any better. At the same time, Disney has put out tremendous amounts of high-quality, non-filmStar Warscontent. There are books and games galore to keep anyStar Warsfan satisfied. The standout Disney era success is, without a doubt, the Disney Plus showThe Mandalorian.
The Mandaloriandoes something few on-screenStar Warsstories attempt. It tells a simple story in the galaxy, with new characters and only a few ties to previousStar Warsblockbusters.The Mandaloriancaptures everything that makesStar Warsgreat, and it doesn’t get bogged down in explaining the backstory of that guy who one time said one line to Luke Skywalker.
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The Mandalorianis the best piece ofStar Warsmedia in a long time. It gets praised as such often. Fans and critics alike rejoice at the presence of newStar Warscharacters and a plot that doesn’t rehash a previous film. With that in mind, Disney’s decision to produceThe Book of Boba Fettis baffling. The new show could easily fall into the same trap otherStar Warsproperties have lost to. The prequels caught heat for explaining Boba Fett’s backstory, and this show will alter his story from the original trilogy. Disney needs to work hard to makeThe Book of Boba Fettfeel necessary for the character. They’ll need to work even harder to make this new show feel like anything butB-roll forThe Mandalorian.
The Danger
Is Disney going too far withThe Book of Boba Fett? At least on the surface, it seems that way. Part of what makesThe Mandoloriansuch a great show is its uniqueness. Finally, there’s someStar Warscontent that feels new and exciting. Its references to otherStar Warsadventures and characters feel natural and don’t turn each episode into a “spot the Easter egg” guessing game. Other Disney Plus shows will be following that formula,exploring the High Republic era of the galaxyand introducing all-new characters.
The announcement ofThe Book of Boba Fettis more akin toSolo,a character revisit no one wanted. Boba Fett has been a fan-favorite character since his first appearance inThe Empire Strikes Back. He didn’t live even halfway throughReturn of the Jedi, but that hasn’t stopped Boba from being one of the most popularStar Warscharacters ever. Arguably, Boba Fett is great because he’s mysterious.The prequel filmAttack of the Clonestried to explore Boba Fett’s backstory, and it diminished the character. There’s a chanceThe Book of Boba Fettcould do just the same.
The Book of Boba Fettalso needs todistinguish itself fromThe Mandalorian. Disney Plus already has a greatStar Warsspace western. Because of that, it’s hard to seeThe Book of Boba Fettas anything other than a blatant attempt to capitalize on a popular character whose time may well have passed.
The Promise
Of course, there’s plenty ofreasons to be excited aboutThe Book of Boba Fettas well. For one thing, Disney has an excellent team working on their streaming serviceStar Warsshows. Many of the people working onThe Mandalorianare also contributing toThe Book of Boba Fett. Jon Favreau is overseeing the entire Disney PlusStar Warsproject. Disney signed Robert Rodriguez as executive producer for the new show. He directedThe Mandalorian’s fourteenth chapter, andhe has a track recordof making awesome movies.
Along with those behind-the-camera powerhouses,The Book of Boba Fettwill also have plenty of star power on screen. Temuera Morrison is returning toStar Warsto play Boba Fett. Ming-Na Wen will also be starring in the show as Fennec, andother characters fromThe Mandalorianmay also make guest appearances.
One thing Disney has made clear is the show’s setting.The Book of Boba Fettwill take place more or less entirely on Tatooine. That alone is a change of formula for the usually planet-hoppingStar Warsfranchise. Boba Fett and Fennec have seemingly taken over Jabba the Hutt’s remaining criminal enterprise. Fennec’s goals are anyone’s guess, butBoba Fett might be seeking revengeon his long list of enemies. While Disney has been tight-lipped about the show’s plot, that angle could allow for other fan-favoriteStar Warscharacters to make a return.
The Book of Boba Fettfaces an uphill battle for success. Clearly, Disney is committed to correcting the trajectory of theStar Warsfranchise with a slew of new Disney Plus shows. That commitment, and the goodwill they’ve earned fromThe Mandalorian, should be enough to get fans to show up whenThe Book of Boba Fettairs this December.
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