5 STAR WARS STORIES We Want To See After ROGUE ONE

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5 STAR WARS STORIES WE WANT TO SEE AFTER ROGUE ONE


As crazy as it sounds, it’s been less than a year since we’ve lived in a Star Wars-less existence. Sure, we had the original 6 saga films to go back to, along with the spinoff TV shows, books, and games, etc. (okay, maybe not fully Star Wars-less), but we lived in a world that hadn’t seen a fully fledged Star Wars flick in around a decade. Then, last December, Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out and threw everyone on their asses. The world’s biggest franchise was back in action in a big way, and you knew Disney was about to capitalize on that success.

Rather than hop right into another saga film, Lucasfilm wisely decided to leverage the universe for newer stories — ones not restricted by a cohesive saga. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is set to hit theaters in the next ten days, and with it, they will blow this universe wide open. It’s with that in mind, that we decided to take a moment to discuss what kind of stories we’d like these films to explore for the future. Thus far, we know there will be a Han Solo spinoff, and that they have almost went forward with a Boba Fett film with Josh Trank, so we’re going to leave those off the list. We’ll also avoid stating the obvious: an Obi-Wan spinoff, because that tends to be the other fan favorite.

So with all those parameters set, let’s talk about 5 Star Wars Stories we want to see!


SEVEN SAMURAI REMAKE


Seven Samurai

Seven Samurai

If you ever have an inkling to go and explore some classic cinema, I’d throw Seven Samurai at the top of your list. Not only does the film hold up amazingly well, but it served as inspiration for many other films including (but not limited to) The Magnificent Seven, A Bug’s Life, Galaxy Quest, The 13th Warrior, and Three Amigos. So widespread was this film’s impact that it’s almost more accurate to call this a trope rather than a remake.

The basic premise is simple, have a village (or planet) in jeopardy from some outside force. This village then goes in search of some outside heroes (Jedi) to help fend off this threatening force and secure their way of life. This is a story that could be set during any time period, as well as with any Jedi — known or not. Additionally, it could help explore the idea of Jedi outside of the Republic’s servitude. 


THE OLD REPUBLIC


This one was bound to be on the list, but I’m not even talking about adapting the games. There’s a reason why so many fans love the idea of an Old Republic film. Sure, it’s due largely from the original game’s strengths, and sure the idea of following a Jedi for a long period of time — before realizing he’s a bad — has its appeal, but it goes deeper than that. Fans don’t just like it because of the story, but because it’s a departure from all the material we currently know from the films.

The old, formerly canon, world is set roughly 3,500 years before the original trilogy, and that gives filmmakers all sorts of freedom to do whatever they want to tell a good story. They need not fear of conflicting with canon, and can go great lengths to establish their own world — but at the same time it’ll have the Star Wars sandbox to play in. In many ways, it’s a case of wish fulfillment, where filmmakers would have the ability to explore different ideas or mythology without mucking with the timeline. This could be the biggest risk, as mainstream fans won’t have any current Star Wars film canon to cling onto, but it could also be a move that opens things up and profit from more unique ideas — all within the safety of the Star Wars brand.


SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE


The 1990s was a big year for us Star Wars fans. Not only was there the theatrical re-release of the original Star Wars trilogy, but we were also treated to Shadows of the Empire, which was both a film and a video game for Nintendo 64. The story covered the integral months in between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Of course, in covering this territory, you run the risk of Han Solo-syndrome, where you need to re-cast the likes of Leia and Luke, which is something no one really wants to see, no matter how good the story.

Luckily for us, the book and game introduced another character to the (then) canon, Dash Rendar. The character is something of a mercenary, and was a badass character players got to control in the N64 video game. Given that Rogue One has set the precedent of revisiting specific periods in time, following Rendar — without ever seeing Luke or Leia — in those months between films would be a great treat for fans of the game, the book, and the original trilogy.


AN EMPIRE-FOCUSED MOVIE


I’m getting a bit sick about constantly seeing the Empire (or The First Order) as this big, bad, brooding force. Sure, it’s great when telling very simplistic and universal stories, but the real world isn’t black and white, and nor are the people in it. What if, for a change, we got to follow a complete story from the perspective of either a soldier or a decorated officer. What if we realized that, more often than not, these men and women had noble intentions? What if we flip the coin and genuinely see aspects of the Rebellion (or Resistance) that are less than savory? That would be a good way to throw convention on its head.

This is an idea that’s been touched on time and again in the novels — and even in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, we saw the character Finn turn to the Resistance. However, when all said and done, once Finn was flipped to one side, we never saw any other real redeemable aspects of the resistance. And as far as what we’ve seen in the novels…well, let’s just say it’d be nice to see some of those themes make their way onto the big screen.


A STRAIGHT-UP LOW-KEY SCI-FI COMEDY


So I’m not even talking about a quirky, Guardians of the Galaxy-esque space comedy here. I’m talking about having a film that follows perhaps someone working on a Star Destroyer or a Rebel base. Follow their day-to-day life in all its ennui. How much have you wished that a filmmaker have the guts to make a science fiction film that wasn’t just about the science fiction aspect? An independent film-esque approach would be a very strange way to go, and I know everyone would love it.

Okay, that’s a lie. I’m fairly certain only someone like me would like it. But imagine a world where we have filmmakers willing to take a risk and defy expectations against a brand…okay, I’m seeing it now. I’ll be real. This is a terrible idea, and one that could potentially taint the Star Wars brand, which has connotations of high adventure and lots of explosions. To take that out would betray everything the brand stands for. That being said, I maintain that having a dark comedy set in the Star Wars universe would be a bold an unexpected directions to take things. And I would be there in a heartbeat. F**k it. This idea is staying on the list.


What did you think of this list? What Star Wars Stories do you want to see on the big screen? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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