After TLJ, Is "Franchise Fatigue' now Plaguing Star Wars?

[WarpFactorZ]

I think the relatively low level of activity on this board is evidence of the fatigue setting in.

They should have stuck with Christmas releases. This is too soon after TLJ, and will leave too long of a gap until Ep IX.

 

[Jayson1]

I rather liked TLJ when I left the theater. I had no expectations. Rose seemed unnecessary, but I kind of liked her. I'm just not a big moviegoer, and going to see a SW movie just isn't such a big motivation. I'll see the next main one, then probably stop.

I liked The Luke and Rey stuff in TLJ. More time with them together and less time with the most boring space chase ever and a pointless Casino raid would have been better. Also if your going to sideline Leia in the space chase which I don't know if it had to do with Fisher dying or what then at least bring in someone who can replace her presence. I don't see why Billy Dee Williams hasn't been used yet or used instead of Laura Dern, who I have loved in other stuff(Check out the HBO show "Enlightened") but is a character with no connection to the universe. Poe is not close to being Solo's equal so those scenes are kind of filled with meh characters. My favorite part though is how Luke died. I think I differ with other people who have problems with the movie. To me the more dark look at Luke was the good thing the movie had. This is a problem though when most of the new characters don't really grab you. Anytime the focus is on them it can be kind of boring unless it's a big action scene. The movies still do provide some of action and adventure stuff you like in SW it's just the many of the new characters are average at best. Makes the action feel fun but hollow. IMO anyways.

Jason

 

[Kane_Steel]

Unsurprisingly the alt-right dickheads are acting like Christmas has come early at the news, oblivious the the reality that no matter how badly Solo performs their all-white, all-male paradise is never arriving.

Marvel Studios handled the gender/identity representation REALLY well in their films, and surprise surprise... their films are very well received by fans and audiences, and successful.

 

[Kane_Steel]

A Star Wars movie is not special anymore. Like everything else in our culture. .

There have been other franchises that released connected films on a regular basis and were still successful. It all depends on the content that you put out there.

Sadly, Solo is now pegged at an 83M Domestic opening for the 3 day weekend. Officially in Justice League-level flop territory.

 

[Leathco]

For me, the new movies are worse than the prequel trilogy. We have had one movie that was a repeat of the story from Episode 4, a half-way decent spinoff that has its basis in explaining a single line from the original movie, and a piss poor new movie that has more holes than a colander has, and now an origins story of a character that was killed off.

 

[fireproof78]

I know people love freaking out about these things, but I'd say that if one Star Wars movie doesn't make a billion dollars it's maybe really not that big of a deal.

Even if Star Wars hype dies down a bit, it's still way more profitable to release one or two 500 mil movies a year than wait 10 years and hope that one hits 2 bil again, so take a freaking guess which option Disney will choose...

It's not a big deal. Fans are making a far bigger deal out of this "fatigue" than Disney is. Disney and LFL are not wringing hands or losing sleep over this franchise. Some will be hits, others will be misses and some will be just average.

Which is fine by me. Star Wars is no longer an event-good. Here's the thing. I spent my teen years getting hyped over the Prequels and being disappointed by them, then watching a fandom criticize the creator so much he retired! How about this? How about Star Wars isn't as special as we pretend it is-it started out as a stupid children's film that the studio hoped would make money in case Damnation Alley wasn't the hit they expected.

I'm tired of Star Wars being an event. I don't need it to be an event. It can just be fun. And that's ok too.

There have been other franchises that released connected films on a regular basis and were still successful. It all depends on the content that you put out there.

Sadly, Solo is now pegged at an 83M Domestic opening for the 3 day weekend. Officially in Justice League-level flop territory.

Studio doesn't care.

 

[Kane_Steel]

Considering they won't turn a profit on Solo, they do care.

And the "fatigue" phrase was coined by the Industry Trades, not the fans.

 

[Trekkin]

Marvel Studios handled the gender/identity representation REALLY well in their films, and surprise surprise... their films are very well received by fans and audiences, and successful.

Oh yeah, really well. I’m absolutely certain that there’s ‘audiences’ that have seen nothing even vaguely questionable in the diversity of Marvel’s characters.


For the record:

• 10 years (and 19 movies) until they had a movie headlined by a black lead. (And when they did, ‘fans’ attempted to ‘bring it down like TLJ.’ Good job bros.)
• Never had a movie headlined by a non-white person outside of BP.
• Never had one headlined by a female lead.
• Never had an LGBT+ character.

(And they can’t even blame the comics. Because even restricted to the roster they’ve chosen to the movies so far, they’ve actually changed characters to ensure the cast is less diverse.)

But hey...at least prior to 2017 there was a diverse range of side kicks. Sorta. Occasionally. In a ‘well there’s a female love interest’ and Black best friend’ kinda way.

Marvel decided that anything else was too ‘adult’ for the cinema going audience, and restricted it to Netflix. Sadly, probably a correct judgement. Because so much of their loudest fandom is a bunch of whiny, insecure man-children.

Fanboy; *sobbing* There’s a couple of white men as villains in Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, which means Netflix hates the white cis male! Reverse racism/sexism!

Also, Marvel actually has had their share of failures and disappointments. Especially during Phase 1. We just forget about those, because Marvel takes a ‘stampede forward approach’ to them. ‘Neither Thor movie wasn’t the massive critical and commercial hit we expected off their predecessors? Oh well, NEXT!’

Well, except for Incredible Hulk. Which seems to slowly be being unpersoned.

 

[Jayson1]

One thing to consider about the fatigue angle is "Solo" might just be the tip of the Iceberg. You got to project how people are going to be feeling by the time the next movie comes out. I'm not sure when that is but I do know that the internet will not shut up about the failure of "Solo" or the fears and constant speculation for the next movie during that time period. The Kennedy blasting with be on overload. The constant idea's on how it could have worked. The talk about the Fett movie.

Jason

 

[fireproof78]

Considering they won't turn a profit on Solo, they do care.

And the "fatigue" phrase was coined by the Industry Trades, not the fans.

Not as much as the internet cares. It's a matter of percentages, and calculations. They can absorb a "flop" film, just like they did with Marvel.

 

[StCoop]

They can absorb a "flop" film, just like they did with Marvel.

Sure; but if they can't sell a Han Solo film how do they plan on selling a film about a man with a bucket on his head?

 

[fireproof78]

Sure; but if they can't sell a Han Solo film how do they plan on selling a film about a man with a bucket on his head?

My suggestions? Don't listen to the Internet. Increase the marketing and don't depend on brand name alone. Less BTS issues and tell the story you want to tell.

 

[Campe]

Sure; but if they can't sell a Han Solo film how do they plan on selling a film about a man with a bucket on his head?

The mystique of Boba Fett?


Oh wait...

 

[Kane_Steel]

Not as much as the internet cares. It's a matter of percentages, and calculations. They can absorb a "flop" film, just like they did with Marvel.

The internet and fanbase cares more than the studio with regards to any franchise, so your point is moot.

There were no Disney Marvel flops on film. The only one you that comes close is Incredible Hulk, and that was during the Paramount days, just before the Disney buyout.

 

[Sybok Was Wrong]

"The Last Jedi" did good Box Office, based on the positive response of "The Force Awakens".

"Solo" is not doing good Box Office, based on the negative response to "The Last Jedi".

"The Last Jedi" was a crap film and "Solo" is paying the price. Rian Johnsons arrogant film really hurt the Brand.

If "The Last Jedi" was any kind of decent film, people would be going to see "Solo", because Lucasfilm would be on a real hot streak. "Franchise Fatigue" doesn't exist if you're putting out awesome stuff.

Sports fans don't stop coming to games if their team is hot. They don't get tired of winning. It's when your team sucks, it's hard to get fans to come out. That's what "The Last Jedi" did.

"The Last Jedi" was a huge mistake. The best thing Episode 9 has going for it is the big break between its release, and "Solo". But who cares about episode 9 after "Last Jedi"? That Trilogy can't end in a satisfying way after what Rian Johnson did!

"Solo" is a great Star Wars movie. It's a totally unnecessary film, but what film isn't? If Disney is going to pump these things out every year, "Star Wars" movies are no longer "event" movies. They just better be good movies. "Solo" is good. They just can't afford any more "Last Jedi"'s.

 

[fireproof78]

The internet and fanbase cares more than the studio with regards to any franchise, so your point is moot.

There were no Disney Marvel flops on film. The only one you that comes close is Incredible Hulk, and that was during the Paramount days, just before the Disney buyout.

No, my point is that the doom and gloom of the Internet is not accurate to the reality of the studio. The Internet would love for Disney to crawl to them and apologize after Solo flops and promise to do better. The reality is that Disney calculates possible losses, will tighten their belts and move on.

But who cares about episode 9 after "Last Jedi"?

I do, my dad does, my wife does, my brother does, my friends do, and a lot of online forums I participate in.

They just can't afford any more "Last Jedi"'s.

They probably can.

 

[Kane_Steel]

Oh yeah, really well. I’m absolutely certain that there’s ‘audiences’ that have seen nothing even vaguely questionable in the diversity of Marvel’s characters.


For the record:

• 10 years (and 19 movies) until they had a movie headlined by a black lead. (And when they did, ‘fans’ attempted to ‘bring it down like TLJ.’ Good job bros.)
• Never had a movie headlined by a non-white person outside of BP.
• Never had one headlined by a female lead.
• Never had an LGBT+ character.

(And they can’t even blame the comics. Because even restricted to the roster they’ve chosen to the movies so far, they’ve actually changed characters to ensure the cast is less diverse.)

But hey...at least prior to 2017 there was a diverse range of side kicks. Sorta. Occasionally. In a ‘well there’s a female love interest’ and Black best friend’ kinda way.

Marvel decided that anything else was too ‘adult’ for the cinema going audience, and restricted it to Netflix. Sadly, probably a correct judgement. Because so much of their loudest fandom is a bunch of whiny, insecure man-children.

Fanboy; *sobbing* There’s a couple of white men as villains in Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, which means Netflix hates the white cis male! Reverse racism/sexism!

Also, Marvel actually has had their share of failures and disappointments. Especially during Phase 1. We just forget about those, because Marvel takes a ‘stampede forward approach’ to them. ‘Neither Thor movie wasn’t the massive critical and commercial hit we expected off their predecessors? Oh well, NEXT!’

Well, except for Incredible Hulk. Which seems to slowly be being unpersoned.

A lot of misinformation in your post. Marvel Studios hasn't had any flat out failures. All their films made some level of profit, and all MCU films are critically fresh. All of them also had strong audience buzz behind them, even during Phase One. Marvel started off with small films in Phase One and cashed in bigtime with 2012's Avengers. Audiences were invested.


Also, it wasn't Marvel fans attempting to bring down Black Panther's score, that's silly. It was fringe anti-Disney groups who believe erroneously that Disney pays off critics, and are upset over the failing DCEU.

Black Panther was very much diversity done right and proves my point about Marvel handling it in a way that makes audiences and fans happy overall.

They weren't pandering in BP, and they didn't try to elevate a minority group by dragging another group down; even Ross got his awesome heroic moment.

Feige knows how to keep things classy and you honestly can't argue that how they've handled diversity didn't work. It worked. Far more successfully than any other franchise that has tried to copy the MCU formula and failed.

Because so much of their loudest fandom is a bunch of whiny, insecure man-children.

LOL. Marvel Studios has made fans of the entire world, across all countries, races and backgrounds.

2 Billion WW incoming for Avengers Infinity War.... that speaks volumes.

Your perception that Feige is catering to this imaginary 'man-children' base is incredibly flawed.

 

[Kane_Steel]

No, my point is that the doom and gloom of the Internet is not accurate to the reality of the studio. The Internet would love for Disney to crawl to them and apologize after Solo flops and promise to do better. The reality is that Disney calculates possible losses, will tighten their belts and move on.

No one doubts that Disney will move on but there's bound to be internal shakeups as a result of every failure. Especially one on this scale.

That's what happened at WB with the failing DCEU.

Also Solo Box Office Update;

https://twitter.com/GiteshPandya/status/1000837094686756864

Headed into major flop territory.

 

[fireproof78]

No one doubts that Disney will move on but there's bound to be internal shakeups as a result of every failure. Especially one on this scale.

I would be surprised. Who are they going to fire? Ron Howard? Just not make another Solo film? What's the fallout?

All I see is them going "Eh, spend less money next time."

 

[DigificWriter]

I'm sorry, but this notion that Lucasfilm or the Star Wars brand are going to be hurt by Solo not making a "return on investment" - which is still an incredibly premature assessment - is just laughable.

Star Wars is not going anywhere any time soon, regardless of how many "entitled" voices keep making claims to the contrary.