Star Wars has returned to theaters, sparking discussions among fans about how well The Mandalorian and Grogu are performing. There’s understandable concern, as it’s been seven years since a Star Wars film was last released. Disney+ shows haven’t been as successful lately, and The Acolyte was recently cancelled after causing division among fans. However, this isn’t the first time the future of Star Wars has looked uncertain.
At MCM Expo, Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano, reminisced about the start of The Clone Wars in 2008. She pointed out that it’s easy to forget, but at the time, Clone Wars was the only Star Wars content being made. Before Disney acquired Lucasfilm, many believed the Star Wars saga had ended. Eckstein believes the show’s success paved the way for current hits like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
Ashley Eckstein Is Totally Right About Star Wars
It’s easy to forget how much trouble the Star Wars franchise was in after Revenge of the Sith. The initial backlash started with The Phantom Menace, which didn’t meet fan expectations, and grew with Attack of the Clones. Some fans even began to criticize George Lucas himself. I was active in online Star Wars communities at the time and remember the increasing divide – there were even parts of forums dedicated to the prequels that people avoided for fear of arguments. By 2008, a documentary titled The People Vs. George Lucas was being filmed, perfectly capturing the mood.
As a huge Star Wars fan, I remember when The Clone Wars movie first came out – it was a rough time! The animation wasn’t really clicking with people, and honestly, a lot of fans initially weren’t thrilled with Ahsoka Tano. Plus, there was still a lot of negativity surrounding the prequel films. It all came to a head in 2009 with some really harsh reviews going viral, and then a full-on review-bombing of the movie on Rotten Tomatoes. The documentary The People Vs. George Lucas, which came out in 2010, really captured how everyone was feeling back then.
The Clone Wars “Fixed” the Prequels
In retrospect, The Clone Wars significantly changed how people view the prequel films. Ashley Eckstein isn’t alone in recognizing this – Hayden Christensen, who starred in the prequels, has also praised The Clone Wars for improving Anakin Skywalker’s image. He famously thanked Matt Lanter, Anakin’s voice actor, for keeping Star Wars popular. Christensen feels grateful to Dave Filoni, who worked on The Clone Wars and helped develop Anakin’s character; in fact, Christensen watched the animated series before reprising the role recently.
In 2015, Disney (which now owns Lucasfilm) began releasing the sequel trilogy of Star Wars films. Former Disney CEO Bob Iger explained in his book, The Ride of a Lifetime, that the sequels deliberately mirrored the original Star Wars films rather than the prequels. He stated they aimed to stay true to what audiences already enjoyed. While the prequels are now popular, their current appreciation is largely thanks to the success of The Clone Wars animated series.
Although the prequel films are now popular, most fans experience this period of Star Wars through The Clone Wars. The series has significantly expanded the galaxy, making characters like Ahsoka Tano major players – she even has her own live-action show starring Rosario Dawson. The Clone Wars also redefined the Mandalorians, heavily influencing The Mandalorian and Grogu. In fact, the return of Darth Maul was made possible by the series. Remarkably, Dave Filoni, who worked with George Lucas on The Clone Wars, is now a co-president of Lucasfilm, cementing the show’s lasting impact.
Back in 2008, Ashley Eckstein and the team behind The Clone Wars believed the Star Wars saga had run its course. This offers a valuable lesson for fans currently debating the future of Star Wars: things can always turn around, and the Jedi are resilient. Star Wars has proven it can bounce back before, and it’s capable of doing so again.
Read More
- Gold Rate Forecast
- 10 Greatest Manga Endings of All Time
- 10 Most Powerful Versions of Superman, Ranked
- 10 Best Free Games on Steam in 2026, Ranked
- Forza Horizon 6 Car List So Far: Confirmed Highlights, Cover Cars, DLC, and Rewards
- GBP CNY PREDICTION
- 38 Years Later, Murder, She Wrote’s Most Overlooked Episode Still Pulls Off TV’s Greatest Crossover
- Mark Zuckerberg & Wife Priscilla Chan Make Surprise Debut at Met Gala
- Elon Musk’s Ex Ashley St. Clair Reveals When Romance Became “Weird”
- Forza Horizon 6 PC Issues: Fix Crashes, Stuttering, Steam Errors, and Game Pass Problems
2026-05-28 15:10