After almost 50 years, the Star Wars universe remains incredibly popular and continues to expand. This summer, fans can look forward to The Mandalorian and Grogu, marking a return to theatrical releases after a long break. Lucasfilm has even more planned, including Star Wars: Starfighter in May 2027, and several other projects in the works. While Disney+ has been home to new Star Wars stories like Maul – Shadow Lord in recent years, it appears Lucasfilm is refocusing on making the big-screen film series the central part of the franchise again.
It’s fantastic to see Star Wars returning to its roots as a cinematic experience, especially with today’s amazing large-screen formats like IMAX. But if Lucasfilm intends to keep making new Star Wars films regularly, they need to learn from successful storytelling approaches in other parts of the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars Films Need to Embrace Other Genres Moving Forward
The first official Star Wars horror story was revealed earlier this month. Hiding from the Dark: A Star Wars Horror Novel, a middle grade horror book, will be released this fall. While details are limited, the story centers on a young girl investigating a frightening mystery, confirming it will be a true horror experience. This new book is a welcome experiment from Lucasfilm’s publishing team and suggests the films could also benefit from exploring darker themes.
It’s becoming increasingly important to address this quickly, considering the future of the Star Wars franchise. With no new live-action TV shows planned after the premiere of Ahsoka Season 2 later this year, and Disney seemingly focusing more on theatrical releases for both Star Wars and Marvel, it’s vital to keep the franchise feeling new and exciting. This will help prevent fans from losing interest or the series becoming predictable, ensuring its long-term success.
To keep Star Wars fresh and exciting, the best approach might be to move beyond the typical formula and experiment with different genres and moods. While Star Wars is usually a grand space adventure about good versus evil, the possibilities for storytelling are endless. There’s no reason filmmakers can’t try something new. A horror film, for example, could be a great fit, especially given the genre’s recent success and relatively low production costs, potentially leading to a very profitable Star Wars movie for Lucasfilm.
Look, as a huge Star Wars fan, I’ve always appreciated that they’ve dipped their toes into different genres. We’ve seen it especially on Disney+ with shows like Andor, which is a really gritty spy thriller, and Skeleton Crew, which feels like a classic coming-of-age adventure. Even the spin-off movies from the 2010s tried something new – Rogue One was basically a war movie set in the Star Wars universe, and Solo was a straight-up space heist film. They actually had plans for more standalone films, but when Solo didn’t do so well, Lucasfilm kind of panicked and put everything on hold. Honestly, I think they misinterpreted why Solo flopped. It wasn’t really about the genre or even the changes they made to characters – it was more about all the drama happening behind the scenes. Still, I thought the idea of a Star Wars crime movie was a cool direction to explore.
Genre Diversification Has Worked for Other Franchises
Look, if Star Wars decides to shake things up, it wouldn’t be reinventing the wheel. We’ve seen this work brilliantly before, especially with the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its prime. Marvel didn’t just stick to one formula – they had a ton of success by taking familiar genres and giving them a distinctly comic book twist. Think about it: Captain America: The Winter Soldier felt like a genuine political thriller, Ant-Man was a fun heist movie, and Guardians of the Galaxy was a totally different cosmic adventure. What I loved was how different each movie felt – it kept things exciting and prevented the whole universe from feeling…samey. Each film was strong on its own, but also contributed to the larger story. It was a really smart approach.
It’s no surprise that James Gunn, formerly of Marvel, is bringing a similar approach to building the new DC Universe. While last summer’s Superman film felt like a classic superhero movie, the upcoming projects will experiment with different styles and moods, much like the comic books. The first trailer shows Clayface will be a lower-budget, R-rated horror film, focusing on the frightening and tragic story of Matt Hagen. Supergirl is being planned as a big, fun summer blockbuster, aiming for the same mix of heart and humor as Guardians of the Galaxy. Future DCU projects will each have their own unique feel, and even the TV series, like Lanterns, will stand out – it’s being developed as a crime drama inspired by True Detective.
Disney would likely hesitate to make a Star Wars movie with a strong R-rating. The franchise is designed for a wide audience – merchandise and toys are key – and George Lucas always intended children to be a primary focus. While Star Wars appeals to all ages, keeping that broad appeal has always been central. A movie filled with extreme gore like the film Clayface seems unlikely, but Clayface’s approach could offer a path forward. Successful PG-13 horror films, such as the Quiet Place series, demonstrate that you don’t need an R-rating to create a thrilling experience. A Star Wars horror movie could be similarly toned down, focusing on suspense and thrills rather than graphic imagery.
While exploring horror is just one possibility, Lucasfilm could benefit from trying different genres altogether. Other successful franchises have proven that diversifying beyond the usual formula works well – and that’s what Disney was hoping for when it bought Lucasfilm and wanted Star Wars to follow suit. Projects like James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi – a biblical epic currently on hold – show Lucasfilm is at least considering new directions. Kathleen Kennedy praised the script as “incredible” and a departure from the norm, which is a positive sign. Even though Dawn of the Jedi isn’t in production yet, Lucasfilm’s willingness to develop such a project is encouraging. Hopefully, Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan will recognize the value of taking creative risks.
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2026-04-27 18:23