You don’t have to have a high midi-chlorian count to sense a disturbance in the Force ever since Disney bought up Star Wars back in 2012.
I felt it again at the D23 Expo this past weekend, walking among the handful of Star Wars booths on the show floor at the Anaheim Convention Center. Even with the various toys, posters, costumes, books, props, video games, trading cards and other paraphernalia, I was acutely aware that all of this merchandise and hype didn’t represent the full Star Wars experience, at least to someone my age.
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I was 8 years old when I saw Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. I remember being blown away by the podracer scenes and the three-way lightsaber fight at the end, but the rest of the movie didn’t stay in my memory very long. I remember even less of Attack of the Clones, which I saw when I was 11. It wasn’t until I saw Revenge of the Sith in 2005 with a friend that I actually felt compelled to return to the theater to see it again.
But even though Sith helped to neutralize the somewhat bitter taste the entire prequel trilogy left behind, Disney would probably prefer that the films sink into obscurity rather than be remembered at all. That’s the impression I got this weekend, and it’s a sentiment that’s been in plain sight ever since the marketing machine began for The Force Awakens.
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The Mouse’s strategy for selling fans on the sequel trilogy is as much about distancing itself from the prequels as it is about reinforcing its ties to the original trilogy. Everyone involved in the new Star Wars projects, from J.J. Abrams to Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and numerous other cast and crew members, have talked our ear off about the emphasis on practical effects, minimal CGI, authentic props and costumes. It’s not enough that the original three leads are returning. Disney wants to assure us that its blue milk came from the same cows as the original trilogy.
And it’s hard to blame Disney for adopting such a logical approach. Even though the prequels represented George Lucas’ unfiltered vision for Star Wars, it’s not one that the fans necessarily agreed with. The films have been universally derided since the moment they’ve hit theaters, and they’ve attracted plenty of vitriol toward the actors and actresses involved.
It’s not enough that the original three leads are returning. Disney wants to assure us that its blue milk came from the same cows as the original trilogy.
But the fact remains: They are Star Wars films. Despite ridiculous rumors that Disney is seeking to remake the prequels (which is almost as ridiculous as people actually supporting the idea), Episode I, II and III are part of the Star Wars canon, for better or worse, whether Disney likes it or not.
But even if Lucas’ films are onboard Disney’s mothership, they’re still being handed the coach treatment while their predecessors get the first-class cabins. The only mentions of the prequels in the ad campaigns for the films mocks them for their worst parts, with even Abrams taking a shot at Jar-Jar Binks.
Meanwhile, other media are sidestepping the prequel problem as well. The new Marvel comics all take place in the era of the original trilogy, with only one series, Kanan: The Last Padawan, set in the prequel era, albeit around the same time as the second half of Episode III. Star Wars Battlefront, the upcoming video game by EA and DICE, is all about the classic battles from the original trilogy as well, with no sign of levels set on Geonosis or Naboo (although DLC content may fix that).
That’s not to say Disney has totally abandoned the prequels; after all, it would be very difficult for them to. The upcoming Han Solo spinoff will have to be set in that era, although judging by the aesthetic of Rogue One, I don’t think it would be fair to compare either spinoff film with the aesthetic of the prequels.
Instead, Disney is focusing on another property to help them squeeze the juice out of the prequel era without alienating any fans.
Next: How Disney Solved the Prequel Problem
Even though it canceled the Clone Wars TV series soon after acquiring the franchise, Disney has rightly recognized the special place it holds in fans’ hearts and used that to its advantage. It’s arguably the only major Star Wars property set in the prequel era that still has a strong following, so Disney is being careful to stay associated with the series whenever it has to dip its toe into that timeline.
Take, for example, the upcoming Disney Infinity 3.0 game. Star Wars had to be integrated into the next installment, and Clone Wars, with its cartoonish animation and appeal to children, provided the perfect avenue to achieve that. There are very few playable characters taken from the prequels.
In fact, besides the main stalwarts like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Yoda and Darth Maul, the only characters from the prequel era are Ahsoka Tano and Cad Bane, both of whom were introduced in Clone Wars.
But even though the show was canceled, Disney is still using its influence to assist one of its own contributions to the Star Wars universe: Star Wars Rebels. The show functions as both a graceful salute to the prequel era and a shift in focus to this new dynasty of Star Wars.
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It’s a mix of the best parts of Clone Wars, with fan-favorite characters from the series returning for Rebels‘ upcoming second season, and the aesthetic of the original trilogy, being heavily based on Ralph McQuarrie’s drawings.
It’s an elegant solution to the unique problem Disney encountered when it first took over the galaxy far, far away: How do you bridge the appeal of two generations of Star Wars fans without pushing either group away? Disney was smart enough to recognize the inherent value in the maligned prequels and not completely disregard them. Instead of shunning the work of those who came before, it found a way to bring balance to the Force.