Will Solo’s Netflix release help keep up support for a sequel?

The home release of Solo: A Star Wars Story saw fans make it known they wanted a Solo sequel. Could the movie’s Netflix release have a similar effect?

Audiences will be able to start their 2019 off right by enjoying Solo: A Star Wars Story from the comfort of their homes on Netflix. It was announced a week ago that on Jan. 9, 2019, the most recent Star Wars blockbuster will hit the streaming service.

The movie has been among the most polarizing of the franchise, with some following negative campaigns stemming from backlash to The Last Jedi and opting to not see the movie in theaters at all.

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This, among other factors (like it only being released five months after TLJ), led to a so-so box office performance and surely had an impact on Disney’s future spin-off movie plans.

However, the movie finally had its home release in mid-September on digital and late-September on DVD and Blu-ray. This provided an opportunity for those that didn’t see it in theaters for [insert reason] to catch it finally; it also provided those who loved it in theaters (like myself) to see it over and over again at home.

The movie’s home release reopened talk about a sequel, a hot topic given the movie’s cliffhanger ending that included the reintroduction to one of the franchise’s biggest characters in Darth Maul. A sequel would make logical sense, providing an opportunity to bring back a high-profile and likable cast, and bring Maul into the fold. And while the movie didn’t perform incredibly well at the box office, it did crush Blu-ray sales.

The fan support for a Solo sequel was enormous following its home release, with director Ron Howard and writer Jon Kasdan voicing their support of a sequel as well.

This brings us back to the Netflix release of Solo. Streaming has become a powerful force in the consumption of media nowadays, and I’m willing to bet some who haven’t seen it will take a chance on it anyways (we all know how Netflix’s selection can get old). Furthermore, those who enjoyed it in theaters and have made the switch to digital over physical copies will surely take advantage of it being available now on Netflix if they don’t already own it. Even those who didn’t enjoy it may change their mind in a second viewing.

The Netflix subscriber base is an even larger audience for Solo to hit. The momentum for a sequel was started after its home release, but it’s died down several months after the fact. Its Netflix release will likely enjoy more exposure for the movie and I’d bet a second round of calls for a sequel will come as a result. If those calls lead to a sequel is yet to be seen.

Will Netflix help the case for a Solo sequel? Let us know in the comments.