Have the Prayers of Star Wars Fans Been Answered?

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis/Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

November 21, 2023

 

Star Wars fans haven’t exactly been pleased with the results since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012. Is that about to change?

 

The three sequel films – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) – were particularly bad for so many reasons. And then there was the incredibly disappointing Disney+ live-action series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), along with the muddled The Book of Boba Fett (2021).

There, of course, have been middling-to-pretty-good efforts, such as Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) in theaters – although I’ll get some debate on those points in Star Wars circles.

 

And on Disney+, The Mandalorian (2019), Andor (2022), and Ahsoka (2023) have been excellent.

 

Overall, Disney’s Star Wars record has been terribly disappointing. But now comes news via Vanity Fair that Dave Filoni has been promoted. 

 

According to the report, Filoni said, “Now I’m what’s called chief creative officer of Lucasfilm.” This “places him into the development process much earlier and in a much more expansive capacity than his previous advisory duties. ‘In the past, in a lot of projects I would be brought into it, I would see it after it had already developed a good ways.’ Filoni will now work more directly with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and alongside Carrie Beck, a veteran producer turned head of development, to originate and shepherd the next generation of Star Wars shows and movies.”

 

Vanity Fair also reported: “‘I’m not telling people what to do,’ Filoni says. ‘But I do feel I’m trying to help them tell the best story that they want to tell. I need to be a help across the galaxy here, like a part of a Jedi Council almost.’ He described his responsibilities as understanding the intent of the filmmakers and being a resource to them, based on his mentorship under Lucas himself, and his years spent steering The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Ahsoka.” And later: “Filoni will continue developing his film, as well as exploring a possible second season of Ahsoka, while serving in his new position.”

 

It also was noted: “As president of Lucasfilm, Kennedy will continue leading the overall company, and Beck’s role will involve recruiting other storytellers into the Star Wars fold, while Filoni weighs in on a narrative level.”

 

The inevitable question that arises from Filoni’s promotion is this: Will Filoni eventually succeed Kennedy to helm all of Lucasfilm, or perhaps co-run the Disney-owned studio with someone else more plugged in to the business side of things? That would be the answer to Star Wars fans' prayers. After all, Kennedy has taken the brunt of the criticism for the under-performance of Star Wars, and she hasn’t helped her own case over the years with some comments that were out of touch with Star Wars material and fans, along with the greenlighting of an assortment of Star Wars movies that then quietly disappeared.

 

In the end, at the very least, Filoni’s promotion is good news for those who seek storytelling that makes more sense in terms of the characters and overall Star Wars universe and themes.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Support the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating Podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1724143. Subscribe at the $8 or $10 level, and get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. Remain a supporter and you'll get a FREE BOOK by Ray Keating every six months going forward. Thanks!

 

Consider books by Ray Keating, including…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. There are 18 books in the series now.

 

• Order The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle editions and paperbacks via Amazon here and signed books here. And don’t forget the first book in this growing series, i.e., The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist at Amazon.com.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel is at Amazon. 

 

• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.

 

• Signed editions of Ray’s books are at www.RayKeatingOnline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Disney Announced “Ahsoka” Viewership … in an Unusual Step

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 30, 2023

 

Yesterday (August 29, 2023), The Walt Disney Company decided to announce its estimate for viewership of the first episode of the Star Wars show Ahsoka on Disney+. This was a very unusual step for Disney, which rarely – and I mean rarely – shares audience numbers for shows or movies on Disney+.

At StarWars.com, Disney announced “that Part One of Ahsoka, 'Master and Apprentice,' was the most-watched title on Disney+ this past week. The debut episode garnered 14 million views, making the series number one globally on the streaming platform.”

 

Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm president, was quoted, “Ahsoka has become a fan favorite with people of all ages and it’s wonderful to see her continue to resonate with viewers in her very own headlining series. I want to recognize the fantastic work done by our creative team, led by Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, the incredible cast led by Rosario Dawson, and our talented crew — and on behalf of the team and all of Lucasfilm, we give our thanks to all the fans who have been with Ahsoka on every step of her journey and to all those who are just learning about her now in Ahsoka on Disney+.”

 

So, why did Disney take this unusual step? It seems that there are two possible reasons. One is that the online buzz was saying that the Ahsoka debut numbers were unimpressive, and Disney had to move to counter that. Or, Disney wanted to take a small victory with some good numbers. Of course, it could be both.

 

Deadline reported the following on outside estimates of Ahsoka’s audience: “Samba TV reports that the Live+5 day viewership for the first episode of Disney+/Lucasfilm’s new series Ahsoka drew 1.2M households. Disney+ dropped the first two episodes of the Dave Filoni-created series on Tuesday, August 22. The second episode clocked 956K U.S. households.”

 

How does that compare to other Star Wars projects on Disney+? Deadline reported:

 

“Ahsoka‘s first episode ratings are even with the first episode of the Tony Gilroy-created Star Wars series Andor, which also pulled in 1.2M households over its live+5 day. Andor debuted on Disney+ on September 21, 2022. However, the ratings for Ahsoka Episode 1 “Master and Apprentice” are down by 50% from the Live+5 day of Obi-Wan Kenobi, which dropped on May 27, 2022, with that Jedi force pulling in 2.4M households. Ahsoka Episode 1 also is down from the first episode of Season 3 of The Mandalorian by 29%, with that series from Filoni and Jon Favreau earning 1.7M U.S. households in its L+5D.”

 

Samba TV tweeted the following:

 

So far, on RottenTomatoes.com, Ahsoka has rated 89% fresh with critics, and 76% fresh with audiences.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right? (Keating is a Disney shareholder.)

 

Consider books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. Here are 18 books in the series now with the latest being Under the Golden Dome: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel and For Better, For Worse: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

• Order The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle editions and paperbacks via Amazon here and signed books here. And don’t forget the first book in this growing series, i.e., The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at RayKeatingOnline.com or paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel. Signed paperbacks and/or paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition at Amazon. 

 

• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.

 

• Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  –  signed books  or at  Amazon.

 

•  Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know is available at  Amazon  in paperback or for the Kindle edition, and signed books at  www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Not in Anaheim? Star Wars Celebration LIVE Available on YouTube

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 27, 2022

 

If you weren’t one of the lucky ones who snapped up a seat at the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California, you may still be able to be part of the fandom by tuning in to the Star Wars Celebration LIVE! complete livestream of Day 1 from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim.  The stream includes many of the interviews and panels from the day, interspersed with visits from creators of Star Wars merch, and a look at some new releases. 

Additional streams from the four-day gathering (May 26-29, 2022, at the Anaheim Convention Center) will also be coming, and for your convenience, some of the more popular interviews have been broken down and posted into smaller, several minute long segments by the good folks at the Star Wars website. You can also watch live on the StarWars.com homepage  or YouTube.com/StarWars beginning at 12 p.m. PT each day.

 

While you might be thinking that the stream (and the event itself) is a bit of a nerd-fest, and a five-hour-long promo for all things Disney+ (yeah, it is that, too), viewers will still walk away feeling like they found out more about their favorite shows than they previously knew. And though there are true “fanboy” and “fangirl” moments to the day, the interviewers still manage to bring a fair amount of interesting discussion to the celebrity moments. 

 

In particular, I’ve long been an admirer of Dave Filoni, and enjoyed his take on creating his corner of the Star Wars world. Without a doubt, Ian McDiarmid gives one of the most note-worthy and amusing interviews of the day in his “An Audience With The Emperor” segment, fascinating not only from a fan point of view, but for those whose interests lie in the process of film creation and in film history. 

 

The day’s stream also offered moments with some of the merch and gaming creators, with a nod to what they created and why, and what new products they thought would “wow” audiences. 

 

Day #1 of  Star Wars Celebration LIVE! featured stage time with such luminaries of the Star Wars universe as Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Kathleen Kennedy; as well as fan favorite actors including Katee Sackhoff (Bo-Katan, The Mandalorian), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano, Star Wars Rebels), and Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine).  

 

With the hype building for the release of the limited series, six episode Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series the following day (today, May 27), the room went crazy for the interview with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen (Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, but if you are reading this article, I’m pretty sure you already knew that!).  If you want to see their comments before tuning in to the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series tonight, their segment is at about the 4:04:10 mark. 

 

Also putting in appearances in the interview chairs were Jon Kasdan (among other things, Executive Producer and writer of Willow – coming to Disney+ November 30), Joanne Whalley (Sorsha, Willow), Warwick Davis (Willow Ufgood, Willow); Ruby Cruz (Kit, Willow), Ellie Bamber (Dove,Willow) and Erin Kellyman (Jade, Willow); Rupert Friend and Moses Ingram (Grand Inquisitor and Reva from Obi-Wan Kenobi); Deborah Chow (director, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Mandalorian); Taylor Gray (Ezra, Star Wars Rebels); Sanne Wohlenberg (Executive Producer, Star Wars: Andor – coming to Disney+ August 31); Diego Luna (Executive producer and Cassian Andor, Star Wars: Andor, and Star Wars: Rogue One); and Genevieve O'Reilly (Mon Mothma, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Rogue One, and Star Wars: Andor).  

 

The Star Wars: The High Republic panel was also part of the day’s livestream coverage, offering a large group of panelists in an hour-plus long, wide-ranging discussion of behind-the-scenes storylines and decision-making.

 

Streaming continues for the additional days of the celebration, and you can catch a few of the sneak peek trailers for upcoming series on the livestream as well.

 

To quote Hayden Christensen’s interview, “This is where the fun begins!”

_______________

 

Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Struggling with the Business Side of Disney’s Star Wars Immersive Hotel

 by Ray Keating

Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 28, 2022

 

Okay, I’m struggling with the Halcyon, particularly from a business perspective.

 

It’s been nearly ten years since Disney paid $4 billion to acquire LucasFilm and Star Wars. And to be honest, Disney’s track record with the legendary Star Wars franchise has been uneven. And now there’s the addition of the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser hotel, or the Halcyon, at Walt Disney World, which has been greeted with mixed reviews from media and bloggers who were given an early look at the completely immersive experience.

 

As for Disney’s spotty track record, consider that on the film front, Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), Rogue One (2016) and Solo (2018) were generally solid vehicles, though far from spectacular and each had issues. Meanwhile, Episode VIII – The Last Jedi was a hot mess directed by Rian Johnson, followed by Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker trying to repair the damage done by Johnson but ultimately failing to do so.

 

It took Jon Favreau, along with Dave Filoni, creating The Mandalorian (Season 1 in 2019 and Season 2 in 2020, with a third coming) on Disney+ for Disney to have its first major success with Star Wars. And while The Book of Boba Fett (debuted at the end of 2021 on Disney+), also created by Favreau, wasn’t at the level of The Mandalorian, it was solid, especially when the show featured the main characters from The Mandalorian. And more Disney+ series are on the way, with justified anticipation.

 

As for the parks, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which opened in 2019 at both Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland, faced a bit of grumbling due to the company initially over-promising on the overall experience, but these have settled in nicely as must-see parts of the parks – for all Star Wars fans, no matter how deep that fandom runs.

 

That brings us to the Starcruiser hotel, which opens for two-night stays for guests starting on March 1.

Now, I was not part of the media who got a sneak peek, nor will I be staying at this hotel. But there is enough information around at this point for me to highlight questions I have been pondering for some time now about this from a business perspective.

 

First, consider that the Starcruiser hotel has 100 rooms or suites. Compare that to approximately 36,000 hotel rooms on the Walt Disney World property, and the Halcyon barely registers. But then there is the price tag for a two-night stay, roughly coming in at a whopping $1,200 per person per day. So, the required two-day stay will hit a couple up for about $4,800. That price includes the hotel room, food and drink excluding alcoholic and specialty beverages, a day trip to the Hollywood Studios park, and a Magic Band.

 

Second, the key selling point for this two-day experience is its immersion. That is, for 48 hours you’re effectively LARPing. Some might ask: LARP? Live Action Role Playing. Now, as long as I’ve been around nerd stuff, from comic books to Star Trek to Star Wars, LARPing even at sci-fi/comics conventions was a pretty limited activity. But the videos from the Halcyon, in fact, point to an intensive, ongoing role playing experience. I’m far from an introvert (my family notes that I seemingly will talk to anyone), but this didn’t look like an enjoyable experience to me (perhaps I’m just getting old). I can’t imagine introverts – of which there are more than a few among intense sci-fi fans – would fork over substantial funds for this kind of experience.

 

Third, the reviews have been all over the place on the experience and hotel itself, with assessments of the rooms ranging from “spacious” to “small and cramped,” and one noteworthy reviewer (the Disney Food Blog) saying that the hotel put “the wealthiest guests inside a windowless bunker for two full days.” Yikes. However, guests spend little time in their rooms anyway, as they reportedly are off on an assortment of adventures that all somehow tie together in the end.

 

CNBC’s reviewer wrote:

 

     From the moment passengers board the shuttles to the Chandrila Star Lines’ starcruiser known as the Halcyon, the adventure begins. And it doesn’t slow its pace until they disembark after the “voyage” two days later…

     So, let’s address the bantha in the room right away: Is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser worth the price of admission? 

     Yes, but with one condition — you have to be willing to play.

     Passengers get back what they put into their time aboard the Halcyon. If you suspend your disbelief, embrace the story and participate without self-consciousness, this will be a trip you and your family will never forget.

 

Meanwhile, a reporter from TheVerge.com wrote:

 

     The Halcyon is also smaller than you might expect. The main dining cabin is about the size of a medium-sized restaurant, while the atrium’s neon-soaked bar offers seating for a couple dozen people at most. (And only a single sabacc table!) There are “restricted” spaces that open up for story elements, like the cargo hold, brig, and engineering bay, but there are really only two or three main “public” spaces to spend time in outside of those plot moments…

     Galactic Starcruiser asks a lot of its guests. You’re basically diving into a giant improv exercise with dozens of strangers. And what you’ll get out of the experience is largely what you put in. In my short time there, it was hard to shake the feeling that I was just going through the motions for the particular story track my group was assigned. Maybe the smaller groups, added time, additional context, and more gradual pace of storytelling that the full experience has help make the process feel more organic.

 

I think you get the point – different takes and different experiences depending on one’s point of view. Some will dive in and adore this, and many – my guess is a lot more than the former group – will never board the Halcyon, and not just because of the price tag, but actually due to the experience, that is, the very selling point of this part hotel, part theme park ride and part LARP.

 

That leads to my key conundrum with this 48-hour experience from a business investment perspective: Why?

 

A 100-room hotel perhaps speaks to the limited potential market, and the price tag means that guests have to show a high degree of commitment. But these are only two-day stays, which will require not-insignificant turnover for as long as this hotel stays in operation. Does it really make business sense to create this kind of experience, especially at the cost? And what if it flops, and Disney takes another hit on its Star Wars brand? Well, I guess Favreau and Filoni can come up with another Disney+ series.

 

But here’s the real kicker. As I have explored assorted Disney World hotels of late, my mind has wandered back to an alternative investment that Disney could have made for a Star Wars hotel. And trust me, this is not some kind of genius moment on my part, but rather, it just seems like common sense. 

 

Consider that Disney World’s moderate resorts range from 1,000 to 2,400 rooms. Picture the demand for a large, expansive Star Wars resort with 2,400 rooms, with in-depth theming from the rooms to the pools to the restaurants to the grounds and beyond. All kinds of events and activities could allow people to engage to the degree that they truly choose for their own comfort and vacation time. And the rooms could be priced, again, at the moderate level, or even a bit higher. OMG, there would be a long, long line of individuals and families vying to stay at such a resort – and they could just enjoy a Star Wars vacation at Walt Disney World, even if they were introverts or extroverts who wish to have nothing to do with LARPing. Oh yes, and the family members who care little about Star Wars would likely have a great time as well, given that this would be a full resort with all of the amenities that are missing on the Halcyon.

 

Am I crazy, or does this make a heck of a lot more sense for both fans and shareholders?

 

Of course, Disney could still make such an investment, and they just might do so, depending on what lessons ultimately are learned from consumers regarding the Halcyon.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Get more out of 2022 with The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution! It combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more. Also, “The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution” comes with a handy spiral binding for easy use. 

 

Keating has three new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13^th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. Past Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Again, get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story – grab it at Amazon.com or signed editions at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Disney+ Drops “The Book of Boba Fett” Trailer

 by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

November 1, 2021

 

Disney+ dropped the trailer for The Book of Boba Fett today, and I can’t help but get excited.

With The Mandalorian, we’ve been treated to some of the best Star Wars tales ever told, with the Western serving as the unmistakable inspiration.

 

Now, with The Book of Boba Fett, it looks like we’re going to get some Star Wars inspired by mobster movies. Hmmm, should we be tempted to think about The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Good Fellas, Scarface, et al?

 

Might Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Company take some cues from the likes of Coppola, Scorsese, DePalma and Hawks? Oh, let’s hope so.

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Great Christmas Gift! The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating is here! It combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more. Also, “The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution” comes with a handy spiral binding for easy use. 

Go to https://raykeatingonline.com/products/disneyplanner2022.

 

Keating has three new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. Past Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Again, get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story – grab it at Amazon.com or signed editions at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Disney Insights from Dave Filoni and Walt Disney

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #160: Dave Filoni on Being Time-Tested – Director Dave Filoni on your work being time-tested.

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #161: Walt Disney on Entertaining Children and Adults – Best of entertainment engages people of all ages, as Walt Disney showed.

The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Perspective from Star Wars Dave Filoni

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #90: Perspective from Star Wars Dave Filoni – Dave Filoni knows Star Wars, and he understands the mix that creates opportunities.

The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

The Depth of Storytelling Quality on "The Mandalorian"

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #37: The Client in “The Mandalorian” – You’ve done your job very well as a storyteller when a second or third level character fascinates the audience.

The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Disney Investor Day Update 3: More Star Wars from LucasFilm for Disney+ and Theaters – Plus Indy

 by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

December 10, 2020

 

During the December 10 Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day 2020 stream, assorted movies and series were highlighted from LucasFilm.

 

Perhaps most notable was the announcement that Patty Jenkins will be directing a new Star Wars movie Rogue Squadron, to be released at Christmas 2023. Taika Waititi also will be directing a Star Wars film, which he is currently writing.

On Disney+, spinoffs from The Mandalorian, and courtesy of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, are on the way: Rangers of the New Republic and Ahsoka.

 

Also noted were the previously announced Andor, a spy genre in the Star Wars universe and a prequel to Rogue One, starring Diego Luna. It has started production. 

 

And the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series, taking place 10 years after Revenge of the Sith, started production in March. Not only is Ewan McGregor returning in the Obi-Wan role, but also Hayden Christensen – i.e., Darth Vader – will return.

 

Animated Star Wars series on the way are The Bad Batch, Star Wars Visions, and A Droid Story.

For good measure, two more live-action Star Wars series were announced – Lando and The Acolyte.

 

Finally, it was announced that Indiana Jones 5 will start filming in the spring, and is scheduled for release in July 2022.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. Pre-order the latest thriller/mystery in the series – Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel – for the Kindle or signed books. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

Pre-order The Disney Planner 2021: The TO DO List Solution today!

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

 

Also, get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.