“Blame the Audience” Not a Viable Option for Head of “Star Wars”

 by Ray Keating

Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 2, 2024

 

A couple of unfortunate, regular occurrences seem to be emerging from Disney when it comes to their major franchises. One has been that budgets for movies and shows are running wildly out of control. Second, the quality of the final product has been, to be generous, under-whelming, with excellence (or at least being pretty good) too often now ranking as the exception.

 

Of course, a key question is: How do those calling the shots react?

Let’s look at the latest controversy emerging in the Star Wars universe. 

 

The Acolyte eight-episode Star Wars show premieres on June 4 on Disney+. The trailer wasn’t exactly gripping, which is problematic as trailers should be the best foot forward. But as a fan, I always try to hope for the best. We’ll see.

 

But in terms of the budget, The Acolyte follows on recent Disney efforts, as this eight-episode series cost a whopping $180 million. Yikes.

 

Second, the person heading up Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, has served up self-indulgent comments in the face of criticisms. The latest such case comes courtesy of a New York Times report. Kennedy was interviewed, and declared, “Operating within these giant franchises now, with social media and the level of expectation — it’s terrifying… I think a lot of the women who step into ‘Star Wars’ struggle with this a bit more. Because of the fan base being so male dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can be quite personal.”

 

Hmmm. Is it the best strategy for a studio head to effectively attack its fanbase? Seems like a bad idea. Also, while there always are plenty of idiots spouting off on social media, given that there are widely beloved female characters in Star Wars, such as Princess Leia and Ahsoka Tano, are all failures in Star Wars now about a toxic fanbase? Shouldn’t the head of Lucasfilm be taking a closer look at how to produce big-budget entertainment with wide appeal?

 

The idea of “blaming the audience” is appealing – and it might help the individual creator to cope on occasion, and it might even be correct at times – but it isn’t a luxury afforded to a person leading a studio. Disney needs to take a hard, close look at what’s going on at Lucasfilm.

 

__________

 

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?

 

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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.

 

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Disney News on “The Mandalorian,” “Black Widow” and “Soul”

by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

September 15, 2020

There’s buzz about big stuff from Disney.

First, the trailer for Season 2 of The Mandalorian hit today, and yes, it looks freakin’ awesome. The Mandalorian on Disney+ pulled Star Wars out of some movie muck, and expectations are rising high for the new season starting to stream on October 30. “This is the way,” indeed!

Second, Variety serves up the Hollywood buzz about a couple of big movies coming from Disney. It reports that Disney is likely to delay the release of Black Widow, which is scheduled for November 6, and has been moved multiple times since it was originally supposed to be released this past May. What the Black Widow news means, if confirmed, for other Marvel releases, namely, as noted by Variety, Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Thor: Love and Thunder, no one knows.

Third, it also was reported that Pixar’s Soul not only looks like it will be rescheduled from its current November 20 slot, but that it could wind up going straight to Disney+. If that gets confirmed by Disney, there will be lots of speculation as to whether it might be some Disney+/theaters hybrid release, a Disney+ premium option like Mulan, or simply added to Disney+ in straightforward fashion.

The only sure thing right now is that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to roil Hollywood, along with most other businesses across the nation.

__________

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

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

Disney’s Ongoing Star Wars Woes Show Need for New Leadership at LucasFilm

by Ray Keating

Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

January 24, 2020

As news and speculation spread across the internet about the Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi show being put on hold in an effort to get new writers and scripts, one has to wonder: What the heck is Kathleen Kennedy doing at Disney’s LucasFilm?

After all, this type of development is not exactly new during the Kennedy/Disney reign over Star Wars. During filming, Rogue One was re-written and re-shot. Solo: A Star Wars Story got a completely new director in the middle of production.

For good measure, while I certainly enjoyed Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, one has to admit that the two movies suffer from a certain lack of originality. And then there’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which amounted to a train wreck from story, character and Star Wars lore perspectives.

At the same time, though, there is a tradition of these kinds of challenges at LucasFilm, such as the long delays in getting the Star Wars prequels trilogy made, not to mention (to be generous) the uneven storytelling in those movies, as well as long delays in getting Indiana Jones movies made.

One has to wonder if Jon Favreau made the wonderful first season of The Mandalorian on Disney+ in spite of LucasFilm.

It’s kind of interesting in that the one thing you might have expected when Disney bought LucasFilm was that Star Wars, as well as Indiana Jones, would get a kind of kick in the pants. After all, Disney has a long history of producing good stories. You know, a big chunk of their business is making movies. Yet, here we are. 

The reign of Kathleen Kennedy at LucasFilm arguably has been one of delays, journeying off course and trying to get back on track, missed opportunities, and successes that, arguably, should have been bigger. It’s time for a new person or team to lead Disney’s LucasFilm – that understands both the business and creative sides of making movies and television shows. 

Maybe it’s time for Bob Iger to get Mr. Favreau on the line.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

The Big Jump Back for Star Wars at Disney

by Ray Keating

DisneyBizJournal.com

January 6, 2020

If any doubt existed about the success of Star Wars at the box office, it has been laid to rest. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is closing on $1 billion at the box office.

Perhaps some will respond: “Yeah, so what?” Well, let’s put this in perspective.

Consider that while Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) earned $1.3 billion in box office gross, it also – as we have noted before – failed miserably in terms of story and fan appeal. Its fan score on RottenTomatoes.com stands at a miserable 43 percent.

That was followed by Solo: A Star Wars Story, which, while a solid Star Warsentry, failed at the box office, taking in only $393 million. The likely total cost for the film topped $400 million.

So, Disney and LucasFilm had reason to be nervous about the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. And then came mixed reviews from critics, with a score of 54 percent on RottenTomatoes.com. 

But actual moviegoers and fans have given a resounding thumbs up, with an 86 percent score on RottonTomatoes.com and handing over $919 million in box office gross through yesterday, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. So, while The Rise of Skywalker has only been out for two weeks, its gross has managed to beat the full box office take for Solo by 134 percent ... and counting. I’m guessing that Skywalker will wind up topping the $1.3 billion raked in by The Last Jedi.

At the same time, the lengthy lines and glowing reviews for the Star Wars: The Rise of the Resistance attraction in Walt Disney World – which will open on January 17 in Disneyland – and the success of The Mandalorian on Disney+ points to Star Wars relief and profits at Disney. 

And yes, in a told-you-so moment, this is exactly what DisneyBizJournal predicted in previous pieces. You’re welcome. ;-) 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solutionand the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Dear Bob: Do You Have Leader-Storytellers Running Star Wars and Pixar?

by Ray Keating

Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 18, 2019

Dear Bob,

I’m starting to wonder if you have the right people in some key leadership posts at Disney.

Over at the Harvard Business Review, in an article titled “Building a Startup That Will Last,” the authors, Hemant Taneja and Ken Chenault, wrote:

Disney CEO Bob Iger has enabled the company to remain an innovative powerhouse by opening the process for creative decision-making to other leaders. As the company acquired widely recognized brands – from Lucasfilm to Marvel and Fox – he provided those leadership teams with autonomy so that they could thrive within the Disney ecosystem. Disney’s continuing success long after the passing of its iconic founder is a testament to the power of a system of leadership that endures over time. 

As someone who taught courses in innovation and entrepreneurship, leadership and strategic management for MBA students for a decade, I like this. But it also has to be understood that if the leadership team is not getting the job done, then there should be consequences. My question is: Does Disney have Disney-style leaders in place?

My concerns spring from recent films from the Star Wars/Lucasfilm and Pixar units. Each film – Star Wars: The Last Jediand Toy Story 4– fell far short of the quality storytelling that Disney needs to produce. Specifically, Luke Skywalker, and Woody and Buzz Lightyear – the key characters in the Star Warsand Toy Storyuniverses, respectively – abandoned qualities foundational to each character. 

We’re suddenly expected to believe that Luke succumbed to darkness and despair, abandoned his friends, and stood on the brink of killing his nephew. This was the guy who saw good in Darth Vader!? Come on, Bob. 

And Woody decided that his core belief that toys find their purpose in being there for a child, well, didn’t seem to be all that important. Instead, Woody seemed to succumb to a kind of mid-life crisis, and abandoned his family and purpose. At the same time, when Buzz managed to be wedged into Toy Story 4, he had regressed from where he was in the first three movies, and became, well, a bit of an idiot. Really? Gee, thanks for these unfortunate changes.

While the writers and directors must take the brunt of well-deserved criticisms here – especially Last Jediwriter and director Rian Johnson, who has shown no regard for Star Warsfans – the people in charge should not escape serious review. While the current heads of Pixar and Disney animation only came on board a year ago, given the Lasseter mess, perhaps they can be forgiven. But they need to be reminded of what was lost in Toy Story 4. As for Kathleen Kennedy, though, she has been alone at the helm of Lucasfilm since June 2013. And her track record raises serious questions, to say the least, given that The Last Jediarguably ranks as the worst Star Warsmovie, with the following film, Solo: A Star Wars Story, suffering the worst box-office showing.

One of the key requirement for leaders at Disney is that they must be more than managers and leaders. They need to be storytellers. At the very least, they need to recognize good and bad storytelling, especially when it comes to iconic franchises and characters. 

It’s time to do a review, Bob, to make sure that Disney has leader-storytellers at the top of each of its divisions. And if not, changes need to be made.

Thanks for the consideration, and have a magical day!

Sincerely,

Ray Keating

DisneyBizJournal.com

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

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