When Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4 billion, millions of Star Wars fans were filled with excitement and hope, but there was also a significant wave of anxiety and skepticism among longtime fans. The announcement of a new trilogy set after the original saga promised a return to the galaxy far, far away, reigniting anticipation for the franchise and drawing both nostalgic and new audiences back to theaters.
Then the release of The Force Awakens in 2015 reignited that excitement – but it quickly became clear that Disney had a very different vision for Star Wars.
The Legacy Characters Were Undermined
One of the most painful aspects for longtime fans was how Disney mistreated the franchise’s original heroes. Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Leia Organa were iconic figures who had shaped the Star Wars universe for decades. Yet, in the new trilogy, Han was reduced to a disillusioned, absent father; Luke became a bitter recluse who abandoned his ideals; and only Leia maintained some semblance of her former strength, but even she provided comfort to Rey rather than long time friend Chewbacca when Han was unceremoniously killed off in the first sequel. Carrie Fisher had more than a few complaints about her role in the sequel trilogy.
Was this just accidental? To many fans, it felt like a deliberate effort to dismantle the legacy characters in order to make room for a new cast – a new brand – that fit Disney’s agenda.
Kathleen “The Force is Female” Kennedy and AlliesThe Rise of the “Girl Brand”
Perhaps the most controversial shift was Disney’s conscious decision to make Star Wars a “girl brand.” Despite the franchise’s predominantly male fanbase, Disney positioned female characters as the new heroes. Rey, the lead in the sequel trilogy, was a strong female Jedi, and the phrase “The Force is female” became a rallying cry under Lucasfilm’s leadership. This shift was confirmed the following year when 2016’s Rogue One also featured a female protagonist.
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With their efforts to elevate woman in Star Wars, under the guise of promoting “diversity and inclusion,” Disney has pushed an agenda that alienated many longtime fans. Their inorganic focus on feminist themes and female leads, often at the expense of the franchise’s traditional storytelling and character development, was seen by many as pandering rather than genuine progress – particularly since the Star Wars brand has always appealed to boys far more than girls.
Turning Marvel and Star Wars into girl brands will prove to be one of the costliest decisions in entertainment history. https://t.co/Yazlxm9dHx
— Chris Gore (@ThatChrisGore) November 13, 2023
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DEI Casting Over Substance
Like so many Hollywood studios these days, Disney’s approach to hiring and casting has heavily emphasized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). While Star Wars has always featured a fairly diverse cast, the new era felt like it took things to an extreme, often seeming to prioritize identity politics over talent or story coherence. This led to characters and storylines that feel forced or tokenistic, undermining the immersive experience that made Star Wars beloved worldwide. Backlash from fans wasn’t about representation, but more about the quality and authenticity of the storytelling, which seemed to suffer the more Disney emphasized DEI.
Similar to Disney’s approach with Star Wars, associated brand Marvel also underwent a significant transformation under Sana Amanat’s influence, shifting from boys’ entertainment to a “lifestyle brand.” As the Director of Content at Marvel Comics, and now an executive of production and development at Marvel Studios, Amanat introduced characters like Ms. Marvel while reimagining established heroes to appeal “beyond their traditional audiences.” This unwelcome pivot prioritized identity politics over action-oriented storytelling, resulting in declining sales as Marvel has alienated longtime readers without successfully attracting new demographics.
And just like Lucasfilm, Marvel is also owned by Disney.
Serving a Vocal Minority at the Expense of the Majority
Disney’s Star Wars projects have increasingly catered to a vocal minority that champions progressive social agendas. While this group is passionate and loud, it does not represent the majority of Star Wars fans. Catering to them has also resulted in declining ratings, poor box office performance, and a growing number of fans choosing to boycott new releases. The recent TV series The Acolyte, touted as the “gayest Star Wars” content ever, failed to secure a second season due to low viewership, highlighting the disconnect between Disney’s direction and fan expectations.
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Despite the actuaries and financial failures, whenever fans have expressed disappointment or criticism, Disney and Lucasfilm have regularly responded defensively, labeling dissenters as “toxic” or accusing them of bigotry. Rather than engaging with constructive feedback, the creators have dismissed longtime supporters, further deepening the divide, and reducing the audience size.
This unwillingness to listen to the core fanbase has only accelerated the erosion of goodwill and trust that took decades to build.
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Disney’s handling of Star Wars since acquiring Lucasfilm has been a textbook example of how to destroy a beloved brand by imposing a narrow ideological agenda. By turning Star Wars into a “girl brand,” prioritizing DEI over storytelling, and alienating its original fanbase, Disney undermined the very magic that once made the franchise a cultural phenomenon.
For Star Wars to ever hope to thrive again, it needs to reconnect with its roots – honoring its legacy characters, telling compelling stories that resonate with fans. Until then, many will remain wary, watching a once-great saga struggle under the weight of well-meaning but misguided rebranding efforts.
If you’re a Star Wars fan feeling disillusioned by the franchise’s recent direction, you’re far from alone. Cherish the stories you love, because for now, hope that Disney will restore balance to the Force-and to the saga we hold dear-continues to fade, with little sign of a course correction on the horizon.
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