Simon Kinberg’s Upcoming ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy: Why the Fan Hype Is Falling Short

Avatar photoByArthur S. Poe Published on
0 Comments
Our Editorial Policy.

Join the community on Reddit for the latest Marvel & DC news!

Share:

Lucasfilm recently announced a new Star Wars trilogy to be led by Simon Kinberg, known for his work on Fox’s X-Men films. The news was expected to spark major fan excitement, but the response has been surprisingly lukewarm.

Since the announcement, fan reactions—and even media commentary, which is typically more neutral—have leaned negative. It appears that many fans aren’t looking forward to this new installment, and given recent challenges within the franchise, there may be good reason for the skepticism.

While some hold out hope that Kinberg might revive the series’ classic spirit, Kathleen Kennedy’s recent comments about moving the franchise beyond George Lucas’ original vision suggest that may not be the direction. In this piece, we’ll delve into an insightful analysis from ComicBookMovie.com and highlight fan reactions to this upcoming trilogy.

As for the new trilogy itself, details remain murky. Reports suggest it will be set in the future rather than the past, though it’s unclear if it will directly continue the Skywalker Saga or introduce a fresh storyline with new characters, possibly linked by Rey’s presence bridging the old series and the new.

Rumor has it the films will be labeled as Episodes X, XI, and XII, yet this doesn’t necessarily confirm a direct continuation of the Sequel Trilogy. Some suggest Rey might play a role similar to “Ben Kenobi,” serving as a mentor rather than a central character.

Nonetheless, the decision to proceed with this potentially divisive storyline under Simon Kinberg’s direction has sparked considerable backlash. Our friends at ComicBookMovie.com have outlined six key points about the upcoming trilogy; here’s a brief look at what they had to say:

6. Who The F*** Would Hire Simon Kinberg?

Let’s take a look at Simon Kinberg’s writing credits, shall we? X-Men: The Last Stand, Jumper, Fantastic Four, X-Men: Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix, The 355…his work ranges from mediocre to downright bad. (…) Kennedy’s belief that Kinberg is a good choice to spearhead a new series of Star Wars movies is proof enough that she’s no longer the right person to oversee this franchise. Imagine if Kevin Feige tapped Zack Snyder to take over the Avengers movies…

5. Creative Differences And Empty Promises

Kennedy’s time in charge of Lucasfilm has been dominated by creative differences and announcements for movies and TV shows that have never materialised.  (…) The executive appears to have strong ideas about where the Star Wars franchise should go, but can’t seem to get anything across the finish line. How else do you explain the five-year gap since we last sat down to watch one of these movies in theaters?

4. The Acolyte’s Cancellation

Love or hate The Acolyte, its cancellation earlier this year is another huge embarrassment for Lucasfilm. After launching a massive publishing initiative meant to introduce Star Wars fans to the High Republic Era, this series was meant to usher in a new wave of storytelling.

Instead, it was cancelled after a single season after ending on a massive cliffhanger. Now, it appears Lucasfilm is giving up on these stories altogether, making it a colossal failure on every level.  (…) Ultimately, there’s a very noticeable disconnect between Kennedy’s vision and what most fans seem to want from Star Wars. 

3. It’s Not Just Star Wars

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was meant to be a celebration of the franchise and a grand farewell for Harrison Ford’s iconic adventurer. Instead, it was a critical and commercial disappointment and deemed worse than even Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. (…)

So, yeah, this isn’t just an angry Star Wars fanboy ranting about the state of the franchise. Kennedy’s failings extend across the entirety of Lucasfilm’s output and that should be cause for concern at Disney. 

2. A Lack Of Clear Direction And Purpose

When George Lucas was making the original Star Wars movies (and his prequels, for that matter), he made it up as he went along. That’s all well and good, but Lucasfilm doing the same for the current Star Wars trilogy with the competing visions of three different directors (J.J. Abrams, Rian Johnson, and Colin Trevorrow) resulted in a messy, inconsistent conclusion to the Skywalker Saga. 

1. It’s Important To Acknowledge What Went Right As Well

As we mentioned at the start of this post, it’s important not to overlook the good decisions Kennedy has made. While the creatives deserve the lion’s share of praise, she’s overseen the likes of Andor, The Mandalorian, Star Wars Rebels, and many other very popular and lucrative projects.

Kennedy is not some sort of clueless buffoon who has been handed the reins of a movie studio without any previous experience.

Source: ComicBookMovie

These points highlight some significant concerns within the Star Wars community, and we believe these arguments are well-founded. The fanbase’s discontent is evident, though it remains to be seen whether this reaction stems more from frustration with Kennedy’s leadership or genuine doubts about Kinberg’s ability to deliver a compelling trilogy.

And it’s not just the media raising these issues—fans themselves are deeply divided:

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!

Liked this article? Join the community on Reddit for the latest Marvel & DC news!

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments