Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

[The Dark Knight]

Poor poster. Possibly the worst in franchise history. Looks like a teaser for the Star Wars Rebels animated series or a videogame cover art.

[Travesty]

Looks like Kylo has the high ground. 


And I thought the poster looked fine on my phone, but now that I'm on my computer looking at it, yeah, it looks like something for an animated show, lol. Oh well, not that big of a deal.

[thecolorsblend]

And I thought the poster looked fine on my phone, but now that I'm on my computer looking at it, yeah, it looks like something for an animated show, lol. Oh well, not that big of a deal.

That probably isn't a coincidence. Since mobile is quickly beginning to be more widely used than PC's, it's becoming more common for movie studios to make posters, films, etc, more mobile-friendly.

But what we as a culture appear to be learning is that something that looks good on mobile probably won't look good at all on a conventional computer monitor.

But yes, the poster is p00p.

[Silver Nemesis]

It seems the image of Palpatine was taken from a Hot Toys figure: https://screenrant.com/star-wars-9-palpatine-poster-toy-movie-cartoon/

Here's the new D23 trailer.

Slow rendition of recognisable John Williams music, quiet portentous voice-over by Luke, nostalgic clips from earlier films, "This Christmas", etc...

[The Dark Knight]

It seems the image of Palpatine was taken from a Hot Toys figure: https://screenrant.com/star-wars-9-palpatine-poster-toy-movie-cartoon/

This poster debacle is a current encapsulation of the cinematic brand. Lazy, worn out and reheating existing concepts in a manner that frustrates large sections of the fanbase. Disney's marketing department is stacked with cash but photoshopping a Hot Toys figurine is all the enthusiasm they can muster. My own enthusiasm for TROS is barely existent. I don't feel any connection with Finn, Rose, Poe and their ilk. They simply do not compare to classic trilogy or even prequel trilogy characters. DisneyWars is a display of corporate arrogance, thinking the brand is bulletproof and will succeed no matter what. Check out their Galaxy's Edge theme park for example. They expected big money, but it's underperforming big time. Watching that trailer recap of the classic trilogy and prequel trilogy only reminded me how DisneyWars feels out of place in the context of the entire saga. It doesn't have that same emotional connection or sense of purpose.

[thecolorsblend]

Quite apart from being a bad poster concept (although it's certainly that), the laziness TDK speaks of really is a criticism. It's an open secret that the Emperor is coming back. I assume he'll bodily return and his likeness will feature prominently in the film. On that basis, you'd think that TROS-era images of Palpatine's likeness are in plentiful supply.

And yet, apparently using his likeness from the film never occurred to anybody. I find that very telling.

On a separate note, one criticism I had of Lucas-era Star Wars was how conservative he developed the franchise. For official canon films and shows, he never ventured far from Anakin's lifespan or from Anakin himself as a narrative focus. In the old days, I thought that was a bit shortsighted since the Star Wars universe is a vast tapestry which could theoretically sustain films for zillions of different characters and stories. Rogue Squadron stuff, Jedi Academy, bounty hunter anthologies, the first Sith/Jedi war, the list just goes on and on.

But Lucas has definitely been vindicated when it comes to how protective he was of the saga. The way Disney has bungled things really shows just how ahead of the curve Lucas was when it comes to playing it as safe with the brand as he did. I can criticize quite a few of his creative decisions but I have nary a criticism of Lucas the businessman.

[The Laughing Fish]

My own enthusiasm for TROS is barely existent. I don't feel any connection with Finn, Rose, Poe and their ilk. They simply do not compare to classic trilogy or even prequel trilogy characters. DisneyWars is a display of corporate arrogance, thinking the brand is bulletproof and will succeed no matter what. Check out their Galaxy's Edge theme park for example. They expected big money, but it's underperforming big time. Watching that trailer recap of the classic trilogy and prequel trilogy only reminded me how DisneyWars feels out of place in the context of the entire saga. It doesn't have that same emotional connection or sense of purpose.

I take it this means you don't like The Last Jedi anymore?

[Travesty]

Yeah, I thought TDK liked TLJ?

[The Dark Knight]

I thought TDK liked TLJ?

I wrote a *LWR about Jed's Last Eye shortly after it came out, but I never ended up posting it. I still connect with points I made in that essay, but my mood for the franchise as a whole has since changed. I feel like Jed's Last Eye works best as a standalone character study rather than an episode connected to an established series. Luke as a depressed hermit worked for me more than it did for others, but at the same time, what a colossal wasted opportunity.

Is this how anyone envisioned Han, Luke and Leia returning? Is this the ideal grand comeback we fantasized about - Luke whipping out his big green one and showing the bad guys who really rules the galaxy? No, and here's the fact that must be accepted: Jed's Last Eye has now been plucked out, leaving a blind, aimless franchise scrambling for a way forward, but not stopping to breathe and reassess - burning people out in the process.

The passion of hardcore fans has been sapped. They feel cheated, let down and unsatisfied. That emotion cannot be taken away, no matter what Rise of Skywalker dishes up. But moreso for me, I think about the new characters and how they just don't stack up to the previous trilogies. Characters are what warrant re-watches, and that connection just isn't there for me. Rey is an overpowered, annoying Mary Sue. Finn and Rose are blah. Poe is blah. Hux is beyond a joke. They don't know how to write Kylo. Snoke was a cheesier Palpatine knockoff.  BB-8 is okay, but R2 has reduced to being less than a prop.

When all is said and done, I don't see this trilogy justifying its existence. What exactly has it achieved, and what progress has been made? When you are dealing with legacy characters such as Luke people have a strong sense of ownership. We have lived with them, freeze framed in 1977-1983 for the whole of our childhood and now adult lives. ROTJ left Luke in a good place, and that's how people thought of him all that time. Characters encounter obstacles, but we still want to love them. Luke should have been given a wife, kids and a functioning Jedi school that wasn't razed. As it stands, he has no legacy other than mythic ghost stories that don't amount to anything.

Legacies and how people feel about brands is really important. Disney dropped the ball big time in that regard.

*long winded rant

[The Laughing Fish]

I'm not sure if this was shared here, but here is a Photoshopped image of what might've been. Mark Hamill shared it on Twitter a while ago with the hashtag #MissedOpportunities, and I believe he got some backlash from Disney fans over it.