Star Wars: The High Republic Launch Trailer

So, part of Disney’s strategy going forward with Star Wars is not just moving pictures. They’re launching an entirely new “Division,” if you will, for the Star Wars universe. Set in the ancient history of the Jedi, “a thousand generations” ago…. It’s “The High Republic.”

Part of me is like HOLY SHIT THATS FUCKEN COOL MAN. But then I take a deep breath, and contemplate it for a minute and I’m like… “Take care, Disney, tread lightly, and I think I’m on to you.”

On the one hand, going back to the ancient history of the Star Wars universe is admittedly a brilliant move. They have essentially a clean slate here. The only thing they really have to worry about is not screwing anything up that is in the SWU’s future. Shouldn’t be too hard, right?

Then I’m like “wait a sec, books and comics and stuff? No films or TV?” and I have to think… what is the endgame here. Endgame… hmm…

Eureka.

You can come back here when it finally happens, but my theory is this: They’re launching this “past universe” and hoping that it takes off, fleshes out, becomes popular, etc. It might take years, it might take decades, but eventually the plan (and this is just my theory) they want to make an “SWCU” just like they’ve done with Marvel’s MCU. Even the description gives it away. “An interconnected mega-story”…

Sound familiar?

Here’s the rest of my theory. Rather than just foisting random Star Wars stuff on literally decades of devoted fans, and hoping they don’t revolt like a large portion have with the Abrams’ trilogy… They want to build this literary universe, and get reactions on all of this content FIRST.

THEN they can pick and choose the popular parts to build a ten-year cinematic “interconnected mega-story” like they’ve done with the Marvel universe.

You’re a little transparent here, Disney.

Now, don’t take this as me saying automatically “its gonna suck.” I have no idea. It might be as awesome as the MCU has been so far. I hope it is. But my feeling is that its going to take a full decade or more before they know what (they think) will work and what won’t. To plan and execute the next cinematic chapters and return Star Wars to the big screen. Their Disney Plus strategy is temporary, just to keep us sated in the meantime, so they can build this up. Probably dropping references to THR in all these new D+ series.

Is that paranoid? Am I wrong to think that all they’re doing is just copying a highly successful strategy for another franchise and hoping we don’t notice?

I hope so. I hope its original and compelling and amazing and everything Star Wars is supposed to be.

But we will see.