The Rise of Skywalker has been out for over a week, and the internet is still working through its feelings. Box office returns have been excellent — obviously, this is Star Wars we’re talking about — but the movie is tracking below The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. Critics are divided, and while audiences mostly seem to like it, there’s definitely a contingent critical of the movie’s lack of ambition and check-the-boxes approach to storytelling. There’s even been some inter-Star Wars feuding, with an actor on The Mandalorian getting extremely frank about his feelings.
Among the criticisms of The Rise of Skywalker are that it rolls over some of the contributions The Last Jedi made to the franchise. Rise implied that Rey’s family history wasn’t remarkable, suggesting that powerful Force users can come from anywhere. Without spoiling things, The Rise of Skywalker walks that back a bit.
Rise also cuts way down on screentime for Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), who appears for just over a minute despite having a big role in Last Jedi. That issue is particularly dicey, since Tran was subjected to waves on sexist, racist abuse online by fans who were not happy with her character; she eventually wrote an op-ed about the experience. By cutting her role, Rise of Skywalker director J.J. Abrams and company are kind of giving the impression that they’re caving to pressure from hateful trolls, even if that wasn’t their intent.
But tomorrow is another day. Director Jon M. Chu, the guy behind Crazy Rich Asians and the upcoming In The Heights, has a suggestion: what if Rose Tico was given her own series on Disney+?
Ok @disneyplus . Put me in coach. Let’s make this series happen. #RoseTicoDeservedBetter @starwars
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) December 27, 2019
The Mandalorian, the first-ever live-action Star Wars series, has just wrapped up its first season on Disney+, and it’s better that it has any right to be. And Disney has two other shows on the way: one about Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), one of the main characters from Rogue One; and one about Obi-Wan Kenobi, with Ewan McGregor returning to the role.
Personally, I would be 100% on board for a Rose Tico series, both because I want to see more of the character and because it could take the timeline forward, since all of the shows currently in production are set in the series’ past.
Will something like this actually happen? I have no idea, but after the success of The Mandalorian, I imagine the door is open for new Star Wars TV show ideas.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Watch Game of Thrones for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels