What ‘Star Wars’ Anthology Stories Could Have Been...
The Star Wars Anthology series has always been shadowed in mystery, ever since it was first announced in February of 2013, just 3 months after Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm. Some of those mysteries were brought to light with the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story. However, many were yet to be revealed or were only teased when Disney decided to put the film series on hold in 2018. Since then, we have had many different “standalone” Star Wars stories reach the surface through Disney+. Some of which were “home runs” according to fans and others not so much, depending on who you ask. With Obi-Wan Kenobi (a cancelled and repurposed Anthology film) being released on Disney+ May 27th, lets take a look back at the fall of the “Anthology series” and theorize on what could have been.
When Disney announced the acquisition of Lucasfilm on October 30th, 2012, it opened up an entire universe of potential for Star Wars fans. Not only were we excited about the “untitled Episode 7” that we thought we would never see but we knew that with a company like Disney the sky was the limit. Soon after, the “Star Wars standalone films” were announced by Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger. All we knew at the time was that they weren’t a part of the central Skywalker Saga, that they would be released the years in-between the Saga films, and that 2 projects were already confirmed.
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Fast forward a couple years to Star Wars Celebration 2015, where we got our first glimpse at the first Anthology film: Rogue One. It was to be the first Star Wars movie to be described as a true “War Film”, Saving Private Ryan meets Star Wars I believe was the comparison used. We were also treated with the confirmation that Solo was officially in the works, with Phil Lord and Chris Miller taking the helm. Not long after, the flood gates burst open, soon all kinds of projects were being talked about. Everything from a James Mangold directed Boba Fett film, to a Master Yoda origin story, even a Jabba the Hutt standalone film! However it all became very short-lived after the release of Solo: a Star Wars Story in 2018.
After a long and very troubled production that saw the firing of Phil Lord and Chris Miller weeks before filming was to end due to “creative differences,” a new director took the helm. The legendary Ron Howard was called on to reshoot over a mandated 85% of the film, 70% of which ended up in the final product. Solo was finally released on May 25th, 2018 to critical acclaim but the fans were divided. Mostly in part to the backlash over Star Wars: The Last Jedi and the very public production issues that plagued Solo, the film was considered (undeservedly in my opinion) the franchises first box office bomb. This event would force Disney and Lucasfilm to reconsider their strategy, which eventually ended with their decision to put the Anthology series on hold indefinitely. This decision, I believe, was one of Disney and Lucasfilm’s worst.
I, like many others, was expecting a dumpster fire of epic proportions, based on everything I had heard about the production of the film. I held onto hope that someway, somehow it would be good, while also bracing myself just in case it wasn’t. After having seen Solo in theaters opening weekend however, I was left pleasantly surprised. The film was actually a fun ride, with great practical effects, beautiful action set pieces, and a cast that, in my honest opinion, did a fantastic job! What left me surprised the most however, was the direction the story went and what it sets up. Spoilers Ahead: The decision to have Maul as the big bad, the one pulling the strings from the shadows, completely changed my view of what these “Standalone films” could be within the greater Star Wars universe.
I immediately started to theorize where this reveal could potentially take this story while also connecting it to the stories that we know and love. My first thought went straight to the line where Han tells Chewie about the job that was being hinted at throughout the film, with a particular gangster residing on Tatooine. How would that connect to the “standalone” films going forward? Well that’s easy, James Mangold’s untitled Boba Fett film would be the obvious answer and potential “sequel” to Solo.
To summarize, the film would follow a younger, more ruthless, albeit clumsy Boba, working with the best of the best “scum and villainy” the Star Wars universe has to offer. Bounty Hunters and Smugglers coming together to pull off the ultimate heist for Jabba the Hutt who seeks to cripple an organization quickly rising to power: Crimson Dawn. The film would be seen from the perspective of Boba Fett but include characters such as: Dengar, Greedo, IG-88, Bossk, Cad Bane, and of course Han and Chewie. Whose plans change when he realizes that this job might give him another shot at saving Qi’ra again. Which would end up ultimately causing tensions to rise within the group and one of the reasons why Han is in the compromising position we see him in, in A New Hope. Boba being ruthless and full of rage would be one of the reasons for Han’s fear of him in Return of the Jedi, during the Sail Barge Assault. The film could also be used as an opportunity to repurpose the unused scene in the Clone Wars, where Boba challenges Cad Bane to a dual, where, in this version, he loses and gets the iconic dent in his helmet. The end of this film would leave enough open for one more story in this trilogy of the Star Wars Underworld: Maul.
A Maul film would be a little different than the two films prior. First of all, its tone would be a lot darker. Following a defeated, hate-filled Maul who has gone into hiding after the events of Revenge of the Sith. Having survived the newly appointed Emperor Palpatine’s onslaught of the Jedi and creation of the Galactic Empire, Maul’s sole purpose is to get revenge on all those who have wronged him and to become the true source of power across the galaxy. Through a series of time jumps, we see the struggles Maul dealt with. From dealing with the trauma of being a former Sith apprentice, to his defeat on Mandalore, we will understand the root cause of his motivation and drive.
After the heist, Crimson Dawn has been dealt a massive blow to their organization. This event has pulled Maul out of the shadows, forcing him to deal with the fallout himself. Due to this, Palpatine learns of his involvement with Crimson Dawn and his plan to try to bring down the Empire. To eradicate this threat once and for all, Palpatine sends Vader to finish Maul. What ensues is a desperate plan to destroy Vader which just might be the crippling blow Maul needs to achieve the revenge he so desperately desires. The game of cat and mouse that Vader and Maul play throughout the entire film would be intense, and would ultimately lead to an epic final duel between the two. This duel however, will leave Maul crippled and force him to seek exile on the outer rim planet Malachor. The location we find him at in Star Wars: Rebels, leaving him much like “a rat squandering in the desert.” Which leads up to our first and only flash forward in the film. We see Maul during his trek through the deserts of Tatooine. He eventually reaches his objective, looking back at all his failures this would have to be the one thing where he succeeds, killing his rival, Obi-Wan Kenobi. As we know he doesn’t succeed and dies a tragic death at the hands of his rival, ending his story.
These are just a few of my ideas for the Anthology series, unfortunately we may never be able to witness its full potential. Granted we have seen other projects rise from the ashes of what was, shows like The Book of Boba Fett, and the upcoming and highly anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi to name a couple. I believe however, that if Disney and Lucasfilm would have stood their ground and had faith in the potential of the Anthology Series, we could have seen some really incredible stuff. Who knows, maybe somewhere in the future we will, until then we could all look back and theorize on what could have been.
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