The Basis of Boba Fett: Part 1
by Noah Thompson
The Book of Boba Fett is the latest and highly anticipated addition to the Star Wars franchise and the massive Disney+ lineup. As much as fans have been wanting to see the return of the bounty hunter, this show certainly delivers some amazing scenes enriched by the storytelling of its creators—but is it the return fans have really been asking for? Throughout the next few weeks, we’ll analyze the lasting effects made by the recent series, as well as the topic of streaming in general.
Although The Book of Boba Fett is currently on its’ sixth episode, this show could turn in a whole new direction when its seventh episode finale comes out within the week. With that said, let’s take a look at where the show stands before a later spoiler-filled analysis.
Overall, Disney did not need another heavy-hitting series on their platform. Marvel could easily survive and stay relevant without Hawkeye or any other series, but Star Wars, on the other hand, needed some type of winning formula to unite fans once again after the recent sequel trilogy left fans feeling divided and disappointed. As soon as Avengers: Endgame concluded the Infinity Saga, Marvel had the opportunity to switch their lineup with a more experimental style of storytelling with shows such as Loki.
Star Wars should have gone in the same direction much earlier than they did. Rogue One came out just a year after The Force Awakens, acting as the franchise’s first anthology film outside the main episodic saga. The success of this movie was followed by the Solo standalone film, which grossed just under $400 million worldwide, compared to Rogue One’s $1 billion and The Force Awakens’ $2 billion.
The anthology format proved to be costly and barely profitable due to all the reshoots and, perhaps, even some lack of interest. By 2019, Star Wars needed something new if Disney was to continue with the franchise.
As much as I appreciate the video games and cartoon series myself, I could never quite share these formats of Star Wars with my dad, who saw the original trilogy in theaters when they were released. Considering how long his generation has had the franchise in their lives, it’s about time Disney redeemed itself. Now is the perfect time for them to deliver an original yet classic addition to the space opera franchise, not just for the gamers or for the fans of the animated series but for the moviegoers who were the first to be amazed by the spectacle. Through The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, I believe streaming has done just that for everyone.