Is There a Top Secret Agenda for the Anthology Films?

Posted by Bret on 08/01/17 at 01:16 AM Category: Solo Film

In an interview with ETOnline, Woody Harrelson, who plays young Han Solo's (Alden Ehrenreich's) mentor, Beckett, was asked about the film. Harrelson praised Ehrenreich's acting skills and sense of humor, which contributes to what he predicts will be the result:

"I think it could be one of the funnier Star Wars movies."

So Hollywood Reporter took a "shot in the dahk" at an interesting theory. While Disney is clearly trying to capitalize on every opportunity to make their purchase of Lucasfilm as lucrative an investment as possible, most obviously by pumping out a new movie every year, is there a deeper agenda with the Anthology films? According to the theory:

It's possible — even likely — that the various Star Wars Story projects are reverse-engineering the genre mix of the original Star Wars trilogy and emphasizing particular tropes in an attempt to fully understand what it is about the movies that audiences respond to: Rogue One leans heavily on the action, and the Han Solo project on the humor, leaving a future third movie to focus in on the Force mysticism, perhaps…?

In other words, Disney is deconstructing the OT with each installment of the anthology series so they can find what made up the secret sauce. Once they have the formula, they'd mix each ingredient to create a recipe that would make Bobby Flay jealous.

The sense of wonder that Star Wars (or, Episode IV as it is now known to the kids out there) inspired was a once-in-a-lifetime shot. It was the exact right mix of action, fantasy, drama, and humor that had never been seen before, and was brought to life by a passionate team of brilliant and independent-minded entrepreneurs on a shoestring budget hellbent on defying the Hollywood establishment.

Nevertheless, it's interesting to imagine if this is Disney's motive. If Vader, Obi-Wan, and Boba Fett are really the leading candidates to be "anthologized" next, what might be the tone of each if the goal is to "reverse-engineer" the OT? Vader, the terrifying evil incarnate? Fett, the renegade who skirts the line between good and bad (probably already covered by the Han Solo film)? Obi-Wan, the aging warrior who keeps hope alive during the darkest of times?

Frankly, the original formula can never be recreated, so they shouldn't try. Just write a solid story set in the Galaxy we know, and things will be fine.