May the fourth may have already have passed, but there's plenty for Star Wars fans to be excited about in regards to the future of the franchise. One topic area that is often revisited is the status of the Old Republic era in the timeline. Indeed, thanks to the Knights Of The Old Republic games, this part of the franchise has remained astoundingly popular amongst audiences.
The status of the Old Republic side of the series is a little bit complicated. Whether it has a genuine future within the franchise remains to be seen. However, there's a lot of news out there when it comes to projects and the continuation of stories that will certainly delight fans.
Legend And Canon Elements
After Disney bought Lucasfilm from George Lucas, the acquisition meant that they could decide what would be considered official Canon and which parts of the extended universe would really be seen as Legends. The phrase came to encompass pretty much everything asides from the main series of movies and animated shows.
However, since that time there have been some mentions of the Old Republic across Star Wars canon. A soft reboot could be an option, therefore, with Lucasfilm now only including certain aspects of the Old Republic which fits into their own narratives.
Place In The Timeline
The Old Republic is still being left a space in the overall Star Wars timeline though. For a long time, any era before the prequel series was rarely mentioned, leaving a huge gap for the Old Republic to potentially still remain, if Disney ever wanted to revisit it.
There was some doubt with the debut of the High Republic, which was set just before the prequels. However, the High Republic does not span back far enough to reach the Old Republic, suggesting this era is still very much present in the overall timeline.
Small Inclusions In The Expanding Universe
As previously mentioned, there are a few minor inclusions within the expanded universe that make mention of the Old Republic. Whether it's ancient Jedi artifacts or a small nod to the era through an explanation of the Republic's history, there's definitely evidence that the idea of the Old Republic is still canon.
Some of the most notable inclusions of this time period have been thanks to the animated shows though. For instance, Yoda came across Darth Bane in The Clone Wars making reference to the wide range of Sith Lords that existed far before the prequels and the High Republic.
Development Of A New Knights Of The Old Republic Game
It has been rumored for some time now that EA may be working on a Knights Of The Old Republic title for next-gen consoles. Any game set in the era would probably be a reboot of sorts, to bring the narrative in line with any new canon.
It was recently revealed that it looked as if Aspyr Media would have a large hand in its development. This is interesting as this is the same studio that contributed to a number of other Star Wars games being brought to Nintendo Switch as well as bringing Knights Of The Old Republic II to Mac.
Updates In The Old Republic
There is a continuation of sorts of the era though, currently being updated and expanded! The Old Republic online RPG has become increasingly popular amongst the gaming community and is entirely set in this part of the timeline.
This adds to the confusion as to what's canon and what isn't as Disney has chosen to add more stories to this game, suggesting that it could come under the official canon thanks to the continuation. That would confirm the existence of other Sith Lords, Jedi, and major events in the universe's history.
Disney+ Development
Disney+ is already home to some great Star Wars TV shows. However, there are always rumors circulating that this is the platform where the Old Republic will be officially brought back into the larger canon of the universe. This can be done in a variety of ways.
There's talk of some characters like Darth Revan being brought into already announced Disney+ shows in some capacity. There are also rumors that there may be a completely original TV show in development for Disney+ set during the time period.
Potential Films
Of course, one of the prime places where this area of the franchise could be continued is in a much longer format and potentially on the big screen. Fans have clamored for a KOTOR movie for years, and there was even potential for the writers of Game Of Thrones to be developing one before they departed to Netflix.
Ever since 2019, there has been news and rumors in regards to a movie based on the series of games. If these games were to ever be officially brought into canon, it's most likely through an update/reboot or through a cinematic retelling of the events that took place, which could prove controversial.
Continuation Of Old Content
One thing that will remain consistent for now is the continuation of the re-printing and availability of Legends content. Lucasfilm has made plenty of old video game titles available on newer consoles, despite the fact they are no longer canon.
The same can be said for both books and comics from the original expanded universe. Lucasfilm continues to print Old Republic titles under the Legends banner so that some of that incredible content won't become unavailable to fans.
Focus On The High Republic
The High Republic seems to be the main area of concern for Lucasfilm for the time being. In many ways, it feels like a piece of the timeline that looks to distract away from the Old Republic so that they can tell new stories with complete freedom.
With countless comic books and novels already produced around the concept and the potential for video games or Disney+ shows down the line, there's maybe no room for the Old Republic on Disney's slate right at this moment.
The Door Is Always Open
Despite the ups and downs that this side of the franchise has gone through, never say never appears to be the appropriate adage. As it stands right now, the future of the Old Republic seems a little murky, but the door does seem to be open even just a crack.
Disney doesn't outright deny the existence of this part of the timeline and there are clear canon references. It may be that Lucasfilm is still unsure of how to deal with such a vast area of content, but, over the next few years, the picture could get a bit clearer with the exploration of new locations or the inclusion of new characters.