When Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012 for the small sum of $4 billion, they announced they were going to do all they could to get a return on their investment. This meant in addition to producing a sequel trilogy set in the main Skywalker saga, the studio would also make a series of spinoff films to flesh out the universe. The first of these, Rogue One, was released last year and the young Han Solo movie is currently in production for its May 2018 premiere. Though both projects feature familiar elements of the earlier Star Wars movies, they look to expand the galaxy far, far away with different locations, new characters, and filmmaking techniques that don't adhere to the old school style of the numbered episodes. The positive reception to Rogue One encouraged Lucasfilm they were heading in the right direction and gave them confidence.

Still, there are viewers who view the Star Wars standalones as a missed opportunity, since they are intricately connected to the saga installments despite telling their own stories. With an infinite universe at their disposal, why do Disney and Lucasfilm keep going back to old wells when there's so much more to explore? While the subject of the third spinoff (due in 2020) is unknown, rumors suggest it will either be about Obi-Wan Kenobi or Boba Fett and other bounty hunters. That somewhat limited scope is frustrating for fans who would like to see Lucasfilm search out new horizons, but there are actually some good reasons why it's important for the spinoffs to link back to the saga films in some way - both in terms of business and storytelling.

Easy to Market

Darth Vader Final Scene from Rogue One A Star Wars Story

Star Wars is a franchise that exists in several mediums, but the feature films will always be the crown jewel of the empire. Someone can be a huge fan of the galaxy far, far away without having read any of the novels or seen an episode of Rebels. For many people, their only real exposure to the property will be the movies, which in a way paints Lucasfilm in a corner when they are developing the anthologies. Obviously, a Star Wars movie (which can have a production budget of $200+ million) is going to be marketed to reach the widest audience possible. Disney has seen their first two Star Wars films gross over $1 billion worldwide, meaning that's a benchmark they expect to hit with regularity. It goes without saying that brands with the most mass appeal are more likely to post those figures, so it's almost a requirement to give your movie a sense of recognizability.

It's true that the name Star Wars can sell anything on its own (just look at the merchandise sales), but when it comes to a huge blockbuster tentpole, there's some value in playing things a little safe. Rogue One primarily consisted of fresh characters, but the promotional campaign still leaned heavily on classic iconography like the Death Star, X-wing dogfights, and Darth Vader. Those aspects let viewers who aren't die-hard canon junkies that this is still a Star Wars film set in the original trilogy era. General moviegoers were able to see things they knew and understood in the trailers, giving them a reason to become invested and buy a ticket. In a box office climate where there are few guarantees, tapping into the consciousness of the zeitgeist makes for a smart way of selling a movie. When looking at the spinoffs from the perspective of a studio executive, it makes sense to provide a strong link between the anthologies and the main saga episodes.

Looking ahead to Han Solo, it'll be a similar deal. Yes, the smuggler is played by a new actor this time around, but the previews will still depict Han and Chewbacca flying the Millennium Falcon. One can expect Donald Glover's Lando Calrissian to be a lynchpin of advertising too, since he's a legacy character famous from The Empire Strikes Back. There will surely be a focus on new additions played by Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, and others, but Disney will still play the nostalgia card so casual viewers are exposed to imagery they're familiar with. Regardless of how closely one follows the Star Wars brand, just about everyone knows Chewie and the Falcon just through pop culture osmosis. It's difficult to say if a tale set 1,000 years prior to A New Hope would be able to post the kind of numbers Lucasfilm is looking for, but an adventure through space with young versions of old scoundrels will be able to find an audience - especially with the top notch creative team the studio has assembled for it.

Next Page: [valnet-url-page page=2 paginated=0 text='How%20The%20Star%20Wars%20Spinoff%20Movies%20Add%20To%20The%20Saga']

Make Each Movie 'Count'

Han Solo Movie Cast Photo cropped

A popular refrain following the Lucasfilm acquisition was that Disney was looking to "Marvelize" Star Wars via annual cinematic releases and a growing universe. In a way that comparison is apt, but it's not exactly apples-to-apples. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, just about all of the installments work together to build up to the culmination that is Avengers: Infinity War, but in Star Wars, the saga is the main storyline. The joke about the anthologies is they are "Star Wars filler" existing to help ravenous fans bide their time as they wait for the next episode, which is why the ties between the spinoffs and the saga are so vital in the grand scheme of things. The standalones can play out not as random offshoots, but stories with a distinct purpose that can enrich the saga movies.

Many believe Rogue One makes the finale of A New Hope more impactful since the mission underscored the desperation and sacrifice of the Rebellion, and Vader's infamous hallway massacre quickly became the stuff of legend - redeeming the Dark Lord of the Sith on film. In the case of Han Solo, seeing how the nerf herder established his lifelong bond with a walking carpet can lend some emotional resonance to their relationship, which was something hinted at in the book Life Debt. It's a sneaky way of adding to the saga without running the risk of mucking up the core narrative (like the prequels arguably did). Essentially, the spinoffs have a similar role in the canon as the novels, comics, and television shows. You can watch only the saga movies and be entertained with a great story that stands on its own merits, but checking all the other materials out will potentially enhance any rewatches of the older films.

In a way, this goes back to the marketing. As interesting as it would be to watch a film set during the Old Republic era, it's important to give fans of all levels a reason to care about each movie that comes out. Both Rogue One and Han Solo retroactively build upon the original trilogy films by highlighting events that were only alluded to before, giving them much-needed weight in the eyes of general audiences and dedicated Jedi Knights. Technically, they're not part of the saga, but they're still part of that story from a certain point of view. A New Hope works as a rousing space opera, but it's difficult to watch it now without thinking about the exploits of Jyn Erso and K-2SO. The story connections between saga and spinoff make the latter films "matter" more than they possibly would if they were just asides about something wholly unrelated.

Conclusion

Han Solo Movie and Rogue One

It's worth keeping in mind that we are still basically in "Disney Star Wars Phase 1," so the Mouse House could be keeping things relatively safe in the early going to make sure fans respond to their vision for the franchise. After all, Marvel didn't lead with Guardians of the Galaxy. Conceivably, Lucasfilm could get weird into the next decade with an epic about an ancient Jedi/Sith war or a new story that takes place well into the future where Rey and Finn are distant memories. For now though, the general public has such a concrete idea of what Star Wars is, the filmmakers almost have to play up those elements in order to generate the kind of attention they need.

This approach makes for a sneaky way of having your cake and eating it too. Creating new characters and showcasing other worlds is a great way of adding to the canon and lore, allowing the galaxy to feel larger. At the same time, basing the spinoffs around the stealing of the Death Star plans and Han Solo's beginnings as a smuggler allow them to incorporate the legacy aspects (which they could stray away from eventually) in a way that feels natural. It's logical for Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin to be in Rogue One, just like it's necessary for a young Han movie to have Chewie and Lando. The prequel trilogy was criticized by some for shoehorning in figures that didn't really fit, but that doesn't appear to be an issue with the spinoffs for now. Some may question their necessity (particularly given past comments by Kathleen Kennedy), but the anthologies work as fun supplements to the saga, and it'll be interesting to see where they go from here.

MORE: Why Boba Fett Deserves A Spinoff Movie

Key Release Dates