Geek Culture
What Star Wars Fans Want from the New Films

With recent rumors swirling about talks between Disney and Ewan McGregor, the Han Solo-Boba Fett meet and greet, and other little nuggets sliding out of LucasFilm’s hermetically sealed development group, fans, an always outspoken group, are clamoring for more input into the direction of the Star Wars Universe. It also seems like, to a degree, the desires of Star Wars fans are informing the development process. So what do Star Wars fans really want from the revised expanded universe? These are just a few of those desires.
Obi-Wan-ilogy
If the rumors have any shred of reality to them, Disney has been discussing terms with McGregor about the venerable Jedi Knight’s return to film—and not just a film, but three of them. Thanks to McGregor’s charming portrayal, the venerable Jedi has remained a fan favorite and was a bright spot in the otherwise less than stellar Star Wars Prequels. The Kenobi trilogy would likely focus on the Jedi’s activities prior to “A New Hope,” rather than his spectral post “Jedi” self.
Prequel Special Edition
More than a few superfans would love to see a special edition of the Star Wars Prequels. But contrary to Lucas’ controversially reconstructed original trilogy, the alternate prequels would ideally subtract some members of the cast, mainly Jar Jar. It would also serve it well to deemphasize and shorten the often interminable pod race, replace the emotively dead romance scenes between Anakin and Padme with an actual spark, and make Jake Lloyd less annoying and old enough to make sense as a love interest. Some of this has been done with the so-called “Phantom Edits,” but an official version would please many (except King George himself).
All Fett All the Time
Despite being a minor character with about 20 minutes of screen time and four lines of dialogue in the original trilogy, and a less-than-satisfying Prequel backstory (a clone? Really?), the enigmatic bounty hunter remains one of the most popular characters in the universe–minor or major. With a vast amount of fan fiction, (now) unofficial canonical comics and book-based storylines, everyone wants to see more of the man behind the mask. With the revelation of a Boba-based Star Wars “Anthology” film, Fett superfans will finally get their favorite bounty hunter en masse.
More Magic, Less Midi-Chlorians
Sure, having a scientific explanation for the Force was okay, I guess, but it kind of stole the thunder from those wacky Jedis and their mystic quest. At the dawn of a (possibly) new era for the Star Wars franchise, many fans are looking for a return to the cryptic Force, the grammatically awkward Force of Yoda, the childlike simplicity and wonder of the Force that made us all say “awesome!”
Seamlessly Blended Practical and CGI FX
The Star Wars Prequels were clearly a love affair with the emergent CGI technology. As such they were slick, shiny, and engrossing, but entirely unreal—almost surreal at times. Fans of practical effects will be pleased, though, as early on Mr. Abrams made a point of showing himself next full-sized models as often as possible. So at least we know there will be a return to practical effects. But, as much as it pains me to say it, CGI can be effective to develop an engrossing sci-fi fantasy world. So in this regard, I’m glad the new films will combine digital and practical effects. I only hope all future “Star Wars” directors follow Abrams’ return to form.
To Mandalore or not to Mandalore
The surprisingly well done and emotionally rich “Clone Wars” cartoon series opened a few storylines that really resonated with fans—myself included. One of these was a return to form for Mandalorian Warriors after the lackluster origins of Boba Fett stripped any potential mythology from them. With the suggestion of a past romance between Obi Wan and Dutchess Satine of Mandalore, as well as a Boba Fett standalone in the works, it’s very likely the fabled Mandalorians will burst onto the scenes in a big way.
Snips and Travails and Tauntaun Tails
Love her or loathe her, Ahsoka Tano was one of the more engaging, infuriating, and intriguing storylines left in the rubble off after “The Clone Wars’” abrupt end. Whether you jumped for joy or wept at the disgraced Padawan pariah, she left a backstory begging to reemerge. With her reappearance on “Rebels,” it’s clear she made it past Order 66. Rumors also persist that a certain orange hand, seen briefly in the “The Force Awakens,” may belong to her. The other curiosity from the “Clone Wars” days is dark horse Asajj Ventress. Will she return in the Sequels or the Anthology films, and which side will she be on?
And yes, personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing a Tauntaun or two either.
Take the Princess and the Wookiee to my Ship
I’ll put it this way, I’m not sure if Star Wars fanatics are actually clamoring for more Lando Calrissian (they are), but I am. Even the somewhat more diverse Prequel universe, while ethnically broader, lacked a character with the poise, the je ne sais quoi, the smoothness of Lando Calrissian. Sure Mace Windu had a certain sagely eloquent badassery, but no one will ever be Lando. And, since Mace is no longer with us—unless he took post-mortem speech lessons from Qui Gon—Lando is our best chance for having a cool side to the galaxy far, far away. If the speculation is to be believed, there might be a little more Lando to come in “The Force Awakens.” Because even as an older gentleman, Lando could still show us a thing or two about treating a lady to a fine dinner with the movers and shakers of the universe.
Consoles
To keep Apex Legends running for an additional “10 to 15 years,” Respawn opens a third studio

Apex Legends developer Respawn has created a third studio in order to keep the popular battle royale genre running for another “10 to 15 years”. Madison, Wisconsin is where the new studio is situated.
This third studio (the first two being headquartered in Los Angeles and Vancouver) will largely focus on Apex Legends in order to ensure a continuous and, most importantly, sustainable production pipeline. It may, however, contribute to other Respawn products in the future. Ryan Burnett, who previously served as director of engine production at Epic Games and had a distinguished 14-year career at Raven Software, the Call of Duty Studio, will serve as the studio’s head.
Senior VP of operations at Respawn, Daniel Suarez, claims in-depth in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz that “Because we intend to stick with this for the long haul, team health is unquestionably a top priority for us. We’re eager to see Apex become a franchise that endures for ten, fifteen, or more years because we think it will. We can’t just accomplish everything at once, exhaust ourselves, and be unprepared to do it over the long run.”
Consistency (as well as adequate production runway) are essential to make Apex Legends’ 90-day turnaround for new seasons of content realistic. Suarez observes that the introduction of new characters to the game takes a lot longer than you might anticipate “It takes us between a year and a year and a half to become proficient in a Legend. We are therefore making preparations well in advance.”
Only a few weeks ago, parent company EA fired more than 200 Apex Legends quality assurance testers in an impromptu Zoom call, raising concerns among some fans about the game’s future.
Do you support Respawn’s decision to open a third studio? Do you believe Apex Legends will still be around in 15 years?
Consoles
On the PS5, Kingdom Eighties brings micromanagement and vintage nostalgia

Kingdom Eighties, a micro-strategy game coming out for the PS5 in 2023, is a loving tribute to that legendary time period.Eighties will be a stand-alone novel like earlier books in the Kingdom series, such as Two Crowns or New Lands.
You take on the role of the leader, a camp counselor tasked with protecting the village against enigmatic creatures known as greed. Bike around the neighborhood with youngsters like The Champ, The Tinkerer, and The Wiz, who will support you in combat and each contribute something unique to the table while doing your best Stranger Things impressions.
Your thoughts about Kingdom Eighties Have you played any of the other Kingdom games?
Consoles
Currently available on PS5, PS4, and 18 more PS + Extra, premium games

Just now, another great update for PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium came out.There are 17 titles in all that are available for these higher membership tiers in March, which is a wonderful collection that should have something for everyone. In Europe, these games are now available for download on the PS5 and PS4, and they will soon be released in North America.
Here is a list of everything included as a reminder:
PS Plus Extra: March 2023
- Tchia (PS5, PS4) | Review
- Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection (PS5) | Review
- Immortals Fenyx Rising (PS5, PS4) | Review
- Rainbow Six Extraction (PS5, PS4) | Review
- Ghostwire: Tokyo (PS5) | Review
- Life is Strange True Colors (PS5, PS4) | Review
- Life is Strange 2 (PS4) | Review
- Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot (PS4) | Review
- Street Fighter V Champion Edition (PS4) | Review
- Untitled Goose Game (PS4) | Review
- Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (PS4) | Review
- RAGE 2 (PS4) | Review
- NEO: The World Ends With You (PS4) | Review
- Haven (PS5, PS4) | Review
PS Plus Premium: March 2023
- Ridge Racer Type 4 (PS1) | Review
- Ape Academy 2 (PSP)
- Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (PSP)
Tchia, an independent open-world adventure, debuts on PlayStation Plus Extra on the first day of this month. In addition to everything else mentioned above, members will also have access to this endearing new game. The three classic games mentioned above are also available to PS Plus Premium subscribers. Both Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror and Ape Academy 2 provide a set of trophies, which is always a welcome extra.
According to our most recent poll, the majority of you are happy with the new games and oldies that were added to the catalog this month, and we don’t blame you. It’s a fantastic choice. With these more recent membership tiers, Sony seems to be finding its footing after a somewhat poor start.
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