Reviving Star Wars' Oldest Tradition in All Future Films

All upcoming Star Wars films will reintroduce one of the franchise's most enduring traditions that was abandoned by Disney's spinoffs. Lucasfilm, under Disney, continued the Star Wars saga from the end of Return of the Jedi and produced the long-anticipated Star Wars 7. The studio also subsequently released Star Wars spinoffs, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story, which both made changes to the franchise's visual identity.

In an interview with the Dagobah Dispatch podcast, Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, confirmed that all future Star Wars films will include an opening crawl. Rogue One, Disney's second Star Wars film, did not feature an opening crawl. Solo did have one, but it was not in the same style as the main Star Wars films. It was once thought that only Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's New Jedi Order movie, which is perhaps the closest thing to a Star Wars 10, would have a classic opening crawl. However, Kennedy has now confirmed that James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi film and Dave Filoni's The Mandalorian movie will also have opening crawls.

Star Wars Is Saving The Opening Crawl For The Big Screen

Expanding the Star Wars saga beyond the main "Episode movies" presented a challenge for Disney's Lucasfilm. The question of whether every Star Wars movie, whether related to the Skywalker saga or not, should feature an opening crawl had to be answered. Rogue One tackled this challenge and made history as the first theatrical Star Wars film without an opening crawl. However, Solo opted for a different approach, including an opening crawl that suggested the classic Star Wars intro would be reserved for the main Skywalker saga movies.

Now that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has concluded the Skywalker saga, the franchise faces a new decision about whether to use opening crawls. With no plans for a "Star Wars Episode X," the saga is in uncharted territory. Furthermore, Disney+ Star Wars shows offer a different way to release live-action content. The Mandalorian debuted a Star Wars intro sequence that highlighted some of the franchise's most important characters, similar to what the Marvel Cinematic Universe uses for its movies and TV shows.

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The Mandalorian’s introduction sequence has become a defining feature of Disney+ Star Wars TV shows, providing them with a unique visual identity. However, according to Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, the iconic opening crawls will continue to be reserved exclusively for the big screen and will not be used in the television series. This decision is a smart one, considering the vast amount of Star Wars content being produced for both mediums. By maintaining a clear visual distinction between movies and TV shows, fans will be able to appreciate and enjoy each form of storytelling in its own right.