Summary
Star Wars: The Force Awakens kickstarted a trend in Hollywood of legacy sequels, bringing back original cast members as older versions of their characters.
Certain older sequels, such as Halloween and Candyman, have garnered praise from critics due to their innovative takes and thoughtful examination of the original narratives. Nevertheless, franchises like Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker have encountered a mixed reception, suggesting that the film industry has placed excessive emphasis on nostalgia instead of creating original and engaging tales.
As the future of the franchise's big screen remains uncertain, Our website's Pitch Meeting series takes a look back at its video analysis of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This seventh installment in the Lucasfilm franchise, set 30 years after Return of the Jedi, introduces new characters along with beloved ones like Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Princess Leia as they battle the First Order, the successor to the Galactic Empire. The Force Awakens received positive reviews from critics and made over $2 billion at the box office, starting a new trilogy that received mixed reactions but achieved great financial success.
In this latest episode of Our website's Pitch Meeting series, which you can watch at the beginning of this article, the original analysis of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is revisited nearly eight years after its release. The original video humorously pointed out plot conveniences that moved the story along and criticized the movie for borrowing elements from George Lucas' original franchise starter. This aspect has generated debate, as some consider it fan service, a return to the franchise's roots, while others view it as unoriginal. Host Ryan George reflects on some of the jokes he made in the original video, including a reference to Everybody Loves Raymond, and also discusses how the movie sparked a trend in Hollywood.
Hollywood Learned The Wrong Lesson From The Force Awakens
The above Pitch Meeting for Star Wars: The Force Awakens not only marked the beginning of a new trilogy, but also sparked a trend in Hollywood of revisiting popular franchises with legacy sequels. These sequels bring back the original cast, portraying their characters as older versions. One notable example is the Jurassic World movies that initially featured BD Wong reprising his role from Jurassic Park, later followed by Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern. Another example is Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which included cameos from Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts.
While some of these legacy sequels have faced criticism for pandering to fans, not all have succumbed to these negative reviews. Halloween, released in 2018, received critical acclaim for disregarding previous sequels and offering a more profound exploration of Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode, 40 years after her initial encounter with Michael Myers. Similarly, Candyman, produced by Jordan Peele, earned praise for seamlessly connecting to the 1992 horror movie classic led by Tony Todd. It successfully maintained the original's sharp social commentary.
Despite achieving some triumphs, the mixed reception of movies like Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker reveals that Hollywood has misconstrued the lessons imparted by Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Instead of prioritizing the creation of original narratives within their universes, akin to the polarizing The Last Jedi and Halloween Ends, numerous sequels have chosen to capitalize on audience nostalgia for past installments. With Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 currently in development and Lucasfilm redirecting their focus on Star Wars towards Disney+ shows, it is hoped that both entities will discover superior methods of satisfying their loyal fan bases while simultaneously embarking on fresh and thrilling journeys.
Source: Pitch Meeting
