Pressure mounts on Kathleen Kennedy to step down as head of Lucas Film?

Snake Plisken

So with the poor box office on Solo the many production issues and firings on some of the movies more and more prominent people are starting to call for her to step down, this guy John Campia who is buddy’s with Mark Hamill’s son and gets to go to all the premiers has made a video calling for her to step down and also Collider put out a video about it also l. So should she go? I think she should!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HtqN5FAK38

SnakePlissken

Snake Plisken wrote: »

more prominent people are starting to call for her to step down

Snake Plisken wrote: »

this guy John Campia who is buddy’s with Mark Hamill’s son

Yeah I doubt she's too worried mate.

eyerer

SnakePlissken wrote: »

Snake Plisken wrote: »

this guy John Campia who is buddy’s with Mark Hamill’s son

Yeah I doubt she's too worried mate.

When you put it that way :pac:

Snake Plisken

SnakePlissken wrote: »

Yeah I doubt she's too worried mate.

Well I think the pressure is mounting on her Solo is failing The Last Jedi was pretty poorly received in some quarters. The constant firing of directors. Btw you might laugh at this guy but he has a lot to loose by pissing off Disney and Lucas Film.

Sad Professor

Does this really need its own thread? Haven't we been discussing this in the TLJ, Solo and future SW movies threads for the last 6 months? Some dude on Youtube who met Mark Hamill's son is saying it now - so what?

There is nothing sadder than the fact that people see some random YouTube video and see it as legitimate fodder for discussion. This is just more click bait trash that doesn't deserve to be watched never mind taken for some startling insight. I once saw All Pacino, does that mean that I have some insight into his career?

TOss Sweep

Why would she step down? Other than Solo, The latest Star Wars movies have been the Top Grossing movies in the US since 2015

Force Awakens - $936,662,225
Rogue One - $532,177,324
Last Jedi - $620,181,382

All of them high up on the Worldwide list and even the Top Grossing Lists if you include inflation.

You think Disney and Lucas are going to kick her out because the minority didn't like the movies?

johnny_ultimate

TOss Sweep wrote: »

You think Disney and Lucas are going to kick her out because the minority didn't like the movies?

To be fair, some guy who knows Mark Hamill’s son said they should. Financial success, critical acclaim and generally positive audience reception (by standard industry metrics) are secondary considerations.

SnakePlissken

I loved The Last Jedi, I can't have been the only one?

TOss Sweep

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

To be fair, some guy who knows Mark Hamill’s son said they should. Financial success, critical acclaim and generally positive audience reception (by standard industry metrics) are secondary considerations.

Oh my bad that changes everything.

Snake Plisken

Take the piss all you want, but mark my word you cannot run a studio and have multiple director firings in the case of Solo 85% of the movie shot and decide you don’t like it! Or in the case of Rogue One where they bring in Director Tony Gilroy to do re-writes and reshoots and in an interview said the situation was so dire all you could do was improve the situation!
Btw other sites like Collider have also put the Solo failure at her feet.
Btw Darko didn’t you say you had no problem recasting an iconic role of Princess Lea! Now that’s something to laugh at

Snake Plisken

SnakePlissken wrote: »

I loved The Last Jedi, I can't have been the only one?

You bring shame to the Snakes of this world brother!

TOss Sweep

SnakePlissken wrote: »

I loved The Last Jedi, I can't have been the only one?

I loved them all.

TOss Sweep

Snake Plisken wrote: »

Take the piss all you want, but mark my word you cannot run a studio and have multiple director firings in the case of Solo 85% of the movie shot and decide you don’t like it! Or in the case of Rogue One where they bring in Director Tony Gilroy to do re-writes and reshoots and in an interview said the situation was so dire all you could do was improve the situation!

Btw Darko didn’t you say you had no problem recasting an iconic role of Princess Lea! Now that’s something to laugh at

Even with all the in house issues ultimately all of the films but Solo so far were box Office successes. And to be fair to Solo its the 6th best grossing movie in 2018 in the US and up there in most European countries. In fact it only slips down the list when you include Asian countries to the Worldwide list. Obviously not meeting the expectations they most likely had for it but hardly failing by industry standards.

So what does that tell you? Firstly tells us those who hated the movies are in the minority and no one really cares what they think. It also tells you the Average Joe could care less about what happens behind the scenes and it also tells you All of the Movies she has been part of in the Franchise have been successes and made money.

So if Disney feel that someone else can replace her and make them more money then she will be replaced but right now be hard to throw her out based on the failing of Star Wars movies. Unless like you and sites like Collider they see the "Failure" of one movie out of 4 so far good enough to throw her out.

pixelburp

Dear god YouTube is full of sh*te these days, every idiot and his mother trying to scramble to relevancy off the back of tenuous links or pie in the sky tattle passed off as insight.

The nontroversy over Star Wars is getting beyond tedious at this stage. If the Last Jedi fans aren't Disney shills, oh it must be the SJW hordes at the doors of this precious franchise.

I remember when Star Wars was this 3 film franchise you might see every Christmas if you were lucky. Maybe you'd get a VHS copy if you were really posh. Now it's a f*cking cultural battleground, heads must roll cos the most frivolous commercial SciFi franchise is only making some billions, not all of the billions... blah blah Mary Sue. Give my head peace.

johnny_ultimate

SnakePlissken wrote: »

I loved The Last Jedi, I can't have been the only one?

It’s the best Star Wars film as far as I’m concerned (at least on par with Empire, but I personally prefer Johnson’s film), and I say that as earnestly and honestly as I possibly can

Arne_Saknussem

Prediction:

Kathleen Kennedy will announce she's stepping down as head of LucasFilm in the lead up the release of Ep IX.

Rian won't get his trilogy.

johnny_ultimate

pixelburp wrote: »

Dear god YouTube is full of sh*te these days, every idiot and his mother trying to scramble to relevancy off the back of tenuous links or pie in the sky tattle passed off as insight.

The nontroversy over Star Wars is getting beyond tedious at this stage. If the Last Jedi fans aren't Disney shills, oh it must be the SJW hordes at the doors of this precious franchise.

I remember when Star Wars was this 3 film franchise you might see every Christmas if you were lucky. Maybe you'd get a VHS copy if you were really posh. Now it's a f*cking cultural battleground, heads must roll cos the most frivolous commercial SciFi franchise is only making some billions, not all of the billions... blah blah Mary Sue. Give my head peace.

Yeah there’s still people on Twitter blabbering on about Rian Johnson ruining Star Wars, directly tweeting at him. It’s completely hysterical.

Personally, If I don’t like a film, I grumble a few times and move on quickly - did it with Rogue One, will do it again with Solo. Better for my sanity TBH. Would rather divert my energy celebrating this wonderful medium of cinema than spending countless hours caught up on the ones I don’t like.

Snake Plisken

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Prediction:

Kathleen Kennedy will announce she's stepping down as head of LucasFilm in the lead up the release of Ep IX.

Rian won't get his trilogy.

I think so too she is a big Driving forse behind the #MeToo movement and could use that as an excuse to step down from her role. Episode 9 which is the next scheduled Star Wars Movie doesn’t come out until the end of 2019. So you could be right

Something to laugh it is someone who thinks that the ramblings of some nobody youtuber is worthy of serious discussion. Trying to imply that he has an insight into the behind the scenes of productions or anything interesting to say due to the fact the he may have met Mark Hamill is laughable. Kennedy may have seen a couple of issues thus far but recognising a troubled production and taking steps to fix it at the time rather than fix it in post is actually seen as a positive thing. She has made billions for Disney and at the end of the day that is what matters.

As someone who isn't a rabid fan of the children's film series Star Wars all I want is the best possible film and if that involves recasting then I won't be crying like so many grown men are when ever anyone suggests replacing Fisher. It's funny how Star Wars fans have no issue with a dead actor being brought back by mediocre CGI but when it was suggested for Fisher they were in arms. The hypocrisy is startling.

Not sure how she can use it as an excuse to step down unless it turns out she is really a man in disguise and has been up to no good in hotel rooms.

Just to add, it's funny how whenever another studio has issues with a couple of films all the internet experts aren't out in force with opinions and insights. Is it because it's to do with Star Wars or is it because some men feel that a woman shouldn't be making decisions about the children's film series they love?

Frank O. Pinion

Deleted User wrote: »

is it because some men feel that a woman shouldn't be making decisions about the children's film series they love?

Isn't it very easy in 2018 to write off any criticism of a woman in power by men as sexist? Very easy. Almost discussion stiflingly easy.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Kennedy is a driving gorse so she’s doomed.

Frank O. Pinion

Frank O. Pinion wrote:

Isn't it very easy in 2018 to write off any criticism of a woman in power by men as sexist? Very easy. Almost discussion stiflingly easy.

What is the criticism though? A film she produced only made 155 million dollars its opening weekend and had a couple of behind the scenes issues? Far as I can see she has made billions for Disney and one stumble is hardly the end of the world.

Why is it that when a Michael Bay franchise entry is less than amazing it's never the studio heads who are blamed? Can you think of another studio exec bar Kennedy who routinely comes in for criticism or has YouTube experts calling for their firing? Very few billion dollar franchises have a woman behind them, in fact Star Wars is probably the only one and it is also the only one where when the fans are upset they call for the exec to be fired rather than blame the film maker.

Frank O. Pinion

Haven't the male film makers of these new Star Wars received plenty of criticism too? You can't fire a director after the film is made, but the studio exec can be.

Arne_Saknussem

Deleted User wrote: »

What is the criticism though? A film she produced only made 155 million dollars its opening weekend and had a couple of behind the scenes issues? Far as I can see she has made billions for Disney and one stumble is hardly the end of the world.

Why is it that when a Michael Bay franchise entry is less than amazing it's never the studio heads who are blamed? Can you think of another studio exec bar Kennedy who routinely comes in for criticism or has YouTube experts calling for their firing? Very few billion dollar franchises have a woman behind them, in fact Star Wars is probably the only one and it is also the only one where when the fans are upset they call for the exec to be fired rather than blame the film maker.

Yep, Jon Berg & Geoff Johns at DCEU after BvS & Justice League. Nerd rage is extremely vitriolic and not just aimed at females.

And saying that Rian Johnson is not getting just as much flack as KK is just you not paying attention

Frank O. Pinion

Frank O. Pinion wrote:

Haven't the male film makers of these new Star Wars received plenty of criticism too? You can't fire a director after the film is made, but the studio exec can be.

Point is that no one calla for a execs head to roll when the latest Transformer film isn't all that good but when it's Star Wars fans are out for Kennedy's blood.

Anyways, anyone looking on subjectively can see that she has done a great job. She has made billions in profit and created a renewed interest in Star Wars attracting a whole new generation. She's refused to waiver and hasn't been afraid to admit that mistakes were made and as someone who thinks that the Farce Awakens was an awful film and the Last Jedi a tedious slog, the last person I blame for it is Kennedy as clearly she is giving fans what they want.

Solo is an odd one, threads were full of "real fans" telling the world how they wouldn't watch it because its not Harrison "I can play one role" Ford starring. And yet anyone I know who has seen it bar two people have really liked it. The two who disliked it are raving fanboys who think that Star Wars is something more than a lazy rip off/ combination of Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress and Flash Gordon.

My little bother has loved all four Star Wars films under Kennedy and what many people forget is that at the end of the day that is the target audience. It's not 40 year old men who think that because they can read box office mojo they are suddenly experts in Hollywood financing, but rather 10 year old boys and girls. Based on the feedback from the target audience I'd say Kennedy is doing a great job creating kids films with a bit of wit and a spark that many lack.

Arne_Saknussem

Arne_Saknussem wrote:

Yep, Jon Berg & Geoff Johns at DCEU after BvS & Justice League. Nerd rage is extremely vitriolic and not just aimed at females.

The level of vitriol aimed at them is far less than at Kennedy. I doubt most people would know who they are but Kennedy is being mentioned all over he place by over grown babies upset that a children's films series isn't appealing to 40 year old men.

Arne_Saknussem wrote:

And saying that Rian Johnson is not getting just as much flack as KK is just you not paying attention

I never said he didn't get as much but criticism leveled at the director is par on course. They are the face of the film to a degree but like with Kennedy little of it is deserved and this comes from someone who disliked The Last Jedi but realises that it is a kids film and maybe I'm not the target audience .

Arne_Saknussem

Deleted User wrote: »

The level of vitriol aimed at them is far less than at Kennedy. I doubt most people would know who they are but Kennedy is being mentioned all over he place by over grown babies upset that a children's films series isn't appealing to 40 year old men.



I never said he didn't get as much but criticism leveled at the director is par on course. They are the face of the film to a degree but like with Kennedy little of it is deserved and this comes from someone who disliked The Last Jedi but realises that it is a kids film and maybe I'm not the target audience .

It was less because there are a lot less DC fans around than Star Wars fans & Star Wars makes exponentially more headlines than DC content.

Also, Star Wars nuts tend to be just a tad more slightly unhinged than other Nerdhordes.

Did you not notice the incredible amount of stick George Lucas got for the Prequels & he created everything about Star Wars those guys love?

nix

Deleted User wrote: »

it is a kids film

Christ, i hate when people drop this excuse when excusing the short comings of movie's. It's not a kids movie, it's a movie suitable for all ages. There are plenty of "kids movies" in the past that are amazing, a franchise of this size (And the DC universe) should reach the same heights, considering the amount of money spent, there is no excuse.

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Sad Professor

Didn't George always say they were for the 12 year old in all of us? They are not adult movies and I don't think its reasonable for dudes in their 40s to expect them to be made just for them.

nix

nix wrote:

Christ, i hate when people drop this excuse when excusing the short comings of movie's. It's not a kids movie, it's a movie suitable for all ages. There are plenty of "kids movies" in the past that are amazing, a franchise of this size (And the DC universe) should reach the same heights, considering the amount of money spent, there is no excuse.

The thing is that it is a kids series of films, these films are made for 12 year olds and one of the biggest issues with the series is that 40 year old men who grew up with the films seem to think that the newer films need to appeal to them. It's a misconception the fans have, Star Wars is not made for 40 year old men but for 12 year old kids. To me the Leia flying was farcical, to a 12 year old it was cool. Same for the casino world, I thought it was a boring waste of screentime but much like Jar Jar Bink's at the time kids enjoyed it.

lawred2

These now annual movies are nothing but vehicles by which to milk an all too willing fan base.

Same for the marvel production line.

Hollywood does nothing original anymore.

A lot of the complaints about Star Wars remind me of the debacle that was the lead up to the release of the most recent Ghostbusters, the internet was awash with 40 year old men screaming that their beloved kids franchise (yes I am aware that some of the content in Ghostbusters is quite adult but it's a film that kids latched onto and love upon release) was going to be ruined by the inclusion of women.

The thread on here was a startling look into the mind of fandom, the level of vitriol directed at an unreleased film was shocking and the online fan community launched various attacks on the cast. When the film came out the fans claim to not have gone to the film but as someone who grew up with and still likes Ghostbusters I really rather enjoyed the reboot, so much so that I recently rewatched it and enjoyed it a second time. What struck me most at the time was the fact that many of the most vocal critics were men in their 30s and 40s upset that a film about people hunting ghosts had a female lead, of all the sad thing to get up in arms over it has to be the saddest.

I know, I use it as something of a judgement stick but my little brother did not once give a damn that the Ghostbusters were women, actually, once he asked why after being repeatedly told by someone that girls were stupid as Ghostbusters but after a few minutes he asked why was it stupid and moved on. He saw the film in the cinema a number of times and has since rewatched it quite a bit and still loves it. Now was the film really a failure because grown-ass men felt like their manhood was being assaulted due to the positive affirmative action hiring or was it in reality a success due to the fact that the target audience loved it?

Tipsy McSwagger

There’s only been one truly great SW film, Empire.

Frank O. Pinion

What is with the constant "40 year old man" comments? Let's see how successful these films would be with just 10-15 year olds paying to go see them. Completely alienate your older audience and see how many billions you make then.

And no one gives a crap about anecdotal stories about your brother's movie opinions.

Snake Plisken

On the point of Kennedy making Billions for Disney that is true but if you look at it from a business prospective she has wasted lots from expensive reshoots, firings etc. If the head of the study was a man there would still be questions asked about what the hell has been going on. The problem for Kathleen is that the MCU which the parent company owns seems to have hit after hit it’s like a well oiled machine.
Also there seemed to be a decent story laid out for the trilogy by JJ Abrams and I actually liked the force awakens but again Rian Johnson comes in and is allowed to throw out JJ’s plans and screws up what Colin Trevorrow had planned and had shared his vision with George Lucas and Mark Hamill who approved and said this recently
“I don’t want to talk too much about it because I don’t want to affect the way that fans get to see these films. When we were kids, these movies came to us from far away. They were a gift. And the more we talk about how they’re made, the more it reveals that they’re just movies. But they’re not just movies, they’re more than that. Beyond that, I got the opportunity to tell a story that is a celebration of everything I believe in, I got to tell it to George Lucas and I got to tell it to Luke Skywalker, and those are experiences I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
damn it! He is another 40 year old fanboy as was JJ And they understood the importance of these movies.
Rian Johnson should have been told toe the line by Kennedy and you can have your own original trilogy. But she didn’t and he was allowed to make a devisive movie.
Anyway the poor Box office of Solo was it due to a lack of interest in the character, is it a backlash after The Last Jedi or is it a fatigue of so many Star War movies coming out in such a short period of time. All questions that need to be asked of the head of Lucas Film.

Frank O. Pinion

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

What is with the constant "40 year old man" comments? Let's see how successful these films would be with just 10-15 year olds paying to go see them. Completely alienate your older audience and see how many billions you make then.

And no one gives a crap about anecdotal stories about your brother's movie opinions.

The 40 year old man comments are in regards to the fact that the loudest critics of Star Wars are grown men getting upset over a film made for 12 year olds. We get it, many men in their 40s grew up with Star Wars and think that they have some insight into what the films need to do in order to appeal to them but the thing it is that Star Wars is and always was made for kids. Yes, they appeal to older cinema-goers too but Lucas made a film for 12-year-old boys, not for their 40 year old dads.

Anecdotal they may be but they also highlight how successful these films are given that kids love them, it's kind of sad to read posts from men in their 30s and 40s on forums complaining about a kids film not doing enough to appeal to them. My posts in relation to the current state of Star Wars show just how little I have enjoyed them but I also recognise that as a 32 year old man I am not the target audience. I grew up with Star Wars, watched it all the time and when I was a kid loved them but at some stage, I grew up and my tastes changed. Sure I'm not adverse to rewatching the original trilogy once a decade or so but I'm not going to be upset if the newer films try to appeal to kids rather than adults who think they have some claim to the series. And this is coming from someone who has been thanked in the credits for a number of official Star Wars related releases.

To me, there is nothing sadder than listening to grown men crying that the film in which a couple of robots, a princess, a pirate and some hair clippings race across the galaxy helping a mythical priest take on his absentee father who lost his inhaler. Star Wars, no matter how you try and tart it up was and remains a series aimed at kids. That it appeals to adults too is a happy side effect but I imagine that if you went back 40 years you wouldn't find men in their 40s complaining that the new sci-fi film isn't doing enough to appeal to them.

Snake Plisken

Snake Plisken wrote: »

Darko seems to be obsesssed with 40 year old men and Kids films! What’s up with that?

And I'm out, typical of boards of late whenever something like Star Wars is discussed. Someone doesn't share your love of all things relating to the kids film Star Wars, then rather than discuss the topic like an adult just resort to veiled insults.

Inviere

SnakePlissken wrote: »

I loved The Last Jedi, I can't have been the only one?

You’re not. As a 20 year fan of Star Wars, TLJ was up there with the best of the, for me. Loved literally every second of it. So there’s at least two of us...

Arne_Saknussem

Inviere wrote: »

You’re not. As a 20 year fan of Star Wars, TLJ was up there with the best of the, for me. Loved literally every second of it. So there’s at least two of us...

It's not for you, it's for 12 year old kids

Tom Mann Centuria

Inviere wrote: »

You’re not. As a 20 year fan of Star Wars, TLJ was up there with the best of the, for me. Loved literally every second of it. So there’s at least two of us...

I loved almost every minute, a brilliant film, did think Leia flying scene was a bit silly, but more of a quick meh and move on rather than frothing at the mouth anger.

Lucasfilm still making very profitable films and very watchable films, so she is doing ok imo in answer to OP.

Arne_Saknussem

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

It's not for you, it's for 12 year old kids

From the man himself describing what Star Wars is all about "Your 12-year-olds. This is what we stand for. You’re about to enter the real world. You’re moving away from your parents. You’re probably scared, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Here’s what you should pay attention to: Friendships, honesty, trust, doing the right thing. Living on the light side, avoiding the dark side. "

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THKzwzieF40

It's funny now to see the real fans who were crying about what Lucas did with the prequels are now crying how they want him back.

Arne_Saknussem

Deleted User wrote: »

From the man himself describing what Star Wars is all about "Your 12-year-olds. This is what we stand for. You’re about to enter the real world. You’re moving away from your parents. You’re probably scared, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Here’s what you should pay attention to: Friendships, honesty, trust, doing the right thing. Living on the light side, avoiding the dark side. "

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THKzwzieF40

It's funny now to see the real fans who were crying about what Lucas did with the prequels are now crying how they want him back.

Yeah i've seen that before

Inviere

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

It's not for you, it's for 12 year old kids

Truthfully I don’t subscribe to any preconceived notions when it comes to this kind of thing. I’ve been enjoying Star Wars for a long time, and my ageing won’t change that. What would change it, is the quality of the finished product. TLJ blew me away, from start to finish, and I eagerly await the next installment. I’m not a rabid fan/apologist either, I thought Solo was merely good, not rubbish, not outstanding. By comparison, TLJ is a far richer and deeper film for my tastes.

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

did think Leia flying scene was a bit silly, but more of a quick meh and move on rather than frothing at the mouth anger.

Very much agreed, somewhat overly fantastical even for Star Wars. I moved on quite quickly from it though.

tigger123

I loved the Last Jedi too. Kylo and Rey are amazing characters.

Arne_Saknussem

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

It's not for you, it's for 12 year old kids

Also, just to add saying that a film is aimed at 12-year-old kids isn't a criticism, some of the best films ever made are aimed at that age and manage to appeal to adults just as much if not more so. Pixar are the masters of it, UP, Toy Story, Finding Nemo and so on are all films made for kids that adults can enjoy just as much

Sad Professor

How old were most of these Youtube stars filming themselves in front of Luke Skywalker action figures and toy lightsabers when they first saw Star Wars? Probably about 12 or younger. In terms of maturity, many of them haven't really moved far beyond that. (And I don't meant that as insult, just a statement of fact. Extended adolescence is a real thing and I can see it myself too, but these guys are extreme cases.)

So I really don't think the fact that SW is still made for 12 year olds is the problem. I think this is all about cultural ownership. These Youtube dudes think they own SW, hence why they show off their toy collections in the background of every video. It's like "look at what I've invested in this franchise and in geek culture in general, I'm a shareholder and should have a say its in creative direction". And now they are being told they have to share that ownership with younger generations, etc, who they feel don't have the same claim to the franchise because they haven't invested as much in it.

Arne_Saknussem

Deleted User wrote: »

Also, just to add saying that a film is aimed at 12-year-old kids isn't a criticism, some of the best films ever made are aimed at that age and manage to appeal to adults just as much if not more so. Pixar are the masters of it, UP, Toy Story, Finding Nemo and so on are all films made for kids that adults can enjoy just as much

I know, was only pulling your leg.

However, has to be said that when the 40 year old man-babies don't go these films tank hard.

Is there a reason for this, for the way it hasn't caught the imagination of a generation and merchandise is rotting on the shelves?

Arne_Saknussem

Inviere wrote: »

Truthfully I don’t subscribe to any preconceived notions when it comes to this kind of thing. I’ve been enjoying Star Wars for a long time, and my ageing won’t change that. What would change it, is the quality of the finished product. TLJ blew me away, from start to finish, and I eagerly await the next installment. I’m not a rabid fan/apologist either, I thought Solo was merely good, not rubbish, not outstanding. By comparison, TLJ is a far richer and deeper film for my tastes.

Ah yeah, agree with all this except your view on the Last Jedi. Thought it was crap but to each his own

Arne_Saknussem

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

I know, was only pulling your leg.

However, has to be said that when the 40 year old man-babies don't go these films tank hard.

Is there a reason for this, for the way it hasn't caught the imagination of a generation and merchandise is rotting on the shelves?

One of the biggest issues is that every entry of a franchise now has to be the BIGGEST FILM EVER MADE. If you take a look at say Empire, it was made for $60 million (this is adjusted for inflation) and took home $883 million or so.

These days $60 million won't pay your cast and crew wages for a film like Star Wars so we end up with films costing 3 and 4 times what they did 30 years ago and need to bring in well over a billion in order to be seen as a success and instantly for Disney, Star Wars is one franchise that has never taken off in China so a huge percentage of worldwide box office is lost.

Solo was doomed to fail for some time, look at the thread about it here and the glee people took in stating "it's going to fail", "how dare they recast Ford", "not my Star Wars" and my favourites "Disney ruin my Star Wars with gender politics, I want SW not SJW".

As someone who has little interest in Star Wars Solo actually appeals to me, the trailers sell the film well, it looks like a lot of fun and Solo himself seems spot on, just the right amount of cocky. It's also refreshing to know that I don't need to remember parts of a film I saw 2 years ago in order to fully follow it. And yet the supposed real Star Wars fans are hoping and praying it flops and proudly crying out that they won't be seeing it.

Modern fandom is a cancer, youtube is full of grown men thinking they own various franchises from their childhood and seem to think that Disney owes them something. It's amazing just how many box office analysists come out of the woodwork to discuss opening weekend numbers and how Disney owes them a seat on the board so as to save the billion-dollar franchise from being ruined.