Charting the Decline of ‘Star Wars’

December 27, 2025

TL;DR

The release of 'The Force Awakens' in 2015 was a massive event, grossing over $2 billion worldwide.
Subsequent sequel trilogy films and spin-offs like 'Solo' underperformed critically and commercially.
Disney+'s Star Wars series, including 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' and 'The Book of Boba Fett,' have seen declining viewership.
Liam Neeson described Disney's handling of the franchise as 'diluted' due to an overabundance of spin-offs.
'Rogue One' is retrospectively considered one of Disney's best Star Wars films for its mature storytelling.
'The Last Jedi' faced backlash for deconstructing established characters and lore, becoming embroiled in culture war debates.
Many announced film projects, including those by Patty Jenkins and the 'Game of Thrones' showrunners, have been canceled or stalled.
Recent successes include the video games 'Jedi: Fallen Order' and 'Jedi: Survivor,' and the series 'Andor.'
Toy sales, once a significant revenue stream for the franchise, have dramatically decreased.
The original Star Wars prequels have seen a rehabilitation in critical perception, with a greater appreciation for George Lucas's artistic vision.
Future theatrical releases include 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' and 'Starfighter.'

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