10 Years of Disney’s Star Wars: How TV Became the Franchise’s Best Medium

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It’s been ten years since the release of The Force Awakens, the seventh live-action film in the Star Wars saga. This sequel to the original trilogy was a huge success with both audiences and critics, bringing the beloved story to a new generation of fans.

Since then, Disney has given us some of the most popular Star Wars TV series and four more films. Now, with another movie starring Ryan Gosling already planned, it looks like Disney is focusing more on Star Wars movies rather than TV shows.

As a huge movie fan, it’s no surprise Disney is sticking with Star Wars. The franchise has made over a billion dollars in profit, and they’ve already got five more films planned! We’re getting a new movie starring Ryan Gosling, reportedly called Starfighter, in 2027, and next year we’ll finally see a big-screen adventure with Din Djarin and Grogu from The Mandalorian.

Despite the huge financial success of the Star Wars films, the biggest triumphs for Disney have actually come from its television shows. Series like The Mandalorian and Andor are, in many ways, as important and well-regarded as the original movies with Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford.

It’s 10 Years Since Disney Release Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

With the 10th anniversary of Disney’s first Star Wars film, it’s a good time to look back at how the company has handled the franchise. Some fans consider Star Wars: The Force Awakens to be the high point of Disney’s stewardship, a period that has seen more Star Wars movies released than ever before.

The seventh Star Wars film revitalized the franchise, launching the careers of John Boyega and Daisy Ridley while bringing back Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher. Directed by J.J. Abrams, known for his work on Lost and Fringe, The Force Awakens successfully brought Star Wars back to its original brilliance.

The film dramatically expanded the possibilities for the franchise, changing its limits in a big way. The world of Star Wars was set to grow significantly, with both positive and negative consequences.

Disney’s Sequel Movie Trilogy Was Good, But Recent Star Wars TV Shows Are Better

©Disney+/Lucasfilm /Courtesy Everett Collection

While The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and even the fan-pleasing The Rise of Skywalker were all strong films, the best Star Wars stories of the last ten years have actually been told on television.

Beyond finishing The Clone Wars with a fantastic last season, Disney has created unique and interesting animated series like Rebels and Visions. Plus, their live-action Star Wars shows have generally been stronger than the Star Wars films released in the last ten years.

Even though some of the shows have been better than others, the best ones have actually surpassed the five Star Wars movies that came out around the same time. Series like Andor, Ahsoka, and The Mandalorian have transformed one of the most famous movie franchises into a hugely popular and constantly growing TV powerhouse.

The Mandalorian & Andor Are 2 Of The Greatest Star Wars Releases Of All Time

Credit: Disney+ via MovieStillsDB

It makes sense that Tony Gilroy, the creator of Star Wars: Andor, recently credited The Mandalorian, as both shows are among the best in the entire Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian brilliantly establishes itself as a top-tier space Western, while Andor offers a deeply detailed and complex look at the Galactic Empire and its leaders.

These shows represent a high point for television, offering complex stories and characters that go beyond the usual space battles and predictable themes often found in other Star Wars projects. They’ve helped move Star Wars into a more mature and thoughtful direction for science fiction.

While the first two Star Wars films, A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, are hugely important to the franchise’s history, recent shows like Andor and The Mandalorian may actually be better made. The original trilogy remains the most impactful part of Star Wars, but these newer series arguably surpass it in quality.

TV Is Now The Best Medium For Star Wars Releases

Similar to other iconic movie series, Star Wars has successfully transitioned to television with the rise of streaming. This format allows for deeper character development of new favorites like Din Djarin, Mon Mothma, and Cassian Andor, and provides more room to explore complex storylines.

As a huge movie and TV fan, I’ve been really impressed with how shows like Andor and The Mandalorian tell stories. What’s amazing is that because TV seasons are so long – we’re talking many hours – they can take their time with multiple storylines that unfold gradually. It means they don’t have to cram everything into a two-hour movie and explain everything with clunky exposition, which, let’s be honest, Star Wars films have been guilty of in the past.

With Disney recently shifting its strategy for the Star Wars franchise, it looks like there may be fewer TV shows coming out soon. However, the shows that have been released have definitely improved the franchise and become a central part of the Star Wars storytelling experience.

Disney’s Upcoming Star Wars Movies Will Shake Up The Franchise

Even though the Star Wars TV shows have been very popular and well-received, the franchise is now focusing on making more movies. While season 2 of Ahsoka is still in the works, there aren’t any other live-action Star Wars shows currently being filmed. However, five live-action Star Wars movies are now in development.

A movie continuing the story of The Mandalorian and Grogu (the baby Yoda character) is planned for release in 2026. Plus, a new film called Starfighter, drawing inspiration from the classic Star Wars films, is scheduled for 2027.

In addition, Kathleen Kennedy, who leads the production of the Star Wars films, is currently developing three new movies set at different points in the Star Wars timeline. Beyond these five confirmed films, several other projects are being considered for the big screen. There are enough viable ideas in development to ensure new Star Wars movies are made for the next 15 years.

Despite any flaws, the live-action Star Wars shows have significantly impacted science fiction. While The Mandalorian isn’t flawless, its main character is quickly becoming a legendary antihero. Similarly, Andor, created by Tony Gilroy, is a truly exceptional science fiction series.

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2025-12-19 00:15