IS THIS THE WAY?

After The Book Of Boba Fett showed a newfound willingness to embrace George Lucas’ prequel trilogy, it’s clear Star Wars’ relationship with its past is set to define its future.

- RICHARD EDWARDS

Though the shareholders of the Walt Disney Company undoubtedly had dollar signs in their eyes, The Force Awakens was worth much, much more to legions of fans – the highly anticipated December 2015 release date would tell them whether the new custodians of that galaxy far, far away knew how to make a Star Wars movie.

Lucasfilm’s initial strategy was clear, as they leant heavily into the beloved original trilogy, bringing back the stars and riffing off the story beats of A New Hope. More pointedly, The Force Awakens was a departure from the much-derided prequel trilogy, a big-budget manifesto announcing that trade disputes, wall-to-wall greenscreen, and coarse and rough and irritating love stories were a thing of the past. While the Force was undeniably strong with Rey, we could all sleep soundly knowing that midi-chlorians had little to do with it.

Six years on, the balance of the Force has shifted. After The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story and The Rise Of Skywalker proved particularly divisive, the subsequent outpouring of love for The Mandalorian suggested the veteran franchise was now more at home on the small screen. And recent Mando spin-off The Book Of Boba Fett – so memorably announced in the end credits of the Mandalorian Season 2 finale – has ensured that the prequels are very much back on the agenda, no longer the Black Krrsantan of the Star Wars family.