It has been almost 50 years since George Lucas first brought the galaxy far, far away to the big screen in 1977. The Star Wars franchise has been one, if not the biggest franchise of all time, thanks to its movies, TV series, video games, novels, merchandise products, and theme parks.
However, since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, the franchise has gone through some rough phases. Many of its projects have turned out to be very successful, while others have been total flops. The recent events in the Star Wars universe have once again sparked discussions regarding the franchise’s future.
Disney’s Latest Star Wars Setback Raises Concerns
To many’s surprise, Disney has pulled their Star Wars movie from the list of releases planned for 2026. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the date of December 18, 2026, has now been assigned to Ice Age 6. This news comes shortly after Simon Kinberg was said to write and produce a fresh Star Wars trilogy.
The scheduling shift comes as the studio continues to work on the role of Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker character, who seems to be the core of the franchise’s plans moving forward. Her last movie, The Rise of Skywalker, grossed $1.07 billion worldwide (as per Box Office Mojo). However, it was met with a lackluster critical response with a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Fans took to their social media to criticize Disney after the postponement of Star Wars. The studio has been facing criticism for mishandling Star Wars for quite some time now already.
Disney will no longer release a #StarWars movie in December 2026
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) November 15, 2024
The release date has been taken over by #IceAge6 pic.twitter.com/YzCPdKRaxL
Genuinely think this company is cursed lmfao
— 𝓔𝓶 💫 (@emkenobi) November 15, 2024
Disney dropped the ball with star wars
— Gaming (@VideoGamesAngle) November 15, 2024
How did they fumble Star Wars so bad
— 𝕏 Meme Team (@XMemeTeam) November 15, 2024
Disney literally have one of the most iconic and loved franchises ever created and have no idea what to do with it. Just scratch everything and let Filloni cook. They’re announcing all these films and have no cohesive overarching narrative. Are we doing Ahsoka and Thrawn or Rey??
— 優木 せつ菜 🇯🇵 | Love Live Superstar S3 SZN (@Nljigakulive) November 15, 2024
Moreover, The Acolyte was also canceled a few months ago, after only one season. Although the show had a promising cast and was one of the most expensive TV shows in history with a post-production budget of over $230 million (as per Forbes), it was unable to attract viewership.
The show saw a decline in its viewership with each episode and became one of the lowest-rated Star Wars shows ever. The situation of the Star Wars franchise also became complicated due to multiple movies and TV shows being developed simultaneously.
Is Disney Losing Its Grip on Star Wars?
Disney’s experience with Star Wars has not been smooth so far. The Force Awakens was a success, grossing over $2 billion worldwide (as per Box Office Mojo). However, the latter films saw a bit of a decline, with The Last Jedi grossing $1.3 billion (according to Box Office Mojo) and The Rise of Skywalker – $1.07 billion. Rogue One earned $1.05 billion (via Box Office Mojo).
Though these numbers were quite huge compared to any other franchise, the declining trend was concerning. Disney’s TV efforts have also been inconsistent. The Mandalorian’s first season was a success and had a huge role in the successful launch of Disney+. It also received an Emmy nomination for best drama.
However, the latter shows, like The Book of Boba Fett, were not able to achieve the same level of viewership. Andor became a critical favorite with a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, but it didn’t translate into viewership. The show saw a decline in its viewership as it progressed. The same applies to Ahsoka, which was well-received but generated low viewership despite starting strongly.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney CEO Bob Iger said earlier that the company made “a mistake” with Star Wars by making movies “a little too much, too fast.” Although the franchise is not completely failing, it cannot be considered totally healthy as well. The studio needs to find a balance with the essence of Star Wars as it expands its universe for a new generation.
All Star Wars movies and shows are available to stream on Disney+.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Disney pull its Star Wars film from December 2026?
Disney removed its planned Star Wars movie from the December 18, 2026 release date and gave the slot to Ice Age 6, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The shuffle came as Lucasfilm reworked its film strategy, with Simon Kinberg reported to write and produce a fresh Star Wars trilogy and Daisy Ridley’s Rey positioned as central to the franchise’s future. The article notes no firm new release date for the postponed film.
What is the recurring criticism fans are renewing about Star Wars?
Fans argue Disney has oversaturated Star Wars and lacks a coherent long-term plan, saying the studio keeps mishandling one of the most beloved franchises ever. The article frames this as an echo of years of complaints about inconsistent quality and unclear narrative direction, and points out Disney CEO Bob Iger has himself said the company made a mistake by putting out Star Wars movies too much, too fast.
How have recent Star Wars films and shows actually performed?
The article notes the films still earned huge sums but showed a declining trend: The Force Awakens grossed over $2 billion worldwide, The Last Jedi about $1.3 billion, and The Rise of Skywalker roughly $1.07 billion with a 51% Rotten Tomatoes score (figures per Box Office Mojo). On streaming, the Disney+ series The Acolyte was canceled after one season despite an over-budget price tag reportedly above $230 million in post-production, which the piece cites as part of the franchise’s recent struggles. The article stresses the franchise is not failing but is not fully healthy either.
