Plans several years ago for a live-action show focused on the seedy underbelly of the Star Wars universe unfortunately never became reality, but that doesn't mean fans won't see a Star Wars TV show one day. It just might be awhile before it happens.
The Hollywood Reporter recently asked Disney executive Ben Sherwood about the chances of seeing a live-action Star Wars show, and his answer is far from pessimistic.
"The live-action Star Wars plan rests in the hands of [Walt Disney Studios chairman] Alan Horn, [Lucasfilm president] Kathy Kennedy and the great folks at Lucasfilm," Sherwood said. "Somewhere we hope in a galaxy not too far away there will be a television show that will air on one of our networks."
His initial statements seem promising, but he quickly wrangles in expectations.
"But I wouldn't get anybody's hopes up too high," he continued. "They have a lot of movies to make between now and then. We are deep into a very productive relationship with Lucasfilm making [Disney XD's] Star Wars Rebels. And we are in ongoing conversations with them on what is the next Star Wars animated show."
Sherwood's comments make it sound as if fans can expect another animated Star Wars show long before the arrival of a live-action series. That's not surprising, given the popularity of Star Wars Rebels and the fact that animated shows cost far less than their live-action counterparts, especially considering any live-action Star Wars show would be heavy on pricey special-effects and elaborate costumes.
It's a little disappointing that a Star Wars TV series doesn't seem to be much of a priority for Lucasfilm and Disney right now, but they certainly do already have their hands full with a massive lineup of Star Wars films. This year brings the release of the first Star Wars spin-off film, Rogue One, while Episode VIII arrives in 2017. There's also a young Han Solo film in the works, and no doubt, much, much more, including Episode IX. With all that in mind, it's easy to understand why Lucasfilm might not be focused on a TV show right now. However, maybe, just maybe, fans can expect to see some small part of the Star Wars universe on the small screen in the next decade. If not, at least there is always animation.
