A long time ago, with a budget far, far above mine...
Lucasfilm has been promising us a live-action Star Wars television series since just after Revenge of the Sith hit theaters. We’ve heard time and again the rumored storyline, its place in the canon, and the time & money needed to do it right. It seemed that we would never see it happen. But then, Disney…
A year or so back, Disney announced it was getting into the streaming service game, with two offerings. One, an ESPN branded service for the sports fans out there. The second, a home for their original content, up to and including such properties as Marvel and Star Wars. Soon the rumors began spinning back out about a live action Star Wars series. Early this year, it was announced that Jon Favreau would write and executive produce the live action series, and that the show would be set between Return of The Jedi and The Force Awakens.
Now, we’ve learned from Ricky Straus, president of content and marketing for Disney’s streaming service, the expected cost of Favreau’s Star Wars. A full season of ten episodes will cost Disney roughly $100 million. While that doesn’t seem like a lot in comparison to a big budget film, it is very high when grouped with what your average drama costs per episode. But this isn’t your average drama. This is STAR WARS. If CBS is willing to put $8 million into an episode of Star Trek Discovery, it’s only fair to see Disney putting $10 million into an episode of STAR WARS. Strauss has stated that “quality is going to be crucial,” referring not only to Star Wars, but to the other original content coming to the service. In a world where Netflix, Amazon, and others are spending billions on content to keep their subscribers happy, the House of Mouse can’t afford a misstep.
The question I have for you, my dear reader is this; In a world where Star Wars is becoming oversaturated and divisive, are you excited for this series? Is this a ludicrous price point? Or does this reaffirm Disney’s faith in the franchise?
This discussion will continue on the next season of Geek Tank Radio, and we’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below.