{"id":113913,"date":"2016-12-15T12:50:05","date_gmt":"2016-12-15T10:50:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/?p=113913"},"modified":"2016-12-15T12:54:51","modified_gmt":"2016-12-15T10:54:51","slug":"is-rogue-one-still-a-star-wars-movie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/entertainment\/113913-is-rogue-one-still-a-star-wars-movie","title":{"rendered":"Is Rogue One still a Star Wars movie?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It was hoped that the release of Rogue One, the current offshoot from the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/star-wars-escapist-fantasy-or-dream-of-the-future-46350\" target=\"_blank\">Star Wars<\/a><\/strong> series, would cement the Star Wars franchise as being at the cutting edge of modern cinema.<\/p>\n<p>Promising a markedly different tone from the previous films, the production has sparked debate over how far the content of Star Wars can be pushed while still maintaining its core values.<\/p>\n<p>Conflicts over the nature of the Star Wars brand date back to 1978, when a bizarre US television variety show was screened set in the same universe.<\/p>\n<p>Featuring Imperial Stormtroopers listening to Jefferson Starship and original cast members juggling high adventure with comedy skits, the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0193524\/\" target=\"_blank\">Star Wars Holiday Special<\/a><\/strong> was a catastrophic collision of tones.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/F3-Df7ROAxA?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>So much so that, dismayed by the negative audience reaction, George Lucas instigated a policy of quality control eventually christened the \u201c<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.starwars.com\/news\/what-is-the-holocron\" target=\"_blank\">Holocron<\/a><\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>An all-encompassing database delineating what actually constitutes \u201cStar Wars\u201d, the series canon was an attempt by Lucas to negotiate the many spin offs which were contradicting the filmmaker\u2019s own grand plan for his still developing saga.<\/p>\n<p>Media theorists <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZCKoLB1kUsY\" target=\"_blank\">Henry Jenkins<\/a><\/strong> and Jonathan Gray cite Star Wars as an example of \u201cspreadable media\u201d \u2013 the series lending itself well to formats extending beyond the initial work, such as animated series or videogames.<\/p>\n<p>A great property to have, but the resultant \u201cconstellation of content\u201d can be prone to instability if the centre of gravity is not fixed.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the first Star Wars sequel novel, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/starwars.wikia.com\/wiki\/Splinter_of_the_Mind's_Eye\" target=\"_blank\">Splinter of the Mind\u2019s Eye<\/a><\/strong>, suggested a developing romance between Luke and Leia.<\/p>\n<p>And the 1979 Star Wars Annual featured Obi Wan, Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker crash landing on a planet together. This created a melange of competing narratives so disordered that Starburst magazine, with great foresight, commented:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>It would be a sin for Star Wars to lose its credulity because no-one cared that say Darth Vader was proven to be Luke\u2019s father on film but when unmasked in a novel he is found to be a complete stranger.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">Learning from Marvel<\/h3>\n<p>In 2012, following the general fan derision afforded Lucas\u2019s own prequel trilogy, brand credulity became a priority for new Star Wars producer Kathleen Kennedy when planning the latest phase of the franchise.<\/p>\n<p>New owner Disney had, with another brand \u2013 Marvel \u2013 successfully transitioned popular comic book properties from page to screen by placing the superhero characters within contexts from a variety of different genres.<\/p>\n<p>The Western trappings of <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt2015381\/\" target=\"_blank\">Guardians of the Galaxy<\/a><\/strong>, the fish out of water aspects of <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0800369\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\" target=\"_blank\">Thor<\/a><\/strong> and the political thriller beats of <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt1843866\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\" target=\"_blank\">Captain America: the Winter Soldier<\/a><\/strong> all delivered the same zippy comic teamwork and fantastical exploits which made Marvel\u2019s name as a publisher, but within constantly changing cinematic frameworks.<\/p>\n<p>This allowed the audience\u2019s experience to remain fresh.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d96cjJhvlMA?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Creating a release pattern in which a main series episode such as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/the-force-awakens-a-sugar-high-but-not-a-great-movie-49543\" target=\"_blank\">The Force Awakens<\/a><\/strong> alternated with an \u201canthology\u201d work, the new approach to Star Wars mirrors the Marvel method by creating multiple timelines and genres simultaneously across the franchise.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">Going rogue<\/h3>\n<p>Rogue One \u2013 detailing the rebels\u2019 attempts to steal the Death Star plans \u2013 appeared at first to correlate with this pattern.<\/p>\n<p>Rogue One was pitched by Godzilla director Gareth Edwards as a war film set within the Star Wars universe, and inspired by Gillo Pontecorvo\u2019s coruscating 1966 documentary style <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0058946\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Battle of Algiers<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The idea was for the series to explore a more serious theme and engage with the wider franchise in a sophisticated manner.<\/p>\n<p>It <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.avclub.com\/article\/its-rumor-time-rogue-one-might-be-trouble-237549\" target=\"_blank\">has been reported<\/a><\/strong> that Disney\u2019s top brass became troubled by the notion of this darker Star Wars.<\/p>\n<p>Although it is hard to ascertain at this stage how accurate the reports are (<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/arts-entertainment\/films\/news\/star-wars-rogue-one-reshoots-40-of-the-film-being-redone-a7063076.html\" target=\"_blank\">some suggest 40%<\/a><\/strong> of the film\u2019s content was re-shot at the eleventh hour by a different director) the controversy suggests a sea change in how Lucasfilm sees the anthology films.<\/p>\n<p>No longer opportunities for experimentation and world building, the works now seem to be zero risk brand ambassadors.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/frdj1zb9sMY?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>To a certain extent this should come as no surprise.<\/p>\n<p>A mainstream franchise entry needs to be tailored for disparate tastes, carrying the PG13\/12A certificate and appealing to small children as well as adults.<\/p>\n<p>But curtailing innovation is also a dangerous move. The Star Wars franchise should also be attempting to prevent box office fatigue by embracing diverse directorial viewpoints and original storylines.<\/p>\n<p>Otherwise, Star Wars may face the brand implosion<strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vox.com\/2016\/8\/10\/12389740\/suicide-squad-dc-movie-universe-problems\" target=\"_blank\">currently threatening the Warner Bros. franchise<\/a><\/strong> of DC comic book characters.<\/p>\n<p>Due to the large financial risk involved in producing a one-off theatrical release, within the next ten to 15 years all large scale mainstream films may be part of an extended constellation of content.<\/p>\n<p>And as demonstrated by the estate of John Le Carr\u00e9, this is not limited to solely blockbuster fare.<\/p>\n<p>Recent adaptations of <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt1399664\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Night Manager<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt1340800\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\">Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/our-kind-of-traitor-financial-crime-experts-review-le-carre-adaptation-58914\" target=\"_blank\">Our Kind of Traitor<\/a><\/strong> all portray the same vision of Le Carr\u00e9\u2019s \u201ccircus\u201d across multiple media.<\/p>\n<p>We are at a unique point in the history of cinema, one which challenges the notion of what actually constitutes a \u201cfilm\u201d. Although early reviews have been<strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/movieweb.com\/star-wars-rogue-one-early-reviews-positive\/\" target=\"_blank\">positive<\/a><\/strong> if, on December 15, Lucasfilm does not hold true to the initial promise of Rogue One \u2013 to devise a new approach to Star Wars \u2013 the company could soon find its work as outmoded as the Star Wars Holiday Special.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.edu.au\/content\/70149\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>This article was originally published on <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\">The Conversation<\/a><\/strong>. Read the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/rogue-one-a-new-front-in-long-battle-over-the-star-wars-brand-70149\" target=\"_blank\">original article<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While Rogue One appears to be the peak of the franchise cinematically &#8211; is it still a Star Wars film?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":220,"featured_media":113963,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sma_x_autopost_enabled":true,"_sma_x_custom_text":"","_sma_x_autopost_status":"idle","_sma_x_autopost_error":"","_sma_x_post_id":"","_sma_x_attempts":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[10318,21,23705,1494],"class_list":["post-113913","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-film","tag-headline","tag-rogue-one","tag-star-wars"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113913","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/220"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113913"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113913\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113913"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113913"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113913"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}