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Star Wars Leads the Way? | On Toxicity and the Blame Game (H&H 10-8-24)

Oct 8, 2024 • 124 mins

In this episode, Richard Hoeg dives into Disney's management of the Star Wars franchise, exploring the impact of The Mandalorian and the development of Disney's Star Wars movies. He provides insights into behind-the-scenes aspects of Rogue One and Solo, reviews Disney+ series, and discusses fan reception and criticism. Richard also examines broader topics including Disney's financials, the culture wars, branding challenges, and political narratives within the Star Wars strategy. The episode addresses toxic fandoms, social media influence, and racial harassment, offering a nuanced discussion on balancing criticism in the Star Wars community.

Key Points

The lack of a cohesive vision for the Star Wars sequel trilogy under Disney's stewardship led to a disjointed narrative and declining box office returns.
Disney's approach to expanding the Star Wars universe through numerous TV shows and movies has resulted in mixed success, with only a few projects like "The Mandalorian" and "Andor" receiving consistent praise.
The perception of "toxic fandom" often serves as a smokescreen for studios to dismiss legitimate criticism, complicating the dialogue around creative decisions and fan engagement.

Discussed in this Episode (LINKS)

HEADLINES https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/star-wars-disney-analysis-ratings-box-office-1236011620/ https://www.gamesindustry.biz/is-the-star-wars-franchise-in-crisis-opinion https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/star-wars-lord-of-the-rings-bridgerton-toxic-fans-hollywood-response-1236166736/

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/05/star-wars-cover-the-rebellion-will-be-televised https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/05/star-wars-kathleen-kennedy https://x.com/HoegLaw/status/1815458024066351325 https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/john-boyega-interview-2020 https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/jodie-turner-smith-interview-2024-glamour-women-of-the-year-awards https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/2017/12/20/the-last-jedi-luke-skywalker-and-heroism-in-the-age-of-trump/

POLITICS VS POLITICS https://x.com/HoegLaw/status/1843341290035159462

Speakers

Richard Hoeg

Host • 100%

Chapters

0:00	Introduction, show format, and audience interaction
5:04	Richard's personal reflections and adulthood thoughts
10:44	Technical setup and Star Wars media discussion
26:17	Sci-fi and fantasy favorites and audience recommendations
37:10	Deep dive into Disney's handling of Star Wars
55:12	Behind-the-scenes of Rogue One and Solo
58:33	The Mandalorian's impact and Disney's movie development
1:02:00	Disney+ Star Wars series reviews and reception
1:07:19	Early reviews, aggregated scores, and fan criticism
1:12:05	Recent Star Wars live-action shows and future content
1:14:41	Disney's financials and Galactic Star Cruiser
1:19:14	Video games crisis and Hollywood Reporter’s perspective
1:24:17	Culture wars and branding challenges in Star Wars
1:27:11	Disney+ content overload and scarcity's role
1:30:20	Political narratives in Disney’s Star Wars strategy
1:35:44	Addressing toxic fandoms and social media influence
1:50:10	Racial harassment and balancing criticism
1:59:32	Defining toxicity and closing discussion
2:03:14	Wrap-up and closing remarks

Transcript

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