Disney’s ‘Star Wars’ Purchase Helped Keep It Alive
by Frank Martin
Disney’s acquisition of Star Wars is arguably the biggest IP purchase in history. After it happened, fan speculation ran rampant about what Disney would do with it. Obviously, a lot of focus was spent on the films as fans were eager to see how a new trilogy would play out. Also, there were a lot of discussions about how Disney would incorporate the Star Wars brand into their theme parks. But what’s arguably even more important are the little things that Disney has done with Star Wars. Additions that slip under the radar and might be overlooked, but also may be used as an example as to why buying the brand was a good thing overall.
One thing that Star Wars fans can attest to is the lack of content in the run-up to the Disney era. It is true that subtle additions to the franchise came out over time in the form of novels and comic books. There were also sporadic video games and even some animated shows. But Star Wars content has exploded since Disney took over. The obvious things are the comics and the high-profile Disney+ shows, live-action and animated. But there’s a lot that doesn’t get attention. Star Wars Blips, for instance, are very short animated films that just have characters being quirky. This is something Disney specializes in that might not have existed if they didn’t buy the franchise.
Another great example is Star Wars Visions. The animated anthology that tries to merge the Star Wars aesthetic with Pacific and Asian cultures in a way that hadn’t been done before. Young Jedi Adventures is another show aired on Disney Junior that tries to widen the range of the Star Wars audience. The point is that Star Wars is more diverse now than ever in terms of formats and demographics. While the brand certainly had a lot it was capable of before, Disney is a machine. It just pumps this stuff out. So while fans may not like a lot of the high profile entries, Star Wars as a whole has grown in size and scope, which is definitely a great thing in the long run.
Star Wars Visions, Blips, and Young Jedi Adventures are now streaming on Disney+.