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Credit: LucasfilmNow that the Skywalker saga has supposedly concluded, the galaxy far, far away is open for other directors to take a more original approach. However, comments from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy have kicked a hornet nest into the Star Wars fandom.
As Rey is set to spearhead the next Jedi Order in the next Star Wars project, the fandom is ready to take a bite out of the creative team behind this reportedly “woke” chapter of the iconic space opera. Lucasfilm better have their blasters ready, because it’s about to be an all-out war.
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Obaid-Chinoy recently commented on CNN, “We’re in 2024. It’s about time we have a woman shape a story in a galaxy far, far away.” While this was supposedly referring to herself as the director of the new film, the fanbase had their lightsabers drawn for an all-out flame war in a major misogynistic display.
Star Wars Director Makes Fans “Uncomfortable”
A report from Gizmodo shared that fans might be looking down the barrel of an all-new culture war as sexist and hateful commentary spreads across entertainment outlets and social media. The report states,
“Somehow, toxic fandom has returned, and at the mere mention of Star Wars and women, no less. Nonsensical virulent misogynistic notions abound as Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy and the director of the studios’ upcoming Rey film Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy have found themselves in the crosshairs of troll pundits and anti-woke platformers over women playing in the Star Wars sandbox. Mind you, the sandbox wouldn’t still be there if not for Kennedy.”
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The report went on to share a quote from Obaid-Chinoy that only further fueled the discourse,
“I like to make men uncomfortable…I enjoy making men uncomfortable. It is important to be able to look into the eyes of a man and say, ‘I am here and recognize that, recognize that I am working here to bring something that makes you uncomfortable, and it should make you uncomfortable because you need to change your attitude… it’s only when you’re uncomfortable… when you have to have difficult conversations, that you will perhaps look at yourself in the mirror and not like the reflection. And then say maybe there is something wrong with the way I think, or maybe there’s something wrong with the way that I am addressing this issue.”
You don’t have to be as wise as Master Yoda to know that the go-woke-go-broke mob will have a field day with these quotes, and Obaid-Chinoy will be met with Mustafar-level heat. Star Wars jokes aside, the director undeniably has her work cut out for her.
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Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro shared his thoughts on the matter by saying,
“They’ve decided to put her in charge of the next Star Wars movie, which will focus in on Rey…You remember Rey? Or maybe you don’t. She is the star of the last Star Wars trilogy in which they killed off all the characters you love in favor of characters that no one gave any hoots about whatsoever. No one has said the name Poe Dameron in years because no one cares. No one cares about Finn, and barely anyone cares about Rey.”
The odds aren’t exactly in Obaid-Chinoy’s favor, as Rey is already considered an overpowered and overly feminist icon (as pointed out in the quote above), but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve a good movie. In this writer’s opinion, Rey was an interesting character who simply got forced into the spotlight in the third installment of Disney’s trilogy.
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Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy might not have the pedigree of Dave Filoni, Jon Favreau, or J.J. Abrams, but she still has two Oscars under her belt and cinematic acclaim for her documentary work. The question remains, is she one with the Force?
Will Rey triumph over the haters, or will Obaid-Chinoy be fed to the Sarlaac Pit? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!