How Pixar Can Save 'Star Wars' Franchise

If you’ve been lingering on social media lately, you’ll know that Star Wars is getting raked across the coals as The Acolyte practically sends the franchise spiraling into deep space. However, can recent events at Pixar influence how Lucasfilm runs things?

Amandla Stenberg in The Acolyte — Credit: Lucasfilm

Given their controversial statements and direction at Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy and Leslye Headland aren’t making many friends. As The Acolyte continues on its downward trajectory, many would agree that a change in leadership is in order.

As strange as it might sound, Star Wars is facing a very similar problem to Pixar Animation Studios’ just last year. One drastic decision might have helped push things back to the top of the box office after the success of Inside Out 2 (2024). Should Lucasfilm be taking notes?

Star Wars Needs a Pixar-Level Overhaul

Rosalie Chiang as Mei Mei — Credit: Pixar

Let’s set the scene: both Disney and Pixar are on the mend after a season of box office bombs that made up the infamous “Flop Era.” However, it goes much deeper than poor theatrical releases.

Films like Lightyear (2022), Turning Red (2022), and even the surprisingly successful Elemental (2023) all have one thing in common. While interesting and unique, the stories they chose to tell were drastically different from the animated family features Pixar is practically notorious for creating.

A female couple and their young child in 'Lightyear,' a scene that fired up crowds who accused Disney of being woke. — Credit: Pixar

Although Lightyear was accused of promoting LGBTQ+ themes and Turning Red’s period scandal proved to be a bit much for some audiences, the smoking gun was that Pixar had strayed away from the universality of the family-friendly feature. After all, it’s the moms and dads that buy the movie tickets.

In a recent interview with TIME, Pixar head Pete Docter made the following statement, proving that even he realized how far the studio had strayed.

“It’s sort of cynical to say people want to see stuff they know. But I think even with original stuff, that’s what we’re trying to do, too. We’re trying to find something that people feel like, “Oh yeah, I’ve been through that. I understand that I recognize this as a life truth.” And that’s been harder to do.”

“A lot of people say, ‘I totally thought toys came to life when I wasn’t in my room.’ ‘I totally believed there were monsters in my closet.’ We’re still rummaging around for things like that, but it’s harder and harder to find as we’re into our 28th movie or whatever.”

Because they ventured outside of their successful patterns, their performance tanked. That is precisely what Lucasfilm did to Star Wars with its most recent release.

The franchise has shown that it doesn’t necessarily need the Skywalker saga to achieve greatness (talking about you, Mandalorian), but The Acolyte’s “Woke” reputation and poor fan reception are what might be the killing blow to the current creative team at Lucasfilm. Disney might push them into a massive restructuring just like Pixar if it continues to bleed funds.

Could It Work?

Joy about to hug Anxiety in the control room — Credit: Pixar

Pixar recently underwent a massive restructuring, resulting in a 14% reduction in the studio’s workforce. This decision didn’t at least partially contribute to Inside Out 2’s success, and it might be time for Lucasfilm to do the same.

The entirety of Lucasfilm might not be “woke,” but it’s clear that the current direction has lost one of Disney’s biggest properties, an ocean of fans. Why? Because they’ve lost the point of the Star Wars space opera.

Ahsoka tears Star Wars apart — Credit: Inside the Magic

Star Wars might have had political themes and other elements that some might consider topical in today’s social climate, but it was ultimately a story about the battle between good and evil, the Light Side and the Dark Side of the Force.

If those elements are removed, viewers quickly lose their relatability and interest. It’s not about having a female main character or some sort of representation angle but about continuing the message of hope and victory over the powers of darkness.

Has Lucasfilm truly lost the plot? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!