I just don’t understand how Lucasfilm functions these days. Star Wars might be at its lowest point in the history of the franchise, and that’s exacerbated best in the quote the director of the upcoming Rey movie just put out about the franchise.
Does anyone really know why Disney and Lucasfilm are STILL trying to self-destruct Star Wars these days?
Despite being one of the most famous and classic stories featuring a plethora of the greatest female heroes of all-time, the director of the upcoming Rey movie, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, has recently said that the new Rey movie is great because “We’re in 2024 now, and it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape a story in a galaxy far, far away.” And, do I really need to say anything more?
Okay, for full context around the quote, Obaid-Chinoy was in an interview for CNN during their New Year’s celebration coverage and was asked some pretty innocuous questions about the new Rey movie she’s directing. However, to start off the interview, she led in with this full quote, “You know, I’m very thrilled about the project because I think what we are about to create is very special. We’re in 2024 now, and it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape a story in a galaxy far, far away.”
There’s nothing like divisiveness to spread joy and happiness on a brand-new Star Wars movie and during the New Year’s festivities no less, am I right?
So, in truth, the quote itself really isn’t the world’s worst thing if you take away all the context, meaning, and person saying said quote away from the equation. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having great female characters in stories, and maybe this is a crazy opinion that no one else shares, but I think everyone ONLY WANTS great female characters in their, respective, favorite projects.
I mean, who the hell really goes into a movie theater for a movie and says, “Boy, I really hope all the female characters I see are emotionless, boring, uninteresting, lifeless puppets that serve no other purpose than to stand around in the background and say/do some of the most asininely stupid things ever!” Have you ever heard that from anyone?
But, going back to the quote itself, it’s pretty clear that Obaid-Chinoy isn’t really talking about introducing great female characters for the sake of writing amazing stories and memorable heroes, but rather she’s trying to fill a void she perceives exists in the Star Wars universe in regard to the male and female characters.
Don’t believe me? Just go look up her interview with Jon Stewart (the comedian…if he still is one nowadays, not the Green Lantern) and watch her say so herself about the film industry.
And to that, I just have to say four words to Ms. Obaid-Chinoy: ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID?!?!?
(Disney/Lucasfilm-Star Wars-A Tribute To Carrie Fisher)
Have you seriously not watched a single second of Star Wars before making a Star Wars movie and saying asinine things like this?
I mean, just putting aside the fact that she’s totally missing the big picture about creating great characters is completely irrelevant to their gender (which is such a dumb thing to ONLY narrow in on) but rather their relies on the personality, motivations, and moral stances said character has been given by their author, has she forgotten that Star Wars has been led by amazing female characters this entire time?
Princess Leia is one of the three main heroes of the OG trilogy and easily a Top-20 most beloved female hero in ALL OF CINEMA, while Padme Amidala was one of the focal heroes in the Prequel trilogy and a fan favorite character. And Ahsoka, who saw her Silver Screen debut this year in the Ahsoka show (which wasn’t great, but that’s beside the point), was the most complex, intricate, and fascinating character in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series…which is the very same series that has redeemed the Prequel trilogy.
There’re so many other great female characters too, such as Bo Katan, Hera Syndulla, Mara Jade (EU character), Jyn Erso, Merrin, Shaak Ti, Assaj Ventress, Mon Mothma, Sabine Wren, Duchess Satine, The Daughter, Aayla Secura, Satele Shan, etc., that it’s really stupid to say Star Wars is lacking great female heroes. Furthermore, the whole Sequel trilogy was focused AROUND REY…A FEMALE HERO!!!
Perhaps this director means it’s time for a female to direct a movie in the franchise (there hasn’t been one), which is a half-truth given the fact that there has been a female showrunner (Deborah Chow for Obi-Wan Kenobi), a female director for TV shows (Byrce Dallas-Howard for The Mandalorian), and a woman, Kathleen Kennedy, has been in charge over ALL OF Lucasfilm for the better part of the last 12 years.
If she’s going for that angle, then I don’t really know what to say to her other than if she really believes she’s a better director than George Lucas (directed Ep. 1-4), Lawerence Kasdan (directed Ep. 5), or Richard Marquand (directed Ep. 6) and deserved their spots? And, as for not being in charge of Ep. 7-9, she’s flat out of luck as that’s all down to Kathleen Kennedy not giving her the job.
(Disney/Lucasfilm-Star Wars-A Tribute To Carrie Fisher)
But, wrapping this up, this quote and this director really serves as yet another ass-backwards attempt from Disney and Lucasfilm to drive up controversy-attention to their new Rey movie as they know it’s going to bomb. Big time.
Images Source: Featured Image: (Star Wars) (A Tribute To Carrie Fisher (youtube.com))
In Text Image 1: (Star Wars) (A Tribute To Carrie Fisher (youtube.com))
In Text Image 2: (Star Wars) (Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Official Trailer | Disney+ (youtube.com))
