How To 'Fix' Star Wars? You Want The Impossible

A few days ago I was asked if I'd write a post on "how to fix Star Wars," which is, at the same time, both a fair request for a low stakes newsletter and an inherently frustrating topic to even try to broach. It's a fair request because this kind of topic is the backbone of popular culture internet writing. Sure, I've never "made a movie" or "made a tv show," but, nevertheless, I'm pretty sure I have all the answers ahead in my 20 point plan. (Number one: bring back Boss Nass.)

I was also thinking about this when I read Germain Lussier's piece about The Mandalorian & Grogu. How the first Star Wars film in theaters in over six years comes out literally next month and it sure seems like not a whole lot of people realize this.

So, the question of, "how to bring the magic back to Star Wars," is inherently frustrating, for me, because I do have an answer, but most people aren't going to like it or listen to it. And the answer is: you can't. Keep in mind the original Star Wars had three actors who, when combined, became as famous as The Beatles. They were directed by a director who hates directing.

Now, I will explain why you can't.

(I do promise paid subscribers of The Hard Pass posts just for them, so this is that. If you are on the fence about subscribing, I can promise you this post is around 2200 words long. So, if you do subscribe, you aren't being tricked into paying for one more paragraph or something like that. But I can't promise you'll agree with me. Also, what's the fun in that?)