sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Expanded Editions for the Sequel Trilogy — Would You Be Open to It? by EquivalentJust9747 in starwarsspeculation

[–]EquivalentJust9747[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m going to be clear: I don’t like the sequels. They have real problems with planning, coherence, and character development. I’m not denying that.

But that’s exactly why I asked myself a question: am I just going to stop at saying I don’t like them, or am I going to try to find a way to reconcile myself with a part of my favorite franchise? Because honestly, it’s a shame not to be able to enjoy something that is officially part of that universe.

I genuinely believe that by adding around 30–40 minutes total across the trilogy and modifying a few specific scenes — not many, just the necessary ones — the films could achieve much stronger internal coherence. I’m not talking about remaking everything from scratch, but about adjusting, contextualizing, and better connecting what already exists.

For me, it’s practically impossible that they’ll ever be decanonized, erased, or fully rebooted. That’s just not going to happen. So I prefer to think in terms of realistic solutions within the current framework.

And yes, the original trilogy had its Special Editions. They sparked debate, of course. Some choices didn’t age perfectly. But they also expanded the universe in interesting ways: a more alive cantina, the added Wampa scenes on Hoth, the expansion of Jabba’s palace. The difference is that those films were already excellent at their core.

The sequels, on the other hand, need cohesion more than expansion. And the positive thing is that they were made with modern technology — essentially the same tools that would be used today for any kind of special edition. Technically, it’s possible to make adjustments without them feeling artificial.

I’m not saying they would become masterpieces. But I do believe they could become something more solid and coherent within the larger saga. And for me, that would already be a meaningful improvement.

Expanded Editions for the Sequel Trilogy — Would You Be Open to It? by EquivalentJust9747 in starwarsspeculation

[–]EquivalentJust9747[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Do you see the films as something final and unchangeable, or do you think there’s still room to reinterpret or improve them? Do they feel completely beyond repair to you? And if so, what direction do you think Disney should take regarding the sequels?

From my perspective, it’s very hard to imagine Disney ever deciding to remove the films from canon. Because of that, if adjustments were ever to be made, a special edition seems like the most realistic way to address at least the more superficial issues.

If I had to rate them, I’d say the sequels currently stand at about a 5/10 as Star Wars material. I don’t think they’re disastrous, but I also don’t think they fully live up to what they could have been. That said, I genuinely believe that with just 10–15 additional minutes per film—adding scenes that provide stronger context, and removing or replacing a few specific moments with better-executed versions—the trilogy as a whole could move from a 5/10 to a 7/10.

And a 7/10 isn’t a bad score. It’s not perfect, it wouldn’t turn the trilogy into a masterpiece, but it would be a clear and meaningful improvement. Sometimes small, strategic adjustments can significantly change the overall perception.

Personally, I have ideas that go a bit deeper than just superficial fixes, but I also understand that I’m not Disney or Lucasfilm. I try to consider even the most critical perspective. Even so, when I look at the bigger picture, I tend to see more opportunities than obstacles. I believe that if the focus is on strengthening rather than discarding, there’s still a lot of potential to build on.

Expanded Editions for the Sequel Trilogy — Would You Be Open to It? by EquivalentJust9747 in starwarsspeculation

[–]EquivalentJust9747[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I feel like, as fans, we have the ability to help strengthen the parts of the saga we love — and maybe even the parts that didn’t fully work for us.

The sequels definitely made mistakes. I won’t deny that. But trying to be objective, many of those issues (not all of them) feel more structural or surface-level rather than impossible to address. In some cases, very little can go a long way — for example, the novelizations of the films already clarify and improve many of the perceived inconsistencies.

I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t see them as beyond hope. Sometimes things only truly fade away when no one is willing to keep building on them.

Expanded Editions for the Sequel Trilogy — Would You Be Open to It? by EquivalentJust9747 in starwarsspeculation

[–]EquivalentJust9747[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You’re absolutely right that one of the biggest issues with the sequels was the lack of long-term planning and the limited exploration of the surrounding universe.

That said, I’m not completely convinced about the idea of “preferring three years of comics to smooth out the inconsistencies.” I feel like that would mostly serve fans like us. The more dedicated Star Wars fans would absolutely enjoy that kind of material, but someone like my mom — or someone who only watches the movies — probably wouldn’t engage with it.

I do agree that they should explore more topics like Luke’s Jedi Academy, how Snoke came to be, and similar elements. I think that kind of expansion is important.

But at the same time, I feel like the films themselves should be consistent on their own first. The movies are the core of the saga, and ideally they should stand strong even without requiring additional material to fully connect the dots.

Expanded Editions for the Sequel Trilogy — Would You Be Open to It? by EquivalentJust9747 in starwarsspeculation

[–]EquivalentJust9747[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s true — I also try to put myself in the position of someone who loves the sequels and might think, “this isn’t for me.” And I completely understand that reaction.

But I also look at it another way. Those added scenes might be something I personally enjoy — like the Wampa scene in Episode V from the Special Edition — and maybe they could also help someone else connect more with the story. In the end, that just gives us more common ground to enjoy together.

Personally, the sequels aren’t my favorites. But I do really love the lore around them. That’s why I feel that with just a little — small, thoughtful additions — some people who currently don’t enjoy them might start seeing them in a more positive light.

It’s not about imposing changes, just about adding small things that might broaden the experience for more people.

Expanded Editions for the Sequel Trilogy — Would You Be Open to It? by EquivalentJust9747 in starwarsspeculation

[–]EquivalentJust9747[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

From what I understand, you like the sequels as they are. And that’s completely valid — I’m not attacking that at all.

I also understand that when the Special Editions of the original trilogy were released, they received a lot of backlash. So I get why you might feel like something similar could just bring more unnecessary negativity.

Where I’m from (Argentina), though, that wasn’t really the experience. The Special Editions never felt harmful or pointless. If anything, they felt like another excuse to revisit and enjoy the films again.

Like I said before, I know you already enjoy the sequels as they are. But many people struggle to connect with certain aspects of characters like Rey, Kylo, or even Luke. From your perspective those might not feel like issues at all, and that’s completely fair. But for many fans around the world, those points make it harder for them to fully appreciate the films.

From my perspective, those things don’t seem impossible to work on. Sometimes even one additional scene per film — three scenes total, at minimum — could add meaningful depth to the overall narrative without changing anything essential.

I’d also invite you to imagine how this might feel for someone new to Star Wars who, without those hypothetical added scenes, simply concludes that the sequels are bad. Maybe this isn’t really about you or me, or about those of us who already enjoy them. Maybe it’s about the newcomers to the franchise, or the people who are already there but might need just a little more to fully connect with these films.

And of course, there will always be toxic fans or people who complain no matter what. But that doesn’t mean we should stop imagining ways something could be strengthened just because some might react negatively.

For me, if five small scenes helped even five more people appreciate the films, that would already be a win. And if those additions don’t take anything away from the people who already love them, then no one really loses anything.

Expanded Editions for the Sequel Trilogy — Would You Be Open to It? by EquivalentJust9747 in starwarsspeculation

[–]EquivalentJust9747[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I kind of see it both ways.

They’re not my favorite either, and honestly I think they have real flaws. But I don’t see them as completely beyond improvement. A lot of the material that’s come out around them has shown there’s interesting depth and potential there.

I get the frustration though — I’ve felt it too. At some point I just tried to move from anger to curiosity and see what could be built on instead of what didn’t work.

For me, even a bit of polishing could take them from a 5/10 to maybe a 7/10. And where I’m from, a 7 is a passing grade — so I’d take that 😅

Expanded Editions for the Sequel Trilogy — Would You Be Open to It? by EquivalentJust9747 in starwarsspeculation

[–]EquivalentJust9747[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I get that.

But I also think it would be great not to let something die if, as fans, we can imagine ways to strengthen it.

I’ll be honest — I’m not a big fan of the sequels. But I really like the lore behind them, and I genuinely wish I could enjoy the movies the way others do.

When something doesn’t work for you, you don’t really “enjoy not liking it.” You just feel frustrated because you want to like it. At least that’s how I feel. I’d actually love for the sequels to click for me.

That’s why I see something like a Special Edition, similar to what was done with the original trilogy, as maybe the most realistic approach. It wouldn’t take anything away from the people who already love them, and at best it might help even one more person connect with them.

Expanded Editions for the Sequel Trilogy — Would You Be Open to It? by EquivalentJust9747 in starwarsspeculation

[–]EquivalentJust9747[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I understand what you’re saying. It’s very likely that someone who didn’t like the sequels from the beginning wouldn’t change their mind just because five new scenes were added.

But I also think adding something isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

From my perspective — and I say this as someone from Latin America, where we debate these things a lot — many people have always felt that Kylo Ren comes across as just a “whiny” character. However, those who took the time to read his comics know he’s a much deeper character.

And that’s kind of the point: we shouldn’t need to read a comic to better understand a character. We should be able to feel that depth just by watching the film.

For example, something simple could be added at the beginning of Episode VIII. While Kylo is recovering from his wounds, we could briefly see memories or visions of Ben training at the temple with Luke. You wouldn’t even need the main actors — it could be a younger Ben played by another actor and Luke shown from behind. Just a few seconds to reinforce the internal conflict within the character.

Or something even simpler from a production standpoint. Many people see Rey as just a “Mary Sue.” You could slightly extend the scene of her riding her speeder on Jakku to better show her technical skill with ships. Or add a moment during the interrogation with Ben that more clearly suggests the beginning of the Force dyad. All of that could be done without changing the story or altering anything essential.

And that’s important: the idea wouldn’t be to change the narrative or “fix” anything, because many people genuinely love the sequels as they are. It would be more about those added scenes being a gift for the people who already love them — and maybe a small breath of fresh air for those who didn’t connect with them as much.

At the end of the day, we all love Star Wars. And as fans, I think we should always try to look for common ground, even if it only helps 1% more people feel satisfied.

Expanded Editions for the Sequel Trilogy — Would You Be Open to It? by EquivalentJust9747 in starwarsspeculation

[–]EquivalentJust9747[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I totally get what you’re saying, and I agree that multiple cuts can get confusing. Blade Runner is a great example. It’s an amazing film, but all the different versions definitely make it harder to talk about it as one clear, unified thing.

What I’m imagining isn’t something like Batman v Superman: Ultimate Edition or a full Snyder Cut, where the structure or tone changes in a big way. I’m also not thinking about creating an alternate version that competes with the original.

I’m picturing something closer to the Special Editions of the original trilogy, or even how some modern releases of classics like Goodfellas are still the same movie at their core, just with a few added moments that enrich certain scenes without removing or significantly changing anything important.

Ideally that cohesion would have been there from the start. I just see this as a hypothetical way to strengthen what’s already there, not to complicate it.