It’s no secret thatStar Warsis in a bit of an odd space at the moment, with Lucasfilm constantly pumping out Disney Plus content while juggling projects that always seem to end up canceled and undeveloped. Yet, there’s always a project that could be used in an emergency situation, and that would be to bringStar Wars: The Clone Warsto live-action screens everywhere.
There are plenty of reasons not to do a live-action version of The Clone Wars sinceStar Warsdid agreat job telling these storiesin the animated medium. However, there are still plenty of exciting reasons why a live-actionStar Wars: The Clone Warsproject would work.
7Nostalgia for a New Generation
Move Over Gen X, It’s Gen Y & Z’s Turn
Nostalgia has been one of the easiest sources of popularity forStar Wars, especially when most media seems to involve the Original Trilogy in some fashion. Returning characters and familiar premises featured inThe Mandalorianeasily showcase the power of nostalgia for the Original Trilogy, but what of those who grew up with the Prequel Trilogy?
Unlocking new forms of nostalgia for those born in the 90s and beyond who see the Prequel Trilogy as their definitiveStar Warsmight want toearn further fondnessand nostalgia for this era, so bringing forth the Clone Wars for them to witness in live-action like a new chapter of the Prequel Trilogy would be a grand task.
6A Returning Cast of True Icons
Beloved Actors Reprising Iconic Roles is a Dream Come True
When Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensenreturned as Obi-Wan Kenobiand Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader for theObi-Wan Kenobilimited series on Disney Plus, fans were ecstatic. After all, these two actors had defining roles in the lives of millions of kids around the early 2000s, so to see them return to these roles, despite the negative reception around the movies, was a total dream – so why not embrace that feeling again?
With the Clone Wars in live-action, audiences would be treated to hours upon hours of new content with Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, and even the likes of Frank Oz’s Yoda and of course, Samuel L. Jackson’s Mace Windu. The Prequel Trilogy has an abundance of icons that would be great to see in live-action again.
5Potential Opportunities to Fresh Out and Retcon Past Stories
With Hindsight, Build Upon Stories to Make them Even Greater
There have been some brilliant episodes ofStar Wars: The Clone Warsthat make for the perfect candidates for live-action episodes. Depictions of the Father, the Son, and the Daughter that all try toinfluence Anakin’s fateas the Chosen One are prime examples of this and something that could greatly benefit from expansion in live-action due to the significance of this episode when it comes to what awaits Ahsoka in Season 2 of her own live-action show.
With new eyes on these episodes, the talented writers at Lucasfilm could find further ways to flesh out these stories and make them even better now that they have been viewed by millions as an opportunity to blend better with the live-action stories on Disney Plus and the current canon as it stands.
4CGI as George Lucas Always Envisioned
Ageless CGI that Uses Practical Effects and Technology from the 2020s
One of the negatives to come from the Prequel Trilogy was its overreliance on early-days CGI. While innovative and responsible for the CGI we see today, the Prequel Trilogy hasn’t aged well in terms of its computer-generated imagery, so bringing the Clone Wars to live-action can easily showcase how technology and passion for CGI have advanced to make things even more real in a sci-fi fantasy.
The views on Coruscant, the creatures, and the use of the Volume can easily make a live-action Clone Wars stand out from the Prequel Trilogy, and it also provides the actors further opportunity for immersion, while giving the crew some fun props to work on to showcase their talent outside of a blue screen.
3Showcase the Unique Strengths of Animation and Live-Action
Animation is a Medium That Deserves Respect, and Live-Action Can Highlight That
The Clone Wars has been prominently an animated format that breathed fresh life intoStar Warsall those years ago. While most see live-action as a superior version of adult storytelling, animation is an art that should be held to an equal standard, and a live-action Clone Wars series can showcase that by providing audiences with different strengths from the series.
It’s no secret that animation allows for more stylistic movements, and fight choreography can be presented as fun and weightless, whereas in live-action that’s not exactly practical. By providing a live-action show, a clear difference can be seen between the two mediums to highlight what makes them both work together.
2Endless Stories for Three Years of Galactic Conflict
The Clone Wars Has Over 1095 Days of Stories
When The Clone Wars began, it was mainly an anthology series where it wasn’t just about thestories of Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi-Wan. Some episodes would center around Kit Fisto, Yoda, or even Jar Jar Binks. With a live-action series, episodes have boundless potential for stories, as the Clone Wars is just over 3 years of galaxy-wide conflict that can be enjoyed.
With a period of 3 years, audiences can be taken anywhere in the galaxy far, far away to truly enjoy the potential characters that have been seen before, but not with the current light under them. There is immense potential for further stories of favorite andunderrated charactersin a Clone Wars setting.
1A Chance to Further Flesh Out Anakin’s Tragic Fall
Anakin Skywalker’s Space Opera Tragedy Can Be Foretold Through More Episodes
One of the biggest criticisms of the live-action Prequel Trilogy was how Anakin shifted to the Dark Side rather quickly for some taste. While the movies do indicate more of Anakin’s dark deeds with his genocide of the Tusken Raiders afterthe death of his mother, and his dedication to follow the Supreme Chancellor as a mentor, the movies still left out some crucial elements to showcase his subtle and eventual fall to the Dark Side.
Luckily, Matt Lanter’s portrayal of Anakin inStar Wars: The Clone Warsprovided deeper insight into Anakin’s frustration and anger as a Jedi Knight, so giving that opportunity to Hayden Christensen in a live-action format to further flesh out his character before he became Darth Vader provides an ominous and tragic character study that he deserves.
