Film release cancellations in Russia added to boycotts in response to invasion
Just days ahead of the highly anticipated theatrical release of “The Batman”, Warner Bros. made the swift and necessary decision to cease any distribution plans in Russia. A spokesperson for the studio said in a statement, “In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film ‘The Batman’ in Russia”.
While getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, British actor, known for his latest roles in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “The Power of the Dog” also called specifically for action to bring the assault on Ukraine to an end, when he emphasized in his speech that “This is no longer a time for avarice or sloth or inactiveness or ineptitude. We need to act.”
Walt Disney Co. and Sony Pictures also have plans to pause any releases of their films in Russia which includes the previously scheduled release of the Pixar film “Turning Red” for March 10, as well as Sony’s “Morbius” which is currently slated for release early April.
The Ukrainian Film Academy called for an international boycott of the Russian film industry. The Motion Pictures Association also condemned Russia for its attack and made the statement that it “stands with the international community in upholding the rule of law and condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
On May 25th, 1977, 20th Century Fox released a low-budget, science fiction fantasy film from an up-and-coming director named George Lucas. That movie was called “Star Wars,” and to everyone’s surprise at the time, it became a worldwide sensation that would change the face of cinema and culture forever. In the forty-two years since “Star Wars” came out, the lowly first film has inspired four sequels, three prequels, several TV shows, millions of action figures, hundreds of comics, dozens of books, numerous parodies, and countless spin-offs—not to mention video games, soundtracks, accessories, clothes and other kinds of merchandize that have been embraced across the globe.
In 2012, George Lucas sold his creation to the Walt Disney Company, and since then, new Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has revamped the franchise with additional content, starting with “Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens” in 2015 and continuing with “Star Wars: Episode VIII—The Last Jedi” in 2017, along with some spinoff anthology movies and cartoon TV series in between.
Now, “Star Wars: Episode IX—The Rise of Skywalker” is just days away. This is the movie that will mark the end of the original Star Wars story that began in 1977 with episodes IV, V, and VI, continued at the turn of the millennium with episodes I, II, and III, and now wraps up with the recent Disney movies. Altogether, episodes I-IX make up the “Skywalker Saga,” as they focus on the members of the Skywalker family that the original movies revolve around.
Much has already been said about “The Rise of Skywalker,” and there is certainly a lot of pressure on director J.J. Abrams (who also directed “The Force Awakens”) to successfully follow up on Rian Johnson’s divisive “The Last Jedi” and also bring the saga to a satisfying, impactful close.
With the return of “Force Awakens” and “Last Jedi” stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, and Oscar Issac, “Rise of Skywalker” will be many fans’ last chance to see these actors’ beloved characters on screen. Also, veteran characters from Episodes IV, V, and VI portrayed by original actors Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Ian McDairmid, and the late Carrie Fischer will also appear in the movie, creating acute senses of nostalgia and authentic emotion.
However, as heavy as “Rise of Skywalker” might be, fans can take solace in the fact that although the Skywalker Saga is ending, Star Wars as a whole is not really going anywhere. Perhaps we may not be getting any further content focusing on characters like Luke, Leia, Rey, or Anakin, and we may not be seeing another movie in the theaters for a while. Nevertheless, under the supervision of Disney, the forty-two year old franchise is bound to continue for many more. In fact, we have already seen the next steps taking shape.
With the launch of Disney+, Lucasfilm has recently made a boom with its first ever live-action series, “The Mandalorian.” Spearheaded by executive producer Jon Favreau, the show has received wonderful reviews from critics and fans alike and it has already been renewed for a second season.
Disney+ has announced two additional live-action Star Wars series as well, each of which will focus on a pre-existing character. One will center on Cassian Andor, the rebel hero played by Diego Luna in 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” The other will be about Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi master first portrayed by Alec Guinness in the original “Star Wars” and then portrayed by Ewam McGreggor in the prequel trilogy. McGreggor will be reprising the role for the series. Evidently, at least a couple familiar faces from the Skywalker Saga will be sticking around the Star Wars universe. We can probably even expect a few surprise cameos from other fan-favorite characters and actors as well.
Aside from television, Respawn Entertainment recently released “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order,” a videogame with a storyline fit for the Star Wars cannon. The same goes for “Vader Immortal” a VR experience that Disney is releasing on a one-episode-at-a-time basis. Disney also opened “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” in its theme parks earlier this year, offering its patrons an immersive narrative experience within the Star Wars universe. Clearly, Disney is taking Star Wars into experimental and expansive new territories.
Then, of course, there are still the movies—the medium from which all this fanaticism and transmedia entertainment began. While it might seem like there is nothing left for Star Wars to say after “Rise of Skywalker” closes the book on the original story, in actuality, there are many more books yet to be opened in the Star Wars universe. Rian Johnson has already been approved for his own spinoff movie trilogy, and with anthology films like “Rogue One” and “Solo” already finding success in between the Skywalker Saga movies, we can expect to see Star Wars back on the big screen soon enough.
In total, “The Rise of Skywalker” may be a little bitter sweet. We are excited to see the last chapter of this larger-than-life story, but we are also sad to say goodbye to it. Happily, though, Star Wars is one of Disney’s most lucrative pieces of intellectual property right now. Episode IX will likely be Disney’s biggest hit this year after “Avengers: Endgame,” and 2019 has been a very successful year for the company.
As long as Disney is chasing profits—which they do oh so prolifically—we can expect to see more Star Wars growing and expanding into different forms of media while also keeping a foot in their filmic origins. For even though the story famously takes place a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… Star Wars will never really stray too far from its Earthly home and its die-hard fans that have stuck with it through and through.
Although it’s been quietly hovering in the shadows since WWDC in May, Apple TV+ is about to explode onto the scene very soon, it would appear. As can be seen in the various teasers we’ve assembled here – big, nay, huge names and stars are onboard.
What’s not so well known, is that there are many, many productions already in the pipeline, presumably to be released over the next year. How many? Already outlined in available information are over 30 original series or features that are at various stages of production.
Here are just a few headline titles:
Amazing Stories (Spielberg revisits classic series from his childhood)
The Morning Show (see above, all star cast: Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell and Billy Crudup)
See (directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2), production budget rumored at $15 million per episode)
Little America (topical series of human stories that feature immigrants)
Helpsters (An educational entertainment series aimed at pre-schoolers)
Little Voice (J.J. Abrams executive produced comedy/drama series)
Truth Be Told (10-episode series based on the bestselling book: Are You Sleeping: A Novel)
Servant (produced by M. Night Shyamalan, 10 episode drama series)
Dickinson (comedy series about the early life of Emily Dickinson)
The service will be available in over 100 countries world wide, and the production war chest is rumored to be upwards of Six Billion Dollars.
The size and scope of this “hobby” project, as Steve Job’s once called the Apple TV device, is far larger, from all indications, than the somewhat underwhelming reactions from the press would have one believe.
“There’s truth pumping through your veins and into the story that you’re telling”
– Jennifer Aniston
Although there has not been much noise or hoopla yet, there are many indications that this could be a sleeping giant. Not necessarily an overnight success, but a long grinding campaign that will eventually reach higher and further than anyone is imagining at present.
The Evolution of an Ecosystem, Decades in the Making
Sharing the “plus” with its smaller sister Apple News +, it looks like the plus designation will mark the first foundational bricks of a possible future media empire, while in hardware everything “pro” begins to emerge.
Current rumors indicate that a new “pro” model iPhone is imminent to go along with the already established iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, iMac Pro and newly updated Mac Pro.
It would stand to reason, therefore, that, in the very near future, the “gang of Pro” will meet up with the Plus sisters, and a new extended services based media, software expansion will unite with the upper echelon hardware empire, and, if successful, will reveal a truly balanced spectrum of offerings.
“A story should make you forget your surroundings, forget your agenda, your day and, hopefully, makes you forget yourself”
– Steven Spielberg
And for a company that invented desktop publishing, pushed digital music transmission and photography into the mainstream, not to mention, put the smart into smartphone, there is an unavoidable logic and symmetry that is emerging. As Apple increases its focus on service income, original entertainment and educational production a balance across all sectors begins to take shape.
Naturally, coming “late” on the heels of the extremely successful growth of Netflix Original productions, Amazon, HBO, Hulu and now Disney’s Streaming Service, many will say that Apple is behind the curve and not likely to dominate.
Now, it would be wrong to mention Nokia, Blackberry, or Steve Ballmer, and say that Apple is not a company that you’d be wise to underestimate, but, after all, coming “late” with a significantly better product is what Apple does best.
“Life often makes no sense. There is something about stories, that brings a sense of order and purpose to the world and allows us to live other lives than the life we’re living”
– J.J. Abrams
The hardware, software, media content production and distribution networks are, over a period of decades, evolving into the only ecosystem that has a benign, if not heroic purpose in it’s relationships with its user base as well as its professional partnerships.
Constant complaints that Apple earns too much money or somehow takes advantage of customers often have a hollow ring. When you look at the innovative accomplishments and world changing technology created, and compare that to empty, corrupt almost meaningless advertising empires such as FaceBook or Google, somehow it seems a different level of trust has been earned.
Yes, in a sense Apple is following the lead of other tech behemoths that have upended the Hollywood Power structure, but, at the same time, one gets the sense that the slow, deliberate moves can be traced all the way back to Steve Jobs, his days at Pixar and that, somehow, his superior vision guides the entire evolution, even the new “plus” wing, of the ecosystem to this very day.
In then end, the broad array of product and service offerings that Apple is building, now being expanded into the realm of not just entertainment and educational distribution (as iTunes has had in place since 2001), but also into the production and financing of original programming, marks the beginning of a more complete and potentially better functioning ecosystem.
Overall, this is extremely positive, not only for Apple’s financial health but, indeed, for the vast legion of Apple adherents around the globe.
