There are a great number of filmmakers who aspired to attribute to some of their favorite big screen franchises – but not to be underestimated in the whole process is the pressure that’s involved. Not only are potentially hundreds of millions of dollars being entrusted to their skills, but there is a risky challenge in contributing to a larger legacy and being judged by thousands if not millions of movie-goers. This in mind, I wholly understand director Gareth Edwards‘ simple relief that he doesn’t spend his days being accosted by Star Wars fans accusing him of ruining an important part of their lives with his blockbuster Rogue One.
Next year will mark the tenth anniversary of what is arguably the best prequel in the Star Wars franchise, and while reflecting on the film recently during an interview with our sister site GamesRadar+, Gareth Edwards explained the specific relief he feels about the work. He’s undoubtedly happy that people love his movie and even prefer it to the films of the Sequel Trilogy (a point of view he personally disagrees with), but he’s also pleased that he made a movie satisfying enough not to ruin anyone’s long-held affection for the canon set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Said Edwards,
I mean, I’m just eternally relieved that I don’t walk across the street and people don’t shout that I ruined their childhood.
Gareth Edwards arguably didn’t face the same kind of pressure that the filmmakers creating the Sequel Trilogy had to deal with, but he had a tough assignment nonetheless: tell an original story with a bunch of brand new characters and design it not only to link into the existing canon but to perfectly sync up with the iconic opening scene of one of the most iconic movies of all time. Thankfully, the work was ultimately successful, and it even went on to inspire Andor – a prequel to the prequel that is arguably the best Star Wars TV series we’ve seen.
The reason why Gareth Edwards is particularly happy that he hasn’t “ruined” any childhoods is because he understands that perspective himself. While one can cynically label the Star Wars sequels or his upcoming Jurassic Park movie Jurassic World: Rebirth as “franchises” or “IP,” that shouldn’t undercut the fact that the films that inspired the modern blockbusters were life-changing experiences for people when they first got the opportunity to see them:
It’s a bit like [Jurassic World Rebirth] . I hate the word ‘franchise’, really, and ‘IP’. It sort of diminishes… Like, to me, these movies were sort of semi-religious experiences as a kid, watching them, and so they mean a lot.
Will Jurassic World: Rebirth eventually have the same kind of legacy that Rogue One has in pop culture? We obviously won’t know the definitive answer to that question until about a decade from now, but first impressions are about to be made. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali, the new installment of the Jurassic Park franchise is arriving in theaters this Wednesday, July 2, and we’ll have plenty of coverage of the film coming your way here on CinemaBlend in the coming days.
