There are plans to create a Bend new 'Star Wars' based in completely new galaxy with completely diferent characters.
Internally there is a lot of tension regarding the e tone of star wars . Is its for the kids or adult?
It's the same tension we see everywhere in nerd culture, as the original market grows older, and wants their favourite thing to still be relevant to them. It's why I think Warhammer 40k has gone the way its gone (in terms of faux-edgy grimdarkness) and the same with that horrid period in the 90's where they tried to make comics 'for adults'.
I think, like I said earlier, they're trying to do both. Mainstream 'series' (episodes I-IX) to appeal to the target market, and these anthology 'standalone' ones to people like myself and other older star wars fans.
Look at Battlefront 2 . Such a waste of a licence.
Considering how well it's done, I think that says a lot more about the computer game market than it does about a waste of a licence. The news about EA stock increasing once macrotransactions were reintroduced made me feel a little ill inside.
Visuals are slick, but I can see now why there were worries about acting
And yes, Disney is killing Star Wars. They dropped huge ball on taking franchise under their wing. I like characters, but story wise it limps and lack of consistency of tone. Doesn't feel like AAA budget movies to be frank.
I don't see where these concerns regarding acting are coming from. Woody Harrelson, even on a bad day is excellent, Donald Glover is a tragically underused actor for non-comedy roles (due to his writing, and comedy thoroughbred) and Ehrenreich, well I've only seen him in 3 or 4 movies in a supporting role, and he's usually carried the day in them (even in that atrocious and rushed Beautiful Creatures adaptation). Even in the usually overlooked female cast when it comes to acting, with Thandie Newton and Emilia Clarke, I'm expecting good things from solid actresses.
The only thing that doesn't feel 'big budget' about it for me is the theme and credits at the closure of the trailer.