Jude Law is all set to make his Star Wars debut with the upcoming Disney+ series, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. The prominent English actor, best known for his work in movies such as The Talented Mr. Ripley, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, The Aviator, the Sherlock Holmes series, the Fantastic Beasts series, and more, has expressed his concern about the Star Wars fanbase, which has become more toxic and divided than ever before.
In a recent interview with GQ, Law revealed that he was nervous about accepting the role of the Force-user, Jod Na Nawood, in Skeleton Crew. He noted that he was aware of the franchise’s fanbase and understood that he would not be able to impress everyone, no matter how hard he tried.
“It makes me a little bit nervous, if I’m honest, in the same way that I felt a responsibility to really make sure Dumbledore had a heart and soul that was considered and true. It’s the same with this. I mean, there are haters everywhere, it seems nowadays, unfortunately. People have very acute opinions of this galaxy and how it should be handled. Obviously, you hope you’re going to get a majority of them on your side, and you’re aware that you may not win all of them over.”
Law’s comments, while disheartening, are undeniably accurate. The fact that one of the most beloved Hollywood franchises across the globe is now considered one of the most despised ones needs to be studied. Yes, there is no denying that the franchise lost its way with entries like The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019), but the amount of criticism and hate it received after these films is hard to believe. Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian, Dave Filoni’s Ahsoka, and Tony Gilroy’s Andor were able to win the hearts of many fans, but we cannot say the same about the remaining projects that came after 2019 on Disney+. How can we forget how the franchise’s toxic fanbase forced Lucasfilm and Disney to pull the plug on The Acolyte?
Daisy Ridley, to this day, is still facing the wrath of Star Wars fans. Her return to the space opera franchise with the forthcoming Star Wars: New Jedi Order was also met with strong criticism from a large portion of the fanbase.
With great popularity comes great scrutiny, and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is no exception. It’s likely to face its share of criticism, though much will depend on the show’s storyline. As long as it stays away from the polarizing Skywalker Saga and carves its own path in terms of narrative, it could be better received compared to The Acolyte. However, we must keep in mind that intense hate could adversely impact the careers and well-being of the young stars involved in this Jon Watts and Christopher Ford creation. We all know what happened with Jake Lloyd after The Phantom Menace. Let’s hope that Skeleton Crew is received positively by the fanbase. Stay tuned for more updates.