Solo: A Star Wars Story has yet to release and while it’s been getting positive feedback from critics the film has come under fire by some Star Wars fans online, some even since the film's announcement. While this is nothing new in the age of the internet and popular culture, fan discourse surrounding the franchise has become particular toxic in recent days with last year's The Last Jedi notoriously enraging a very vocal group of fans to an almost ridiculous point.
However you want to refer to or judge this kind of commentary it has become a part of the process for a Star Wars film nowadays, a fact that the films co-writer Lawrence Kasdan - who also brought us Empire Strikes Back and The Force Awakens - is very aware of.
Speaking to CinemaBlend however, he revealed it's not something that he takes seriously.
“I understand it, but I don't take it that seriously. I've seen both sides. Every one of these movies, it was never like this back in Empire. In the last years, you see all of this prognosticating, but no one's seen anything. I always think, 'Well, if the movie works, the movie works.' Three minutes in, no one remembers any of that if the movie's working. If the movie's not working, then everyone's sitting there like 'see? I thought this would suck.'"
Building from this, Jonathan Kasdan who also serves as writer on the Ron Howard directed spin-off film spoke about how fan expectations for Star Wars films have evolved just as much as the franchise itself has, now being a far cry from its simple Buck Rogers-esque entertainment.
“You know, it's funny. It's really a new reality from the one that these movies are born out of. I was thinking about this last night, as I was trying and failing to go to sleep. The original Star Wars is like a B summer matinee movie. There was no expectation on it to be anything but terrible, and it was great and cool, and it began a tradition. These movies are historically relegated to pulp and popcorn... So now they sit in the culture where they're the most divisive bit of moviemaking that can be. It's a really funny irony at the core of it."
What do you think of the Kasdan's comments? How do you feel about the pre-release fan response to Star Wars films? Leave your thoughts below.