Since Disney purchased LucasFilm for $4 billion in 2012, the company has had its share of stumbles alongside a few massive successes.
The new owner, for example, saw diminishing returns at the box office for its trilogy of films that continued the Skywalker saga, while "Solo: A Star Wars" story was a legitimate flop.
Since "Solo" and "Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker" failed to reach their expected heights in theaters, Walt Disney (DIS) stopped making "Star Wars" movies. That's partly because of those stumbles, but it's also due at least partly to "Star Wars" content being a massive driver of the Disney+ streaming network.
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"The Mandalorian" and, to a lesser extent, "Andor," "Ahsoka," "Book of Boba Fett" and "Obi-Wan Kenobi" have brought theatrical-style content to Disney+, driving people to subscribe.
It's hard not to argue that Disney's streaming picture would look a lot bleaker without Grogu and Din Djarin reviving the "Star Wars" universe, but that's not the franchise's only hit under Disney's stewardship.
"Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge," the nearly identical theme-park lands at Disney World and Disneyland, has been a huge hit. Disney spent billions developing those immersive lands, and with the company slated to spend $60 billion over the next decade on its theme parks and cruise ships, an expansion to one or both lands could clearly happen.
Before that, however, Disney does have a plan to add more of the "Star Wars" universe — including some of the beloved characters Disney+ introduced — into its Florida and California theme parks.
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Disney brings more 'Star Wars' to U.S. theme parks
Before Disney bought LucasFilm, it had a licensing deal with the company for a "Star Wars" attraction. "Star Tours" may not be as impressive as "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge's" two signature rides, "Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance," and "Millenium Falcon: Smuggler's Run." But it does have something neither of those rides offers — an ever-changing story.
A flight-simulator ride, "Star Tours" interchanges different stories so the experience can be partly or fully new each time you ride it. That has enabled the company to swap in new scenes to support whatever movie or television show has just been released.
The theme park giant plans to new content to "Star Tours," which is technically called "Star Tours – The Adventures Continue," on April 5 at Disney World, Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. These new scenes will offer characters and settings from Disney+ shows including "Ahsoka,” “Andor” and “The Mandalorian.”
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"With these additions, you’ll now have an opportunity to experience one of more than 250 story-line variations aboard the attraction, including a visit to the planet Peridea from the Ahsoka series," wrote Disney Imagineering Creative Executive Scott Trowbridge on the Disney Parks Blog.
Disney also plans to bring "Star Wars" back to the big screen with an untitled film that will follow Daisy Ridley's Rey Skywalker while Djin Djarin and Grogu are also getting their own big-screen offering, which should culminate many of the story lines started on Disney+.
Currently, Disney is streaming the final season of "The Bad Batch," an animated series that continues some of the story lines that began in "Clone Wars," and "Rebels." The live-action "Ahsoka" series is essentially spun off from that world as well.
Walt Disney has not disclosed any expansion plans for "Galaxy's Edge" as part of its massive theme-park investment. The company has also not said anything about what will become of the now-vacant "Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser," a failed attempt at building a very high-priced "Star Wars" experience.
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