Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Five ways to win back the haters

With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on the horizon we discuss how the film can tackle the divisiveness of its predecessor.

The end of the newest Star Wars trilogy is nigh. Exactly two months prior to the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Disney shared the official (and final) trailer for the film, sparking excitement and anticipation amongst fans.

The expectations for the film are immense, especially since the previous two cinematic Star Wars instalments have divided fans. Solo: A Star Wars Story was a questionable addition to the franchise, and its lackluster box office returns apparently scuppered plans to produce more solo films. On the other hand, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, was a huge box office success, but the film split fans unlike any other in the franchise before.

Each side – haters and champions – feel they’re in the right regarding their opinions about the film, but what was it that made The Last Jedi so divisive? Several factors contributed to people being at odds with each other, and the worry is that The Rise of Skywalker will toe the line, repeating the mistakes that made its predecessor so problematic. Irrespective of whether viewers loved it or hated it, there are some elements in the film that directly contributed to The Last Jedi being seen as one of the poorer inclusions in the franchise.

Now that J.J. Abrams, who launched the new trilogy and directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens, is back in the director’s chair, is it possible for him to rectify the many perceived issues of the previous film? Here are five ways we would tackle The Rise of Skywalker, and hopefully, make it another beloved Star Wars film.