The Biggest Star Wars Flop Is Getting A Second Chance On Streaming
Yet another Disney release has made its way to streaming now that Disney+ and Hulu are merging their content, and this time we’re discussing one of the biggest flops in the Star Wars franchise. Star Wars: The Clone Wars, an animated underperformer released in 2008, has been given a second chance at Disney+.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars was an animated movie conceptualized as an introduction to the subsequent same-name television series, with the intention to bridge the narrative gap between Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
The movie that came before the series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, is streaming on Disney+
However, despite being rooted in such a beloved, vast, and lore-rich universe, Star Wars: The Clone Wars didn’t really perform as expected, and the critics weren’t really kind to the release, pointing out the film’s various flaws, such as poor animation quality and weak storyline.
The narrative of Star Wars: The Clone Wars focused primarily on the rescue of Jabba the Hutt’s kidnapped son, shifting the focus from grand and universal battles between good and evil for the dominion of the galaxy to something a bit more grounded. This didn’t sit well with the critics, who often cite that the narrative lacks the depth and gravity typically associated with Star Wars tales.
They weren’t all that wrong; the audiences found the narrative lacking as well—a worrisome point, considering that movies are primarily made for the audiences to enjoy.
The poor reception by both the critics and audiences led to poor box office performance, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars grossed approximately $68 million worldwide, which is but a tiny drop in the galactic ocean compared to the massive hauls on other Star Wars releases.
For context, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, released in 2015, is the highest-grossing Star Wars release thus far, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, with its $68 million in earnings, made only 3.4% of what Episode VII made since it was released more than eight years ago. But there’s a good side to all of this.
Despite the lackluster reception, Star Wars: The Clone Wars remains a rather significant release in the Star Wars franchise, as it introduced us to one character that would become one of the most beloved in the whole expanded universe. Of course, we’re talking about Ahsoka Tano—though, admittedly, her character was also met with mixed reviews.
The Evolution Of Ahsoka
However, with some creative writing, Ahsoka’s character development followed her transformation from a young and impulsive Jedi student into a wise and capable warrior, particularly in the subsequent animated series.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, with its $68 million in earnings, made only 3.4% of what Episode VII made since it was released more than eight years ago.
The character’s growing popularity, especially in the adjacent Star Wars releases, such as Star Wars: Rebels, along with her development into a warrior who can challenge Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, prompted fans to revisit Ahsoka’s cinematic origins.
The live appearance of Ahsoka in The Mandalorian, and the upcoming live-action spin-off starring Rosario Dawson, prompted a renewed interest in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated movie that, as said before, introduces Ahsoka to the wider audiences.
Thankfully, the advent and rapid growth of streaming platforms, accelerated by the pandemic, transformed how we consume entertainment, especially when it comes to video-on-demand and gaming. Shows and movies, such as Ray Stevenson’s Punisher: War Zone, that many have forgotten are now readily available at our fingertips, and for flopped releases, such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars, platforms like Disney+ offer a second chance.
The bottom line is that every franchise has its ups and downs, and while Star Wars: The Clone Wars has been one of the franchise’s sparse low points, the continued character development of some of its characters warranted a second chance. Those interested in revisiting this release can do so on the Disney+ streaming platform.
