Forgotten Disney Alien Returns In New Star Wars Show
Sadly, many modern Star Wars fans are too young to remember Captain EO, the old Disney theme park attraction featuring musical superstar Micahel Jackson. This 4D experience has been gone for nearly a decade, making it impossible for new newer fans to discover just how wondrously weird it was when George Lucas stepped outside of a galaxy far, far away to create an entirely new experience. Now, though, the worlds are colliding: the recent preview for the Star Wars show Skeleton Crew features the return of a Captain EO character named Fuzzball.
Fuzzball In Skeleton Crew
If you look closely at the trailer for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, you will see this Captain EO character in a cage. Based on that short trailer, it’s not entirely clear whether this forgotten character will play a major role in the TV show or just serve as a glorified Easter egg for Disney superfans.
However, given how much the rest of the trailer seems like an homage to the old 4D adventure, chances are that Fuzzball will be playing a major role.
Captain EO
Before we can dive into this cutesy critter’s appearance in the latest Star Wars trailer, it’s important to bring everyone up to speed on what Captain EO is.
This was an early example of a 4D short film, and it had some major talent behind it: it was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, executive produced by George Lucas, and starred Michael Jackson.
It even had an orchestral score from James Horner, the Golden Globe-winning composer who has worked on beloved films like Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Aliens, and Avatar.
Fuzzball
Back in 1986, Star Wars was in George Lucas’ rearview mirror, and Captain EO was a new project that seemed right in his wheelhouse. This 17-minute musical was a sci-fi adventure starring Jackson as the titular Captain EO, and he had a ragtag crew whose members could have been extras in Return of the Jedi.
One such crew member was a colorful creature called Fuzzball, and it looks like he is about to make a very unexpected return to the mainstream.
Captain EO Inspiration In Skeleton Crew
Visually speaking, the design of the new Star Wars character Neel seems like an homage to Captain EO’s Hooter, looking like a blend of that character and Max Rebo. Additionally, the SM-33 droid in the trailer looks like has taken some design inspiration from the earlier Captain EO droids.
There does not yet seem to be any direct visual analogs between Skeleton Crew characters and EO himself, but the sheer number of design inspirations from the classic Disney attraction makes us think the House of Mouse could be trying to position Fuzzball (the only original character to officially return) as the new Grogu.
More News To Come
Given how little we know about the new Star Wars show, the return of a Captain EO character is somewhat reassuring—after all, fans loved the old Michael Jackson musical, and maybe some of that attraction’s vivacious spirit will be infused into Skeleton Crew.
After the many controversies of The Acolyte, Disney could certainly use another major hit. Considering that this show launches in early December, there is one foolproof way to gauge its success: just see how many Fuzzball toys are still warming the shelf by Christmas.
