Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Strategy to Prevent the Stranger Things Dilemma

Highlights of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Future

Creators are considering a potential second season for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
A strategic time jump is planned to manage the natural aging of the child cast.
The series has garnered favorable reviews and shows promise as a notable addition to the Star Wars universe.

The reception for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has been predominantly positive, prompting speculation among fans about the likelihood of a renewal for a second season. Should the show be granted another installment, the creators will need to address what many are calling a “Stranger Things problem,”which pertains to the aging of its young cast.

The narrative of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew follows four young protagonists—Wim, Fern, Neel, and KB—who stumble upon a concealed spacecraft on their planet, At Attin. Upon unexpectedly activating the ship, they find themselves voyaging into the depths of space. Their escapades have already led to an encounter with a group of pirates, resulting in their captivity alongside Jude Law’s character, Jod Na Nawood, who possesses unique abilities and is keen to assist them in escaping, on the condition that he joins them. As their story unfolds, the writers are already eyeing the series’ trajectory and how to navigate the challenge of their young actors growing older.

In a recent dialogue with Collider‘s Steve Weintraub, co-creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford expressed their enthusiasm for a potential second season, elaborating on their planned time jump strategy. Watts revealed:

“We 100% have an idea for a second season and know what we would do. […] We have a built-in ticking clock of the kids and their age, and by the time we get production going, we know their age. So, we would be writing towards that. You’ll be growing up with the kids. […] It would be something like [a three to four-year time jump] to make sense. We haven’t seen the kids in a while, so it just depends on how tall the kids are. But we wouldn’t do like a Stranger Things thing where we’re like ‘It’s the next day,’ because it won’t be.”

This approach may appear straightforward, but unlike Stranger Things, which has struggled with the visible aging of its youthful cast, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew aims to introduce a logical progression. Challenges such as the global pandemic affected production timelines, leading to a disconnect between the ages of the characters and the actors portraying them. Discussions surrounding a possible time leap for the fifth season of Stranger Things remain ongoing, but it’s unclear if they will implement this concept effectively. Ford further described their intent:

“It’s built into it that it would be a bigger time jump forward because it does take so long to get things moving. This isn’t like it would take place the next day because the kids are going to be older. […] There are so many repercussions. It’s like, you kind of want to catch up later.”

Despite the optimistic outlook from the creators, Lucasfilm has yet to officially confirm a second season for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Nevertheless, the series is emerging as one of Disney Plus’s better-rated Star Wars offerings. Fans have lauded the performances of Jude Law and the youthful cast, together with the introduction of fresh characters and settings that rekindle adventure within the franchise. However, some critiques persist, with arguments that it might not measure up to classic Amblin features like The Goonies or concerns regarding similarities to The Acolyte.

Yet, the overall feedback remains encouraging. If Star Wars: Skeleton Crew can sustain this momentum throughout its current season and conclude with a strong finish, it holds the potential to become one of the most celebrated additions to the Star Wars roster since Disney took the reins. Should its popularity translate into audience engagement, bright prospects lie ahead for the series.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew releases episodes every Tuesday on Disney Plus.

Source: Collider

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