The Lego Star Wars video game series has been entertaining fans since the first game released in 2005. With a primary focus on the movie trilogies, the games have been mostly limited to the Skywalker story. With the imminent release of Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, the Lego Star Wars games will have covered every core movie in the Star Wars canon quite thoroughly. The completion of this saga leaves a lot of material on the table for future Lego Star Wars games to use.
If Lego Star Wars takes into consideration the animated TV shows, live-action shows that will be on Disney+, as well as movies that are not focused on the Skywalkers, there is still plenty of material to cover. The development of a game that breaks from the core movies would not be a new concept either. Lego Star Wars previously released Lego Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars which focused on the animated Clone Wars TV show as well as the movie. This creates a precedent for Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga to be only the beginning in a much larger franchise of Lego Star Wars videogames.
The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian TV show may be one of the most popular pieces of Star Wars media since the release of the original trilogy. The nurturing nature of the show and the juxtaposed positions of the elite bounty hunter Din Djarin and infant Grogu facilitate the comedic scenarios and serious tones that are found in many Star Wars stories. The ability to tell a story that is important and serious, while also funny, has led to a hit success that could be developed into a fantastic Lego Star Wars video game. With the injected instances of comic relief that the show has, a Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian title could work well.
One of the character collection packs for Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga has already been confirmed to include characters from The Mandalorian TV show. The show’s popularity is clearly understood, and it is a prime candidate for a future installment. Star Wars’ Mandalorian bounty hunters have had their allure since Boba Fett was first shown, and a comedic take on the TV show’s great story could offer a whole new Lego Star Wars titles to fans. The Mandalorian also has two season’s worth of episodes out to date, which makes almost a trilogy’s worth of content available for Lego Star Wars to use.
Star Wars Rebels
Star Wars Rebels, while not as popular as The Mandalorian, still has a loyal fanbase and fantastic cast of characters when considering Lego Star Wars' future. Much like the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV show, Star Wars Rebels' animated format allowed it to tell stories that could be enjoyed by all fans. The depth of the series and its importance in Star Wars canon also makes it a great option for retelling. While the series does interact with Darth Vader, its separation from the general Skywalker Saga allows it to stand on its own.
Star Wars Rebels has also been praised for its unique characters alongside some returning Star Wars favorites. This diverse cast generates multiple options for players to choose from in a game and would complement Lego Star Wars style. Since the first game, the opportunity for fans to play as their favorite character on both the Light and Dark Side of the Force has been a great selling point. Star Wars Rebels could expand on this and provide an excellent story that many fans might not be familiar with yet and do so through a medium that is accessible to almost everyone.
LEGO: A Star Wars Story
The Star Wars spin-off movies could also be great candidates for Lego Star Wars titles. While the more serious tone of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story might not transfer to the comedic style of Lego Star Wars, there is no real reason it should be avoided. Both Star Wars Episode 2 and Episode 3 touted heavier narratives than previous installments and were still adapted into Lego Star Wars games.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is noticeably lighter than its Rogue One counterpart, though not as much of a critical success. With a fast-paced story and the origin of two of Star Wars’ most beloved characters, there is plenty to be pulled on in a Lego Star Wars title. Even Han Solo’s synonymous Millennium Falcon, a beautiful ship and one of the most prized Lego Star Wars sets to date, receives a backstory in the movie.
The contrasting aspects of both Rogue One and Solo could make them a great success if realized in a Lego Star Wars game. While either one on their own could be hindered by lack of content or their narrative style, together they encompass the concepts that Star Wars embodies: the good with the bad and hope even in the face of overwhelming despair. With Solo’s lighter approach and Rogue One’s grave circumstance, their addition to Lego Star Wars could be iconic.
Future Lego Star Wars Games
The future of Lego Star Wars is not limited to just the material that Star Wars has available right now. With an ambitious roadmap of movies, TV shows, and video games on the Star Wars horizon, there is a lot of inspiration for future titles. The evolving narrative and content of the Star Wars universe mean that Lego Star Wars should have plenty to pull from for years to come. With how much fans have enjoyed the series, it would not be surprising to see Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga followed up with other dedicated stories, as it should be.
With shows like Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Ahsoka, Andor, and others expected in the next two to three years, there will also be great opportunities to add content to previous titles. With the interconnected nature of the Star Wars franchise, Lego Star Wars could expand its video games to include every major story that is presented to fans. Like with Rogue One and Solo, it might not be best to focus on them in isolated installments, but if the Skywalker Saga proves anything, it is that every Star Wars title can find a home in a complete Lego Star Wars game.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is set to release in 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.