Lightsabers and The Force - those are the two main staples from theStar Warsuniverse that fans and audiences can instantly point to and say, “I know where that’s from!” (aside from Jedi and Sith). It’s also no secretthat lightsabers and The Force are two of the most popular elementsof theStar Warsuniverse. Spaceships, aliens, and intergalactic travel are all popular as well, but those three traits are staples of nearly every sci-fi movie or tv show ever created. So, that leaves lightsabers and The Force as the two key sci-fi characteristics that makeStars Warswhat it is.
But what if there was another, lesser-appreciated sci-fi component of theStar Warsuniverse that next-to-no other sci-fi franchise had an equivalent to? Good news: there is.It’s Podracing, and it deserves its own series onDisney+immediately. The interstellar NASCAR was introduced to audiences on the large-screen in 1999 during the premiere ofThe Phantom Menace. Whilethe prequels have certainly aged better over time, one thing was indisputable from the start - the Podracing scene was beyond epic (even with pre 21st-century special effects). Sadly, this was the last that fans have heard or seen of Podracing in theStar Warsuniverse, and with it being such a unique sci-fi component, it’s borderline criminal thatStar Warshas yet to explore it further.
Success of Recent Disney+ Shows
Without even going into the emotional reasons why it would be awesome to get a Podracer series, it still makes sense from a practical and marketable standpoint. Disney+ has been killing it with the originalStar Warscontent for the past few years (The Mandalorian,Star Wars: Visions,The Book of Boba Fett, etc.), not to mention that ratings forall the otherStar Warsprojects(original trilogy, sequels, prequels, animes) are through the roof.
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With that said, it might also be safe to say thatStar Warshas bought itself some wiggle-room among fans and critics and could use that wiggle-room towander into unexplored territory- i.e., Podracing. Now,Star Warsisn’t without its flops. It’s always a possibility that any new series or movie they put out isn’t going to resonate with fans. However, something that fans have always hated is getting bogged down with the same old content over and over again, and that’s a Sarlacc pit thatStar Warsis coming dangerously close to falling into.
Could Be Live-Action or Animated
As already stated,Star Warsis no slouch when it comes to live-action or animated series - they can knock it out of the galaxy either way. Thus, they would have total freedom to choose whether a Podracer series could be done as a live-action show or an animated show.The Phantom Menacealready proved what a live-action version of Podracing could look like, and it looked incredible (still holding up over 20 years later). Not only that, but recent breakthroughs in filming methods have been utilized on shows likeThe MandalorianandThe Book of Boba Fett,where green-screen CGI is no longer required. In other words, the already stunning visuals from the podracing scene filmed over 20 years ago would have even more stunning visuals with today’s advanced technology (go figure).
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On the other hand, even with the breakthroughs in filmmaking, having an anime series would allow the filmmakers to push the bill even further. It’s no secret that anime allows for more creativity when it comes to visuals due to the nature that a person can draw pretty much anything that they can imagine (whereas with live-action, not so much). Either way, the main point remains that aPodracer series could work as a live-action or an anime series- so it’s high time that fans and audiences get at least one of them.
Chance to step away from the Star Wars norm
Lightsabers and The Force are undoubtedly the two key staples in theStar Warsuniverse - even when they’ve tried to step away from the narrative of Jedi vs. Sith, somehow,lightsabers or The Force always find their way backinto the story. So, shouldn’tStar Warstry and experiment with a unique element of their universe that has absolutely nothing to do with Jedi, Sith, lightsabers, or The Force? While fans love all of those things, what they truly love is the wholeStar Warsuniverse - Gungans and all.
If a Podracer series were to premiere, not only would it allowStar Warsto further explore an untapped market in their universe, but it would also give fans and audiences the chance to genuinely explore the furthest reaches of theStar Warsuniverse. This means entire planets, solar systems, and even galaxies that might not know what Jedi, Sith, lightsabers, or The Force even are.
