Disneyland has spent millions of dollars creating an entire fantasy world around Star Wars in the Orange County theme park. Millions more have been spent conceiving of and producing the Star Wars films and series. Somehow, with all this money spent, Disney has managed to under-deliver when it comes to production value. Indeed, anyone who has seen the latest Dune films can’t help but think the Disney Star Wars series look cheap.
Star Wars Was The Standard
Star Wars is a beloved franchise — you’ll get no argument there. And no one really cared about the production value of the original films. Looking back now, it all looks so unrealistic.
But at the time of the first film in 1977, Episode IV — A New Hope, we were blown away by the magnitude of battle scenes, sweeping landscapes, and robots and monsters crashing into view.
The first Dune film followed shortly after, in 1984, nowhere near what Disney Star Wars is capable of today, but on par with the Star Wars of its time.
Dune Delivering Where Star Wars Isn’t
Today, however, producers and directors are expected to step up their game. Disney is one of the biggest players in filmmaking, from Marvel to Lucasfilm, Pixar to Disney itself, fans have high standards when we walk into the theater or stream a series on the app.
We want to be awed by the views, chase scenes, battles, and landscapes. We become loyal viewers for more than just a story — we can read books for that. We watch films and shows for viewing pleasure. It seems, lately, that films like Dune deliver where Disney Star Wars does not.
The World Is A Character
The remake of Dune first arrived amid Covid chaos in 2021, bringing a star-studded cast with it — Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, and, of course, Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya.
But perhaps the biggest stars of the film were not actors at all but the landscape and the cinematography. The story Dune tells in the film feels rushed for readers of the lengthy and complex book, but the movie itself, just in terms of magnitude, was quite impressive.
Perhaps Dune producer and director Denis Villeneuve can give his Disney Star Wars counterparts some pointers.
Disneyland has spent millions of dollars creating an entire fantasy world around Star Wars in the Orange County theme park. Millions more have been spent conceiving of and producing the Star Wars films and series. Somehow, with all this money spent, Disney has managed to under-deliver when it comes to production value. Indeed, anyone who has seen the latest Dune films can’t help but think the Disney Star Wars series look cheap.
Star Wars Was The Standard
Star Wars is a beloved franchise — you’ll get no argument there. And no one really cared about the production value of the original films. Looking back now, it all looks so unrealistic.
But at the time of the first film in 1977, Episode IV — A New Hope, we were blown away by the magnitude of battle scenes, sweeping landscapes, and robots and monsters crashing into view.
The first Dune film followed shortly after, in 1984, nowhere near what Disney Star Wars is capable of today, but on par with the Star Wars of its time.
Dune Delivering Where Star Wars Isn’t
Today, however, producers and directors are expected to step up their game. Disney is one of the biggest players in filmmaking, from Marvel to Lucasfilm, Pixar to Disney itself, fans have high standards when we walk into the theater or stream a series on the app.
We want to be awed by the views, chase scenes, battles, and landscapes. We become loyal viewers for more than just a story — we can read books for that. We watch films and shows for viewing pleasure. It seems, lately, that films like Dune deliver where Disney Star Wars does not.
The World Is A Character
The remake of Dune first arrived amid Covid chaos in 2021, bringing a star-studded cast with it — Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, and, of course, Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya.
But perhaps the biggest stars of the film were not actors at all but the landscape and the cinematography. The story Dune tells in the film feels rushed for readers of the lengthy and complex book, but the movie itself, just in terms of magnitude, was quite impressive.
Perhaps Dune producer and director Denis Villeneuve can give his Disney Star Wars counterparts some pointers.
Dune: Part Two Production Is Magnificent
After all, he made a second splash with the recently released Dune: Part Two, picking up where the first film left off and completing the story of the first book.
Once again, fans sat in the theater and were overwhelmed by the feeling of being on the sand-covered planet of Arrakis, of being chased by spectacular sandworms, and of riding on their backs.
The production is simply magnificent. Without a doubt, Dune puts Disney Star Wars to shame in many areas, and it shouldn’t be that way.
Why Does Star Wars Feel So Cheap?
Disney has the money, after all, and Lucasfilm certainly competes with Dune when it comes to telling interesting stories with the Disney Star Wars series.
For example, in The Mandalorian, the dialogue is engaging and the wit is sharp. No surprises there as creator and writer Jon Favreau is well-known for his talent with a pen.
So why does it feel so cheap so often? Chase scenes feel blurry, images appear grainy, and the lighting feels too dark in many scenes.
Star Wars Needs To Deliver Like Dune
With so much money and so many resources at their fingertips, Disney has no excuse for producing what sometimes look like low-budget shows on their streaming app. It’s almost like they’re phoning it in.
With movies like Dune proving it can be done, Disney Star Wars producers need to level up and deliver for their fans, before we give up entirely and just go rewatch Stranger Things instead.
