Hyperspace Theories: THE ACOLYTE and Star Wars Brand Management

On this episode of Hyperspace Theories, Tricia Barr and B.J. Priester examine the Disney+ live-action series Star Wars: The Acolyte through the lens of recent Lucasfilm’s brand management struggles, especially with the Star Wars franchise. We begin with the strengths of The Acolyte that we want to praise, including the fight choreography, the performances of the cast, and the diversity, inclusion, and representation the series demonstrates both in front of and behind the camera.

When it comes to The Acolyte‘s weaknesses, the problem of brand management is the central dynamic. We consider how The Acolyte portrays the character arcs of Osha and Mae and their relation to the dark side of the Force in a manner that is dissonant with the overall themes of the franchise and George Lucas’ films in particular. Similarly, The Acolyte portrays Jedi characters, and the Jedi Order as an institution, in a way that does not align with the brand’s longstanding messages. We also discuss other brand management issues, including Lucasfilm once again struggling with the marketing and setting audience expectations and with balancing the creative freedom of individual storytellers with the need to restore and maintain audience trust in the franchise.

Contact Information:

• Hyperspace Theories: Twitter @HyperspacePod
• Tricia Barr: Twitter @FANgirlcantina; email Tricia@fangirlblog.com
• B.J. Priester: Twitter @RedPenofLex; email Lex@fangirlblog.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Fangirl

Tricia Barr took her understanding of brand management and marketing, mixed it with a love of genre storytelling, and added a dash of social media flare to create FANgirl Blog, where she discusses Star Wars, fandom, and the intersection of women within Star Wars fandom. She is co-author of Ultimate Star Wars and Star Wars Visual Encyclopedia from DK Publishing, a featured writer for Star Wars Insider magazine with numerous articles on the Hero's Journey. Her FANgirl opinions can be heard on the podcasts Hyperspace Theories and Fangirls Going Rogue.

Tricia Barr's novel, Wynde, won the 2014 Independent Publisher Book Award Gold Medal for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror Ebook. She was also part of Silence in the Library's successful all-female creator science fiction and fantasy anthology Athena's Daughters, which is available now. For excerpts and tales of her adventures in creating a fictional universe, hop over to TriciaBarr.com.

Latest posts by Fangirl (see all)

• Hyperspace Theories: WICKED Part I Rises to the Moment - December 6, 2024
• Columbia’s Vader™ Collection Launches Dec 5 - November 27, 2024
• Hyperspace Theories: Evolving Myth in Agatha All Along - November 25, 2024

email

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Tumblr

Reddit

Print