Star Wars: Skeleton Crew director David Lowery explains what makes it a unique entry in the long-running franchise. While promoting his upcoming animated short An Almost Christmas Story, Lowery, who helmed two episodes of the Star Wars series, discussed his work on the show and how he believes fans will respond to it.
“It’s a show that involves kids, and yes it will be very appealing to kids who get to see themselves in this,” Lowery said in an interview with ComicBook. “But when I was growing up, I aspired to be Luke Skywalker and Han Solo … I didn’t need a show about children to make me love Star Wars. But what I think this one is gonna do is remind adults like myself of what it was like to be a little kid watching Star Wars for the first time.”
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From the get-go, Skeleton Crew has been compared to classic Amblin Entertainment productions like E.T. the Extra Terrestrial and The Goonies, titles people from Lowery’s generation likely grew up watching. Tapping into that sense of ’80s nostalgia has been a key focus of the marketing campaign; the Skeleton Crew trailer released earlier this month is set to the retro track “Major Tom (Coming Home),” an indication that Lucasfilm isn’t just targeting the kids of today with this series. They seem to be positioning it as an all-ages affair that the entire family can enjoy over the holiday season.
[Related: Skeleton Crew Trailer Brings Youthful Exuberance to a Galaxy Far, Far Away]
The Skeleton Crew creative team has emphasized that while kids are the main characters, the show will not be childish in tone. Co-creator Christopher Ford mentioned that the stakes are high, as the kids find themselves in several perilous situations. Promotional materials have highlighted the danger lurking around every corner in the galaxy, showing the characters on the run from monsters, pirates, and more threats. Jude Law, who plays Force-sensitive Ja Na Nawood, said the dynamic between the children and adults can be goofy or scary depending on the situation — much like real life.
This blast from the past could be just what Star Wars needs after an up-and-down year that saw The Acolyte polarize audiences and Lucasfilm encounter even more behind-the-scenes issues developing movies. A fun adventure series that harkens back to a bygone era has the potential to be a nice palate cleanser, tapping into the joy Star Wars has brought so many over the years. If Lowery and the other Skeleton Crew directors pulled this off, everyone will be able to find something to enjoy; kids will get a kick out of seeing themselves on-screen, while adults will be taken back to their own youth.
Building a show around kids comes with a certain level of risk, but there are plenty of examples where it’s worked. Not only are those old-school Amblin titles proof, Stranger Things utilized a similar formula to become a massive hit. The challenge for Skeleton Crew will be to not be derivative of its influences, but instead use them as a jumping off point to provide a fresh spin on a familiar tale. Using the show as an avenue to flesh out the Star Wars universe in interesting ways (like having connections to the ancient Sith language) would be a way to accomplish that.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew arrives December 3rd on Disney+.
