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Analyzing Movie Franchise Changes: A Media Studies Worksheet Using Star Wars’ New Roadmap

UUnknown

2026-02-08

8 min read

A ready-to-use media analysis worksheet for students to evaluate how creative leadership and project choice reshape franchises using Star Wars' 2026 Filoni roadmap.

Hook: Why students and teachers need a focused worksheet now

Franchise strategy and the choices of creative leaders directly shape what audiences see — and study — next. If you teach media studies or you're a student dissecting how a franchise evolves, the sudden 2026 shift at Lucasfilm (Kathleen Kennedy's departure and Dave Filoni's promotion) is a live case study. This worksheet helps you analyze how creative leadership and project choice steer a franchise's future, using the early Filoni-era projects as classroom prompts.

The lesson in one paragraph (inverted pyramid)

Most important: when a franchise changes leadership, the slate of projects selected and the leader's creative DNA determine audience trust, revenue trajectory, and long-term brand health. This worksheet gives students step-by-step prompts, scoring rubrics, and instructor notes to evaluate the Filoni-era roadmap (reported projects in early 2026 like the proposed Mandalorian & Grogu project and other Filoni-associated titles) and generalize findings to other franchises.

Learning objectives

Identify how leadership change affects franchise strategy and storytelling choices.
Analyze project selection (genre, talent, distribution) and predict likely outcomes.
Apply media analysis frameworks to real-world 2026 developments in Star Wars.
Develop persuasive evidence-based arguments and deliver classroom presentations.

Why this matters in 2026

Recent trends — consolidation of IP-driven studios, streamers optimizing slates for subscription retention, the rise of creator-led branding, and AI-enabled production workflows — mean leadership changes have outsized downstream effects. In early 2026, major coverage highlighted that Lucasfilm will shift creative direction under Dave Filoni after Kathleen Kennedy's departure. That transition illustrates how a leader known for serialized, character-first storytelling can affect project choice, transmedia planning, and fan engagement.

Note: Use public reporting (trade press and industry analysis from late 2025–early 2026) to ground claims. Treat any unconfirmed project details as prompts for analysis rather than hard facts.

How to use this worksheet — quick guide

Divide students into small groups (2–4). Assign each group one Filoni-era project prompt (e.g., Mandalorian & Grogu film, an Ahsoka-related film, other reported projects).
Give 30–45 minutes for research: studio announcements, press analysis, fan reaction, and Filoni's prior work (Clone Wars, Rebels, The Mandalorian).
Groups complete the worksheet sections below, score using the rubric, and prepare a 5–7 minute presentation with recommendations.
Finish with a class debate: Which leadership choices best balance creative risk and commercial viability in 2026?

Student Worksheet: Analyze a Filoni-era project

1. Project snapshot (5 minutes)

Project name (as reported)
Format: theatrical / streaming / hybrid
Reported key creative leads (director, writer, showrunner)
Target audience: core fans, family, general adults, streaming subscribers

2. Creative leadership profile (10 minutes)

Answer these prompts using evidence from Filoni’s past projects and Lucasfilm's public strategy:

Describe the leader’s stylistic hallmarks (themes, pacing, character focus).
How do those hallmarks align or conflict with the franchise’s recent direction?
What risks and advantages does this leader bring to a large-scale franchise?

3. Project choice & genre analysis (15 minutes)

Assess the project’s genre and format:

Does the genre serve franchise expansion or fan service? Explain.
Is the chosen format (movie vs. series) a strategic fit in 2026’s market? Consider theatrical economics, streaming retention strategies, and the shortened theatrical window.
How might transmedia tie-ins (games, comics, series) be used to amplify the project? See a related playbook on turning physical experiences into ongoing revenue: From Demos to Dollars: Turning In‑Store Gaming Experiences into Recurring Revenue.

4. Audience & stakeholder mapping (10 minutes)

List primary audiences and their likely reception (core fans, casual viewers, international markets).
Identify stakeholder risks (licensors, streaming partners, franchise licensors, creative unions, core fandom).

5. Distribution & Monetization strategy (10 minutes)

Recommend theatrical, streaming, or hybrid release with justification based on 2026 trends.
Suggest monetization levers: merchandising, theme park integration, limited theatrical events.

6. Predictive impact analysis (15 minutes)

Use this grid to forecast outcomes over 1–3 years:

Short-term (box office/subscriber lift, social buzz)
Medium-term (franchise health: new IP threads, merchandising, fandom growth)
Long-term (brand dilution or rejuvenation; legacy content alignment)

7. Recommendation & creative alternatives (10 minutes)

Conclude with a clear recommendation: greenlight / refocus / delay / cancel. Include two alternative strategies and their likely tradeoffs.

8. Evidence log

List sources: press reports (late 2025–early 2026), trades, Filoni interviews, previous show analyses. Cite claims with links or publication names for classroom transparency.

Instructor notes and sample answers (using Filoni-era prompts)

Below are instructor guidance snippets to demonstrate expected answers and deepen discussion.

Sample: Mandalorian & Grogu (reported project)

Creative leadership profile: Dave Filoni is known for character-driven arcs, serialized pacing, and reverence for franchise lore. His animation background emphasizes long-term payoff and meticulous continuity. Thus, a Mandalorian & Grogu film likely emphasizes character beats over spectacle.

Predicted short-term impact: High initial fan engagement and streamer retention if released on a platform with strong subscriber focus; modest theatrical box office if marketed as a niche event rather than blockbuster. Long-term impact: Strengthens serialized continuity and transmedia hooks, but risks oversaturation if similar projects dominate the slate.

Teaching tip

Prompt students to compare Filoni’s style to other franchise leaders (e.g., shifts when J.J. Abrams or Kevin Feige took creative reins). Discuss how each leader’s strengths reframe project selection.

Analytical frameworks to apply

Use these concise frameworks to make findings robust and replicable.

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) tailored for a project within a franchise.
Stakeholder Influence Map — plot creative leads, studio executives, distributors, and fans by influence and interest.
Risk-Reward Matrix — plot creative risk (innovation, tonal shift) versus commercial reward (profit, subscriber retention).
Transmedia Ladder — identify how the project connects to TV, streaming, games, merchandise, and parks. For practical examples of cross-platform monetization and experiences see From Demos to Dollars.

Rubric: scoring student analyses (total 100 points)

Project Snapshot & Research (15 pts): Clear, accurate, uses 2025–2026 sources.
Creative Leadership Profile (20 pts): Connects leader’s history to likely creative choices.
Genre & Distribution Analysis (20 pts): Uses 2026 trends (streaming strategies, theatrical economics, AI in production) to justify recommendations.
Predictive Impact & Stakeholder Mapping (20 pts): Realistic short/medium/long forecasts with risk awareness.
Presentation & Evidence (15 pts): Clear argument, citations, and persuasive delivery.
Original Insight (10 pts): Creative alternatives and classroom discussion contributions.

2026 Trends that students must consider

Integrate these realities into analyses — they are critical context for grading and real-world relevance.

Creator-led branding: Studios increasingly hand franchises to trusted creative figures. That can accelerate cohesive storytelling but may reduce diversity of perspective. See context on creator talent models: The Evolution of Talent Houses in 2026.
Streaming-first economics: Platforms choose projects to retain subs; some tentpole projects bypass big theatrical windows.
AI & production workflows: AI-enabled previsualization and VFX tools lower costs but create ethical and labour questions relevant to stakeholder mapping.
Fandom fragmentation: Social platforms amplify niche fan groups; projects must strategically choose whom to please. For how local and niche communities are reshaping coverage, see The Resurgence of Community Journalism.
Transmedia as a strategy: IP value depends on cross-platform engagement: games, comics, toys, themed experiences.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Pitfall: Treating reported slates as confirmed fact. Fix: Label unverified items as prompts and use them for hypothetical analysis.
Pitfall: Overvaluing nostalgia-driven outcomes. Fix: Balance fan-service potential with market data and accessibility for new viewers.
Pitfall: Ignoring production constraints (budgets, union rules, tech). Fix: Add a brief production feasibility check in your prediction section.

Extension activities (for advanced students)

Create a five-year roadmap for the franchise under Filoni, including proposed series, films, and games with release timing and target metrics.
Role-play negotiation: one group as creative leads pushing for long arcs, one as studio execs focused on quarterly subscriber metrics.
Data dive: analyze social sentiment metrics (Twitter/X, Reddit, YouTube) for Filoni-era announcements and correlate with box office/subscriber impacts of previous franchise releases.
Optional: Invite a guest speaker from studio development or a trade reporter to critique student briefs.

Actionable takeaways for students and teachers

Start with the leader’s creative DNA — it reliably predicts the kinds of stories and format choices they’ll make.
Always map stakeholders — leadership changes shift internal power dynamics that affect greenlighting.
Use 2026 context — streaming economics and AI tools materially change distribution and production tradeoffs.
Score predictions with transparency — the rubric helps separate opinion from evidence-based forecasting.

Assessment example: Short instructor commentary

“A well-argued analysis will show that Filoni’s elevation prioritizes connective serialized storytelling and character continuity. However, students must also note commercial tradeoffs: serialized arcs can drive long-term engagement but may underperform in immediate box office receipts unless the marketing strategy expands beyond core fandom.”

Final classroom deliverable

Each group should hand in a two-page brief (max 800 words), a slide deck (5 slides), and a one-minute social summary (tweet-style) explaining their recommendation. Include the rubric score and evidence log with citations.

Wrap-up: Why analyzing franchise leadership is a key media studies skill

Understanding how leaders choose projects is central to modern media literacy. In 2026, rapid shifts in business models and production technology make these decisions more consequential than ever. This worksheet trains students to evaluate creative leadership, project selection, and franchise strategy — skills useful in careers from journalism and studio development to academic research and teaching.

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Try this worksheet in your next class or study group. Share your group brief or presentation with our community, tag your school, or email a summary to your instructor. Want a printable PDF or editable version? Request it from your course moderator and submit your class findings for publication on our student study hub.

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