With Disney+ now kicked off, the opportunities for a plethora of new stories from various properties to be told has arisen. With the Skywalker saga coming to an end and the development of both an Obi-Wan and Cassian Andor in the process, it is the best time for the franchise to branch out and tell new stories from its characters.
With tonnes of characters from both legends and canon, stretching through films, TV shows, books, and comic books, Disney and Lucasfilm are spoilt for choice for who to put at the center of any future TV shows and films. Here are 10 choices for Star Wars characters deserving of their spin-off film or TV show.
Lando Calrissian
The undoubted best part of Solo: A Star Wars Story was Donald Glover’s portrayal of the infinitely cool Lando Calrissian. Glover embodied what Lando is and what Lando means to so many fans, from his mannerisms to the way he spoke and the words he said, he was fantastic. Seeing the Cloud City administrator played again by Glover is a no brainer.
Either a theatrical picture or a Disney+ original following Lando, perhaps on his journey to Cloud City would be great, Lando is a character who exudes charisma and works so well on-screen. He is a beloved character who fans will always want to see and fully deserves his own on-screen story, and the perfect actor to do so is at the ready.
Qui-Gon Jinn
A fascinating Jedi with more to give, Qui-Gon Jinn fully deserves his own Disney+ show or streaming film, the fact a different actor would be needed does not change this. A Jedi who is a powerful master but is not a member of the council, Qui-Gon questions their values and is a former padawan of Count Dooku.
The Phantom Menace left fans wanting more of Qui-Gon as a character. While there is canon material on Qui-Gon outside the film and TV, more is needed. Whether it is during his training, under the tutelage of Dooku or himself training a young Obi-Wan, Qui Gon is a character fully deserving of his own story on-screen.
Boba Fett
A typical response when the thought of standalone stories arises, Boba Fett still absolutely deserves his spinoff film. Bounty hunters are an intriguing if not completely badass group of characters in the Star Wars universe, particularly outside of the films in series such as The Clone Wars, comics, and books, and, despite his misuse, Boba Fett kicked that interest in bounty hunters off.
A series following Boba honing his skils further post The Clone Wars to The Empire Strikes Back would be amazing. Fett is a divisive character, overrated or underrated depending on who you talk to. However, he has huge potential which hardcore fans have had glimpses of, and his film, theatrical or Disney+ original would fulfill that.
Doctor Aphra
A name not known to the more casual fan of Star Wars, Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra is a great character who would make for an equally great series - especially alongside her two droids 0-0-0 and BT-1. A rogue archeologist with a penchant for criminal activity who has a very good comic series and a brilliant appearance in Darth Vader’s comic.
Indiana Jonesesque, a series on Disney+ following Aphra’s adventures throughout various planets - old and new - exploring ruins and artifacts all the while encountering trouble with her hilariously evil droids, is fresh and exciting and would be a new but great venture for Star Wars to take on Disney’s new streaming service.
Darth Vader
Another expected entry, but one that cannot be faulted, Darth Vader is one of cinema’s greatest villains and arguably Star Wars’ greatest character. To not have a film, series, or even trilogy about the Sith lord in the future just would not seem right.
Exploring Vader’s psyche from his transition from Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader while he hunts Jedi who survived the purge is a mouth-watering prospect. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story gave fans a glimpse of Vader’s power on the big screen, with hardcore fans already knowing of it through books and comics, to not fulfill this potential with his own story would be a tragedy.
Darth Bane
From one dark lord to another, Darth Bane is a legendary Sith who has impacted all era of Sith following him, the rule of two, ultimately paving the way for the destruction of the Jedi during Order 66. Bane is evil and powerful, intelligent and fear-inducing, an on-screen story depicting the life and power of the Sith Lord is a must.
The Bane novels by Drew Karpyshyn are excellent. Seeing their story told, or at least a story similar to it is a great prospect. Not only would it be high quality but it would bring hardcore fans to joy and would give more casual fans an insight to one of Star Wars’ greatest, and arguably most integral characters, fully deserving of his own story.
Ahsoka Tano
Arguably Star Wars’ greatest female character alongside Leia, it’s a matter of time before we see Ahsoka on-screen again. Fans are still left wondering what happened with Tano between The Clone Wars and Rebels, and how she survived, also with what happened in between season 2 of Rebels and its final moments and beyond.
Ahsoka went from hated to beloved, becoming one of Star Wars’ very best, well-rounded characters as well as being a great hero for women everywhere. She is a character with all the ability to carry another show or a film and will make Disney a lot of money when she does. It is a necessity that fans see more of the very deserving Ahsoka.
Grand Admiral Thrawn
Another fantastic character with whom there are holes in their story post Rebels, Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of the former expanded universe now legends greatest creations. A cool and collected tactical genius for the Empire, Thrawn’s inclusion in Rebels was rejoiced by fans and it is time for him to shine in his show or film.
Thrawn shines in Rebels and his novels are outstanding. Whether it follows the Grand Admiral after Rebels or before, it would not matter. Any show following the Grand Admiral is one worth investing in. He is a character who consumes the screen on Rebels and who hooks you in his books, a show following his rise in the ranks or even post-Rebels would be no different.
Darth Plagueis
The Sith master of one Emperor Palpatine, Darth Plagueis was so close to being the ultimate power in the galaxy before being murdered by his apprentice. The book Darth Plagueis written by James Luceno following the life of the Munn, as well as Palpatine is incredible. Any semblance of this story in television or film form would be unquestionably brilliant.
Theories surrounding Plagueis have been around the fandom for years, from Plagueis being Snoke or Palpatine himself. Having a show surrounding one of Star Wars’ most popular never visualized on-screen characters would perk the attention of any fan, and rightfully so. A genius, a maniac, an evil Sith lord, Plagueis has all the potential to provide terrific viewing.
Revan
Nobody else deserves their own story told more. No legends character deserves to be brought into canon more. Arguably the greatest legends character there is, who is the central component of one of Star Wars’ greatest stories (Knights Of The Old Republic), Revan is a character oozing potential, ready to be made part of the official canon in the right way.
It is unknown what 2022 slated Star Wars trilogy will be about, but if it is involving the Knights Of The Old Republic story then Revan must be a part. Even if this is not the case, the story of Revan needs to be told in a series or film trilogy. Revan is as interesting as he is powerful and his emergence in the canon would please a multitude of fans who know how great he is and can be.
