>a movie poised to become the first money-losing film in the series

Understatement of the century right there, the film is actually looking to be the biggest box office bomb in cinematic history.

> The studio ultimately may have to write off $50 million on the movie, according to B. Riley FBR Inc. analyst Barton Crockett.

Where are they getting this 50m number? For a film that hadd an original budget of $250m and 80% reshoots, and likely won't break $400m worldwide, I don't see how it's only going to be a $50m writeoff. I'd roughly estimate production budget at $350m, marketing at $100m, and global ticket take at 50%, so it's at most $200m take minus $450m, leaving $250m lost. Sure, toy sales and DVD sales might help but I can't comprehend how this is being downplayed by most outlets as "Solo isn't doing well" when it's by all accounts an utter disaster.

>there’s more evidence than ever that people are growing weary of the franchise

Anytime I see phrases like this I imagine Kevin Feige whistling innocently just out of sight.

>“Star Wars: Episode IX,” a J.J. Abrams-directed installment

Personally, JJ and to a lesser extent KK are the reasons I'm no longer excited about Star Wars. JJ is, in my opinion, a hack director, good at making 7/10 films, and KK is great at business but awful at creative input yet that's what she's doing. I only hope that Disney can get a business-savvy yet fanboy leader like Feige in charge of Star Wars.

>But toys and other merchandise is one area where “Star Wars” has been losing steam.

This shouldn't be surprising but it is because we took for granted how creative and interesting the models in pre-Disney Star Wars were; I probably won't ever watch the prequels ever again but the clone trooper design is just awesome and I've bought LEGO sets just for them.

The new stuff? Utterly derivative, boring as hell. Phasma is the only remotely interesting design which is why she was plastered literally everywhere but she's basically Fett in the OT, only without the supporting villain cast. The blasters in the ST are as uninspired as the writing. The FO blasters are just E-11s, but with white parts! And a foregrip!

God, it's like current Lucasfilm has no passion for design. Where are the Ralph McQuarries or the Ben Burtts in the new staff? Are there any intense nerds there or are they all good-enough hacks like JJ?

Glancing over Wikipedia I'm finding most of my favorite sci-fi writers/creators either endured a war (Tolkien, McQuarrie, Heinlein, Asimov) or were surrounded by people who did (Clancy, Bradbury), and I wonder just how much our comfortable lives keep us from being creative on average. I mean, none of the new Star Wars stuff really got me thinking, and that's what I live for. TLJ "answered" most/all of TFA's questions with "it's not important." Solo answered questions I can't say I ever cared about. Same with Rogue One, despite my love for it.

I realize this was a bit rambly but ugh since TLJ I just feel empty. To the article's point yeah I suppose I'm fatigued, and that's infecting my family members because they ask how I liked it and I emphatically reply it's the worst Star Wars film to date (in my opinion).