There’s a lot of Star Wars Disney+ shows coming, but the Rangers of the New Republic series is probably among the least anticipated. It’s not hard to understand as to why, considering that would-be series never had any fan-favorite Star Wars characters leading it. In fact, we all know who was supposed to be one of the main characters of that series. Yes, Gina Carano’s Cara Dune, who is no longer a part of the Star Wars universe. Then again, maybe Gina Carano and Lucasfilm will make amends and we can see Cara Dune again. But as for the Rangers of the New Republic series, it looks like Lucasfilm is no longer pursuing it.
Based on the reports from multiple sources, Rangers of the New Republic is no longer in active development. Now if you’re one of those fans who was really looking forward to this series, don’t lose hope just yet. If it’s no longer in active development, that basically means it’s just being put on hold. Perhaps Lucasfilm and Disney haven’t given up on it just yet, but given the whole fiasco with Gina Carano, it’s really no surprise that they have decided to shelve the series for the time being.
It is very possible that Rangers of the New Republic could get back on track. However, I believe Gina Carano’s firing is really what set them back, and on top of that, their decision not to recast the Cara Dune character. We need to remember that Jon Favreau personally handpicked Gina Carano for the role of Cara Dune, so of course he wasn’t too happy about her firing.
So if Cara Dune won’t be recast, then best case scenario, Gina Carano and Lucasfilm make amends, and she’s back on board. However, I don’t see that happening anytime soon, so that means Cara Dune will just be off the grid for now in the Star Wars universe. And sadly, that does mean there will be no Rangers of the New Republic series.
Now the best thing we can pull from this news is that the series is just in limbo. Again, it can still get back on track, but for now, all we can do is just wait and hope for the best. The thing is, I think we should ask ourselves if this series is really a must-have. What do I mean? Well, as Star Wars fans, I know there are certain shows we feel like we need.
As one of the many Star Wars nerds out there, I can say the no-brainer shows we need. I’m pumped for that upcoming Obi-Wan series and the Book of Boba Fett. Those two are among the most popular characters of the Star Wars franchise. For Obi-Wan, he was a the shining gem in a dumpster fest. It’s about time Ewan McGregor has the chance to truly take the spotlight and really flush out his characterization as Obi-Wan.
And as for Boba Fett, I have said this many times, but he’s a big fan-favorite. We all loved seeing him in the original trilogy, because he looked awesome. But that’s the thing about Boba Fett: he just looked cool and didn’t do much else. He’s known for having one of the most anti-climactic deaths in movie history, to the point where his name became a phrase for it. It’s really hilarious, but you know what? Boba Fett’s recent appearance in The Mandalorian changed how we will look at him forever.
If you’ve seen him in The Mandalorian, then you know what I’m talking about. He finally lives up to the badass bounty hunter we Star Wars fans all thought he was and watching him in action was a blast. The Book of Boba Fett will continue his long-believed anti-climactic demise and give us what we’ve wanted for years.
Can we say the same for Rangers of the New Republic? Well, I doubt that Cara Dune was the only ranger we were going to see, but I’m pretty sure none of them lit a candle to Obi-Wan or Boba Fett. Yes, fans did like Cara Dune, but she’s not a big fan favorite. If she was supposed to lead the rangers, then it wouldn’t of been enough. Rangers of the New Republic might’ve included some side characters we’ve seen before, but it probably would’ve relied on new characters.
That’s okay, given the success of The Mandalorian and the new characters we’ve gotten out of it. The idea of a bounty hunter being a good guy in the Star Wars universe was a nice addition to the franchise. Now what would the main story be behind a squad of rangers operating under the New Republic?
My guess: Rangers of the New Republic was going to be about Cara Dune and her rangers hunting fugitive Imperials. But wait, she was doing that for five years before she met Mando, right? Except this time, she would’ve had company. Honestly, the only company I wanted to see with her is Bill Burr’s character. I really don’t care about any other ranger, because, well, Bill Burr. His character, Mayfeld, found redemption at the end of the second season of The Mandalorian, and he even earned the respect of Cara Dune.
I had a strong feeling that those two were going to work together in Rangers of the New Republic. But, we know now that their team-up probably won’t happen. It’s sad, because I really dug Bill Burr on The Mandalorian. I mean, who didn’t? It was just really cool to see a former Imperial be friendly with a former Rebel Shock Trooper. And just the fact that Bill Burr got serious really showed his acting chops. But seriously, he would’ve been a fine addition to Rangers, both as the comic relief and the sharpshooter.
And who else would’ve joined them? Again, probably just new characters. We’ll take some new characters, as long as they’re written well. By that, I mean, written like the characters from The Mandalorian series and not the sequel trilogy. Yes, most of them were wasted potential. Frankly, we need newer faces for the Star Wars franchise, because I don’t want them flexing the fan-favorites all the time. It constricts the universe and gives the vibe that they’re running out of ideas.
So if Rangers of the New Republic does get back on track, I hope they give us some new characters worthy of joining the fan-favorites. But honestly, the show is still on the bottom of the anticipated list. There are more shows we Star Wars fans are looking forward to, so I think we’re all willing to wait for Rangers of the New Republic.
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