When the animated comedy seriesStar Wars Detourswas announced at Star Wars Celebration in 2012, it came a mere months before the future of the franchise shifted course forever through the Disney acquisition. At the time, the saga’s future rested on the animated seriesThe Clone Wars,as the prospects of a proposed live-action seriesseemed far away and the 3D re-release ofThe Phantom Menacehad bombed in theaters. The idea of not one, but two concurrent shows set within the galaxy far, far away was inherently exciting, but a far cry away from themassive wave ofStar Warscontent comingwithin the next few years.
Star Wars Detourswas an animated CGI comedy series set betweenRevenge of the SithandA New HopefromRobot ChickencreatorsSeth GreenandMatthew Senreich.George Lucashad been impressedby the duo’sStar Wars-related sketchesand approved the creation of threeStar WarsdedicatedRobot Chickenspecials,even lending his voiceto one of the more popular sketches.Detourswas targeted at a much younger crowd than the raunchyRobot Chickenspecials, and was set to explore the daily lives of iconic characters. It featured a voice cast of frequentRobot Chickencollaborators such asSeth McFarlane,Zachary Levi, andDonald Faison, as well asStar Warsveterans includingAnthony Daniels,Billy Dee Williams,Ahmed Best, andDee Bradley Baker.
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39 episodes ofDetourswere produced with 62 additional scripts written, but the series was officiallyput on hold in early 2013, as Lucasfilm chose to focus on marketingThe Force Awakensand other upcoming projects, deciding a comedic approach wasn’t the best way to introduce new viewers to the franchise. Despiterecent rumors that it would be released on Disney+, the series has remained locked in the vault ever since. Greenstated earlier this year that“there isn’t an interest in releasing this content on Disney+ from Lucasfilm."
Outside of the infamousStar Wars Holiday Special,Detoursis the holy grail of unreleasedStar Warscontent. It’s a window into an alternate future for a franchise dedicated to pleasing a narrower fanbase with in-joke specific material, produced whenStar Warsdiscourse wasn’t at the center of culture (and thus not quite as exhausting). It’s also fascinating as the last officialStar Warsproject from Lucas himself; while he’s been lionized by a certain segment of fans in the wake of Disney’sStar Warsprojects, Lucas seemed to enjoy laughing at himself.Detourswould’ve found Lucas mocking his relationship with the franchise,as he appeared in a clipbreaking the fourth wall to refer toDetoursas “The Holiday Specialall over again.”
The short trailer released at Celebrationteased the stylized versions of the saga’s characters that lead relatively dull everyday lives: Darth Vader puts together cheap promotional videos for the Death Star, Princess Leia is a self-obsessed spoiled child, Obi-Wan uses mind tricks within his burgeoning career as a standup comedian, and various characters hang out at Dexter’s Diner (including Admiral Ackbar, who can’t stop rhyming things with “It’s a trap!”). These in-jokes seemed reserved for hardcore obsessives who love the property enough to watch anything with the brand on it. WhileThe Clone Warswas attracting a new generation of fans with characters like Ahsoka Tano, the second animated show didn’t have the expectation of growing a new audience. It was an extended spoof for those that already loved it.
Without the expectations of a $4 billion investment or years of mapped-out connected storylines, Lucasfilm could take the comedic approach that seemed to be working withRobot Chickenand turn it into a flagship series. The franchise wasn’t demanding to be taken seriously (because there was little newStar Warsout there), andDetoursdidn’t bear the expectation of retaining the franchise identity and building anticipation for the next phase of content. Ironically, Green’s recent comments indicate that given the sheer number ofStar Warsprogramming now available, “there hasn’t been enough interest high enough up to go through what it would take to put it out.” One moreStar Warsseries is now less of a novelty.
There doesn’t seem to be a contemporary fear of targeting younger viewers with children’s content like theLEGO Star Warsspecials,and Disney+ has steadily added in older content from Lucasfilm’s archives, including theDroidsandEwoks‘80s cartoons,theEwoktelevision movies, and even a segment ofThe Star Wars Holiday Special. It’s interesting that given the sheer number ofStar Warsoffshoots now available,Detourshas remained locked away, which may be because so few people seem to know it even exists. It’s unfortunate that it’s been shelvedbecause Green indicatedthat there was real passion from the creative team.
Ironically,Detoursmay have faded from memory had it been released back in 2013, as interest was likely low outside the passionate fanbase for a niche sketch series when new films weren’t being produced. Debuting it now would raise more interesting questions. How would a standalone comedy series fit within Disney’s tight management of Lucasfilm, and how would audiences react to the zany approach?
When a single episodewas leaked earlier this year, it didn’t generate the groundswell of support that something like the leakedDeadpooltest footage did. Even if few clamor for its release, officially releasingDetourswould be an interesting thought experiment. CertainStar Warsfans can take the saga’s canon too seriously. Perhaps if the lastStar Warsproject from Lucas himself demanded them not to, it would put everything in perspective.
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