Community Roundtable: Which Star Wars Project Would You Bury and Why?

Hook: Fed up with rumor mills, leaks, and clickbait? Bring your vote.

If you’re tired of fractured reporting, endless rumor threads, and glossy headlines promising the next "definitive" Star Wars film — only to be left with more questions — you’re not alone. The transition into the Filoni era of Lucasfilm has accelerated chatter across social platforms in late 2025 and early 2026. Fans are being asked to trust a fast-moving slate of projects without a clear path for quality control. That’s why we’re launching a community roundtable: nominate the Filoni-era project you think should be buried, then debate it in an organized, evidence-driven way.

Why this debate matters in 2026

Dave Filoni’s promotion to co-president of Lucasfilm in January 2026 signaled a creative shift — and a renewed push for theatrical releases after years of streaming-first storytelling. That move has fans excited, cautious, and sometimes skeptical. The core tension is familiar: fans crave fresh, ambitious stories, but earlier missteps and franchise fatigue have many wary of a rapid slate without tight curation.

Community debate is more than catharsis. In 2026, it’s a way to surface evidence-based concerns, influence public perception, and provide creators with reasoned feedback. A well-run fan poll and follow-up discussion thread can surface trends and spotlight specific narrative or tonal risks — and producers do notice when communities organize respectfully and persuasively.

What counts as a Filoni-era project — and which rumors are in play?

Rather than repeat every unverified headline, we categorize the concerns so the community can nominate with clarity. Late 2025 and early 2026 trade coverage and leaks pointed to a mix of:

• Direct-spinoff features tied to Filoni’s TV universe (for example, theatrical stories featuring characters introduced on Disney+).
• TV-to-film continuations — shows that could be repositioned for cinemas instead of serialized storytelling.
• Original-slate experiments rumored as Filoni-backed films that depart from the Skywalker-era canon.
• Reboots or retreads of legacy concepts that some fans see as unnecessary or damaging.

We invite nominations within those categories: you don’t need an official title — a solid description of the rumored project and the reasons to oppose it are enough for the first round.

Why fans want to "bury" a project — valid concerns to surface

“Bury” sounds dramatic — and that’s intentional. We want to create space for fans to argue that a project should never be made or prioritized, not to shame creators. Typical reasons include:

• Narrative redundancy: The project repeats beats that the franchise already covered well.
• Tonality mismatch: The concept doesn’t fit Filoni’s known strengths (character-driven myth-building) and risks diluting the brand.
• Continuity conflict: The project would create canon contradictions or cheapen established stakes.
• Market timing & fatigue: With audiences pickier than ever in 2026, poor timing could harm future creative freedom.

How to nominate a project — step-by-step

We want nominations to be focused, sourced, and constructive. Follow this workflow to give your submission the best chance at being included in the community poll.

1. Identify the rumor — Summarize the project in 1–2 sentences (e.g., "A feature film focused on a minor TV side character, reportedly greenlit for theatrical release.").
2. Attach evidence — Link to reliable trade reporting or reputable social reporting (Deadline, Variety, credible journalists). If the tip comes from a weaker source, note that in your submission.
3. State the opposition — List up to three clear reasons you believe this project should be buried, tied to narrative, brand, or market reasons.
4. Offer an alternative — Propose what should happen instead (deepen as a mini-series, rework into a different format, or shelve entirely).
5. Submit to the thread — Post your nomination in our community discussion thread with the tag: #FanVetoNom and add a short headline that includes the keywords "Filoni era" and "fan veto".

Nomination checklist (quick)

• 1–2 sentence summary
• At least one credible source
• Three concise reasons to oppose
• One constructive alternative

Setting up the fan poll — platforms and templates

In 2026, the best results come from cross-platform polling to avoid echo chambers. Use a primary poll on-site (so results are archived) and amplify on Reddit, X, Discord, and Mastodon/Threads depending on where your community lives. Consider also using Telegram for lightweight event coordination and real-time moderation in tight-knit groups.

Poll workflow

1. Collect nominations for one week.
2. Curate the top 8–12 nominees (based on submission quality and initial reactions).
3. Open a 7-day voting window with a single transferable-vote or ranked-choice option if possible — this reduces the "popularity split" problem.
4. Publish real-time tallies and a final report with qualitative analysis.

Poll wording template

"Which rumored Filoni-era Star Wars project should be buried before it moves forward? Please vote based on the nomination summaries and supporting evidence. Ranked-choice recommended."

Moderation rules for fairness

• No personal attacks on creators, cast, or staff.
• Submissions must include a source or be tagged "unverified."
• Suspend repeat spam and brigading attempts — transparency about moderation is key.

How to build a persuasive discussion thread

Your submission gains traction when it’s readable, evidence-based, and sharable. Use the following structure for your OP (original post):

1. Headline: Short, searchable, includes keywords (filoni era, fan veto, community debate).
2. Lead paragraph: 1–2 sentences summarizing your stance.
3. Evidence section: Quote and link to reporting, interviews, or public statements from late 2025–early 2026.
4. Impact analysis: Explain how the project could harm the franchise (canon risks, narrative dilution, market considerations).
5. Alternatives: Offer constructive pivots (e.g., adapt to limited series, fold into existing arcs, shelve until stronger creative leads emerge).
6. Call to action: Ask readers to vote, add counterpoints, and propose further evidence.

Evidence sourcing: best practices

• Prefer trade publications or direct creator interviews.
• When citing leaks, be explicit about verification level.
• Use timestamps and clips for TV proofs; add screenshots only when allowed under fair use and without infringing sources.

SEO tips for your discussion thread (so it reaches more fans)

To make your debate discoverable and to attract knowledgeable contributors, follow simple SEO-friendly habits: for deeper guidance on how authority shows up across platforms, see Teach Discoverability: How Authority Shows Up Across Social, Search, and AI Answers.

• Put the main keyword in the title and the first paragraph: e.g., "Filoni era fan veto: Why the Mando & Grogu film should be buried".
• Use subheadings and short paragraphs for scanability.
• Tag posts with consistent labels: community debate, fan poll, Filoni era, discussion thread.
• Link to authoritative sources and to your own previous threads to build internal context.

Case studies: fan power in practice (what worked and what didn’t)

We learn from the past. Fans have swayed marketing and occasionally narrative choices, but the impact depends on organization, tone, and timing. See a longer example of successful IP stewardship in Transmedia Gold, which lays out how coordinated transmedia work can amplify an IP — a useful model for fans proposing alternatives rather than simply opposing projects.

• High-visibility backlash with limited creative change: Public debate around certain major films shifted marketing strategy and led to more targeted PR, but didn’t always stop production.
• Well-targeted, evidence-based campaigns: Fandoms that organized around concrete asks (delaying release, asking for script rewrites, pushing for format changes) sometimes prompted studios to take a second look — especially when paired with trade press coverage.
• When fans lost influence: Disorganized, hostile efforts that focused on personal attacks rarely changed outcomes and often hardened studio positions.

The practical lesson: combine a clear ask with credible evidence and maintain civil dialogue. Studios in 2026 are more likely to listen to communities that present organized, public-facing arguments and demonstrate broad-based consensus across platforms.

Engagement plan: timeline, platforms, and metrics

Here’s a plug-and-play schedule you can use in your community to run a credible, high-engagement roundtable.

1. Week 1 — Nomination window: Collect submissions on-site and in pinned Reddit/Discord threads.
2. Week 2 — Curation: Editors curate top nominees and fact-check evidence.
3. Week 3 — Voting window: Open poll for 7 days with updates at midpoint.
4. Week 4 — Deep-dive threads: Host live discussions (threaded debates, AMAs with experts/fandom historians) and publish a results analysis.

Track these metrics to judge impact:

• Poll engagement (votes and completion rate)
• Unique contributors vs. repeat posters
• Sentiment analysis (positive/constructive vs. hostile comments)
• Cross-platform reach (shares, upvotes, retweets)
• Press pickup (did trade outlets reference the fan poll?)

Advanced strategies: from fan veto to constructive alternatives

If the goal is to protect Star Wars’ narrative integrity rather than just cancel an idea, offer feasible alternatives. Fans who provide creative pivots gain credibility; consider how a coordinated transmedia approach could reframe a weak project as a targeted experiment using lessons from Build a Transmedia Portfolio and the practical examples in Transmedia Gold.

• Pitch reformatting: Suggest turning a half-baked film concept into a limited series or anthology episode so it can be tested with audiences first.
• Creative pairing: Recommend pairing risky projects with proven writers or directors who can safeguard tone.
• Collaborative story-building: Host a public workshop where fans draft a one-page treatment that addresses your concerns — this can be a constructive alternative to outright burying. Lightweight production and streaming support for these workshops can be run with off-the-shelf streaming kits and field tools (see compact field kits for low-friction creator workflows).

Actionable takeaways

• Nominate with evidence: Summarize the rumor, cite sources, explain the harm, suggest an alternative.
• Use ranked-choice polls: They give clearer community preference and reduce vote-splitting.
• Moderate transparently: Clear rules encourage wider participation and prevent brigading.
• Be constructive: Propose how to rework risky projects instead of simply demanding cancellation — studios notice reasoned, creative feedback.
• Measure impact: Track votes, unique contributors, sentiment, and any press references to demonstrate influence.

Respect, evidence, and influence — the community’s leverage in 2026

We’re in a different media environment than a decade ago. Streaming-first models that dominated 2020–2024 shifted studios’ risk calculus; in 2026, theatrical ambitions are back but audiences are choosier. That means fan communities that combine respectful organization, credible sourcing, and clear alternatives have more leverage than ever. When planning distribution for your alternatives or follow-up content, consider platform choices and discoverability best practices from Beyond Spotify for audio and community-driven content.

Our roundtable is an experiment in harnessing that leverage. It’s not about attacking creators — it’s about stewarding a beloved universe. If a rumored project truly threatens the franchise’s integrity, thoughtful collective action can be persuasive.

How to join the roundtable right now

Ready to nominate a project you believe should be buried? Here’s how to participate immediately:

1. Post your nomination in the community discussion thread using the #FanVetoNom tag.
2. Include a 1–2 sentence summary, one credible source, three reasons to oppose, and one constructive alternative.
3. Share the nomination across Reddit, Discord, and X/Mastodon with the headline and tags to help us curate the top nominees.
4. Vote during the scheduled poll window — encourage friends to join and keep the conversation civil.

Closing: Your vote shapes the future

Star Wars has always been a conversation between creators and fans. In 2026 that conversation can be organized, evidence-driven, and impactful. Whether you’re protective of canon, hungry for bold new directions, or simply tired of rumor-laden noise, this roundtable gives you the tools to act.

Call to action: Nominate a Filoni-era project to bury (or thoughtfully rework) in the community thread now. Cast your vote when polls open, join the debate, and help us publish a full analysis of the results. Your reasoned voice can steer the story — so speak up, share evidence, and vote.

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