Yesterday we told you about how Star Wars: The Mandalorian earned a staggering fifteen (15!) Emmy nominations in its inaugural season. New dramas earning bucket loads of Emmys isn’t anything new in Hollywood, granted, but… This is Star Wars. Science Fiction. And it’s a series that comes off the beaten, mainstream entertainment path. If there was any question about Disney’s investment in Jon Favreau before, the success of the Disney+ series has certainly answered them emphatically. The question remains though: What do the nominations mean for the franchise as a whole? And what effect will they have on Star Wars moving forward?

New Mandalorian

The short answers to those queries are 1) a LOT; and 2) a BIG one. Here’s why.

First, the Disney era of Star Wars thus far has been mired with missteps. That’s even despite its successes like The Force Awakens, Rogue One and the return of The Clone Wars, for example. The schism The Last Jedi created in the fan base cannot be discounted. It was going to take a lot to get the franchise back on track after that. Enter The Mandalorian. Whether Disney execs will admit it or not, giving Jon Favreau $100 million dollars and free reign is exactly what will propel Star Wars into the future. Both critics and fans alike took notice, and seemingly agree, as evidenced by the Emmy nominations.

What The Mandalorian Emmy nominations mean for Star Wars

The Mandalorian
CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 14: Director/executive producer Dave Filoni (L) and Writer/executive producer Jon Favreau attend “The Mandalorian” panel at the Star Wars Celebration at McCormick Place Convention Center on April 14, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Photo by Daniel Boczarski/WireImage for Disney)

What’s important here is the fact that those nominations span a wide array of categories. From production, to acting, to Ludwig Göransson’s evocative score, The Mandalorian’s Emmy nominations prove several things. First, they show that Disney can succeed with Star Wars. Likewise, Star Wars’ staying power, forty-three years after the first theatrical release, remains as strong as ever. Lastly, the franchise’s future on the small screen may very well carry it further than any new theatrical release ever will.

Remember, the next film (likely from The Mandalorian’s Taika Waititi) is now delayed until 2022. A four-year hiatus, given The Rise of Skywalker’s mixed reception, could have been disastrous. But… 15 Emmy nominations for the anchor Star Wars television series? Plus the upcoming Cassian Andor and Obi Wan Kenobi series? And news of The Bad Batch sequel to The Clone Wars?  Star Wars’ television future looks bright, indeed.