Star Wars Resistance
Star Wars Resistance is an American 3D animated comic science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation. It follows Kazuda Xiono, a New Republic pilot who is recruited by the Resistance to spy on the growing threat of the First Order[2] shortly before and during the events of the sequel trilogy.
This article is about the animated series. For the fictional Star Wars organization, see Resistance (Star Wars).Star Wars Resistance
- Dave Filoni
- Kiri Hart
- Carrie Beck
- Christopher Sean
- Josh Brener
- Suzie McGrath
- Scott Lawrence
- Justin Ridge
- Michael Tavera
- (Based on themes by John Williams)
United States
English
2
40
- Dave Filoni
- Athena Portillo
- Justin Ridge
- Brandon Auman
22 minutes
October 7, 2018 –
January 26, 2020
The series premiered on Disney Channel on October 7, 2018, and the next day it debuted on Disney XD in the United States and worldwide. Twelve shorts debuted on the Disney Channel YouTube channel in December 2018.[3]
The second and final season premiered on October 6, 2019 on Disney Channel, Disney XD and DisneyNow.[4][5] The series ended on January 26, 2020 after forty episodes.[6]
Resistance received generally positive reviews from critics. The series was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program for both of its seasons. It won the Saturn Award for Best Animated Series on Television in 2019 for its debut season.
Production[edit]
Development[edit]
On February 22, 2018, /Film reported that Lucasfilm had trademarked the name Star Wars Resistance for a wide range of merchandise and a potential animated series.[52]
On April 26, the series was officially announced and scheduled for a Fall 2018 debut. The show was created by Dave Filoni, who previously directed the 2008 film Star Wars: The Clone Wars, developed the subsequent television series, created, developed and executive produced Star Wars Rebels, and in 2017 became the head of Lucasfilm Animation. Filoni said the show was influenced by anime and by his grandfather's experiences in World War II. By August 1, 2018, Polygon Pictures was selected as the animation production company.[1]
On August 12, 2018, Filoni stated that he would not work as directly on Resistance in a day-to-day capacity as he had on previous projects due to his work on The Clone Wars revival. However, he provided direction and notes to the story team, a role he compared to George Lucas' input on The Clone Wars.[53][54]
Casting[edit]
Along with the official series announcement, it was announced that Oscar Isaac and Gwendoline Christie would reprise their roles as Poe Dameron and Captain Phasma, respectively. They are joined by Christopher Sean, Bobby Moynihan, Suzie McGrath, Scott Lawrence, Myrna Velasco, Josh Brener, Donald Faison and Jim Rash.[55] General Leia Organa, Kylo Ren and BB-8 have appeared in the series.[7][8]
Release[edit]
Marketing[edit]
A trailer was released on August 17, 2018, showcasing the new animation style and characters.[56] It received a negative reaction from fans, including criticism for its apparent targeting of younger viewers and both praise and criticism for the anime-style CGI.[57] Blair Marnell of Nerdist compared the initial reaction to the early stigma The Clone Wars and Rebels suffered for similarly targeting younger demographics during release, only for both to become more positively received with subsequent seasons.[58]
Broadcast[edit]
The series debuted in the United States on the Disney Channel on October 7, 2018, with Disney XD airing the series later in the United States and worldwide, with the exception of Southeast Asia, where all live-action shows are sold by Disney's Southeast Asian channel.[59] The series was renewed for a second season, which aired in October 2019.[60] Its first episode, which picks up directly after the end of the first season, was screened at Star Wars Celebration in Chicago.[61]
Season two premiered on Sunday, October 6, (10 p.m. EDT/PDT) on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW, with subsequent airings on Disney XD. Season two was the final season of the show[4] and consisted of 19 episodes.
Home media[edit]
As announced on July 23, 2019, Lucasfilm released the first season on DVD on August 20. It includes all 21 episodes of season one, as well as an exclusive sneak-peek at the making of the show with cast and crew, 4 audio commentaries with Sean, Lawrence, Brener and Velasco, the 12 shorts and Resistance Rewind.[62]
The first season of Star Wars Resistance became available for streaming on November 12, 2019, the launch date for Disney+.[63] The second season became available on February 25, 2020.[64]
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, season 1 has an approval rating of 92% based reviews from 13 critics, with an average rating of 6.70/10. The site's critics consensus states, "Star Wars: Resistance's streamlined story sets the stage for exciting adventures—and seems poised to explore a canvas stocked with immediately relatable characters and plenty of potential."[65]
William Hughes of The A.V. Club praised the first episode saying "At the end of its first hour, Resistance feels pleasantly primed with potential." He gave it a grade B.[66]
Brian Lowry of CNN gave it a mixed review, he notes that previous Star Wars shows offered plenty for older fans but that this show was more clearly made for a younger audience, and "Star Wars Resistance paints with a much brighter, more colorful palette, but at least initially settles for more pallid characters and situations—the kind that don't immediately suggest this is the animated show you're looking for."[67] Syfy Wire notes that "Resistance's cel-shading animation style stands out amongst the franchise's traditional CG-animated fare."[68] Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media called the series "lighthearted" and downplaying cartoon violence. She also argued that the series has a lot of humor, has characters demonstrate traits of determination and courage, saying that the series had vivid animation and "high-flying action" which dominates the series plot.[69]