Would Trump's Leadership at Disney Have Reshaped the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy?

Given his track record as a businessman, it’s highly unlikely that Donald Trump would have been able to afford a 4 billion buyout of Lucasfilm. However, this hypothetical question leads us to imagine a scenario where he would have made the franchise all about himself, reflecting his persona as a narcissist who would likely make movies with himself as the main character—or perhaps someone he perceives as his equivalent, the "bigly Jedi."

Consider Trump’s stunt tweets and comments. In his usual grandiose style, he might have declared, “It would be the very best. Believe me. The very best. I would have only the best people working on this project and I will make Star Wars Great Again.”

Taking a look at Trump’s remarks, he might also have praised Galaxy’s Edge, the theme park attraction, while questioning the quality of the writers working on the project, referring to them as the ones who write for Star Trek. He might have expressed his admiration for Marvel, calling them “our best friends.” And, as in his real-life political career, he would likely claim, “I did not collude with Warner Brothers to become the President of Disney.”

Of course, all of this is just for laughs and humor. We have virtually no insight into Trump’s taste in film or storytelling. What we do know is that from his background as a real-estate mogul and his other business ventures, both successful and failed, he would have, as a businessman, navigated his way in Hollywood and found the right creative individuals to delegate tasks to. This would likely mean a different outcome for the narrative choices in the Star Wars trilogy—particularly the developments in The Last Jedi. For instance, the creation of Canto Bight, or whatever it was originally called, might not have made it into the final cut.

However, considering Disney’s relatively hands-off approach with Lucasfilm, it’s doubtful that the trajectory of the Star Wars franchise would have been fundamentally altered. Disney, unlike other media companies, trusts passionate creative teams with oversight, rather than relying heavily on market research data. This strategy has worked for Disney, and it’s reasonable to assume the Star Wars sequel trilogy would have unfolded largely the way it did.

In conclusion, while Trump’s leadership at Disney might have stirred some changes, the fundamental narrative and direction of the Star Wars storyline would have likely remained the same. The success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe lies more in the hands of Marvel’s leadership and creative teams than Disney itself. So while the fantasy of a Trump-run Disney is humorous and intriguing, the practicalities of oversight and creative control in the entertainment industry show that the Star Wars franchise would have mostly remained as we know it.