I have figured out a way Episode IX can redeem the franchise without destroying the previous two trilogies in the process. Episode 8 is not salvageable. But since it ended where it started essentially, that shouldn't be a problem.
I expect ticket sales will plummet if JJ can't put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Fans won't be fooled yet again.
Star Wars has always had a diverse cast and strong female leads and I wasn't referring to anything similar. The movie is without meaning or depth in its character development. There is no story. The policy after IX should be that the writer and director should be different people. Probably shouldn't even work in the same building.
I have seen every Star Wars film multiple times in the theater. Once was enough for The Last Jedi.
"Hollywood" has reached a dead end and is no longer capable of creating meaningful stories seemingly. This is the politics or values of the place.
A Star Wars trilogy film in this day and age should be able to do 1 billion DOM. Anything as coherent as ESB or RotJ would easily meet that threshold. But sadly these films seem more interested in servicing current political interests at the cost of what made the franchise great in the first place. TLJ has elements of greatness but it mostly misses as a Star Wars film the more I have thought about it. There is enough in place to make Episode IX a home run* however. I am cautiously optimistic.
*1 billion DOM
Do they really preach about "secondary smoke" in The Darkest Hour? See, this is why fewer and fewer tickets get sold at the cinema. Stop the out of context social engineering already. Just stop.
It doesn't take a committee to reskin the same plot. I had the same complaint about TFA but also completely understand why Disney was so careful.
TLJ tried to work in way too many ideas. It desperately could use a re-edit before release to the secondary markets. Some of it defines the term 'cringe worthy'. Other aspects are the strongest we have seen from any of the other films. Luke's story could not have been handled better in my opinion. I rate Episode 8 far higher than any of the prequels.
JJ needs to run a much tighter ship for IX. No more storyline by working groups at Lucasfilm. Save that for the TV series.
The entire saga is redeemable with some simple but elegant plot twists. TLJ was somewhat of a lost opportunity but I still think the best SW content is in front of us.
Stepping off soap box now.