Star Wars Properties for the Future

Now that Star Wars: The Force Awakens has hit theatres and earned $1 billion world wide in twelve days, I think it's safe to say that the new sequel trilogy and era are a captivating initial success. We may have to wait until May 26, 2017 for Episode VIII, but there will be lots to keep fans occupied in the meantime. Aftermath: Life Debt and a one-shot comic about C-3PO and his red arm will release in the first half of 2016, but what about some other stories? There is no longer a vast Expanded Universe that once filled the fictional galaxy with characters, places and stories to explore, but there is an opportunity to return to this format in some way. Keeping a close eye and a controlling hand on new canon material will be an important job for the Lucasfilm story and continuity team, but that shouldn't (and surely won't) keep them from capitalizing on the world that The Force Awakens has revealed and taken fans by storm.

So what could Lucasfilm and Disney do in the time between now and Episode VIII? Here's a few things I think could make for good properties in the near future.

Books

• Journey to Rogue One! Much like the Journey to The Force Awakens event, a book about the events leading up to Gareth Edwards' spin-off film would help promote the instalment and depth of the story, possibly written by Alexander Freed author of Star Wars Battlefront: Twilight Company as he has proven to write Star Wars military and action well
• A fun romp featuring Han and Chewie's return to smuggling, maybe rounding up those Rathtars and any encounters with the Guavian Death Gang and the Kanjiklub
• Maz Kanata seems to have a rich history, and exploring her time as a pirate and a Force sensitive wise character who is neither a Jedi or Sith would add an interesting perspective for the canon universe and any preexisting events from her point of view
• Tales from Maz Kanata's Castle in the vein of Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina and Tales from Jabba's Palace

Video Games

• A third person action game with numerous vehicle elements where the player takes on the role of Poe Dameron as he and his loyal companion BB-8 go on a mission for General Leia Organa
• An action adventure title, possibly by Telltale Games, a mystery and crime thriller involving smugglers, pirates and criminals like those found in Maz Kanata's castle on Takodana

Comic Books

Captain Sidon Ithano, the Crimson Corsair

• An ongoing title about Captain Sidon Ithano, the Crimson Corsair, and First Mate Quiggold as they pirate around the galaxy and get into trouble
• A Kylo Ren and General Hux limited series that explores their past and relationship a little further, similar to Kieron Gillen's Darth Vader comic
• The origin of the Knights of Ren and Kylo Ren's fall from the light side of the force, of course core film permitting
• The return of writer Greg Rucka to tell us of the fates of Poe Dameron's parents Shara Bey and Kes Dameron who we last saw in Star Wars: Shattered Empire
• X-Wing Pilot ongoing featuring the lesser known pilots like Snap Wexley, Ello Asty, Nien Nunb and Jess Testor Pava as they take to the skies and space in the absence of Poe Dameron who is off on missions for General Organa, similar to how DC Comics operates the Green Lantern Corps title without Hal Jordan

These are only a limited number of possible directions for Lucasfilm and Disney to go while they produce the upcoming Star Wars films. Have any ideas? Share them!