STAR WARS Actor Says Sequel Trilogy Backlash Mirrors the Prequel Films
The conversation around the Star Wars sequel trilogy hasn’t exactly cooled off since the films hit theaters, but one franchise veteran thinks fans might want to zoom out a bit before passing final judgment.
BB-8 puppeteer Brian Herringpoints out that the reaction to Episodes VII-IX isn’t anything new for this galaxy far, far away.
Herring, who helped bring the beloved rolling droid to life in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, recently shared his thoughts on the divisive nature of the sequel trilogy.
Speaking with Game Reactor, he pointed out that longtime fans may be experiencing a bit of déjà vu, whether they realize it or not. Herring explained;
“I think the sequels are no more polarising than the prequels were when they came out. All the people who are upset about the sequels are too young to remember how upset the people when the original ones came out were, except they now have the internet.
“If the internet had been around to the extent it was around when the prequels came out, you’d have seen exactly the same stuff play out.”
It’s a perspective that longtime fans might find hard to argue with. The prequel trilogy took its fair share of heat back in the early 2000s, only to later find a passionate and vocal fanbase that grew up with those films. Now, those same movies are often revisited with a lot more appreciation than they were at release.
Herring believes the same cycle is already happening with the sequels, even if it isn’t as visible yet. Younger fans are connecting with characters like Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren in a way that echoes how a previous generation embraced Anakin and Obi-Wan.
“I think in 10 years’ time, you’re going to see what you’re seeing with the sequels, because the sequels have a huge fan base, and I meet them all the time, but they’re all much younger than the people complaining on the internet about how much they didn’t like.
“It’s perfectly fine. If you don’t like them, you don’t like them. Everything’s not for everyone. And I just think that these things are all generational, and I think Battlestar Galactica said it best, ‘this has all happened before, it will all happen again.'”
The Star Wars fandom has always evolved with time, and every era seems to go through its own wave of criticism before settling into a more balanced legacy.
From my point of view, they only reason I appreciate the prequel trilogy more now is because of how bad the sequel trilogy was. That sequel trilogy was a complete mess with the storytelling! The prequel trilogy at least had a story plan to follow across the three films.
Whether you loved the sequel trilogy or weren’t sold on it, Herring’s take is a reminder that fandom isn’t static. What feels divisive now could easily become someone’s nostalgic favorite down the road.