10 Star Wars Characters Who Deserve Their Own Movies
The Star Wars universe is full of spin-off worthy characters who could carry their own movie, including Darth Vader and General Grievous.
The Star Wars universe features a multitude of iconic characters and creatures that make the audience’s imagination run wild. Whether it’s a striking visual design or a memorable name, there are countless reasons why these characters linger in the fans’ collective memory. Although these appeals are only surface-level, they open the door for more nuanced exploration. Following characters who audiences know but don’t fully understand would expand the universe in ways that feel new but still comfortable for established fans.
Although some spin-offs would be more serious than others, the Star Wars universe lends itself to multiple genres/tones. Whether it’s a hard-boiled revenge story, a redemptive tale about a bounty hunter having a change of heart, or a comedy featuring a good-natured droid getting mixed up in some shady dealings, the options for spin-offs are endless.
10 A Salacious B. Crumb Film Could Take a Comedic Dive Into the Criminal Underworld
Voiced by Mark Dondson
Salacious B. Crumb is one of those silly side characters that most people forget about. However, his evil cackles in reaction to Jabba the Hutt’s orders were some of the more purely fun moments in the entire series. It’s the perfect example of what Star Wars often does so well: blending otherworldly action with campy fun.
Salacious would fit well in a solo film that takes place in the criminal underworld and is a bit more comedic, acting as an unwitting accomplice in the schemes of various rogues and bounty hunters. This would allow the film to explore an array of unconventional side characters that would never be able to carry their own films. It would be interesting to see the expanse of the galaxy through the eyes of such an offbeat character like Salacious. Because of this, a Salacious B. Crumb film would certainly make for a unique addition to the Star Wars canon.
9 Count Dooku’s Past as a Jedi Deserves More Attention
Portrayed by Christopher Lee
Dooku is disarmingly suave and contained, resulting in a villain that is atypical compared to his peers. Christopher Lee imbued the role of Dooku with so much gravitas, effectively painting the picture of a Sith Lord with a complicated past. Considering Lee’s passing, a Dooku prequel featuring a younger actor would be the ideal way to continue the character’s story on-screen.
At its core, Star Wars is about the struggle between good and evil and nothing displays this better than Dooku’s early history. The film could explore his days as Qui-Gon’s master and the motivations behind his eventual descent to the dark side. That being said, there’s still room to provide the character with the nuanced experiences that frame him as a more sympathetic and interesting villain.
8 An IG-88 Film Could Explore the Darker Side of AI
Portrayed by Paul Klein
IG-88 first appeared in the background as a robot bounty hunter hot on the trail of the legendary Han Solo. Although viewers have seen countless droids throughout the Star Wars films, this was the first appearance of a droid with clear malicious intent. The character provided the series with the idea that not all AI beings are programmed with righteous morality. IG-88’s robotic nature could lead to some intense moments as well as some unintended comedy, with the miscommunication that is bound to occur between humans and androids. This would be the perfect balance between intimidation and fun.
Rather than being an outright hero or villain, IG-88 could be presented as a random force whose only goal is to “complete the mission.” Even if he ends up helping those in need, this would simply be a coincidental outcome of accomplishing his overall goal. This could play similarly to Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984), with the character coming across as so lifelessly robotic that he’s terrifying regardless of what he’s attempting to accomplish.
7 Qui-Gon Jinn’s Struggles With the Dark Side Need to be Expanded Upon
Portrayed by Liam Neeson
Qui-Gon always believed that he should follow the will of the force completely, even when it conflicted with the wishes of the Jedi council. This led Qui-Gon to often fiddle with the dark side, earning himself the classification of “Grey Jedi.” This may have partly been due to his relationship with Count Dooku, his former Jedi master. Although similarly torn between dark and light, they ended up choosing different paths, which reflects the idea that the line between good and evil is no thicker than a razor’s edge.
Qui-Gon’s decision to shun the Jedi council while remaining an agent of light would be an interesting topic to explore. The film would need to focus on the idea that even those who see themselves as the most pure cannot always avoid the temptations of the dark side. It could also focus on the idea of a “hive mind” mentality when relating to the Jedi council. How can a group ever recognize their mistakes if they see themselves as the ultimate agents of good?
6 A C-3PO Story Could Be Comedy Gold
Portrayed by Anthony Daniels
With his first appearance, it was clear that C-3PO was a special character. He often spoke for the audience and added a certain amount of levity to the series that kept things fun no matter what. Similar to Salacious B. Crumb, a C-3PO solo film would have to mostly take a more comedic approach.
More specifically, it needs to take a more quirky approach to the material, similar to something like Forrest Gump (1994). The film would see C-3PO crossing paths with various Star Wars legends, villainous or otherwise. His kind-hearted nature would often place him as an oblivious pawn in the schemes or various side characters. It’s already a running joke within the fandom that C-3PO was seemingly around for every important event in the Star Wars universe, so why not take it a step further for the sake of comedic effect?
5 Chewbacca’s Home Planet Has Untapped Cinematic Potential
Portrayed by Peter Mayhew and Joonas Suotamo
Similar to C-3PO, Chewbacca has been primed for his own solo film since his introduction. Although his history was touched upon briefly in The Revenge of the Sith, it felt like just a small taste. Chewy is loving, fiercely protective, and the simplicity in his motivations/emotions makes him effortlessly likable.
Chewbacca’s home planet of Kashyyk is a luscious jungle planet that would be the perfect setting for a Star Wars film. Kashyyk is ripe for exploration, and it would be interesting to see how the Wookies communicate with one another. The film could play out similar to something like Avatar (2009), featuring a human character attempting to integrate with Wookie society. Through this experience, Chewbacca and the Wookies become sympathetic to the cause of the Jedi order.
4 A General Grievous Film Could Explore His Hatred for the Jedi
Voiced by Matthew Wood
It was immediately clear that General Grievous was one of the most unique looking Star Wars villains that George Lucas ever created. His cyborg-like look provided a truly monstrous effect that made the character’s appearance memorable. He was depicted as a relentless warrior who flashed shades of brutal violence as well as deep insecurity relating to the fact that he wasn’t considered a true Sith by his masters. This caused the character to sometimes come across as a moody teenager trying to prove himself. The simple detail of Grievous collecting the lightsabers of the Jedi he killed in an effort to prove himself sets up a potential solo film perfectly.
The film could follow Grievous before he turns into a mechanical menace, fighting as a famed general on his home world of Kalee. Audiences would see how the Sith turned him into a literal monster and follow his hunt for the four Jedi that he killed prior to Revenge of the Sith. The character could initially be presented as a tragic character who develops into a ruthless villain desperate for recognition.
3 Palpatine’s Spotlight Film Would Lean into His Tremendous Screen Presence
Portrayed by Marjorie Eaton and Ian McDiarmid
Palpatine is just so evil and over-the-top that he’s almost irresistible, cementing himself as the series’ main antagonist despite his simplistic backstory. His committed performance allowed the character to revel in his evil deeds, conveying a level of sadistic enjoyment that was equally terrifying as it was contagiously fun.
The film would explore Palpatine’s relationship with his master, Darth Plagueis, and his rise to control the galactic senate. It could revel in Palpatine’s insidious nature and provide fans with the darkest Star Wars story to date, playing out as a Star Wars slasher film that follows Palpatine eliminating his adversaries one by one until he rises to power. The film could also dive deeper into the ways in which he is able to manipulate those around him, almost like a sci-fi version of Game of Thrones.
2 A Darth Vader Film Could Satisfy the Audience’s Desires
Portrayed by James Earl Jones and Hayden Christensen
With his first appearance, Vader immediately became one of the most iconic villains in cinema. Although audiences received Vader in countless iterations, he has yet to have an opportunity where he takes center-stage on the big screen. There’s a reason why Star Wars fans still talk about the final scene of Rogue One (2016) to this day. That final scene provided exactly what fans crave from a solo film: Vader carving through the Rebel Alliance with unstoppable efficiency.
Fans want to see Vader in all of his powerful glory and nothing displayed this better than his elimination of the Jedi after Order 66. Audiences have seen Anakin’s initial transition into Vader, but it would be nice to see his development into a bona fide warlord. A film or show that focuses more deeply on his hunt for Jedi would be easily welcomed by the fandom. Not only could this provide the fandom with more Vader, but it could work as an avenue to focus on certain Jedi who survived the initial wave of Order 66.
1 Yoda’s Rise to Becoming the Leader of the Jedi Council Requires More Focus
Portrayed by Frank Oz
Although he was initially presented as a senile and childish creature living on a desolate swamp planet, Yoda was quickly revealed to be one of the wisest and most powerful Jedi in existence. Yoda’s silly nature combined with his deep snippets of wisdom resulted in him becoming one of the most endearing characters in the Star Wars universe. He constantly appears to be so connected to the force that human emotions such as frustration and anger aren’t even in his vocabulary.
Since Yoda was somewhere around 900 years old by the time of his death, his solo film could focus on his first 300 years or so. Audiences could see Yoda as a young prodigy in the Force and receive flashbacks/hints about his home world. This would allow for an exploration of Yoda’s rise to power, as leader of the Jedi. Even if his story isn’t very original or complex, the character is so lovable that it’s a tough film not to desire with every fiber of one’s being.
