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Ahsoka Season 2: Leia to the Rescue? Or Just Another Star Wars Rehash?

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On this episode of “Why Weren’t You in Season One?” I tackle the latest from Screen Rant, who boldly declare that Ahsoka Season 2 “must finally make one heartbreaking recast.” And by heartbreaking, they mean recasting Princess Leia—again. But… didn’t that already happen?

Let’s rewind a bit. Remember Rogue One? That final scene with Leia that led right into A New Hope? Yeah, that wasn’t actually Carrie Fisher. It was CGI. They even brought Grand Moff Tarkin back from the dead using digital sorcery—and the world kept turning. So why all the hand-wringing now?

The truth is, Ahsoka Season 1 already felt like it was missing half the galaxy. Where were Luke, Han, Leia? If we’re pretending Admiral Thrawn is the next Thanos-level threat, where were the actual big players? When Ewan McGregor’s wife asked for backup, the New Republic practically laughed in her face. Wouldn’t that have been the perfect time for Princess Leia to show up and lend some real weight to the mission? You know—troops, authority, relevance?

But no. Instead, we got a ragtag team trying to save the galaxy while the rest of the characters seemingly just scrolled past the group chat.

Now, Ahsoka Season 2 is somehow greenlit. Yes, one of the lowest-rated shows on Disney+—a series that most fans, especially the ones who care about Star Wars lore, universally panned—is getting a second season. It’s a move that feels less like a creative decision and more like a stubborn refusal to read the room.

And here’s the kicker: Screen Rant’s article argues that Leia “needs to be shown as the hero Carrie Fisher should have gotten to be.” That sentence alone is confusing enough, but the irony is worse. This same outlet has already published multiple articles claiming Leia was already the real hero of Star Wars. One in 2021: “10 Reasons Leia Was the Original Trilogy’s Real Hero.” Another in 2024: “Leia Was the Real New Hope in the Original Trilogy.”

So which is it? Leia was already the real MVP… or we need to force her into Ahsoka Season 2 to prove it all over again?

Disney seems dead set on rewriting the mythos, show by show. And now, it looks like Ahsoka Season 2 is shaping up to be less about Ahsoka and more about Leia 2.0—probably a CG version, because let’s be real, they’re not going to recast her. Much like Luke in The Mandalorian, we’ll likely get a face-mapped digital Leia, slapped onto a body double and run through some AI filters. It’s not about the story anymore—it’s about keeping IPs on life support with nostalgia cameos and legacy-brand cameos.

At this point, does it even matter when the show comes out? Will anyone notice? Season 1 already came and went with all the fanfare of a whisper. So what’s Season 2 supposed to fix?

Let me know what you think. Should Leia have been in Season 1? Will Season 2 turn the ship around? Or are we just watching Disney dig a deeper hole in a galaxy far, far away?

Movies and Shows

Captain America 4: A $400 Million Dollar Dumpster Fire?

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In the latest episode of cinematic chaos, Captain America: Brave New World has captured headlines for all the wrong reasons. With a reported budget of $350 to $375 million, fans and critics alike are left wondering: what in the world did they spend all that money on? This staggering figure makes Captain America 4 one of the most expensive films in Marvel’s history, but the early signs point to a potential box office disaster.

Last year, after receiving overwhelmingly negative test scores and leaving Marvel executives underwhelmed by an early cut of the film, the release of Captain America: Brave New World was delayed to February 2025. The film, which had already amassed a budget of $275 million before any reshoots, needed extensive additional filming. The reshoots reportedly cost Disney and Marvel an extra $75 to $100 million, bringing the total budget to an eye-watering amount. Essentially, it seems like they are almost shooting a brand new movie. Comparatively, “Godzilla Minus One,” (one of my favorite movies of all time) was produced on a budget of just $12 to $15 million.

Given these developments, Captain America 4 is shaping up to be one of the biggest box office flops in Marvel’s history. This comes on the heels of “The Marvels,” another recent Marvel release that also floundered financially and critically. The once unshakeable Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) now appears to be struggling, with two potential major flops within a few months of each other.

A significant part of the controversy revolves around the character of Sam Wilson. Initially introduced as a normal guy with Falcon wings and machine guns, fighting alongside iconic heroes like Captain America, Wilson’s character development has been divisive. Many fans were thrilled when he was handed the Captain America shield at the end of “Endgame,” but the subsequent Disney+ series, “Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” left a lot to be desired.

The series saw Wilson grappling with the mantle of Captain America, only to relinquish the shield and then struggle throughout the show. Fans criticized the portrayal of Wilson, arguing that he had been diminished in a role that should have showcased his evolution into a new hero.

The problems with Captain America 4 run deeper than just character issues. The extensive reshoots, which involved redoing three major action sequences, indicate that the initial vision for the movie was deeply flawed. Despite having nearly $100 million poured into reshoots, there’s skepticism about whether these efforts will be enough to salvage the film.

Moreover, the fact that a film with such a significant budget and the backing of Marvel Studios could face such a troubled production process is alarming. It raises concerns about the decision-making and creative direction at Marvel, which was once lauded for its almost flawless execution of the MCU.

As it stands, Captain America: Brave New World looks poised to become a case study in how not to manage a blockbuster franchise. With a bloated budget, negative early reviews, and a narrative that has already alienated a portion of its fan base, the future of this film looks bleak.

In the end, the only question that remains is whether the movie can overcome these immense hurdles and surprise us all. Can the extensive reshoots and additional budget save Captain America 4, or is it destined to become a cautionary tale in the annals of Hollywood history?

What do you think about the state of Captain America 4 and the broader MCU? Is there any hope left for this beleaguered franchise? Let us know in the comments below!

Movies and Shows

Two For The Money

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The best kinds of movies show adversity in the face of failure. That putting in hard work is the best way to get success and the easy way out is never the answer. Writer Dan Gilroy decided to go in the complete opposite direction with this movie.

Two for the Money [2005]: Review - High On Films

Two For The Money is about a man named Brandon, played by Matthew McConaughey, who makes money advising people on sports betting. After growing success, Brandon is approached by Walter, played by Al Pacino, who operates one of the biggest sports advising firms in the world.

Quickly Brandon is taken under Walter’s wing and experiences the high life of being a celebrity and making more money than he knows what to do with. Brandon’s ego soars to new heights and eventually starts making picks at random and asking his employees “So who do you like this weekend” to simply prove that whatever he writes down will happen.

Then, something very odd happens, Brandon starts losing. And losing. And losing. Until Brandon reputation is in jeopardy and Walter’s company is on the verge of bankruptcy. Brandon decides to go back to the old him. The guy who would study up on games, call coaches and medical staff to get some inside info, and spending every waking hour on his job. But keeps losing worse than ever. Clients call Brandon after losing all their money, desperate for advice or just to tell him off.

Two for the Money (2005) - IMDb

With a massive upcoming football game, Brandon does the unthinkable, he flips a coin. After telling Walter of this, Walter doubles down and “guarantees” victory. Which means, “you tell us how much you’re betting. You lose. We cover. That’s risk-free sports betting,” a move that would surely lead to Walter’s demise.

Brandon desperately tries to get Walter to reverse this, but Walter refuses. I don’t know if at this point Walter even believes in Brandon or just loves the drama. The movie’s climax is simply Brandon leaving. He writes a goodbye note to Walter, heads to the airport where he watches the end of the game and leaves. Somehow Brandon’s coin flip was correct, Walter’s company is saved and that’s it.

Two for the Money - Reeling Reviews

So, we had a movie whose message is “if the going gets tough, run”. Imagine if Brandon was wrong. He would be running out on Walter, who is now finished. Having to pay back millions he doesn’t have to sports betters. This gamble could’ve easily gone South. And what about all the people who Brandon got into debt? Not a good message. Not a good movie.

3/10

Simptastic Joe