'The Mandalorian' expected to revive fans' interest in 'Star Wars'

The future of “Star Wars” may hinge upon the success of “The Mandalorian.” After the mixed response to “The Last Jedi” and the lack of enthusiasm for the new animation TV series, a lot will depend on how the upcoming live action series will get the fans excited about the franchise.

Disney and Lucasfilm are betting big on “The Mandalorian.” According to a report by TheBlast, the latter has recently filed trademark applications for multiple merchandise based on the TV series. The fans will get a lot of choice with toys, games, books, school supplies, hand-held units for video games, cloths, temporary tattoos, and footwear.

Perhaps the most exciting merchandise to look forward to is a Mandalorian style helmet. However, this product is yet to be confirmed.

The report notes that the upcoming TV series will be good testing ground to see if there is any saturation of “Star Wars” fans. Even Disney CEO Bob Iger has conceded that there may be some fatigue setting in after too many projects were released too quickly.

The live-action TV series is reportedly being made with a budget of around $100 million (about AU$140 million). There will be only 10 episodes in the first planned season of the show. It remains to be seen if this money has been put to good use, and if it will be enough for the fans to fall in love with the franchise again.

Jon Favreau is the creator of the new TV series. He has been teasing props such as a Mandalorian rifle from the production set from time to time.

According to a report by ComicBook.com, the upcoming TV series is so significant that the studio may be relying on it to revive the fan interest in the whole franchise. The report also notes that the early trademark applications suggest that the promotion for the show will start long before the actual premiere.