Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Strip away the “war” part from Star Wars and the sci-fi franchise is essentially a space-faring venture across an assortment of planets. Skeleton Crew, the latest Star Wars spin-off show to launch on Disney+, fully embraces the series’ adventurous side to make for an enjoyable, pirate-flavoured romp across the galaxy.

Set after Return of the Jedi, the series opens on the planet At Attin, which looks more like an everyday American suburb than the sand-covered alien worlds that fans are used to seeing. It’s here where viewers meet the group of prepubescent heroes, Jedi-obsessed Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), his best friend Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), the rebellious Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) and the tech-savvy KB (Kyriana Kratter) as they uncover an abandoned spaceship. After accidentally activating the launch sequence, they find themselves stranded in space. Aided by a droid voiced by Nick Frost and a roguish pirate named Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law), they must find their way back home. However, the children’s planet may also be home to secret treasures Nawood has been searching for.

A lot has already been said about Skeleton Crew being Goonies in space – and it is. It’s a light-hearted spin on the series’ formula that’s far removed from the more serious themes of Andor and the morality of The Acolyte, and it’s all the better for it. Skeleton Crew puts its adventurous spirit front and centre in a way that captures all the childhood excitement of embarking on an intergalactic treasure hunt. Although there are no traditional swordfights or cannon fire to be found in Star Wars’ take on piracy, each episode so far has been full of swashbuckling action which takes viewers to some interesting locations. Just as big of a driving force, though, is the underlying mystery surrounding At Attin, which may contain some surprising revelations.

With the action taking priority, the character development consequently takes a back seat. This means that the heroes and their relationships are fairly one-note and play out as expected for the genre. Thankfully, the incredibly likeable young cast combined with Law’s turn charismatic outlaw and Frost’s comedic persona ensure that audiences stay invested in their ongoing quest.

Skeleton Crew isn’t reinventing wheel for either sci-fi or family-friendly adventures. However, its pirate-based approach to the Star Wars universe is enough to spark some new life into the long-running franchise.

Andrew Murray

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is released on Disney+ on 3^rd December 2024.

Watch the trailer for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew here: