Is The Creator A Star Wars Movie?

"Star Wars" is one of the most influential films of all time. Its impact can be seen in individual stories as well as the current wave of franchise filmmaking dominating Hollywood at the moment. Therefore, it should come as no surprise to see other filmmakers creating movies that are clearly inspired by "Star Wars," even if they're set in separate galaxies.

Zack Snyder's upcoming "Rebel Moon" is a clear example of this, even having characters wield weapons that look a lot like lightsabers. Following in that vein is a "Star Wars" alumni — Gareth Edwards, directing an original science-fiction movie, "The Creator." Edwards previously directed "Rogue One," but there was allegedly some contention behind the scenes as Tony Gilroy, who would later work on "Andor," was brought on to handle reshoots. For anyone asking is "The Creator" a "Star Wars" movie, it's entirely separate from that IP.

For starters, "The Creator" doesn't take place in a galaxy far, far away. It's set on Earth while a war wages between humans and robots after a rogue AI bombs Los Angeles. It's up to Joshua (John David Washington) to find the superweapon that can save humanity, and it just so happens to be a little girl, Alfie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles). 

Science fiction is prevalent in modern culture. "Star Wars" deals heavily with sci-fi concepts, although it could be argued the actual storylines deal with more fantasy tropes. And the Marvel Cinematic Universe has a ton of sci-fi elements, from the aliens in "Guardians of the Galaxy" to the tech featured by Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). Between all this, it's still difficult to find original sci-fi creations, which is why "The Creator" is such a breath of fresh air. 

There are some noteworthy similarities between "The Creator" and "Rogue One." They both deal with war, with "Rogue One" really leaning into the "Wars" aspect of "Star Wars." However, "The Creator" touches on a remarkably prescient fear in modern society, namely AI. This new technology is at the forefront of the current WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in Hollywood, and numerous other industries are on edge about what AI could mean for jobs in the future. But in the new movie, AI takes a more "Terminator"-esque path where it seeks to destroy humanity rather than plagiarize other articles and occasionally provide completely false information. 

After playing in the "Star Wars" sandbox, it's thrilling to think of what Gareth Edwards can do when working with something entirely original. You can see for yourself when "The Creator" comes out in theaters on September 29.