ParanoidObsessive posted... When you pay $4 billion for something, you want to milk it for all that it's worth.
Especially when you're running it into the ground so hard you're fully aware that you're not going to be able to milk it indefinitely.
Also, don't get confused and assume the viewing numbers are as strong as you think they are. Disney tends to massage those for PR purposes (ie, announce initial viewing figures for the first episode, then don't release further figures - while outside sources are pointing out more than 50% viewer drop-off over the course of the series; or saying that something is the highest-rated show on your service without releasing numbers for the other shows, so there's zero context).
It's been pretty well documented that viewers as a whole are kind of growing disinterested with both franchises. Each successive series and film seems to do worse than the last, and engagement as a whole (via things like merch sales) is plummeting.
Disney is in trouble, and it's fully aware of that fact. The real question is whether or not they can pull out of the dive in time (like they managed in the 80s), or if we see some form of buy-out or takeover as the endgame of all this.
Nah, this is going to turn out worse for them than when they produced The Black Hole to compete with Star Wars. Decent, slow burn movie, but the ticket sales were low and merchandise became glorified landfill. Ironic; now it's their handling of Star Wars that will fall lower.