I think it’s worth noting how much a lot of the more pessimistic comments in threads like these tend to overestimate the PT’s footprint among mainstream audiences. Everyone I know who doesn’t identify as a major Star Wars fan gives them no thought whatsoever. A lot of people who weren’t the right age when they were coming out haven’t even seen them, and a large percentage of the folks who did see them as they were released haven’t seen them since.
This 100%. People don’t react to them with animosity, but a lot of people simply do not care about them. A lot of people haven’t even seen them. Now that they’re old news and the ST really has nothing to do with them, there’s no reason for anyone to go back and watch them anyway.