Another Star Wars Movie Canceled?
Following Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012, the studio released a new live-action Star Wars film annually from 2015 to 2019 and promised numerous other movies were on the way. However, several of these projects have faced delays or cancellations. While Taika Waititi’s upcoming Star Wars movie hasn’t officially been canceled, recent comments made by the director have left fans concerned that the film may never see the light of day.
Taika Waititi, director of the last two Thor films, has been working on a Star Wars movie for years, joking recently that he hasn’t finished the script.
Taika Waititi is promoting his new movie Next Goal Wins at the Toronto International Film Festival. In his speech during the TIFF Tribute Awards honoring Shawn Levy, Waititi humorously suggested that “once he’s had his way with [the Deadpool] franchise, he’ll move on to another, and another…and then eventually, probably Star Wars.” He added that, in contrast to himself, Levy might finish the screenplay.
Although made in jest, Taika Waititi’s comments seemingly validate concerns about the sluggish development of his Star Wars film. Since the project’s initial announcement, updates have been notably scarce. The last substantial update was in May when Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy confirmed Waiti was hard at work on the movie but acknowledged the project’s slow progress.
Taika Waititi is an Oscar-winning writer and director known for his work on films like Thor: Ragnarok, Thor: Love & Thunder, and Jojo Rabbit. When it was announced in early 2020 that he would co-write and direct a new Star Wars film, he mentioned that the project would introduce new characters and storylines. However, Waititi didn’t divulge any specific details regarding the timeline and location of his movie.
Although made in jest, Taika Waititi’s comments seemingly validate concerns about the sluggish development of his Star Wars film.
Earlier this year, a Deadline report suggested that Taika Waititi planned to commence filming his upcoming Star Wars movie in 2024, but this timeline is likely no longer viable, given the impact of the WGA strike, which has disrupted Hollywood’s development schedules, including Lucasfilm’s. The delay caused by the strike has indefinitely postponed the principal photography for the fourth season of The Mandalorian, originally slated to begin in October.
Additionally, Steven Knight had to halt writing for the New Jedi Order film shortly before submitting his first draft, making the original April 2024 filming start date for the Daisy Ridley-led project appear highly improbable now.
The fact that Taika Waititi is still actively developing his hotly anticipated Star Wars movie should bring relief to fans, but it’s expected to be a while before it’s ready for the big screen. Waititi is currently juggling multiple projects and has not completed the screenplay for the film. The progress may accelerate once the studios resolve their issues with the Writers Guild of America, enabling Waititi to focus on completing the script.
For the time being, Star Wars fans can delve into the live-action series Ahsoka, which is currently streaming on Disney+.
The fact that Taika Waititi is still actively developing his hotly anticipated Star Wars movie should bring relief to fans, but it’s expected to be a while before it’s ready for the big screen.
This series, starring Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is a spin-off of the immensely popular series The Mandalorian, and it unfolds within the same chronological framework as that show, as well as its various interconnected spin-offs, all set after the pivotal events of Return of the Jedi.
Furthermore, Ahsoka serves as a natural continuation of the beloved animated series Star Wars: Rebels.
