Star Wars Pausing All Films In Development?
The latest reports have it that head of Star Wars Kathleen Kennedy is wanting to pause production on all Star Wars films for the time being.
Since 1977, Star Wars has been in the zeitgeist for many fans of modern science fiction movies, especially those that appreciate what a franchise can bring. George Lucas famously continued his legacy by introducing a new generation to the film series with 1999’s Episode I – The Phantom Menace and then Episode II – Attack of the Clones. The franchise again had new life breathed into it when J.J. Abrams took over on The Force Awakens starring Oscar Isaac and an ensemble cast of original actors mixed with new faces. Disney+ has had success with television series like The Mandalorian and its spin-off The Book of Boba Fett, both commanding an audience of millions who tune in every week to witness the adventures of lesser Star Wars characters. However, it appears that Kathleen Kennedy, the newest Lucasfilm President in charge of everything Star Wars-related, has confirmed she isn’t interested in forging ahead with any new projects to add to the franchise.
According to a report by CBR.com, Kathleen Kennedy is currently not developing any new Star Wars movies, with the Lucasfilm President more focused on continuing the existing television series currently in production. There had been rumors for years about upcoming movies that would be a part of the Star Wars universe, including one from Marvel Cinematic Universe alum Taika Waititi and a film called Rogue Squadron from director Patty Jenkins. Waititi is heavily invested in The Mandalorian, which will see its season three premiere in February 2023. The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson had also been rumored to have a new Star Wars trilogy on the way, but it seems that has been put on hold for now.
The last Star Wars film to hit theaters was the mediocre 2019 vehicle, The Rise of Skywalker, which ended up grossing over $1 billion at the box office against a budget of $275 million. Many of the movies in the franchise have been highly successful worldwide, even if they received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. The television shows that have debuted on Disney+ as part of the franchise have been welcomed with more appreciation from Star Wars’ loyal fanbase, particularly Jon Favreau’s work on The Mandalorian. Kathleen Kennedy may be attempting to retool some of the ideas for future Star Wars movies, intending to leave space between the last film in 2019 to possibly 2024 and beyond.
The most prolonged period without a Star Wars movie in theaters was between 1983 and 1999 when Episode VI – Return of the Jedi and Episode I – The Phantom Menace debuted. It is not unheard of that audiences expect some delay in watching their favorite film series come out with new stories, mainly because some original actors, like Carrie Fisher, have since passed away. With D23, Disney’s annual fan club event, starting today, fans should be prepared to not have any big news come out of Lucasfilm, particularly from Kathleen Kennedy when it comes to more Star Wars movies in development.
