As all eyes are onStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkeras the concluding chapter in the entire Skywalker Saga, many are asking, “What’s next?” Disney has announced release dates for untitledStar Warsmovies arriving in the future, and we know thatRian Johnsonis developing a trilogy of new films, but beyond that next to nothing has been confirmed.Game of ThronesshowrunnersDavid BenioffandD.B. Weisswere developing their own series ofStar Warsmovies, butthey left over creative differencesthis fall and the status of their projects is TBD.
However, the future may be starting to take shape as Lucasfilm surveys the road ahead.THRreports that they have a director lined up to helm their 2022 movie (which is not the one helmed byRian Johnson), but won’t be announcing who it is until next year. It’s reasonable to assume they’re a bit gun-shy, as only two out of five of the newStar Warsmovies have had their directors remain onboard through the entire process:J.J. AbramsonThe Force Awakensand Rian Johnson onThe Last Jedi. ForRogue One,Tony Gilroyfamously took over the film during reshoots; onSolo,Phil LordandChris Millerwere fired in the middle of production and replaced withRon Howard; and forRise of Skywalker,Colin Trevorrowexited the project over creative differences before filming began, paving the way for Abrams to return.
Some have pointed the finger at Lucasfilm headKathleen Kennedyhere, and while some criticism is warranted, I’d also point out that she’s in uncharted territory. Previously, theStar Warsfranchise was guided byGeorge Lucasand his vision. With Lucas out, it’s up to Kennedy and her Lucasfilm team to decide whatStar Warsis going forward. That’s easier said than done.
While THR doesn’t go so far as to say Kennedy will be ousted, they do note that her contract with Lucasfilm ends in 2021. If she bows out at that time, she’ll have completed what she was hired to do: make a new trilogy ofStar Warsmovies. And I’d say on the whole, she was successful.The Force Awakensjump-started the franchise with a new creative vision on the big screen for the very first time, and got fans excited about these new characters.The Last Jediwas a critical darling and a box office hit, despite rubbing some hardcore fans the wrong way with its challenging storytelling. AndRogue Onegrossed over $1 billion despite its production problems. Indeed,Solois the only outright bomb in the bunch, and I’d say a serious reason for its failure was its release date set six months after the release ofLast Jedi—something Kennedy fought against and lost, as Disney CEOBob Igerwas the one who wantedSoloreleased so dang early.
But the issues with directors is hard to ignore, and as Kennedy and Lucasfilm try to forge a path forward, THR says it is producer and Lucasfilm senior vp live-action development and productionMichelle Rejwan,Jon Favreau, andDave Filoniwho will have “a lot of say over the future ofStar Wars.” Favreau famouslyreallywanted theForce Awakensdirecting job, and he wrote the Disney+ seriesThe Mandalorianon spec before receiving a greenlight from Lucasfilm. Filoni, meanwhile, was a student of George Lucas’ and created and guidedThe Clone Warsanimated series before making his live-action debut onThe Mandalorian.
THR also takes a moment to squash rumors of aKevin Feigetakeover, noting that the Marvel Studios president has his hands full with the MCU having just been promoted to Marvel chief creative officer.
Star Warsis at a crossroads afterRise of Skywalker, and it’ll be interesting to see what kind of path it takes—and if Kennedy remains at the helm. Some of the movies have been good, some have been bad, and while I’d say the franchise was rushed a bit (what madeStar Warsspecial in the past was that therewasn’ta new film every year), it wasn’t like Disney was just going to sit back and let this franchise slowly take shape. At the end of the day, they’re a company, andStar Warsis just another commodity to exploit.
We’ll see what happens next, but I think we’ll learn a lot from who Kennedy and Lucasfilm have selected to helm the 2022 movie. Any guesses?
