Lucasfilm hasn’t wasted much time in lining up anotherStar warsmovie following theexit of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss from the Star Wars franchise. The duo behindGame of Throneshad previously been tapped to develop a new trilogy of movies set within a galaxy far, far away that would have centered on new characters, totally separate from the Skywalker saga. Those plans have been shelved, but in favor of what? Word on the street is, we’re going to find out in January.
A new report recently came out discussing thefuture of the Star Wars franchisebeyond this December’sThe Rise of Skywalker. Much of it focused on Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and whether or not she will be a part of that future, beyond her current contract, which extends to 2021. Buried in the report was the news that Kennedy has a movie on deck for 2022 and that an announcement is supposedly planned for January 2020. Beyond that, no further details were revealed, so it’s unclear who might be tapped for the director’s chair, or what the story may revolve around.
The report does make it clear that this won’t be the first entry inThe Last JedidirectorRian Johnson’s planned Star Wars trilogy. Johnson was tapped to helm a new trilogy, also set apart from the Skywalker saga, before the release of Episode IX in 2017. Given the divisive response to his entry in the current trilogy, there has been some question as to whether or not theKnives Outfilmmaker will indeed stick with Lucasfilm and make his movies. With that, the door is wide open for someone else to come into the fold.
With that said, several high-profile filmmakers have leftStar Warsprojects during Kathleen Kennedy’s tenure, such as Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Solo), Josh Trank (the Boba Fett movie) and Colin Trevorrow (Star Wars Episode IX). Some in the industry have questioned if the troubles behind the scenes might give A-list directors pause when considering stepping into the Lucasfilm fold. Even if that’s true, there are still plenty of creative people out there who would surely love to take a stab at breaking new ground in this universe.
It’s also important to note that plans can change. We know Marvel headKevin Feige is developing a Star Wars movieas well, but he’s quite busy and, unless something changes, his won’t be ready in time to hit the December 2022 date Disney and Lucasfilm already have locked down. Also, if Lucasfilm isn’t feeling totally confident, there is no reason to rush an announcement in January if they’re not ready. Plus, they’ve got Star Wars Celebration taking place in August 2020, which feels like it could be the perfect time and place to announce the future of the series beyond the Skywalkers.Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkeris set to hit theaters on December 20. This news comes to us viaThe Hollywood Reporter.
