Summary
Taika Waititi intends to recapture the lost magic in his upcomingStar Warsfilm and has revealed that he’s found creative inspiration inThe Empire Strikes Back.
First announced in 2020, Waititi’sStar Warsis one of several franchise additions currently in development at Lucasfilm, including James Mangold’s Jedi origin movie and a Lando movie starring Donald Glover.Not much has been officially revealed about Waititi’s untitled movie, but theThor: Ragnarokdirector has dropped a few hints along the way. Waititi has previously stated that he hopes to make the film feel new and exciting andexpand on theStar Warsuniversein a way that surprises fans, potentially with brand-new characters and locations.
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However, Waititi recently revealed that he’s been thinking about the old and the new. In an appearance onThe Kelly Clarkson Show, theJojo Rabbitfilmmaker talked about his upcomingStar Warsflick. “I want to capture that joy and entertainment of those early ones, likeThe Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jedi, so I’m trying to figure that out. It’ll happen,” he said. Waititi also stated that he’s not rushing the process to ensure he gets it right. This reiterates his previous statements about the long road to a finishedStar Warsfilm, initially slated for an earlier release. According to the director, he’s lettingStar Wars"bubble along the side" while he tackles other big projects, including aTower of Terrorfilm with Scarlett Johansson.
Waititi’s desire to make a film with the same impact asThe Empire Strikes Backseemingly aligns with his goal of giving audiences something fresh. The original trilogy captured the imagination of crowded theaters, not by regurgitating past blockbuster hits but by creating something new. However, replicating this enthusiasm may be a tall order for the Oscar-winning director, as recentStar Warssequels have faced some of the same general fatigue as Marvel and DC movies, partly due to Disney’s strategy of flooding the market with content. In addition, Waititi previously admitted tostruggling with the second act of theStar Warsscript, explaining that turning his “good idea” into a fully fleshed-out film has proven difficult.
TheStar Warscanon is vast and deep, and fans of the franchise hold strong opinions about each of the previous films. Crafting a newStar Warsmovie that is both surprising to audiences and faithful to the lore is a tall order for any filmmaker, which may explain Lucasfilm’s break fromStar Warsfilm releases. Although some fans have grown impatient with Waititi over the pace of new project updates, it may be the director’s slow approach, along with his unique voice and apotential role for Barry Keoghan, that could turn this currently untitledStar Warsmovie into a new fan-favorite.
The entireStar Warssaga is streaming now on Disney Plus.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space, including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other mediums like comics, video games, TV shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
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