UPDATE: 2023/03/21 18:11 EST BY THOMAS BACON
Reports now suggest Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson have both left their Star Wars project.
UPDATE: The late reports suggest Justin Britt-Gibson and Damon Lindelof have left their Star Wars movie. A new writer has reportedly already been chosen, and will be announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
Damon Lindelof has finally spoken about the prospect of his own Star Wars movie, but unfortunately he doesn't sound optimistic. Since 2019 and the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the franchise's cinematic presence has been nonexistent. In the years since the culmination of the Skywalker Saga, Lucasfilm has pivoted the franchise's future towards TV efforts, such as The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Andor to name but a few.
There have been recent reports Lucasfilm intend to "ramp up" their Star Wars movies, providing a spark of hope. Damon Lindelof's name has been connected to an upcoming Star Wars movie for quite some time, and he's finally spoken about it in an interview with Slash Film.
"I will just say, that for reasons that I can't get into on this Sunday morning, on this day, the degree of difficulty is extremely, extremely, extremely high. If it can't be great, it shouldn't exist. That's all I'll say, because I have the same association with it as you do, which is, it's the first movie I saw sitting in my dad's lap, four years old, May of '77. I think it's possible that sometimes when you hold something in such high reverence and esteem, you start to get in the kitchen and you just go, 'Maybe I shouldn't be cooking. Maybe I should just be eating.' We'll just leave it at that point."
The comments are certainly interesting, suggesting Lindelof is feeling the strain and immense pressure of crafting a Star Wars film - so much so he seems to be second-guessing whether he should even be making one. No doubt the pressure is even more intense given the recent cancelation of Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron and Kevin Feige's Star Wars project. Jeff Sneider has since reported that Lindelof is stepping away from the project entirely, suggesting that the writer has had more than just reservations about moving forward with the project.
What Will Be The Next Theatrical Star Wars Movie?
Lindelof's comments will naturally spark speculation about what will be the next Star Wars theatrical release. Though his reported departure from the project puts it in poor position, it's currentl on track to move forward - for now. Hopes were squarely pinned on Rogue Squadron, but Lucasfilm recently pivoted, canceling several Star Wars movies and leading attention to move to Lindelof's project. Given Lindelof's uncertainty about the need for the film, though, viewers may have to look elsewhere - most likely to Taika Waititi's upcoming project.
Little is known about Waitit's plans. Back in 2020, Lucasfilm announced Waititi would be helming a Star Wars movie after his work on The Mandalorian season 1. In July 2022, there were reports Lucasfilm was considered an early-2023 production start. Some months later, there were strong rumors Waititi would himself be starring in the movie, as well as receiving credits as co-writer and director (this may even potentially explain the return of IG-11, Waititi's droid character in The Mandalorian).
It's reasonable to assume Lucasfilm's plans will be divulged at Star Wars Celebration 2023. While Lindelof's movie may well still happen, his lack of enthusiasm is striking, and perhaps means these announcements will cover Waititi's project instead. Hopefully it won't be long until the future of Star Wars is clarified.
Source: Slashfilm