Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy once again confirmed that the previously announced Star Wars film that is being developed by Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi is still in the works.
Speaking with ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan at Star Wars Celebration in Japan, Kennedy rebuffed the idea that the film has had a few false starts.
She said, “It’s not even false starts. I mean Taika is so-. He’s Taika. Taika is on Taika time. All I can tell you is there is no one like him. And what he’s done up to this point is so unique, and so great, and really funny.”
“And I’ve just continually said to him, ‘Look, when you feel that you’re ready and you can really devote the time, we’re going to do it,’” she shared. “The great thing is we’ve brought a wonderful writer in, Tony McNamara, who’s done incredible work. He did Poor Things and he did The Great. Wonderful sense of humor. Works really well with Taika.”
She concluded, “And so, we’ll see. You know, in the development process you never quite know. You’re working on a story and developing a script, and you may have all the right intentions and you don’t get there. But I think with Taika he has such a unique way in which he tells a story that I’m just hoping we get there because that will be a great Star Wars story.”
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Waititi’s Star Wars was announced back on May 4, 2020 on the official Star Wars website. Lucasfilm stated, “Academy Award® winner Taika Waititi, who recently won Best Adapted Screenplay for Jojo Rabbit and directed the widely-acclaimed first season finale episode of The Mandalorian on Disney+, will direct and co-write a new Star Wars feature film for theatrical release.”
The site added, “Joining Waititi on the screenplay will be Academy Award® nominee Krysty Wilson-Cairns (1917, Last Night in Soho), who received a BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film of the Year on the three-time Oscar-winning film, 1917.”
Obviously, Wilson-Cairns is no longer on the project with McNamara now being the main writer.
There were nearly no updates on the film for about two years after it was announced. Waititi would share an update with The New York Times in 2022. He said, “I’m trying to write the ‘Star Wars’ idea at the moment. I’ve got to see how that goes, because once I submit it, that might determine when it gets made or if it gets made, even.”
Waititi added, “I am cool as well to take six months off and just go hang out with my kids.”
In May 2023, he provided another update to The Hollywood Reporter, “I’ve got a really good idea for it. It’s just as with all films, it’s this middle part. You’re like, ‘What’s going to happen?’ And then you look at all of those films that are so great, you’re like, ‘Well, I guess they can’t meet some smuggler with an alien sidekick.’”
But similar to his comments to The New York Times, he added, “For the most part, I would like to take a few holidays and go and follow Rita around. Just be her little tour toy boy and hang out with her and just watch her perform and get her a cup of tea backstage.”
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By September 2023, he shared he was unable to finish the script. While presenting an award to Shawn Levy at the TIFF Tribute Awards he said, “After [Levy] has had his way with that franchise like a cruel, indiscriminate virus he’ll move onto another, and another, and another, and then eventually probably Star Wars.”
Waititi then admitted, “Unlike me I hope he manages to finish a script for that.”
Kennedy had previously shared an update on the film at the end of February while addressing rumors she would exit Lucasfilm. She confirmed that a script had not been finished, but he had written a first act and he was working with a new writer, which we now know is McNamara.
She told Deadline, “Well, I keep waiting for Taika [Waititi], and he is working with another writer now. He’s so busy. I love him. I think if we ever do get a script from Taika, it’s going to be fantastic. I already saw a first act that I loved, but tying him down, it’s tricky.”
Do you think this Taika Waititi Star Wars film will ever get made?
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Don't know don't care. The egocentrics will burn it all. Best not to give them the oxygen or exposure they crave. Ignore the spiteful children. There is still an original film from the 70's that was and is called Starwars.
She seems to feel that the best thing about him is his sense of humour. Not sure the best direction for Star Wars is to just become some kind of Buffy the Vampire Slayer comedy.
A shame she's so selfish, arrogant and narcissistic that her pride won't let her retire or admit defeat. I've read she's determined to stay until she has a 'hit'. So I guess she's not going anywhere until she's literally too old to function properly or she's fired.