The Skywalker saga may be ending with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker but Disney and Lucasfilm are looking to the future as they look for other creative minds to continue new Star Wars adventures. According to reports, they already have someone in their sights and that is Jojo Rabbit writer/director, Taikia Waititi. It has been announced that he’s in talks to develop a new Star Wars film.
There isn’t much more to this story because the talks are VERY early so details are scarce. According to “Variety,” there is no information about how far the negotiations have gone or what exactly his role will be (whether it’s directing, writing or both). The very idea that such a unique choice is being considered should excite fans who are looking for something that may take the brand in a new creative direction. Waititi is fresh off six Oscar nominations for Jojo Rabbit, including Best Picture and he helped reinvigorate the Thor franchise with the well-received Thor: Ragnarok. He’s also no stranger to the Star Wars universe, having directed the season finale of The Mandalorian and he also played the droid IG-11.
If Waititi were to accept the challenge of taking on a Star Wars film, there is also the question of timing. The filmmaker has emerged as one of the most sought-after in the business with his ability to shift tones, scope, and budgets with ease. He is in post-production on his small-budget dramedy, Next Goal Wins, for Fox Searchlight but no release date has been set. After that, he will head into Thor: Love And Thunder, the follow-up to Thor: Ragnarok. The film is slated for release on November 5, 2021. He also remains involved with Akira, Warner Bros.’ adaptation of the classic anime, but that was postponed in favor of him tackling Thor first.
