Taika Waititi is behind some of the decade’s biggest films, and he hopes his next Star Wars movie will be received the same way. Following the release of 2019s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the feature-film output by Lucasfilm has been dry. Instead, the franchise has turned to TV and Disney+, releasing shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. On the animated side of television, Star Wars saw the seventh season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars arrive at Disney+, alongside the anthology series Star Wars: Visions. However, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy assures fans that more titles are making their way to the big screen in the future, with the first one being Taika Waititi’s project.
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The director recently spoke with Screen Rant, providing updates on his upcoming Star Wars movie and how it may differ from previous entries in the franchise. As he explained:
It seems the director will be handling the property with care, taking his time writing the story to ensure it fits within the already established universe.
“That’s yet to be seen. I don’t know. I’m still writing. I’m still coming up with the ideas and storylining it and just wanted to make sure that it feels like a Star Wars film. Because, I could say, ‘Oh yeah, we’ll write any old thing and set in space and then put Star Wars on the front.’ But it wouldn’t be a Star Wars film without certain elements and a certain treatment, so I’ve just got to make sure that it stays within that wheelhouse.”
Taika Waititi is No Stranger to Major Franchises
Fitting into the narrative of the Star Wars universe shouldn’t be a problem for Waititi. In 2017, he helmed the film Thor: Ragnarok, received well by critics and audiences alike. It was the third entry into the Thor trilogy and the 17th movie to be released within the MCU canon. Despite his late entry into Marvel, Waititi handled the character excellently, and Ragnarok is widely considered the best Thor film to date. He will continue his journey with the God of Thunder later this year, with Thor: Love and Thunder landing in theaters on July 8th.
Waititi already has some experience directing in the Star Wars universe as well, although in a smaller capacity. He guided the finale of The Mandalorian Season 1 in 2019, arguably the best episode of the debut season for the series. Waititi has been on a roll the past few years, with nearly everything he touches becoming a success. The director/actor hopes to continue this run with his solo Star Wars film. The release date is still unknown; however, following the delay of Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron, which was set to release in Dec. 2023, Kathleen Kennedy may be hoping that Waititi’s film can take its spot.
