Kathleen Kennedy’s departure from Lucasfilm leaves hanging a bunch of high-profile Star Wars projects. Hell, some of them have been in limbo for years. Fortunately, Kennedy is offering updates on most of them to Deadline on her way out the door. What’s interesting to me isn’t the films she’s willing to talk about; it’s the ones she doesn’t mention at all.
James Mangold’s film with Andor screenwriter Beau Willimon is probably the one with the most buzz around it. Kennedy says that while the script is “incredible” that is “breaking the mold”, she also says the film is “on hold” and “on the back burner.”
Also not going anywhere, but seemingly in a more permanent fashion, is Steven Soderbergh’s movie with Adam Driver centered on Kylo Ren aka Ben Solo. Scott Z. Burns turned in a script that she says is “great”, but it sounds as if that film will only move forward if someone is “willing to take a risk.” Doubtful that’s going anywhere.
Kennedy also mentioned the films by Taika Waititi and Donald Glover, the latter centered on his younger version of Lando Calrissian. She called both projects “somewhat alive”, each with completed scripts, which is further along than I think we knew.
The film from X-Men producer/director Simon Kinberg is still progressing. A completed script was turned in last August, but since then the entire thing has been “upended”. A new 70-page treatment was recently turned in, with a new script expected in March. It sounds like this one is moving forward but it could be some time before we learn anything more.
Kennedy also mentioned talking with David Fincher and Alex Garland, but nothing concrete has emerged from those conversations. Both appear interested in entering the Star Wars universe, but no deals are in place.
Not mentioned by Kennedy? Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron film, which suggests it might be dead after all. Nor did she talk about the Rey Skywalker movie with Daisy Ridley and director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Is that one dead, too? It would be a shame if both of these projects are canceled.
Overall, Kennedy leaves Lucasfilm as a studio in flux. We’ll have to wait and see if Filoni can help set things straight.
