Taika Waititi's Star Wars Is Still Happening, And He Has A Specific Goal In Mind
Taika Waititi might not be down for the count, but he's definitely been in a slump lately. Since taking home an Oscar for his efforts on his polarizing WWII dramedy "Jojo Rabbit" (a film I'm willing to go to bat for), the multi-hyphenate got a middling, bordering on hostile response to his return to the "Thor" movies with "Thor: Love and Thunder" (a film I'm ... less willing to go to bat for) and an even harsher reaction to his true story sports comedy "Next Goal Wins" (a film I haven't seen yet, like most people. Zing!). Recently, Waititi admitted to The Hollywood Reporter he's been feeling "a bit fatigued by working on those big films, studio films," which is why he plans to cleanse his palate by working on something smaller next.
However, when he finally does return to the big-budget arena, he might just take a crack at one of the biggest franchises out there — "Star Wars." Waititi has actually played in this sandbox before, back when he directed the season 1 finale of "The Mandalorian" and either delighted or horrified viewers by having a pair of Scout Troopers pummel Grogu silly (depending on how much you either love or don't love the artist formerly known as Baby Yoda). Of course, in typical Waititi fashion, the episode countered this darkly humorous scene with moments of joy and sincerity, including the bounty hunter droid IG-11 (also Waititi) taking Grogu for a spin on one of the troopers' speeder bikes and, ultimately, selflessly sacrificing himself to save the day.
Assuming Waititi's "Star Wars" film eventually happens (and that's a big if), might we expect a similar tonal balancing act? Interestingly, it seems he might be angling for something even more traditionally "Star Wars," harkening back to the original trilogy.
A little joy and entertainment, as a treat
For the time being, Waititi's "Star Wars" film (which he was originally announced to be co-writing with "1917" scribe Krysty Wilson-Cairns, in addition to directing) exists in the same nebulous state as other "Star Wars" films that may or may not ever become a reality. It's a sizable list, as you're probably aware. That being said, during a recent appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," Waititi assured that he's in no rush to make his Star War:
"Yeah, I've been developing that for a few years with them, but I think, you know, with any film but that one in particular, it's something I'd really like to get right, so I don't want to rush it. So, just going to let it bubble along on the side, it's exciting."
Admitting that he, like Clarkson, was a big "Star Wars" fan growing up, Waititi added:
"I want to capture that, you know, that joy and the entertainment of those early ones. Like 'Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi' and all those ones, so I'm trying to figure that out and it'll happen."
Watching "Love and Thunder," you get the sense that Waititi rushed the film without a clear idea of how to tell that particular story and simply rehashed what he'd done before, only sloppier. One suspects that was also the case with "Next Goal Wins," a '90s sports comedy throwback that /Film's Ben Pearson felt "totally whiffs when it comes to capturing an essential part of what makes those types of films work." As such, it's encouraging to hear Waititi's taking his time with his "Star Wars" film and really trying to nail down what it is about the movie (and "Star Wars" in general) that speaks to him first.