New Star Wars Screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns Loves The Series Because It 'Can Adapt With The Times' [Exclusive]
Before 2020 turned into an absolute nightmare for everyone, screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns (seen below) was living the dream. The scribe's "1917" screenplay, her feature writing debut, earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, and now she's slated to jump into a galaxy far, far away by writing the upcoming "Star Wars" movie that will be directed by Taika Waititi. While the writer is making the publicity rounds for co-writing Edgar Wright's neon-soaked thriller "Last Night in Soho," we asked what she enjoys about "Star Wars" and what she looks for in a movie from the sci-fi saga.
"I'll watch Star Wars all day"
Much like Marvel Studios, the eyes of Lucasfilm are everywhere, and there are snipers ready to take out anyone who gives away any "Star Wars" secrets. We knew Krysty Wilson-Cairns wouldn't be able to tell us anything specific about what's she's writing for Taika Waititi. Even just broaching the topic made her nervous. Wilson-Cairns said:
"It's dangerous you're asking these questions. You know if I answer incorrectly, Mickey Mouse will burst into this room and beat me up? And I was in therapy for years about that fear, so it's clear and present."
Wait, what does she know about Mickey Mouse? Maybe we should have asked that question. Instead, we wanted to know what Wilson-Cairns personally takes away from "Star Wars" that makes her enjoy the franchise so much and what she hopes to see in new "Star Wars" movies. The writer said:
"What I love about Star Wars is that they're incredibly transformative. There's a little bit nostalgia in them, but they can change and adapt with the times. So I think, yeah, I'll watch Star Wars all day [and that] is what I love about them."
Considering the fact that the original "Star Wars" was inspired by the old "Flash Gordon" serials from the 1930s, as well as Akira Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress," there's always been a certain amount of nostalgia built into the franchise. Nowadays, the nostalgia leans a little more towards "Star Wars" itself and the original trilogy that began in 1977, but each filmmaker also brings their own love of other sci-fi, western, and action films from their formative years and blends it with the galaxy far, far away.
On top of that, "Star Wars" has shown that it can adapt to fit the current social climate as well. The new "Star Wars" trilogy certainly brought the saga into the 21st century, taking cues from contemporary social and cultural touchstones and evolving the foundation of what came before. Though some of those creative decisions pissed off some fans who want to keep "Star Wars" firmly stuck in the past, they put the saga firmly in the hands of a new generation.
The fact that the new filmmakers working on "Star Wars" projects only seem to be able to reiterate how much they love "Star Wars" shows just how much of a hold Lucasfilm has on them. When we asked "Loki" head writer Michael Waldron about the "Star Wars" movie he's working on for producer Kevin Feige, all he could say was: "I love Star Wars. There's not much I can say about that project other than I love Star Wars and I'll try to bring everything I love about Star Wars into it." Hopefully, we'll all keep loving "Star Wars" whenever these new movies come around. And right now, they seem to be in good hands.