Kevin Feige's And Rian Johnson's Star Wars Movies Are Probably Not Happening Any Time Soon
The "Star Wars" sequel trilogy has come and gone, "The Mandalorian" spearheaded the franchise's shift towards streaming, and now the future of stories set in that galaxy far, far away somehow seems both bright and oddly murky at the same time. As much as Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have taken charge of the direction laid down by interconnected Disney+ shows like the recent "The Book of Boba Fett" or "Obi-Wan Kenobi" later this month, what about a couple of big screen adventures that we've presumed were in the works for quite some time now?
In an extensive profile over at Vanity Fair, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has provided a much-needed update on all things "Star Wars." For our purposes here, one of the chief concerns has to do with the status of both "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson's officially announced trilogy of new films in the offing (though we've received little in the way of updates since) and also Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige's somewhat less official project that everyone has been careful to avoid talking about in detail to this point. Well, Lucasfilm is finally breaking their silence on both of these productions and all indications are that fans will be in for a bit of a wait.
In response to the Feige "Star Wars" movie that writer Michael Waldron recently teased, the ever-cagey Kennedy diplomatically answered:
"I would love to see what movie he might come up with. But right now, no, there isn't anything specifically."
No one's ever really gone?
As for that entire trilogy of movies meant to be created by Rian Johnson, an ambitious production that has been repeatedly acknowledged throughout many different occasions on the record? Well, Kathleen Kennedy is at least able to offer up some more specifics there ... though her response is equally as disappointing. Described by Vanity Fair's Anthony Breznican as "back-burnered," Kennedy offered up a very practical reason as to why:
"Rian has been unbelievably busy with 'Knives Out' and the deal that he made at Netflix for multiple movies."
Now, it's important to understand that the word "canceled" is nowhere to be seen. That said, Kennedy goes on to explain that, "I hesitate to use the word trilogies anymore because 'Star Wars' is much more about persistent storytelling." This likely translates to a continued emphasis on Disney+ streaming shows and perhaps a more Marvel-like approach to the big screen, for better or worse.
Look, many of us here at /Film are enormous fans of Johnson's bold and refreshingly daring "The Last Jedi," but at this point it's probably safe to say that "Star Wars" needs Rian Johnson more than he needs "Star Wars." Contrary to the kvetching of certain online fans, Netflix doesn't tend to bankroll upwards of $400 million on filmmakers who won't deliver the goods. Personally, I'd much rather see Johnson deliver more blisteringly fun "Knives Out" sequels and other original ideas than waste years on more "Star Wars" projects that many will choose to be in an uproar about no matter what.
For now, it seems clear that a Feige-produced movie and a Rian Johnson-created trilogy won't be happening anytime soon.