The memo landed like a thermal detonator. After decades steering the galaxy’s biggest IP, Kathleen Kennedy is reportedly stepping away from Lucasfilm. The news ricocheted through the fanbase, leaving many wondering what the future holds—and what projects might actually see the light of day.
In what’s being called an “exit interview,” Kennedy spoke with Deadline about several Star Wars movies that are currently orbiting the production pipeline, some closer to hyperdrive than others.
“Jim Mangold and Beau Willimon wrote an incredible script, but it is definitely breaking the mold, and it’s on hold,” Kennedy told Deadline. “Taika [Waititi] has turned in a script that I think is hilarious and great. It’s not just my decision, especially when I’ve got a foot out the door. Donald Glover has turned in a script. And as you have read, Steve Soderbergh and Adam Driver turned in a script written by Scott Burns. It was just great. Anything’s a possibility if somebody’s willing to take a risk.”
The Mangold-Willimon script is the Dawn of the Jedi idea that was first announced at Star Wars Celebration in 2023. The Taika Waititi movie is one Lucasfilm announced way back in 2020, and Glover’s script is about Lando and was first discussed in late 2023. As for the Soderbergh and Driver thing, well, we know.
Oddly, two films that Kennedy doesn’t mention are the Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Rey movie and the Dave Filoni Heir to the Empire movie, both of which were announced along with Mangold’s film in 2023. That’s very, very discouraging.
More encouraging is what she has to say about Simon Kinberg’s new trilogy which, though being reworked, is still moving ahead. “[Kinberg] is working right now,” Kennedy said. “He wrote something that we read in August, and it was very good, but not there. We’ve pretty much upended the story, and then spent a great deal of time on the treatment, which he finished literally about four weeks ago. And it’s a very detailed treatment, like 70 pages. And so he is expected to give us something in March.”
So with The Mandalorian and Grogu coming out this year, and Star Wars: Starfighter (which Kennedy says was meant to be a standalone but could, potentially, be sequalized) out next year, what movie is coming next? It won’t be Kennedy’s call anymore, but there are additional thoughts. “Mangold’s is really on the back burner as is Soderbergh’s,” she said. “I think the ones by Taika and Donald are still somewhat alive. That’s going to really be up to the new team to figure out. I know that [new Lucasfilm heads] Dave [Filoni] and Lynwen [Brennan] are very much on board with what Simon’s doing, and that would be a new trilogy. In the timeline of things, that takes you well into 2030 plus. So that’s really what’s up next.”
It seems like it’s good news for fans of Taika Waititi and Donald Glover, but bad news for fans of James Mangold and Rey Skywalker. What do you make of the quotes?
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The rumor spread faster than lightspeed: Kathleen Kennedy, the architect of modern Star Wars, was leaving Lucasfilm. Suddenly, the future of the franchise felt less like a sure thing and more like a gamble in a Mos Eisley cantina. What would happen to all those announced—and unannounced—projects?
In a recent interview with Deadline, Kennedy addressed her departure and offered a glimpse into the status of several Star Wars films, some of which may never see the light of day. It’s a bit like sifting through the wreckage of the Death Star, hoping to find a working hyperdrive.
“Jim Mangold and Beau Willimon wrote an incredible script, but it is definitely breaking the mold, and it’s on hold,” Kennedy told Deadline. “Taika [Waititi] has turned in a script that I think is hilarious and great. It’s not just my decision, especially when I’ve got a foot out the door. Donald Glover has turned in a script. And as you have read, Steve Soderbergh and Adam Driver turned in a script written by Scott Burns. It was just great. Anything’s a possibility if somebody’s willing to take a risk.”
To recap: Mangold-Willimon’s project is Dawn of the Jedi, unveiled at Star Wars Celebration 2023. The Taika Waititi film has been gestating since 2020. Glover’s Lando script surfaced in late 2023. And the Soderbergh/Driver collaboration? Well, that’s the one shrouded in the most mystery.
Creative Roulette: Which Star Wars Projects Are Still Alive?
Think about your own desk. Stacks of papers, half-finished projects, ideas scribbled on sticky notes—some destined for greatness, others for the recycling bin. The same principle seems to apply to Star Wars movies.
Noticeably absent from Kennedy’s comments were any mentions of the Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Rey Skywalker film and Dave Filoni’s Heir to the Empire movie, both announced alongside Mangold’s in 2023. Silence can be deafening, and in this case, it doesn’t bode well.
On a brighter note, Simon Kinberg’s trilogy, while undergoing revisions, is reportedly still in development. “[Kinberg] is working right now,” Kennedy said. “He wrote something that we read in August, and it was very good, but not there. We’ve pretty much upended the story, and then spent a great deal of time on the treatment, which he finished literally about four weeks ago. And it’s a very detailed treatment, like 70 pages. And so he is expected to give us something in March.”
What is the next Star Wars movie coming out?
With The Mandalorian and Grogu slated for release this year and Star Wars: Starfighter (originally conceived as a standalone but potentially open to sequels) due next year, the question becomes: what comes next? The decision won’t be Kennedy’s to make, but she offered some final thoughts.
“Mangold’s is really on the back burner as is Soderbergh’s,” she said. “I think the ones by Taika and Donald are still somewhat alive. That’s going to really be up to the new team to figure out. I know that [new Lucasfilm heads] Dave [Filoni] and Lynwen [Brennan] are very much on board with what Simon’s doing, and that would be a new trilogy. In the timeline of things, that takes you well into 2030 plus. So that’s really what’s up next.”
Will there be more Star Wars movies?
The short answer? Almost certainly. Hollywood loves a sure thing, and Star Wars, despite its ups and downs, remains a cultural force. But *which* movies get the green light is a far more complicated question.
Is Rey coming back to Star Wars?
The Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Rey movie appears to be on indefinite hold, at least according to Kennedy’s latest remarks. Whether that’s a temporary setback or a permanent shelving remains to be seen. For fans eager to see Rey Skywalker’s next chapter, the outlook isn’t promising, based on this interview.
So, it appears there’s good news for Taika Waititi and Donald Glover enthusiasts, but potentially disappointing news for fans of James Mangold and the Skywalker saga. Is this a strategic shift for the franchise, or just the chaotic fallout of a leadership change?
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