An extensive new article on the future of the “Star Wars” franchise has been published by Vanity Fair with not just photos from Annie Leibovitz, but comments from those involved about where the franchise is heading.
The transition of what was a film franchise to a primarily television-driven one comes in the wake of the sequel trilogy which, though earning billions, had a conspicuously zigzagging narrative. Along with the box-office failure of “Solo,” it led to a hiatus and rethinking of Disney’s “Star Wars” plans.
Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy spoke about the reasoning for the hiatus, saying she wanted to dispense with the annual deadline and reconsider everything – including how filmmakers should approach this franchise:
“We all recognized, every single one of us, that this was a new chapter for the company and that we needed to all work together to create the architecture for where we were going.
Anyone who comes into the Star Wars universe needs to know that it’s a three-, four-, five-year commitment. That’s what it takes. You can’t step in for a year and shoot something and then walk away…. It requires that kind of nurturing.”
She goes on to say that’s one reason Jon Favreau’s devotion to the franchise with the shows so far has yielded such success: “He’s had a sole focus pretty much on this for the last several years. That’s been a godsend.”
One thing “Solo” did teach her is that certain parts are so iconic that they can’t be recast: “There should be moments along the way when you learn things. Now it does seem so abundantly clear that we can’t do that.”
So where does this leave the movies? The emphasis on television is reportedly influencing the upcoming film slate with Kennedy saying: “I hesitate to use the word trilogies anymore because Star Wars is much more about persistent storytelling”.
She does say though “we have a road map” with the Taika Waititi-directed and Krysty Wilson-Cairns penned film likely arrive first. Then there’s the “Rogue Squadron” film from “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins that is further off.
As for the reported ones from Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and filmmaker Rian Johnson? They aren’t dead, but both seem firmly on the backburner and haven’t made much progress.
Of Feige’s film she says: “I would love to see what movie he might come up with. But right now, no, there isn’t anything specifically.”
Of Johnson, she says: “Rian has been unbelievably busy with Knives Out and the deal that he made at Netflix for multiple movies.”
The full story is up at Vanity Fair.
