It’s been three long years since we’ve gotten to visit a “galaxy far, far away” on the big screen, and it looks like that wait is going to be quite a bit longer because Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy isn’t likely to announce any future projects in the near future.
On May the 4th, 2020 Kathleen Kennedy announced that Taika Waititi would be co-writing and directing a new film to take the Star Wars franchise to the next level. It’s been two and a half years, and the movie is still not written. After that, the much-hyped Rogue Squadron was shelved. Star Wars fans are starting to feel like Lucasfilm is the boy who cried wolf.
With seemingly nothing on the horizon for the franchise, we’re left wondering, “what’s next”? The answer? We don’t know. There’s been a disturbance in the force. Emperor Palpatine…we mean CEO Bob Chapek, has reportedly issued an informal gag order on Kennedy until a project is set in stone. We don’t often find ourselves agreeing with the dark side, but this time, we see the wisdom here. Fans have stopped believing announcements, and worse, the letdowns and empty promises have cheapened the brand.
While we admire Kathleen Kennedy’s enthusiasm, failed projects, shelved ideas, and a lack of anything new does hurt the brand. Chapek has asked the Lucasfilm president to wait and not get fans’ hopes up on “blue sky” ideas “to avoid further negative press surrounding the franchise and the company.”
To make matters worse, there is a ton of pressure on the studio to deliver something that will not only earn big but garner the affection of an impossible-to-please fan base. It’s a tall order and not one that can be rushed. This is probably why, despite high expectations, there were no project announcements at either Star Wars Celebration in May or D23 in September.
This means we’re going to have to be satisfied with the complement of Star Wars features and shows on Disney+ for a while, but that’s OK. Rumors of a “secret writer’s room” full of creative and talented people and consultants hand-picked by George Lucas himself continue to swirl, and if there’s any truth to it, it’ll be worth the wait (and the silence).