Happy Sunday! If you reside within the US, I hope you had an exquisite Thanksgiving vacation, and both approach, I hope you had an exquisite week. It wasn’t a vacation the place I reside, however I positively loved a while tuning out the information and the leisure enterprise (apart from watching Napoleon on Friday) for just a few days. And although it appeared like it will be a gradual week for Star Wars, it was most positively not, as Lucasfilm and Daisy Ridley dropped a one-two-punch on us on Tuesday, and the results reverberated into the weekend, with extra interviews from Dave Filoni and Taika Waititi. Let’s attempt to unpack all of it!
Star Wars Quote of the Week
“It’s not what I anticipated, however I’m very excited,” Daisy Ridley instructed Collider in a latest chat when discussing her new function movie, which can mark the return of Rey Skywalker, in a narrative set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker. There is so much to unpack from the few sentences she stated concerning the mission, however that is positively the one which’s been circulating within the media. Right earlier than, she additionally identified that “The story is admittedly cool”.
So what did she count on, precisely, and what’s within the story, then? Whenever this matter comes up, I hold trying again on the Resistance Broadcast’s podcast panel at Star Wars Celebration, the place somebody within the viewers dropped the mic when asking the crew: “Do you suppose Rey can have youngsters within the new movie?” It simply made excellent sense for the character to wish to develop into a mom sooner or later, however it was positively not one thing that had crossed my thoughts till somebody stated it out loud. Was Daisy Ridley in the identical place, and was maybe additionally stunned by it? Or was it a very totally different shock? I’d like to see Rey as a younger mom, although I don’t suppose her youngsters must be sufficiently old to be educated as a part of the New Jedi Order but.
I’m conscious that there are lots of people who usually are not on this movie or this character, however (though I didn’t like The Rise of Skywalker) that’s not my case in any respect. I’m anticipating the galaxy to maneuver ahead, and whether or not that’s pushing the story additional into the longer term or going all the way in which again to the previous, I’ll be there. However, my greatest questions on this film are concerning the state of the galaxy and, most significantly, the villain.
This isn’t the time for one more galaxy-level risk, so don’t be afraid to decrease the stakes this time — I’m speaking to you, Steven Knight. We don’t want one other model of the Empire looming over our heroes. The problem shall be reconciling that with the massive scale given by the massive display and the Star Wars identify. I’m nonetheless not satisfied by Knight’s function movie resumé, however I’ll stay optimistic till the day I watch it.
Star Wars Quote of the Week’s Runner-up
Another actor (/director, this time) talked about his future Star Wars movie this week. It isn’t the primary time we hear Taika Waititi discuss it in latest weeks, as he’s presently out on the earth selling his newest movie, Next Goal Wins, and logically start requested about it. He instructed The Kelly Clarkson Show: “That [film] specifically, it’s one thing I’d actually wish to get proper so I don’t wish to rush it. It’s going to bubble alongside on the facet.”
We’d sort of assumed that he wasn’t totally dedicated to creating this subsequent, as he just lately instructed Business Insider that he could be directing Klara and the Sun subsequent. But he isn’t writing that one, so far as we all know, and phrase was on the market that Taika owed Lucasfilm a brand new draft (after having submitted a number of of them earlier this 12 months) within the fall. And maybe most apparently, reporter Jeff Sneider, who put that out, stated that there have been a number of writers engaged on it. This is one thing that’s driving me insane, as somebody who likes to know every thing concerning the standing of a mission in improvement, so if in case you have any tips on these mysterious writers, we’re all ears right here.
Whatever the case could also be, I nonetheless suppose Taika is underplaying his dedication to the mission as of late. He could also be desirous about Klara and the Sun, and even The Incal, however I do consider he’s opening up that Final Draft doc together with his Star Wars script greater than as soon as every week. Remember when Variety reported months in the past that he was in negotiations to star within the film? It could have been a no-duh, however no less than to me, it signaled that he was actively desirous about it. Deadline additionally stated earlier this 12 months he needed to shoot it in 2024, and although I as soon as thought that was possible, it positively doesn’t look that approach anymore. After all, there’s a motive why his identify was not introduced up at Star Wars Celebration or he’s nowhere to be discovered within the Vanity Fair story about the way forward for Lucasfilm we’ll be discussing in only a minute.
Three Things That May Have Flown Casual (Ahsoka Edition)
- Rosario Dawson and Hayden Christensen spoke at size with Vanity Fair about Ahsoka Part Five. Was that Anakin or Vader that Ahsoka noticed? Was it the World Between Worlds? And what was the which means inside Ahsoka’s arc of that look? Not all questions have been answered, however we do have a little bit bit extra perception into what the episode meant. Check it out right here.
- Dave Filoni stopped by Entertainment Weekly‘s Dagobah Dispatch podcast to debate all issues Ahsoka, and the subject of Ray Stevenson and Shawna Trpcic got here up. He stated: “Going ahead, will probably be a problem. These had been significant folks to us. They had been collaborators and buddies, and they are going to be missed.” Do I feel Baylan must be recast going ahead? Yes, I do. But I additionally acknowledge that this shall be a problem for the crew and likewise whoever steps as much as fill these footwear, so (in a post-Rise of Skywalker and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever world) I’ll perceive it if we don’t see him anymore.
- So… Will there be a second season of Ahsoka? Filoni wouldn’t budge, telling EW “Always in movement is the longer term”. But Rosario Dawson did verify to Vanity Fair that the artistic was engaged on an overview earlier this 12 months, and he could now be able to greenlight it. (Read on.) Interestingly, although, the Vanity Fair story did consult with what we noticed this summer time as a full collection, not only a season.
Always Two There Are: Breaking Down Recent Leadership Changes at Lucasfilm
In that Vanity Fair article I’ve talked about just a few occasions, there was a significant bombshell other than the solid and crew interviews on Ahsoka. Lucasfilm gave the unique to Anthony Breznican to announce to the world that two main promotions have occurred on the firm. First, and what caught most individuals’s consideration, Dave Filoni will now rule over all issues Star Wars storytelling as the brand new Chief Creative Officer. (Congrats to everybody on Star Wars Twitter who despatched out 18 posts after every episode of Ahsoka dropped asking for this.) And second, and maybe most vital to me, Carrie Beck is now the brand new head of improvement.
There’s a lot to debate right here, clearly, so allow us to start with Filoni. While many individuals’s first response to this will have been “about time”, I’m really sort of stunned they took this flip now. Sure, this can be a response to Ahsoka, however is it a deserved one? I didn’t love the present by the top, and judging by the small pattern that’s Star Wars Twitter, it looks like most individuals had mixed-to-positive emotions about it. Was that the standing ovation I assume Lucasfilm was anticipating? Definitely not, however they possible had their minds made up earlier than the present ended (or maybe even began).
To me, this really appeared just like the sort of announcement you’ll put out after his upcoming function movie opens to an important crucial reception just a few years from now. The Man Who Conquered It All, you may name him. He rose via the ranks of the Star Wars animation division, warmed our hearts after which ripped them aside in live-action TV, after which culminated years of storytelling in a function movie that’s beloved by critics and followers. Now, he’ll lord over all issues Star Wars artistic. By then, he (hopefully) received’t be tied to creating extra tales in a selected period, or writing/directing a function movie — a job that can devour most of his time. I imply, the press launch writes itself, and I can see Return of the Jedi-like celebrations occurring all around the world.
Filoni has positively been dealing with a few of these consulting duties in recent times, which is (I feel) additionally why their latest tasks weren’t at all times a house run: The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, and Ahsoka all had nice moments. They additionally had some questionable selections and underwritten subplots that would have used extra dedication from the crew concerned. Could Filoni be unfold too skinny? This solidifies my idea that we received’t see his function movie hit theaters till May 2027, on the earliest.
So why the announcement now? As I speculated earlier, this was not due to the followers’ response to Ahsoka, they possible had this prepared beforehand. This can also be the place I’ll deliver within the different half of the story — Carrie Beck is now head of improvement. Beck shares an identical path to Filoni. After becoming a member of Lucasfilm in November of 2012 as a part of the Story Group, she co-created Star Wars: Rebels and Star Wars: Resistance and later moved over to live-action with Filoni, being a co-executive producer on The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, and eventually, an govt producer on Ahsoka. Much like in Filoni’s case, that was a check for her, and he or she aced it. She’s additionally been promoted to one of many high positions on the firm with out having actively labored on a function movie.
You could discover that, with this, Kathleen Kennedy’s duties are principally delegated to different folks. She stays President of Lucasfilm, however the individual answerable for selecting and/or assembly with filmmakers for every of the tasks the corporate is creating is now Carrie Beck. The individual answerable for determining the story they wish to inform is now Dave Filoni. And the individual overseeing the enterprise facet, and ensuring they’re executing the technique they’ve set on, is Lynwen Brennan.
So was this announcement step one of Kathy Kennedy asserting her retirement? I really suppose so. Her contract is up subsequent 12 months, and it’s round this time that the chief would usually begin desirous about a succession plan, ought to they determine to not re-up it (Bob Iger doesn’t know what I’m speaking about). I’ve been pondering for a lot of months that that is additionally why they received’t be having a Star Wars Celebration subsequent 12 months, as the corporate could also be in a restructuring part and never able to be planning an enormous occasion — only a wild idea, although.
There’s additionally the assumption that Kennedy needs to remain on to no less than see the following Star Wars film out in theaters earlier than she rides into the sundown — no less than to show that she nonetheless has it. While that’s potential, she turned 70 this 12 months, and he or she shall be about to show 73 in the event that they handle to get a film out in May 2026. By then, does she nonetheless wish to be the top of a studio that may just about run itself as of late due to the great creatives she’s been grooming for years, or would she quite take a producer deal to maintain doing what she likes to do finest?
Whether or not she steps down subsequent 12 months, she’s going to nonetheless be an govt producer on, no less than, Daisy Ridley’s movie. I can already see an announcement like Michelle Rejwan’s final 12 months, the place they are saying she needs to return to producing, which is what she enjoys most. Speaking of whom, what’s going on with Michelle Rejwan as of late? Deadline had reported that she’d keep on as a producer on a number of Star Wars tasks, together with Taika Waititi’s movie; Puck News later added The Acolyte to the combination, which is smart time-wise. But her identify has been absent from each press launch on that present and just about everybody appears to have forgotten about her by now. Once once more, be happy to tip me if you understand something about what Rejwan is as much as as of late!
If that is certainly going to be Kennedy’s last 12 months at Lucasfilm, it needs to be big for them (not essentially for us). I’ll provide you with an illustrative instance: the Lando series-turned-movie got here to be due to Kennedy’s relationship with Glover. If Carrie Beck is to inherit the entire mothership, like I’ve been speculating for just a few months (and like this announcement appears to recommend), she needs to be introduced into these conferences to get to know the actor/author creatively and ensure they’re on the identical web page. Since she was nonetheless engaged on Rebels and Resistance when Solo got here out, she doesn’t have the connection with Glover that Kennedy does.
What will occur later? I may see Lucasfilm being run as DC Studios, with Beck and Filoni being co-heads of Lucasfilm (akin to James Gunn and Peter Safran). I admit it will appear sort of bizarre to advertise simply Beck and have her be Filoni’s boss transferring ahead, so having not solely George Lucas’ inheritor, but in addition the lead artistic at an organization that’s constructed on creativity as considered one of its co-heads, seems to be like your best option right here. On the flip facet, having a artistic like Filoni as the only real chief of the corporate doesn’t actually line up. Remember: Always two there are!
What Does Star Wars Look Like Under Dave Filoni As CCO?
Aside from not having labored on a function movie, that is the query that has me probably the most involved proper now. Filoni has greater than confirmed he excels at telling years-in-the-making tales set contained in the Skywalker Saga. He loves these characters, this galaxy (galaxies?), and this timeline. And whereas I respect that, as I stated earlier, I additionally can not wait to maneuver previous it.
My buddies from the Sith Council had a 30-minute debate this week on this matter, the place they graciously quoted my piece on the announcement. Host of the present Kristian Harloff was principally involved about Filoni maybe not being serious about one thing like Andor, which enriched Star Wars in some ways final 12 months. That looks like a logical conclusion, particularly if you understand that the present was born out of Kennedy’s want to work with Tony Gilroy once more, together with Gilroy’s formidable pitch for a multiple-season collection concerning the begin of the Rebellion.
However, I’d argue that there’s a lot of what Gilroy and the crew did in Andor that’s similar to a number of the themes George Lucas was very keen about. Pablo Hidalgo stated it finest: “THX George would’ve 100% made Andor.” He additionally replied to somebody who stated he would have cherished to do one thing like that by saying: “As having been privileged to see the previous unproduced live-action TV scripts, sure certainly.” (Note: Hidalgo is an enormous Andor fan, and continuously talks about it on social media.)
In reality, what I’m most involved is about one thing like The Acolyte occurring. Is Dave Filoni serious about something exterior of the Phantom Menace–Rise of Skywalker timeline? We know he was within the room after they had been in early discussions about Damon Lindelof’s never-made Star Wars movie, however how excited is he about that, precisely? He doesn’t have the ability to close down the New Jedi Order movie (Carrie Beck does, from the sound of issues), however he can positively shut down future, still-undeveloped plans to discover that story.
And earlier than you begin firing these feedback about Filoni hating the sequel trilogy, keep in mind that he was actually shut with Rian Johnson after spending numerous time ghosting him on the set of The Last Jedi. He even credited Johnson with inspiring him to pursue a profession in live-action.
Here’s my plea to anybody interviewing Dave Filoni within the post-strike media panorama: We know what he thinks about Ahsoka and Anakin and the Clone Wars. Feel free to geek out about it for 5 minutes if you wish to. But let’s ask him what he thinks about the way forward for Star Wars. He’s positively serious about one particular period. Would he be keen to do a multi-year Old Republic era-set present? What tales is he most serious about telling going ahead? Should we count on a little bit little bit of every thing, or maybe a slim give attention to a selected interval in time? Just ask attention-grabbing questions!
This Year, We at SWNN Are Thankful for…
All of you, our readers. I’m not from the US and don’t know a lot concerning the Thanksgiving custom, however it’s by no means a nasty time to say “Thank you”. It’s been an attention-grabbing 12 months for us, each when it comes to Star Wars output and likewise behind the scenes. We’ve had new folks becoming a member of the crew, we relaunched our YouTube channel, and likewise introduced a number of different modifications/upgrades. Earlier this 12 months, I used to be named co-editor-in-chief after three years working right here, and for that, I’ve a ton of individuals to thank, from the captain of the ship, the positioning’s founder, and EIC, Val Trichkov, to my former editor and good pal, John Hoey, to each single individual that’s been on this journey with me.
Everyone on the crew is extremely excited for the following few years and the return of Star Wars to the massive display and share the journey to the following massive theatrical occasion with all of you. Check again in a month for extra emotional messages as soon as Christmas rolls round! In the imply time, THANK YOU!
What did you consider the newest version of “This Week, In a Galaxy Far, Far Away”? Let me know your feedback, strategies, and complaints within the remark part. You also can ship them, or attain out with any data suggestions, straight by way of our Contact web page.
Have an important week!
Miguel Fernández is a Spanish scholar that has films as his second ardour in life. His favourite film of all time is The Lord of the Rings, however he’s additionally an enormous Star Wars fan. However, fantasy films usually are not his solely cup of tea, as films from Scorsese, Fincher, Kubrick or Hitchcock have been an obsession for him since he began to know the language of filmmaking. He is that man who will watch a black and white film, simply because it’s in black and white.
