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We have no idea what’s going on

by Stewart Cole

Taika smiles looking at a camera.

Taika Waititi on set Thor: Love and Thunder.
Picture: Marvel Studios

Flashback to May 4, 2020. This was the day The official Star Wars website announced that recent Oscar winner Taika Waititi was going to do one Star Wars film, a film he would direct and co-write with Academy Award nominee Krysty Wilson-Cairns. A few months later, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy reconfirmed Waititi’s project, calling it “fresh, unique and unexpected” movie in the franchise and revealed a silly purple logo.

Now, from all of this, you’d expect Waititi to have some general sense of what the film would be. Maybe not a full script but a step, an outline, an idea. Which would make Kennedy tell people who own Disney stock that it’s “fresh, unique and unexpected.” And yet, in recent months, the only thing that’s surprising is that Waititi makes it sound like there’s no idea at all.

In new interview in Rolling Stonehis manager of this week Thor: Love and Thunder he was asked about his inclination Star Wars projects were abandoned and the response was interesting. “It could happen to me,” Waititi exclaimed. “And I think Taika [of] 10 years ago I would have been so panicked and nervous at the prospect of this. But if it’s not right, it’s not right. If it’s not ready, it’s not ready. [With] Star Wars, I don’t want to rush. It’s something I wouldn’t want to just jump into and not feel like it’s unique, it’s my movie and it makes sense. Because that would be a disaster. I’m writing right now. I’ll do my best to come up with an idea that will appeal to everyone.”

So wait, no idea? See where the confusion is? It gets even weirder when you remember that a few weeks ago, Waititi hedged his bets by explaining that he wanted to do something new with the franchise, but he didn’t know exactly what it would be. “Look, I’m thinking about it Star Wars the universe to expand, must expand’ he told Total Film. “I don’t think I’m useful Star Wars the universe makes a movie where everyone says, “Oh great, these are the plans for the Millennium Falcon, ah that’s Chewbacca’s grandmother.” All of that on its own, that’s great, although I’d like to take something new and create some new characters and just expand the world, otherwise I feel like it’s a very small story.”

Rolling Stone reported this quote to Waititi, pointing out that if he really wants to leave Star Wars tropes, maybe the movie doesn’t even have to be “Star Wars.” Waititi agreed. “You know what? Whoever said that is probably right,” he said. “Now that I think about it. As you were saying that, I said, ‘Yeah, if you take it all away Star Wars things, they are not Star Wars.’ So I take back what I said a few weeks ago!’

So what is the truth? Does Waititi have an idea, or is he even formulating one?? Is it possible that an idea was settled two years ago, but has since been reworked for some reason? Are these quotes just Waititi’s way of throwing us off the scent? Is it possible that this project will go the way of Rian Johnson’s trilogy, Colin Trevorrow’s Episode 9 or Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Solo? It’s a lot to think about and unfortunately, Lucasfilm couldn’t give us a comment. It looks like, for now, we’ll just have to wait and see if and when we get an actual update. Maybe they are just confusing us.


Want more io9 news? See when to expect the latest Miracle and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe in Movies and TVand everything you need to know House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

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