Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie is being put on hold, the director told Inverse. He described the situation directly: “I hate to break this to you, but we’re going to actually put it on ice.”
After Lucasfilm announced the film in 2020, little information reached the public. A report in 2023 indicated it remained in the plans, however.
According to Inverse, Waititi asked his publicist whether he was allowed to reveal more. The reply left little doubt: “If you have to ask, the answer is no.”
“Well, there’s your answer. I don’t even know how to dress it up or make it even vague,” Waititi said. He also called the project “very iced,” adding that he has at least four other films he’s trying to get made.
His newest movie, Klara and the Sun, is due out Friday, though the report doesn’t specify a calendar date. The film’s initial score on Rotten Tomatoes stood at 25%. Polygon’s Austin Manchester describes the reception, alongside the Star Wars project’s lack of progress, as a cold streak for Waititi and suggests Klara and the Sun might not have much staying power.
Where Star Wars stands in theaters
Putting the movie on hold doesn’t mean it’s canceled, although Waititi’s remarks make a Star Wars directing job sound unlikely for him in the near future. He left open the possibility of a return: “Ice ages do come to an end. Who knows?” He’s not the only filmmaker whose announced plans have stalled. Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss left their proposed trilogy after signing a Netflix deal. The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson’s trilogy also failed to take shape, while he has concentrated instead on his Knives Out mystery series.
Other projects that went no further include a film Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige was developing, a Ben Solo film from Adam Driver and Steven Soderbergh that was canceled, and a proposal from David Fincher that never got past the pitch stage. This isn’t a complete list of the Star Wars projects that haven’t moved ahead.
Several Star Wars movies remain in development at Disney, but which will reach production and which could be paused like Waititi’s is unclear. Star Wars: Starfighter is next on the theatrical schedule, arriving next summer on May 28, 2027. It stars Ryan Gosling and is directed by Shawn Levy, whose credits include Deadpool & Wolverine.
