Credit: LucasfilmDisney CEO Bob Iger let fans in on a few things…
Not long ago, in our own galaxy, Disney, Kathleen Kennedy, and Lucasfilm announced more than a few Star Wars projects which were on the way. One of these, notably even had a teaser of sorts. Patty Jenkins introduced her new project, Rogue Squadron, with a basic premise as she donned a Rebel pilot uniform, and headed to a waiting X-Wing. Unfortunately, that project and several others are no more…
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Just this week, Star Wars fans learned that two movies planned for Lucasfilm were just shelved, and removed from the release schedule. The first was Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron, which promised to be almost Top Gun (1986) style adventure film, centering on Rebel pilots. With the recent success of Top Gun: Maverick (2022), it did seem a strange choice to cancel. The other film was a bit more mysterious.
Marvel president, Kevin Feige, was slated to direct a Star Wars film which, up until it was canceled, had very little detail. While Feige has served as a producer for many films dating back to the early 2000s, this likely would have been his directorial debut. His ideas have influenced successful franchises for decades now, and it would have been fascinating to see his take on Star Wars.
Amidst these cancellations, a few projects remained on the schedule and were confirmed to still be underway, such as the Taika Waititi-headed Star Wars film, and a Star Wars movie set in the post-Sequel era, directed by Damon Lindelof. While the details for both films are unknown at this point, they must be promising, otherwise, why would they remain on the schedule? Bob Iger Explained.
At the recent Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telecom conference, covered by The Direct, Disney CEO Bob Iger explained the reason why Feige and Jenkins’ films were canceled, and Waititi and Lindelof’s films remained. In speaking about Star Wars, Iger admitted that the underperforming Solo (2018) gave them pause, and caused Lucasfilm to reevaluate:
“We’re going to make sure when we make one, it’s the right one. So we’re being very careful there.”
This goes right in line with what Iger mentioned upon his return to the company, about wanting to focus on quality over quantity when it came to entertainment. So, what’s the takeaway? Iger, Kennedy, and others are being “careful” when it comes to the next Star Wars movie, which means many different variables are being considered, including the more unpopular and underperforming offerings from the studio, as well as those which are more successful.
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Does that mean Feige and Jenkins’ films were poorly conceived? Not necessarily. It just means that Iger, and Lucasfilm by extension, want to be very choosy about what they release next. This could be very good news for Star Wars fans, as it likely means that, whatever comes from the studio next, will be something that has been carefully vetted on multiple levels to be the best product possible. That’s the hope, anyway…
What do you think about Iger’s comments? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below!