Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi is working on a Star Wars movie – but he still doesn’t know when or if it will even get made.
During an interview with The New York Times, Waititi explained what he’s currently working on, after the upcoming Thor sequel.
“I’m trying to write the ‘Star Wars’ idea at the moment,” he said. “I’ve got to see how that goes, because once I submit it, that might determine when it gets made or if it gets made, even.”
Waititi’s upcoming Star Wars film was first announced in 2020, but we’ve heard very little about the project since then. Although we know that the movie will match his signature style, there’s been nothing in the way of official announcements, and not even a hint as to what the film will even be about. But we do know that it will be a completely standalone film – no trilogies or Skywalker stories, here.
The upcoming Star Wars film is expected to hit theaters in late 2023, but it seems that’s not set in stone: “Yeah. Well, not 2023, but late 2023,” said Lucasfilm boss, Kathleen Kennedy. “We haven't locked anything in.”
Considering Waititi’s unique style of filmmaking, it definitely makes sense to think of this as a standalone movie. After all, it’s easier to sell a quirky caper in the Star Wars universe than a quirky take on an already established story.
But even if it doesn’t get made, Waititi has planned for that, too. “I am cool as well to take six months off and just go hang out with my kids,” he said.
Still, the thought of a Taika Waititi Star Wars film is a promising one. He’s already had hit after hit with What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, not to mention his Marvel movies with Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder.
Will Waititi’s unique storytelling style translate well to the Star Wars universe? I can’t help thinking a Droids or Ewoks movie with a documentary style and Waititi’s signature charm would add a dash of humor to the galaxy far, far away.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Thumbnail Image by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images.