These days, if there’s one franchise that fans can comfortably assume always has at least several new entries in the pipeline, it’sStar Wars. But while some might assume a constant stream of new content might begin to grind away the creative edges into a uniform mass of goo, it seems as though the folks at Lucasfilm may finally be ready to try some new things again. At least, that’s what one would expect when Taika Waititi is involved.
It’s been well-known for a while now thatWaititi is working on his ownStar Warsmovie. TheThor: RagnarokandJojo Rabbitdirector has a distinctive and often hilarious style that manages to convey plenty of heart by way of plenty of laughs. His penchant for understanding exactly how to combine genuine, serious moments with a well-timed New Zealand-style joke may sound like exactly what the franchise needs to keep things fresh. But how “fresh” is he planning on making his film?
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Well, it looks as though he’s putting in the time to make sure he offers proper respect to the source material. In an interview with Screen Rant, Waititi spoke about finding a balance between classicStar Warsand his own original spin on the formula. When asked for an update on his project, he seemed to indicate that he’s taking his time in order to get it right. “I’m still writing,” he answered. “I’m still coming up with the ideas and storylining it and just wanted to make sure that it feels like aStar Warsfilm.” So whileWaititi’sStar Warsmovie is quite possibly the next one to arrive, it looks like there’s still quite a bit of a wait ahead, and for good reason.
“Because, I could say, ‘Oh yeah, we’ll just write any old thing and set in space and then putStar Warson the front,'” he continued. “But it wouldn’t be aStar Warsfilm without certain elements and a certain treatment, so I’ve just got to make sure that it stays within that wheelhouse.” This is likely some very reassuring news to a number of fans who might have worried thatWaititi’s take on aStar Warsmoviewould be too much of “him” and less of the classic formula. He’s got a very recognizable style, after all, which was even easily apparent during his first foray intoStar Warswhen he directed the season 1 finale ofThe Mandalorian.
On the other hand, maybe something in a truly unique style to anythingStar Warshas seen before could be exactly the shot in the arm needed to reinvigorate the franchise. As enjoyable as recent offerings likeObi-Wan Kenobihave been, few have reached the heights of more clever and arguably transcendent entries likethe most recent high pointThe Last Jedi. But while that film was divisive among audiences, possibly due in part to director Rian Johnson’s serious take on the formula, perhaps Waititi’s more light-hearted energy will make things more palatable to those still resistant to change.
However things turn out, the mere prospect ofa WaititiStar Warsmovieis definitely enough to dredge up some hype from even the most jaded of fan souls. Of course, there’s still a nonspecific long wait ahead, but that just means all the more time to get excited. Who doesn’t want to see the guy who made Jeff Goldblum into a flamboyant dictator set loose in a galaxy far, far away?
