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Previously, in the world of Star Wars, rumors started to swirl that Academy Award winner Taika Waititi was being courted to direct his own story in a galaxy far, far away. While he talked down those rumors in the recent past, his enthusiasm for the gig was undimmed; and now it looks to have paid off. May the Fourth is definitely with Mr. Waititi, as he’s now officially been announced as co-writing and directing a Star Wars film of his own.
The Jojo Rabbit writer/director was announced by the studio today, and he’s got another fellow Oscar nominee along for the ride. Fresh off of her nomination for Best Original Screenplay for 1917, writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns is going to be collaborating with the man himself to make this story take flight.
Of course, we have no concrete details, title, or release date for this new Star Wars story. So while it’s May the Fourth, there's no further information for those who want more details into just what this adventure may entail. Still, this is a pretty exciting announcement for fans of both the franchise, and the artistic voices coming to the table this time out.
This is especially true with Taika Waititi, as his Star Wars credentials are in fighting form. Not only did he play the memorable IG-11 in Season 1 of Disney+’s The Mandalorian, he also directed the astonishing season finale for the freshman Disney streaming series. Now, Disney not only gets to double down on their investment in Waititi yet again, but a surprising new direction for the Star Wars franchise should present itself in this mysterious new project.
Though, funny enough, this comes on the heels of some past remarks that Taika Waititi made when it came to his potential hiring for a Star Wars film:
Now this isn't necessarily a gotcha on the part of Mr. Waititi. In fact, it's probably a good reason to be hiring him into the family in the first place. With an outsider's perspective, and a proven track record with other sacred Disney family gems, like Thor: Ragnarok and the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, Taika Waititi is the perfect person to be putting a fresh coat of paint on the Star Wars saga.
It also helps that Krysty Wilson-Cairns will be bringing some exciting genre experience into the fold as well. In addition to her award winning work on 1917, Cairns also has her genre experience from Showtime’s original run of Penny Dreadful, and her upcoming collaboration with Edgar Wright, Last Night in Soho, to draw from. If there’s a better pair to take Star Wars into a new and exciting corner we’ve never seen before, especially in the light of the mixed reaction Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker found itself inspiring, then we can’t think of anyone better.
Worlds are turned on such hires as the ones we’ve seen today, and while this untitled Star Wars project has no concrete timing to its production and/or release date, it’s still hopeful to think of what this project will bring. Provided, of course, that Taika Waititi’s joke about his untimely dismissal doesn’t come true. When the details on this new Star Wars adventure reveal themselves, be it through The Force or a press release, you can read all about it here on CinemaBlend.
But in the meantime, if you’re looking to celebrate your May the Fourth in style, you can check out a 7-day free trial of Disney+ and see not only the entire Skywalker Saga, but also shows like Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels, and of course, The Mandalorian.
