The untitled Star Wars spin-off film directed by Taika Waititi, known for Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, has been put on hold again. He and screenwriter Tony McNamara will temporarily shelve the project to collaborate on other ventures. This film is no longer the primary focus for the two creators.
Waititi has not announced a permanent cancellation of the project, nor has he revealed a timeline for its resumption. Therefore, the current status is more accurately described as an indefinite hiatus, with its ultimate fate still uncertain. Existing reports attribute the pause to the creators' desire to pursue other work, rather than an official cancellation by Lucasfilm.
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Since the unexpected success of What We Do in the Shadows, Taika Waititi's name seemed to be everywhere. Since then, his productions have ranged from classic films like Jojo Rabbit to fast-paced TV series like Reservation Dogs, and major Marvel blockbusters like Thor: Ragnarok. Perhaps because of his seemingly Midas touch, he was chosen to direct an as-yet-unnamed Star Wars spin-off. However, this project appears to have fallen into development hell again, or at least been indefinitely shelved, for rather surprising reasons.
Typically, the responsibility for a film being halted is placed on the studio or behind-the-scenes executives. But this time, the reason lies with director Taika Waititi and screenwriter Tony McNamara simply wanting to do other things. In an interview with Inverse, Waititi said, "I regret to inform you that we are indeed pausing this project; we are collaborating on another project. That's the answer. I don't even know how to explain it politely, or rather, how to be vague about it."
Audiences May Never See Taika Waititi's Version of Star Wars
Audiences may never get to see Waititi's Star Wars, but some fans of the franchise don't consider this the worst outcome. One fan commented on why Waititi is no longer involved with legacy franchises like Marvel or Star Wars: "The problem with being an auteur director is that you have to develop and cultivate a distinct personal brand or style, and then fully commit to it. Taika's issue is that he went too far in the wrong direction. He needs to take a break and reinvent himself." Others attribute the reason to the director's recent work, Klara and the Sun. Adapted from the dystopian novel of the same name, the film received poor reviews from critics; early ratings show a Rotten Tomatoes score of only 25%.
However, some fans believe the franchise itself has run out of steam, dragging down projects like this one. One fan said, "Star Wars and Star Trek both need a ten-year break, which is really strange. I mean, I love them both, but some entries are so bad I can't even watch them." Lucasfilm certainly shares part of the blame, as they seem eager to sign directors they think are trendy, only to cancel their projects (like those promised to Rian Johnson and Colin Trevorrow), and then shift to more profitable ventures, repeating this annoying cycle.
Lucasfilm also bears some responsibility, as they seem to quickly approach directors they perceive as currently hot, only to cancel their projects later—this happened with Rian Johnson and Colin Trevorrow and their promised projects. Then they move on to seemingly more promising candidates, repeating this cycle, which has become tiresome.
As for what other projects Waititi has on his plate, he stated: "I probably have about four other movies I'm working hard to push forward." These include a sequel to What We Do in the Shadows, a reboot of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a film adaptation of the graphic novel Incal, and an adaptation of the novel Barn 8.