Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Lucasfilm

  • Taika Waititi’s ‘Star Wars’ Film Reportedly Eyeing Early 2023 Production Start

    Taika Waititi’s ‘Star Wars’ Film Reportedly Eyeing Early 2023 Production Start

    There have been many theories on when we’d finally get a new Star Wars film. Lucasfilm has been solely focused on their Disney+ ventures with Andor on the horizon and the recent release of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Patty Jenkin‘s Rogue Squadron was originally going to start filming to release next year, but it looks like Taika Waititi‘s upcoming original film is the one that’ll start production sooner rather than later. In the latest Heat Vision entry for The Hollywood Reporter, they reveal that the film is eyeing a 2023 production start.

    As the piece points out, Waititi has hinted that he’s not quite done with the story and that we may not see it anytime soon, but their sources are pointing out that they’re very likely to start next year. The only thing that could postpone it is Lucasfilm, which has become a bit infamous for how it tackles its film division and has become a reason for pushing out releases.

    Waititi is jumping into his next project quite quickly, but there have been hints that he has another project on the horizon. So, he may once again be overscheduling himself, such as he revealed that he edited Thor: Love and Thunder while still wearing his costume from playing Blackbeard on Our Flag Means Death. So, we’ll see if there will be an official announcement in the near future.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Full Creative Team Assignments Behind ‘Andor’ Revealed

    Full Creative Team Assignments Behind ‘Andor’ Revealed

    With Obi-Wan Kenobi now behind them, Star Wars fans have begun to focus on the next project headed to Disney Plus: Andor. Set to serve as a prequel to the events of Rogue One, the series will follow Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor as he navigates the galaxy in the early days of the Rebellion.

    The first trailer for the 12-episode season got fans stirring about the grungy look of the series and given the time period in which it is set, fans have also had a blast speculating about which characters may show up for a surprise appearance. All those decisions, of course, rest in the hands of the creative team behind the show, and while Tony Gilroy oversaw its development as showrunner and served as one of the writers, he wasn’t alone. Now, thanks to an official release from Disney (via Bespin Bulletin), the full team of writers and directors has been revealed, along with an official synopsis.


    The “Andor” series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.

    While the directors and writers of the series have been known for some time, the official release gives us a clear picture of how they split up the 12-part first season.

    Episodes 1-3

    • Written by Tony Gilroy
    • Directed by Toby Haynes

    Episodes 4-6

    • Written by Dan Gilroy
    • Directed by Susanna White

    Episode 7

    • Written by Stephen Schiff
    • Directed by Benjamin Caron

    Episodes 8-10

    • Written by Beau Willimon
    • Directed by Toby Haynes

    Episodes 11 and 12

    • Written by Tony Gilroy
    • Directed by Benjamin Caron

    Taken by groups of episodes, it presents an interesting window into how the series might shape up. While Lucasfilm has done a fine job of using multiple directors on projects so far, it does seem to fall into line that directors get to work through their own stories and, seemingly, work on episodes that play to their strengths. With that in mind, it’s interesting to see Caron listed on Episode 7, but then not return until the final two episodes while Toby Haynes is listed on 1-3 and then returns for 8-10. Something to keep an eye on when the series debuts on August 31st.

    Source: Disney

  • Taika Waititi’s ‘Star Wars’ Film Gets Tentative Release Date

    Taika Waititi’s ‘Star Wars’ Film Gets Tentative Release Date

    As the Star Wars franchise has focused very heavily on the side of streaming with a slew of shows for Disney+, questions have been raised about what’s in store for future theatrical releases for the franchise. Some were under the impression that news about this would be revealed during the Star Wars Celebration panel, but the focus remained solely on upcoming shows. However, fans now have some indication for what Lucasfilm has planned for Star Wars films. 

    In an interview with Total Film, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed that the upcoming Taika Waititi-directed film is currently slated to be the next theatrical release for the Star Wars franchise. Lucasfilm is aiming to have the film released in late 2023, but Kennedy made note that nothing was officially locked in during the interview. This marks a change in plans for the Star Wars film slate as the Patty Jenkins-directed Rogue Squadron film was originally slated to release for December 22, 2023. However, the film has been moved to the back burner for some time as the script continues to be written. With all this in mind, fans should still bookmark that date as the potential release for the Waititi film as it moves up the release order slate.

    Taika Waititi currently has Thor: Love and Thunder with Marvel Studios slated to release on July 8, 2023. Beyond that, the popular director should have ample time in 2022 to focus on a potential production for this developing film. There will be many exciting questions to be answered about the nature of this film that will hopefully be revealed in the coming months as we move towards a return of Star Wars to the big screen.

    Source: Total Film

  • Disney Lost ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ Due to Creative Differences With Author

    Disney Lost ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ Due to Creative Differences With Author

    Not long ago, it was announced that the hit young adult novel series Children of Blood and Bone would receive the movie treatment from Paramount Pictures. The news was wildly exciting for fans of the books, written by author Tomi Adeyemi. Yet, it was also a little confusing for anyone who remembered the 2020 Disney Investors Day panel that announced Lucasfilm would be adapting the franchise as their first non-Star Wars project in years. Luckily for the flabbergasted majority, an exclusive report from Borys Kit at The Hollywood Reporter is finally shedding some light on the matter.

    There was a point in time when Kathleen Kennedy and the folks as Lucasfilm were keen to adapt Blood and Bone with Rick Famuyiwa attached to direct. However, this was before the wild success of the company’s Star Wars-based projects on Disney+. According to THR, the studio’s focus on shows like The Mandalorian forced Blood and Bone to the back burner, and series creator Adeyemi took issue with the slow pace of the project’s development. The writer also wanted more creative control, pushing to write the film’s script herself, and Lucasfilm was unwilling to comply.

    As a result of the conflict, Lucasfilm decided to let its ownership of the story’s film rights run out and part ways with Adeyemi. Paramount won the rights after a long bidding war, and Lucasfilm has now committed to focusing on films and shows that relate to its established IP as opposed to developing new concepts. Time will tell how this move plays out for both parties, but it seems to be working out in their favor at the moment. Also, fans now have one less mystery to solve on their own.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ Episode 1 Primer

    ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ Episode 1 Primer

    Famous Star Wars Bounty Hunter, Boba Fett, is finally getting the spotlight in his own show. The series The Book of Boba Fett streams tomorrow on Disney+! After being briefly teased in Season 1 of The Mandalorian, Boba played a key role in Season 2. He reclaimed his armor and helped Din Djarin protect Grogu before heading back to Tatooine and forcefully taking the former throne of Jabba The Hutt, with Fennec Shand by his side. That is where we will find him at the beginning of Episode 1.

    Boba Fett will be trying to transition from bounty hunter to crime lord and this road he’s going down is going to be a little bit rockier than he thought. So what’s in store for Boba as the series goes on? Lucasfilm has been especially secretive, refusing to send out media screeners to keep as many secrets protected as possible. However, we do have some idea of what is going to happen thanks to trailers, rumors, and information from the cast.

    Star Temuera Morrison has revealed that the show is going to go back in time. In the trailer we can see Boba climbing out of the Sarlacc Pit fans believed he died in during Return of the Jedi. That will give us some idea of how he got back on his and catch us up to the point where we saw him in Season 1 of The Mandalorian. Rumored appearances of other Empire-era bounty hunters, Crimson Dawn and even Luke Skywalker have made their way through fandom, but with fewer than 12 hours to go, we truly don’t know what to expect.

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    SPOILERS: 'The Mandalorian' Chapter 14 Recap – Robert Rodriguez Directs A Fun Episode With A Pair of Familiar Faces – THE RONIN

    Based on what we can see in the trailers, Boba and Fennec are going to have to do a lot of fighting despite Boba’s wishes to the contrary. They are also going to meet a few of the galaxies most dangerous bounty hunters along the way, not all of whom are friends with Boba. Given Lucasfilm’s secrecy we should expect Grogu-sized suprises.

  • RUMOR: Grogu to Appear in ‘The Book of Boba Fett’

    RUMOR: Grogu to Appear in ‘The Book of Boba Fett’

    Lucasfilm’s next Star Wars streaming series, The Book of Boba Fett, will kick off later this month and has already generated a considerable amount of buzz. The series will follow Fett attempt to take over the criminal empire once headed by Jabba the Hutt and looks like it’ll have room for plenty of appearances by other interesting characters, old and new. According to a new rumor, one such character might be a fan favorite who could owe Fett a favor.

    SWNN (via our good friend at Bespin Bulletin) claims that Jedi-in-training Grogu will make an appearance in The Book of Boba Fett. The origin of the claim stem from t-shirts made for a visual effects crew that worked on the series, seen below. SWNN reported they then checked with sources and were able to confirm Grogu’s appearance in the series.

    Grogu joins a long list of characters from The Mandalorian who are rumored to appear in the new series. Grogu’s caretaker, Din Djarrin, his friend Greef Karga, for Imp Miggs Mayfield and the man who once wore Fett’s armor, Cobb Vanth, have been said to be in the show at one time or another. There are also plenty of rumors about other bounty hunters and criminals from the Star Wars Universe popping up in the series, all of whom might look to do more than chew the fat with Fett.

    The Book of Boba Fett‘s 7-episode run kicks off December 29th on Disney Plus.

    Source: SWNN

  • Lucasfilm’s Micro-Management May Have Led to ‘Rogue Squadron’s Indefinite Delay

    Lucasfilm’s Micro-Management May Have Led to ‘Rogue Squadron’s Indefinite Delay

    A new piece by Puck from former THR editor Matthew Belloni has offered an update on why exactly Patty Jenkins‘ Rogue Squadron was delayed indefinitely. Initially, rumors had it pushed back until 2024, just a year away from its original release. Shortly after, we got the official word that it was postponed indefinitely and without any word of a project taking its place. The official word is that scheduling conflicts are the main reason, especially with Warner Bros. fast-tracking the third Wonder Woman film. So, Star Wars‘ cinematic future remains uncertain but it looks like there might be more to this story.

    In a new piece on the site Puck, they report that a significant lack of Star Wars films is mainly due to the company behind them, Lucasfilm. According to their sources, Jenkins couldn’t agree on a script with the executives, which naturally drags out any talks. The issue sadly isn’t uncommon in the industry but seems to have especially become an internal one with Lucasfilm. They cite that the new trilogies that were in development, one by Game of Thrones‘ David Benioff, and Dan Weiss as well as one by The Last Jedi‘s Rian Johnson‘s, both got shelved due to the same issues.

    The article highlights Kathleen Kennedy‘s role in the company’s current development. She’s the president of the company and has an important role in keeping the machine running. Yet, it seems that their hands-on approach is damaging their relationship with directors and talent within the industry. Phil Lord and Chris Miller famously kicked from their own production only for Ron Howard to take over directing duties. So, it opens up the question of what this direction for Lucasfilm might mean for the franchise if one of the hottest properties in the industry is burning bridges.

    Source: Puck, IndieWire

  • Disney Plus Streaming Series ‘Andor’ Set for Summer 2022 Debut

    Disney Plus Streaming Series ‘Andor’ Set for Summer 2022 Debut

    In addition to learning that the Marvel Studios streaming series Ms. Marvel would hit Disney Plus next summer, investors on a conference call with Disney today learned that the 12-episode Star Wars series, Andor, would also stream in that same window.

    Q4 for Disney stretches from July 1st through September 30th and with Disney Plus seemingly trying to avoid streaming live-action Marvel Studios series and live-action Star Wars series concurrently, we could hypothetically see Andor pairing up with something like the second season of Marvel Studios What If…?. For more hypothetical 2022 calendar ideas, see V3 of our 2022 hypothetical right here.

    Andor will serve as a prequel to Rogue One and see Diego Luna return in the titular role. Adria Arjona and Stellan Skarsgard have joined the cast while Forest Whitaker, Genevieve O’Reilly and Ben Mendelsohn are among those reported to return.

  • Disney+ Day To Feature Scheduled Content

    Disney+ Day To Feature Scheduled Content

    The excitement around Disney+ Day has been growing since Disney announced it would be an event to celebrate their iconic brands. Fans of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars have been excited about the event as a chance to see the future of the storyworlds they love. With Disney+ Day approaching this Friday, there has been a lot of fan discussion about whether there would be a live presentation like Investor Day 2020 or not. 

    The two year anniversary of the launch of the service will also feature its expansion into Asia-Pacific markets which has had some people thinking they might launch content with friendly schedules to those timezones. It’s now become clear that there won’t be a featured live presentation, but there will be a schedule of content uploads throughout the day instead. 

    Disney+ Day Kicks Off Global Celebration With Week-Long, Company-Wide Promotions

    Disney has confirmed via press release that fans can follow along on the Disney+ social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for first looks, trailers, exclusive clips and appearances from stars and creators from Friday November 12th at 6:00am PT / 2:00pm GMT.  Subscribers will also be the first to see exclusive on-platform specials from Pixar Studios at 8:00am PT / 4:00pm GMT and Marvel Studios at 8:45am PT / 4:45pm GMT. In addition to this, Disney have also confirmed that new subscribers will have a 75% discount for this month with the cost being $1.99, opening up the platform for fans who want to see this on-platform content. 

    It will be exciting to see what new things we might learn about the future of the storyworlds we love this Friday. With so much in production it will be exciting to see new characters and worlds. Here’s hoping we get some new announcements of as yet unannounced productions to incite more speculation. What are you hoping to see on Disney+ Day this Friday? 

    Sources: Disney

  • REPORT: ‘Andor’ Adds ‘The End of the F***ing World’s Alex Lawther

    REPORT: ‘Andor’ Adds ‘The End of the F***ing World’s Alex Lawther

    Lucasfilm’s Andor series has been quietly moving its production along, and now we finally have a solid update. Alex Lawther has reportedly joined the cast of the Disney Plus series in a supporting role, though the identity of his character and the extent of his role in the story remains unknown. The report comes from The Direct, who adds that Lucasfilm has yet to confirm the news. The British up-and-comer is best known for his leading role in Netflix’s The End of the F***ing World, as well as a one-episode appearance on the smash-hit sci-fi anthology Black Mirror. Lawther could be playing anything from a fellow Rebel spy to an Imperial officer.

    Andor was announced way back in 2018, but several bumps in the road of production have delayed the series to a 2022 release. The show will consist of twelve episodes and will follow the early adventures of Rebel spy Cassian Andor. Introduced in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Andor is portrayed by actor Diego Luna. The series will also star a mixture of old and new faces, such as Genevieve O’Reilly, Forest Whitaker, Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Arjona, and Fiona Shaw. Alan Tudyk was originally announced to be reprising his role as the sassy droid K2-SO, but has since been left out of the project.

    The first three episodes of Andor will be directed by Toby Haynes, replacing former director Tony Gilroy after the latter was forced out of the role by the unexpected global pandemic. Rogue One also famously experienced behind-the-scenes issues, but that movie turned out alright. So there is most likely still hope for Andor.

    Source: The Direct