It’s hard to imagine that it’s already been a decade since the shocking announcement that the Walt Disney Company had purchased Lucasfilm, and that a new trilogy ofStar Warsmovies were coming. While rumors and speculation aboutStar Wars: Episode VIIhad existed for years,George Lucashad frequently sworn that he was done with the franchise’s theatrical films after the release ofRevenge of the Sithin 2005. Although we’ve now reached the point in which theStar Warsfranchise is oversaturated, the initial promise of another installment sparked immediate discourse about who should be behind the camera beforeJ.J. Abramswas officially signed on to directThe Force Awakens. Interestingly, one of the veteran auteurs who nearly landed the position wasMatthew Vaughn.
Vaughn was on a hot streak at the time of theStar Warsannouncement. After working as a producer and writer for years, Vaughn had created a new crime classic withLayer Cake, which was the type of debut film that immediately puts a filmmaker in the spotlight. Vaughn continued to show his mastery over different genres that were integral toStar Warswhen he delivered the highly underrated fantasy adventureStardustand the action-comedyKick-Ass. His work onX-Men: First Classproved thathe could deliver a satisfying new installmentin a series that had been on a downward spiral afterX-Men: The Last StandandX-Men Origins: Wolverine. It signified that he could work some of the same magic to getStar Warsfans who were disappointed in the prequel trilogy reengaged in the franchise.
Vaughn was heavily rumored andlanded a critical meetingwithKathleen Kennedyand Lucasfilm shortly after the initial announcement; the timing was particularly curious to fans, as Vaughn had recently been replaced byBryan SingeronX-Men: Days of Future Past. While he was close enough to landing the gig that his frequent collaboratorsMark MillarandJason Flemyngcommented on the situation, Vaughn ultimately did not pursue the project. However, Vaughn’s version of theStar Warssequel trilogy would have been radically different from the one that we ultimately got.
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Why Didn’t Matthew Vaughn Direct ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’?
During the period when Vaughn was under consideration, Lucas had handed over story treatments for his version of the trilogy,which were distributedonly to Kathleen Kennedy,Alan Horn, Bob Iger,andKevin A. Mayer. Lucas had initially considered directingEpisode VIIhimself before a potential sale of Lucasfilm, buthe ultimately opted against it.Vaughn was among the initial batch of directors considered or brought in for discussions with Lucasfilm,which includedBrad Bird, Guillermo del Toro, David Fincher,andNeil Blomkamp. It was evident that Lucasfilm was looking for a veteran auteur who had already had an established footstep in the industry.
Vaughn was in discussion for theinitial draft of the scriptbyMichael Arndt, the screenwriter behindLittle Miss SunshineandToy Story 3; Arndt’s script was later reworked byLawrence Kasdanand Abrams. A writer’s room consisting ofSimon Kinberg,Lawrence Kasdan,Pablo Hidalgo, andKiri Hartput together loose outlines for a sequel trilogy,which includedmakingMark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker the “Macguffin” of the story. It was agreed upon that Luke would take over the narrative of the story if he was featured too prominently.
However, Vaughn had to resign his interest in the saga andturn down the offerdue to some disagreements over the direction. Considering how many directors were announced and later leftStar Warsprojects for “creative differences,” it’s good that Vaughn recognized potential trouble before making a commitment.
Matthew Vaughn’s Potential Future in the ‘Star Wars’ Franchise
While Vaughn wasn’t involved in any of the final films, hehasn’t ruled out the possibilityof joining theStar Warsfranchise. During a promotional tour forThe King’s Man, Vaughn stated that “if you’d asked me that 10 years ago, I would’ve givenKingsmanto Lucasfilm for free to get to go shoot aStar Warsfilm.” After emphasizing the importance ofStar Warsto his love of film and passion for directing, he stated that “I think out of all the IP I’m not involved with,Star Warswould always get my attention if they rang me up.” Vaughn joked that Disney has “zero interest” in working with him because he is a “maverick” filmmaker.
Vaughn’s comments suggest an interest in continuing the Skywalker saga, and trying to “be meticulous on trying to protect the legacy” of the series. While the Skywalker saga has wrapped up withThe Rise of Skywalker, Lucasfilm hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing back the sequel trilogy characters, asDamon Lindelof’sStar Warsproject is set after the new trilogy.With both Lindelof’s film and theupcomingShawn Levyproject, it appears that theStar Warsfranchise intends to return to theaters after a majority of the stories are told on Disney+. Vaughn could certainly be in play for a future installment under the right circumstances.
The possibility of Vaughn’sStar Warsremains an exciting one; he’s clearly a talented storyteller and has the track record to prove it. Although the franchise has previously had a rocky relationship with “maverick” filmmakers with their own unique style,Tony Gilroy’s work onAndorsignifies that Lucasfilm might make room for more experimental projects. Vaughn’s recent work onKingsman: The Golden CircleandThe King’s Manhave received mixed responses, so it’s perhaps best for him to pass his signature spy franchise over to another creative mind and get engaged in a new project altogether after his Apple TV+ spy filmArgylehits theaters. There’s no certainty that a VaughnStar Warswould be good, but there’s no way that it wouldn’t at least be a memorable entry in the saga.
