It may be a while before we see any more movies likeSolo: A Star Wars Storyout of Lucasfilm. Sources with knowledge of the situation tell Collider that Lucasfilm has decided to put plans for moreA Star Wars Storyspinoff movies on hold, instead opting to focus their attention onStar Wars: Episode IXand what the next trilogy ofStar Warsfilms will be after that film. Sources tell us that the previously rumoredObi-Wan moviewas in active development, but those who were working on the film are no longer involved. It wasrecently reportedthatLoganfilmmakerJames Mangoldwas in early talks to write and direct the Boba Fett film, but that was beforeSolo’s release.
This news comes in the wake of the disappointing launch ofSolo, which was only Lucasfilm’s secondA Star Wars Storyspinoff, but which received mixed-positive reviews and fell short of box office expectations. The film scored $84.4 million on opening weekend and has grossed $192.8 million domestically (and $339.5 million worldwide) in four weeks, which is nothing to scoff at but is far, far lower than the performance of otherStar Warsmovies at this benchmark. For comparison’s sake,Rogue Oneopened to $155 million and had grossed $424 million domestic by Week 4. To put it simply, whileSolodid fine by blockbuster standards, it wasn’t the “event” that Lucasfilm expected out of a brand newStar Warsmovie.
Of course the May release date could have had something to do withSolo’s disappointing performance. As opposed toRogue Oneor the episodic films byJ.J. AbramsandRian Johnson,Solowent head-to-head with a slew of summer blockbusters in May, opening mere weeks after box office juggernautsAvengers: Infinity WarandDeadpool 2. One wonders how the film would have fared had Lucasfilm pushedSolo’s release to December instead.
Regardless, we’re hearing that plans to revisit thisA Star Wars Storyformat have been put on hold for the moment. Initially announced as “anthology” movies, the spinoffs got off to a rocky start and haven’t exactly been smooth sailing.Josh Trank(Chronicle) was developing a Boba Fett movie around the same timeGareth Edwards(Godzilla) was preppingRogue One, but Trank wassubsequently removedfrom the project and Lucasfilm lost a film off its planned slate. Then story issues led to extensive reshoots onRogue Onethat reworked the third act, withTony Gilroy(The Bourne Legacy) overseeing the new scenes. And then of courseSolosaw directorsPhil LordandChris Millerfired during production, withRon Howardcoming in to replace them and reshoot a number of scenes.
In addition toEpisode IX, Lucasfilm has officially announced development ona newStar Warstrilogyfocused on new characters fromThe Last Jediwriter/directorRian Johnson, as well asa new series of filmswritten byGame of ThronesshowrunnersDavid BenioffandD.B. Weiss. These projects continue to be in development and are not part of the paused spinoffs we’re hearing about. But Lucasfilm’s main focus at the moment is planning the next trilogy after the Abrams-directedStar Wars 9, which is expected to conclude the story of Rey (Daisy Ridley) that began withThe Force Awakens.
As with everything in Hollywood, it’s always possible that some filmmaker could come in and pitch an idea for aStar Wars Storyspinoff that makes Lucasfilm rethink its approach, or opt to greenlight that idea as a one-off, but as of right now we’re hearing the studio’s focus has moved away from these spinoffs for the time-being and is squarely intent on gettingEpisode IXto the finish line and figuring out what the next trilogy of films will be.
More as we hear it.
