Taika Waititi has officially confirmed that his much-anticipated “Star Wars” movie, which has been in development since 2020, is currently on hold. The news comes as the director promotes his latest film, “Klara and the Sun.”
Waititi’s Update on ‘Star Wars’ Project
While discussing his cinematic endeavors with Inverse, Waititi stated, “I hate to break this to you, but we’re going to actually put it on ice and we’re working on a different thing together.” It appears that the director’s publicist advised him not to elaborate further on the matter. “Well, there’s your answer,” he added candidly. “I don’t even know how to dress it up or make it even vague. It’s very iced. I’ve got about four other movies I’m trying to do. Ice ages do come to an end… Who knows?”
A Different Direction for ‘Star Wars’
In January, Waititi had shared his vision for the “Star Wars” saga, aiming to recapture the fun and whimsy of the original films. “The stakes are very high, and there’s serious things going on, but there’s also a lot of fun to be had in those films. That’s what I was trying to bring back,” he noted. “I was trying to work in a world that was a little bit separate to that because they’ve got so many things going on within that space. For me to do something there, it would need to be a little different and a little bit more its own thing.”
Previous Confirmation from Lucasfilm
Former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy had previously indicated that Waititi’s “Star Wars” project was “still somewhat alive,” suggesting there had been ongoing discussions about its potential development.
Current Reception of ‘Klara and the Sun’
Meanwhile, “Klara and the Sun” has received a mixed response from critics and audiences alike. In his review for Variety, Guy Lodge remarked, “Jenna Ortega tries hard to illuminate this misbegotten Kazuo Ishiguro adaptation, but Waititi’s decision to play it for strained, whimsical comedy is ruinous.” The uneven reception highlights the challenges Waititi faces as he steers his creative vision in a different direction.
