Looking behind Rogue One: Han Solo, Boba Fett, and what’s after IX?

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As part of Entertainment Weekly’s latest Rogue One feature, Anthony Breznican talks to Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy and Kiri Hart about what’s ahead after Han Solo and Episode IX. Hart calls Rogue One “a really good template” for launching this new kind of Star Wars film.

But overall, there’s not really that much to say right now about the future. Because even Lucasfilm isn’t sure yet:

“There are [possible movies] that we have been talking a lot about,” Kennedy says. “But we are planning to sit down in January, since we will have had The Force Awakens released, now Rogue One, and we’ve finished shooting Episode VIII. We have enough information where we can step back a little bit and say, What are we doing? What do we feel is exciting? And what are some of the things we want to explore?”

It’s certainly an interesting question. I doubt we’ll be waiting 10 years for Episode X, but how long should they wait? Will the fanbase stand for an uninterrupted string of non-Episode films?

And which standalones? Perhaps the most interesting parts of this piece look back. First, it confirms the long-standing rumors that Josh Trank’s canceled standalone was about Boba Fett. (Ugh.) They even had a teaser reel ready to show us at Celebration Anaheim in spring 2015. A Fett film still might happen – Breznican calls it “backburnered” – but it’ll no doubt have to wait until the right director comes along. (And yes, the possibility of an Obi-Wan Kenobi film is mentioned. Again, Lucasfilm knows you want it.)

Secondly, Kennedy also mentions that the idea for the Han Solo standalone wasn’t one that George Lucas mentioned as a spinoff. We’ve previously heard otherwise, which makes me wonder if the original idea came from George in a different context, like the never-produced live-action series. (After all, Saw Gerrera made the jump from there to The Clone Wars to Rogue One – why not a major character like Han?)

In another article, this time at Variety, Kennedy talks about some of the Han film’s inspirations:

“This moves closer to a heist or Western type feel,” says Kennedy. “We’ve talked about [Frederic] Remington and those primary colors that are used in his paintings defining the look and feel of the film.”

She also talks about her desire to bring in more women to direct Star Wars films.

“We want to make sure that when we bring a female director in to do “Star Wars,” they’re set up for success,” says Kennedy. “They’re gigantic films, and you can’t come into them with essentially no experience.”

Josh Trank on his Star Wars exit

josh-trankIn the L.A. Times, director Josh Trank addresses why he dropped out of the second Star Wars Anthology film.

“I want to do something original after [Fantastic Four] because I’ve been living under public scrutiny, as you’ve seen, for the last four years of my life,” he said. “And it’s not healthy for me right now in my life. I want to do something that’s below the radar.”

“I have a great relationship with everyone at Lucasfilm and with Kari Hart,” he continued. “And they all understood it because this whole experience for me has been very psychologically hard.”

Simon Kinberg, also present at the interview, called the rumors that followed Trank’s departure “particularly cruel.”

Josh Trank is off the second Star Wars spinoff

josh-trankJosh Trank will no longer be directing the second Star Wars Anthology film, Lucasfilm has announced.

“After a year of having the incredible honor of developing with the wonderful and talented people at Lucasfilm, I’m making a personal decision to move forward on a different path,” Trank said in a statement released through Lucasfilm. “I’ve put a tremendous amount of thought into this, and I know deep down in my heart that I want to pursue some original creative opportunities.”

Trank was a no-show at Celebration, which sparked a flurry of speculation through the media. He tweeted that the flu was at fault, but The Hollywood Reporter claims that he was ordered not to attend the event by Disney executives, and of problems on the set of Fantastic Four.

The film, expected in 2018, is still in development at Lucasfilm.

Chronicle’s Josh Trank to direct second Star Wars standalone film

josh-trankStarWars.com has annouced that Josh Trank will direct the second Star Wars standalone film. Chronicle, his directoral debut, netted him The Fantastic Four remake that he’s helming currently.

His Star Wars film is expected after Episode VIII, in 2018… Assuming they’re still planning on using the schedule of an Episode every other year. A rumor floating around pegs the 2018 spin-off as “Solo,” but Kathleen Kennedy maintains that the new movies “reach beyond the core characters and storylines of Episodes I through IX.”

In a statement, Trank said “The magic of the Star Wars Universe defined my entire childhood. The opportunity to expand on that experience for future generations is the most incredible dream of all time.”

Unlike the first standalone, they’re not announcing the writer, which makes me think this could be one of the films we already knew are slated to be written by Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg.

Interesting, Trank directed a fan film in 2007: