Unleashing the Force: Acclaimed Director Shawn Levy Shares His Thrilling Journey With the Upcoming Star Wars Blockbuster
Shawn Levy's exciting update on his upcoming Star Wars film proves his unwavering trust in his instincts, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the lessons Lucasfilm will learn from past projects Promising signs ahead!
Summary
Shawn Levy's Star Wars film is still in development, and the director reveals that Lucasfilm has given him creative freedom that has left him feeling "empowered".
The director emphasizes that it is still in the early stages of development, indicating that the movie is not expected to be released in the near future.
Given past instances of conflicts between Lucasfilm and directors in previous Star Wars projects, this recent update from Levy implies that the company has gained valuable insight from previous disappointments.
Shawn Levy's Star Wars film is currently in progress, and the director has expressed his enthusiasm for the project. The news of Levy collaborating with Lucasfilm was first reported in late 2022, but there have been limited updates on his Star Wars project set in a distant galaxy. The development of this upcoming Star Wars movie, alongside other long-awaited projects, has been slow due to various factors, including the recent WGA strike that lasted for 148 days before ending.
In a recent interview with Variety, Levy provides a new update on his Star Wars movie, giving an optimistic outlook for its future. Although it seems like there is still a lot of work to be done, the filmmaker hints at his excitement about the level of creative freedom he has been granted. Read Levy's complete statement below.
Lucasfilm Need To Learn Major Lessons From Previous Star Wars Projects
: When I was brought on board by Kathy Kennedy to create a Star Wars movie, she made it clear that she wanted a movie in the style of Shawn Levy. She wanted the story and tone to reflect my unique taste and style that I bring to my other movies, while still staying true to the Star Wars universe. This has given me a great sense of empowerment. Unfortunately, due to the WGA strike, we are still in the early stages of development. However, I feel confident in trusting my instincts and vision for this story and film.
While Levy's Star Wars film is not yet ready for release, his recent update suggests a positive future for the franchise under Lucasfilm. The studio has faced previous challenges with clashes of creativity behind the scenes, leading to a potential hesitation in granting filmmakers absolute creative freedom.
2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story are two notable examples. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the production of Rogue One, as director Gareth Edwards' prequel to A New Hope was reportedly in a critical condition before screenwriter Tony Gilroy took charge and conducted extensive reshoots. Similarly, on Solo, original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were removed from the project after months of filming. Ron Howard was then brought in as their replacement, resulting in the need for significant reshoots.
A similar situation arose with the script of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker when the original director Colin Trevorrow departed the project after Disney hired Jack Thorne to rework it. Although Lucasfilm has successfully collaborated with filmmakers like J.J. Abrams, Jon Favreau, and Dave Filoni, the conflicts behind the scenes imply some hesitation in relinquishing creative authority. The future of Levy's Star Wars film remains uncertain as its development progresses, but the director's recent update offers hope.
