A Star Wars feature took a major step forward last fall, as it was reported that Damon Lindelof had boarded it. The writer/producer, who's best known for creating Lost, The Leftovers and Watchmen, was originally tapped to pen the script for said project. However, the SW production hit a setback when Lindelof exited and his script was scrapped. Fans have been looking for clarification on the matter since and, now, the acclaimed TV showrunner is sharing his feelings on the decision to discard his screenplay.
Damon Lindelof recently attended the premiere of his latest streaming project, Mrs. Davis, which is set to debut on Peacock. While he spent most of his time answering questions about the offbeat, twisted series in question, he also spoke to Variety about the Star Wars film he was originally a part of. He didn't say too much about it, though what he did offer up was quite civil:
The movie is still happening, but unfortunately not with me. I wish them all the best of luck. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is an incredible director, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up.
This is a very classy response in the face of a potentially awkward situation. After his exit, a replacement was found in the form of Steven Knight, who is best known for creating Peaky Blinders. As mentioned, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is still attached to direct. The Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker is the recipient of two Academy Awards for her documentary work. She's also known for directing episodes of Disney+'s acclaimed Marvel Cinematic Universe-set series Ms. Marvel.
Damon Lindelof wrote his original script alongside fellow TV veteran Justin Britt-Gibson. Rumors pointed to the movie being tied to the sequel trilogy, and that was confirmed during Star Wars Celebration, where it was announced that Daisy Ridley's Rey would be the lead character.
The future of the Star Wars film franchise has been hazy as of late with films from Kevin Feige and Patty Jenkins now off the docket. A flick that's in limbo is that of The Last Jedi's Rian Johnson, who's spoken about his plans possibly falling through. However, Lucasfilm did recently provide fans with some hope by announcing the exciting movie plans were revealed at the previously mentioned fan gathering. Titles from James Mangold, Dave Filoni and Taika Waititi are all in different stages of development.
While Damon Lindelof’s involvement with George Lucas' cosmic IP has come to an end (for now), his latest project, Mrs. Davis, is getting a lot of buzz. The science fiction series takes a dystopian look at a technological world in conflict with how religion operates within society. These are large, complex, abstract ideas that are grounded by an action-packed, bonkers storytelling style. Critics who have seen the series have given it positive reviews, and it stars GLOW’s Betty Gilpin and Limitless’s Jake McDorman in leading roles. Though it's great that Lindelof is excited for what's to come and is currently busy, let's hope he gets another chance to craft a story in the beloved science fiction saga.
Meanwhile, know that you can stream Star Wars shows and movies using a Disney+ subscription. Mrs. Davis will also be available for Peacock subscribers to stream starting on April 20.
