The Marvel and Star Wars universes are two sides of the same coin. Both are massive sci-fi franchises owned by Disney, both rely on interconnected storytelling across films and Disney+ TV shows, both are major tentpoles of the blockbuster scene, and the Venn diagram of their respective fandoms has a large overlap.
But while their output may be similar, the franchises themselves are quite different. Space operas and superhero stories can share the same DNA, but what works in The Outer Rim won’t work in Stark Tower. Despite that, a new rumor claims that Star Wars will be borrowing a major talent from Marvel. If true, it may be the wrong move.
We already know that Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy will be tackling a Star Wars movie. Now, according to Deadline, that movie has found a writer in longtime Levy collaborator Jonathan Tropper, who wrote Levy projects The Adam Project and Kodachrome. At first glance, this seems like a good fit; The Adam Project, for example, was steeped in a deep love for classic sci-fi, right down to the lightsaber references.
But that nostalgia also makes it a risky choice. Much of Levy’s filmography uses wink-wink references as a comedic crutch. Such self-referential humor is common in the MCU, and is essentially the basis of the entire Deadpool series. But in the Star Wars universe, those jokes are confined to the Lego spinoffs; there isn’t much room for them in the main universe.
Tropper may still surprise fans. Beyond his work with Levy, he’s a veteran creator whose resume includes Banshee, Warrior, and a wide variety of other projects. He’s clearly capable of writing a story outside of Levy’s penchant for a nostalgic adventure, and hopefully, that skill will shine through in their Star Wars movie.
But these series aren’t interchangeable. Star Wars and Marvel are both tentpole franchises, but at their core, they’re two different stories in two very different worlds. Let’s hope every creator who dabbles with both remembers that.
