It sounds as if the stars are no longer aligned in a galaxy far, far away. According to a new report from Collider, Lucasfilm may be placing their plans for more Star Wars spinoffs on hold, and instead focusing on the release of STAR WARS: EPISODE IX and the planned triology to follow. The report also states that a portion of the anthology-style stories in development are no longer a part of the studio's overall plan.
Upon digging deeper into the matter, Collider also states that Stephen Daldry's rumored Obi-Wan Kenobi spinoff had been in active development, but is now dead after many who were working on the project have moved on. In continuing down the line of canceled projects, the move to take the Star Wars spinoffs off the board would suggest that James Mangold's previously announced Boba Fett movie might as well be thrown into a Sarlacc pit.
In looking for reasons for the shakeup, numbers would suggest that the box office disappointment of SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY is partially to blame. The new Star Wars spinoff starring Alden Ehrenreich as the scruffy-looking nerf herder, Han Solo, only grossed $84.4 million stateside during its opening weekend. For some films that number would be outstanding, but for a Star Wars film? Not so much. SOLO currently holds a $341.9 worldwide gross, but is still lagging behind ROGUE ONE's $424 million take after only four weeks from its release.
It remains unclear if the studio's plans to cancel several Star Wars-related projects concerns Rian Johnson's announced trilogy, or the planned television series from GAME OF THRONES producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. Obviously, until an official statement is released from Lucasfilm, all of this should be taken with a grain of salt. The Star Wars universe is vast, and even if things get shuffled around, there's still plenty of material to pull from throughout the years.
Provided that everything in this report is legit, what are your thoughts? Should Lucasfilm continue with their plan and not let a bump in the space ways (or two) deter them? Or, should they scrap the whole slate and refill the think tank? What kind of Star Wars movies would you like to see outside of the main-line trilogies? Which characters do you think would make for better adventures on the big screen? Let us know in the comments section below.
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