This may just go down as the best May the 4th in history. It has been confirmed that Taika Waititi will direct a new Star Wars film — set for theatrical release.
The Boy director will co-write the script with Academy Award-nominated 1917 screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Disney and Lucasfilm announced on Monday.
Incoming news from a galaxy far, far away….
Academy Award winner @TaikaWaititi to direct and co-write a new Star Wars feature film for theatrical release; Academy Award nominee Krysty Wilson-Cairns (@WeWriteAtDawn) to co-write screenplay with Waititi: https://t.co/o3Exz8ndy9 pic.twitter.com/Yrt0LQbi7B
— Star Wars (@starwars) May 4, 2020
News that Taika Waititi was in talks to develop a new Star Wars film were first brought to light in January, following the director’s work on the season finale of Disney Plus series The Mandalorian — which also saw him play the droid IG-11.
Waititi was asked about the project in an interview with Variety back in February after winning the best-adapted screenplay Oscar for Jojo Rabbit. Taika, in his infinite and inimitable silliness, didn’t give much away.
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“Are there discussions about the ‘Star Wars’ film? Like, yeah, I discussed with my friends in 1996 how cool ‘Star Wars’ was,” He shared.. “I think people see me hanging out with people, especially with ‘Star Wars,’ and think I’m having some big discussions about it. I would f—ing love to.…If it was right. I would want to do any kind of movie if it made sense, and if it felt not like career suicide.”
The New Zealand director has a chock-a-block future ahead of him. He recently wrapped up production on his latest film, Next Goal Wins. The film is based off the 2014 documentary of the same name that follows American Samoa as they try to recover from the stigma of being the weakest football teams in the world, and their journey to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
He’s also set to appear as an actor in The Suicide Squad, and has had his name tethered to directing the forthcoming Marvel Studio’s film Thor: Love and Thunder, which is dated for November 5th, 2021, and Akira for Warner Bros., which is scheduled to begin production in early 2021.
