No one knows when Taika Waititi‘s “Star Wars” movie will come out, but it’s still in the Lucasfilm pipeline. And outside of being in development, the only thing known about it is that it’ll come after Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Dave Filoni, and James Mangold‘s upcoming films hit theaters first. What Waititi and co-writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns have in store for “Star Wars” fans is anyone’s guess, but Variety reports that Waititi teased his film on the red carpet of his latest film with his trademark humor.
While being interviewed at the premiere for “Next Goal Wins,” Waititi responded to a query about his “Star Wars” film with, “It will be…dramatic pause…a Taika Waititi film.” Then, the punchline: “It’s gonna piss people off,” he laughed. That’s a knowing remark from the director, well aware that his films’ penchants for wacky slapstick comedy and wildly veering tones may not be the most conventional choice to direct a “Star Wars” movie. Indeed, Waititi has been hit-or-miss when it comes to blockbusters. “Thor: Ragnarok” was praised upon its release for its gleeful and colorful goofiness, while last year’s “Thor: Love And Thunder” was, let’s say, less well-regarded than its predecessor.
But it’s not as if the movies in the “Star Wars” Universe don’t garner divisive audience responses. Outside of “A New Hope,” almost every other “Star Wars” film has had vocal detractors. That includes “The Empire Strikes Back,” first poo-pooed by some as a lesser follow-up that lets the bad guys win. Or “The Last Jedi,” which divided fans between those who loved Rian Johnson‘s deliberate shake-up of the franchise’s formula, while others impeached it as a gob of spit in the eye of the “Star Wars” mythos.
The same divisions occur in the audience response to the various Disney+ “Star Wars” series. While “The Mandalorian” remains the most popular series on the streamers, fans met other shows like “The Book Of Boba Fett” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi” with mixed responses, claiming that they’re not essential “Star Wars” stories. But then there’s Tony Gilroy‘s “Andor,” a series that’s won unanimous critical acclaim, remains faithful to the tone of the “Star Wars” universe, and features the vision of a singular filmmaker. Waititi may not match the tone of “Star Wars” on paper, but maybe his voice, like Gilroy’s, is one that a struggling franchise needs as a renewing shot of life?
But Waititi is also attached to many other potential upcoming projects beyond “Star Wars,” so let’s wait and see if his film set in a galaxy far, far away ever comes to fruition.
