Taika Waititi's long-gestating Star Wars film has been put "on ice," the director confirmed in a recent interview.
Announced in 2020, the project has seen minimal updates over the past few years. Waititi told Inverse that the movie is currently not moving forward. When asked if he could provide any further details, he was advised by his publicist that if he had to ask, the answer was no. Waititi described the film as "very iced" and indicated he has at least four other movies he is currently working to make.
While acknowledging that "ice ages do come to an end," Waititi offered little hope for an imminent revival of his Star Wars venture. His latest film, Klara and the Sun, has received a lukewarm reception, opening with a 25% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The challenges Waititi faces in bringing his Star Wars movie to fruition are not unique within the franchise's recent history. A trilogy planned by Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss was shelved after they signed a deal with Netflix. Rian Johnson, director of The Last Jedi, was also set to helm a trilogy that never materialized, with Johnson now focusing on his Knives Out series. Other proposed Star Wars films that did not advance include a project developed by Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, a canceled Ben Solo film, and a pitch from director David Fincher.
Despite these setbacks, Lucasfilm is preparing to bring Star Wars back to cinemas with Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, slated for release on May 28, 2027. Several other Star Wars films are reportedly in development, though their ultimate fate remains uncertain.