Director Taika Waititi has confirmed that his Star Wars movie, which has been in development for several years, is now officially "on ice."
Waititi shared the update with Inverse during a press junket for his upcoming film, Klara and the Sun. When asked about the progress of his and writer Tony McNamara's Star Wars project, Waititi stated, "I hate to break this to you, but we're going to actually put it on ice and we're working on a different thing together."
Rumors of Waititi's involvement with a Star Wars film began in early 2020, with an official announcement following later that year. In 2021, Waititi indicated he had completed the story for his film, and former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy mentioned in 2022 that the goal was a late 2023 theatrical release. However, Kennedy also noted that Disney had not yet finalized any commitments.
By April 2023, Waititi was reportedly still working on the project. He later stated his intention to prioritize other films before returning to the Star Wars movie, promising it would "harness a little bit more of the fun from the original trilogy." Now, the project is definitively on hold.
"Well, there's your answer," Waititi told Inverse. "I don't even know how to dress it up or make it even vague. It's very iced. I've got about four other movies I'm trying to do."
While the news may be disappointing for fans, the prolonged development period and lack of concrete updates had suggested this outcome. Even in January 2026, when Kennedy was departing Lucasfilm, she described the project as "still somewhat alive," a sentiment that now appears to have faded.
In the interim, Waititi directed Thor: Love and Thunder in 2022 and released Next Goal Wins in 2023. Klara and the Sun, starring Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, and Steve Buscemi, is set to be released on October 23, 2026, though early reviews have been mixed.
Regarding the future of his Star Wars film, Waititi expressed uncertainty, concluding, "Ice ages do come to an end. Who knows?"