Jon Watts Set to Make 1980s Amblin Era-Inspired ‘Star Wars’ Disney+ Series
The “Star Wars” universe just keeps expanding.
On the heels of the highly anticipated reunion between Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hayden Christensen’s Darth Vader, premiering May 27 on Disney+, comes another post-“Return of the Jedi” installment to accompany critically acclaimed “The Mandalorian” — and this time, Disney+ is borrowing from Marvel.
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” director Jon Watts is confirmed to be creating and executive producing a series that follows the fall of the Empire through the eyes of four children, aged 11 to 12 years old. Currently under code name “Grammar Rodeo,” the series is described as a “galactic version of classic Amblin coming-of-age adventure films of the ’80s,” per Vanity Fair.
Watts teams up again with “Spider-Man: Homecoming” scribe Chris Ford to pen the yet-untitled Disney+ series. To note, “Grammar Rodeo” is a reference to a “Simpsons” episode in which Bart and his classmates steal a car and run away for a week under the guise of a fake educational event.
The confirmation of Watts’ involvement with “Star Wars” comes just a few weeks after the director announced on April 29 that he will be stepping away from Marvel’s upcoming “Fantastic Four” reboot which may or may not be starring John Krasinski as Mr. Fantastic following his cameo in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”
Inversely, “The Last Jedi” director Rian Johnson has his own previously announced “Star Wars” trilogy on hold due to commitments at Netflix and upcoming star-studded ensemble murder mystery “Knives Out 2.”
“Star Wars” producer Kathleen Kennedy told Vanity Fair that Johnson has been “unbelievably busy” under his Netflix deal for multiple films. And, a trilogy may not even be the appropriate term for anything Johnson has in the works.
“I hesitate to use the word trilogies anymore because ‘Star Wars’ is much more about persistent storytelling,” Kennedy added.
Meanwhile, “Thor: Love and Thunder” director Taika Waititi will helm a “Star Wars” film with “1917” screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns penning the script, before Patty Jenkins leads “Rogue Squadron” after completing the “Wonder Woman” trilogy for DC.
But don’t hold your breath on a complete MCU superhero behind-the-scenes crossover with the Disney empire. Rumors that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige will produce a “Star Wars” film are (for now) not true.
“I would love to see what movie he might come up with,” producer Kennedy said. “But right now, no, there isn’t anything specifically.”
For all the upcoming “Star Wars” projects, click here.