A new behind-the-scenes story has revealed why an ambitious Star Wars movie from the creative team behind Paddington never worked out. Writer Simon Farnaby recently explained why Lucasfilm passed on a pitch for a new Star Wars project by director Paul King.
Speaking with Variety, Farnaby revealed that Disney and Lucasfilm once approached him and King to develop a Star Wars movie. The writer explained that their idea centered around a robot and did not feature any of “Star Wars” characters. Looking back, he acknowledged that concept likely worked against them.
“They were like, ‘We really need it to be a Star Wars movie,’ which is probably why it didn’t get turned into a Star Wars movie!” he said with a laugh. Farnaby added that he and King “never really nailed it,” though they are now reworking the original idea into a different project.
Instead, the duo went on to make Wonka, which became a huge hit at the box office.
What’s next for Lucasfilm’s Star Wars franchise?
While Paul’s idea never appealed to Lucasfilm, the studio has plenty of titles under its belt. Star Wars: Starfighter stars Ryan Gosling, with Shawn Levy directing from a script by Jonathan Tropper. The story takes place five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. The studio will release the film in theaters on March 28, 2027.
Lucasfilm is also developing James Mangold’s movie about the origins of the Force and Dave Filoni’s crossover event film that will connect several Disney+ series. On top of that, the studio is making Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s project centered on Rey rebuilding the Jedi Order. An untitled Simon Kinberg trilogy project and a Taika Waititi movie are in development.
Lucasfilm’s leadership also marked a shift earlier this year. Kathleen Kennedy stepped down as Lucasfilm president, handing over the chair to Dave Filoni as president and chief creative officer.
With new leadership guiding the franchise, fans are eager to see how the upcoming movie slate turns out at the box office.
