Fan-Favorite Director Wants To Make A Star Wars Horror Film

A fan-favorite director is interested in making a Star Wars horror film and this could really work. He'd be just the right guy to tackle this

By Doug Norrie | Updated

This article is more than 2 years old

star wars horror

With the Star Wars universe of movies and series only in growth mode these days, we are going to get all different kinds of productions in the coming years. Long confined to groups of trilogy movies, or animated series, the franchise is set to really expand its offerings. And that can mean types of Star Wars movies we haven’t seen before. Could one of those end up more in the horror genre? One director certainly wants to make it the case. Mike Flanagan says he’s interested in doing a Star Wars horror movie and considering he’s one of the best in the business with these films, something like this could just work. 

Mike Flanagan took to Twitter to talk about being unexpectedly woken up by a near-miss natural disaster only to then let it out that he’s interested in making a Star Wars horror film. Fans were quick to jump on the idea. And it just shows the trajectory of the franchise that this kind of thing would not only be possible but maybe even celebrated as a new avenue for the George Lucas-created galaxy. Check out what Flanagan had to say about the prospect. 

Would a Star Wars horror film work coming from a guy like Mike Flanagan? His other films suggest he’s got this genre on complete lock. Flanagan is currently helming the Netflix series Midnight Mass which has drawn rave critical reviews on the streamer. The series about the supernatural and bone-chilling events in a small island town has scored 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and become one of Netflix’s better offerings. On the movie front, he’s helmed Oculus, Hush, Gerald’s Game, and most recently the sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep. For something of a niche director, he’s shown an adeptness at creating scary movies that are also very good. That is no easy feat. 

Where would a Star Wars horror film fit in along with what is currently planned in the franchise? It might not be as farfetched as one would think. Gone are the days of waiting patiently for another trilogy to come out with new stories about different characters. With The Mandalorian leading the charge of Disney+ series for starters, there are now avenues to explore new stories and different kinds of productions. Coming up we are getting The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka among others. Plus there is The Acolyte from Leslye Headland which is reported to explore some darker themes within this franchise. 

Those series will all be on Disney+ meaning we can’t go completely with the Star Wars horror vibe. The latter would most likely, as Flanagan says, need to come in movie form. There’s plenty coming down the pike on that front as well. Rian Johnson is set to produce another trilogy set of films, Patty Jenkins has Rogue Squadron on the way, Kevin Feige is working on something and another Marvel standout Taika Waititi has been announced as developing a new film too. There is so much going on in this world and it’s never been busier. 

In the past, a Star Wars horror film would have been inconceivable for a number of different reasons: marketing and branding chief among them. But those days are gone now. The future is bright for Star Wars and the possibilities are now endless for what can work into this world in terms of story, or even genre. Could we see an Alien-like addition to Star Wars? Or a thriller involving the ultimate evil that is the Dark Side? It’s certainly possible and a great director looks like he wants something to happen.