Exclusive: Patty Jenkins Star Wars Movie Not Moving Forward, Taika Waititi Movie In Danger
We've exclusively learned from a trusted and proven inside source that Star Wars movies are in trouble. The Patty Jenkins project is out. Taika Waititi's movie?
Update: This Giant Freakin Robot exclusive was confirmed, and the Patty Jenkins Star Wars movie Rogue Squadron is no longer moving forward.
It’s been over a week since The Hollywood Reporter shared that they’ve learned Rogue Squadron has been delayed. The Star Wars movie being developed by Wonder Woman filmmaker Patty Jenkins was supposed to begin filming in 2022. However, that’s not happening. While the filmmaker is certainly busy with DC, the chance to work on a Star Wars project is a very big deal and something that most filmmakers would prioritize. So, we went looking for more information on what’s really happening behind the scenes. Now, a trusted and proven source for Giant Freakin Robot has shared that Rogue Squadron is not just delayed. The Patty Jenkins movie is dead and will not be picked up again. Moreover, Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie is also at risk.
Our source shared that the troubles are because the head of Lucasfilm isn’t getting along with their filmmakers, something that is affecting the work of both Patty Jenkins and Taika Waititi. Considering that both of these filmmakers have worked on major franchises before, with Patty Jenkins at DC and Taika Waititi at Marvel, it would seem like they would have experience working in high-pressure situations and dealing with issues like budgets, creative differences, and tight scheduling. Our source only shared the head of the studio is not getting along with the others, not the specifics of what the studio head’s issues are. Currently, Kathleen Kennedy is the head of Lucasfilm.
Patty Jenkins is known for her work with DC on Wonder Woman. Instead of working on Star Wars: Rogue Squadron in 2022, she’s jumping on Wonder Woman 3. Before we learned that Patty Jenkins’ Star Wars movie wasn’t going to happen anymore, there was excitement for the project. Rogue Squadron was the first Star Wars movie with a woman directing. It was also something she sounded excited about, though she never shared many details about what was happening behind the scenes. In retrospect, that now reads more like a sign of these troubles that were going to lead to the end of her project. While any filmmaker would be lucky to work on Star Wars, Jenkins has other work available to her if she’s finding it too difficult to work with Lucasfilm.
Like Patty Jenkins, Taika Waititi has a lot of work opportunities right now. He is very prolific as a writer, director, and actor. He has been co-writing the untitled Star Wars project with Krysty Wilson-Cairns, and reports have claimed that they’ve scouted locations. He’s given a few updates so far on how the script has been coming together. He’s worked with Lucasfilm in the past on The Mandalorian as a director and actor, so hopes were high that he was going into his Star Wars project fully aware of the working conditions at the studio.
However, from what our source had to share, it seems clear that being a filmmaker on a Star Wars feature film is a different working situation than what he’s done in the past. Now, he’s facing off on creative decisions, and it may mean the end of his Star Wars project altogether. We learned that it’s not strictly over yet, but it’s at serious risk.
With Patty Jenkins out, and Taika Waititi possibly done soon, how will Lucasfilm be able to get top filmmakers to sign on for future projects? Who will want to work with the studio when filmmakers are seen to be leaving so often?
