Taika Waititi Starring In His Own Star Wars Movie?
Taika Waititi is the only director working on a Star Wars project at LucasFilm, and he plans on starring in his own movie, but hopefully only in a supporting role.
Following an ongoing series of shakeups behind the scenes at Disney and LucasFilm regarding the future of their second-biggest franchise, it’s increasingly likely that Thor director Taika Waititi will be the next Star Wars director. A recent report from Variety detailing the cancellation of films by Kevin Feige and Patty Jenkins mentions that Waititi’s project is the only one left standing. The catch is that the comedic director also wants to be his film’s star.
He usually has a part in his films, from Adolf Hitler in Jojo Rabbit to Korg the Rock Man in Thor Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, so hopefully, he’ll settle for not being the leading role. Korg was the right amount of Waititi, not overstaying for too long, getting his jokes in, and then getting out. If his role is kept to those levels, it could be a success; then, could his strange sense of humor translate to Star Wars?
Thor Ragnarok breathed new life into Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder with its slick combination of rock music and zany humor, but then Love and Thunder happened, resulting in diminishing returns. Taika Waititi’s humor leans towards the absurd; his overly polite Korg trying to start a revolution with handouts is a perfect example, but Star Wars isn’t known for its anarchic humor.
At the moment, no one behind the scenes at LucasFilm seems to have the ability to provide a clear vision for the franchise, which might be the only way to reign in the extreme nature of Waititi’s filmmaking. Then again, given the lack of success for The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker, maybe a major tonal shift is exactly what the franchise needs. The western feel of The Mandalorian and the spy thriller nature of Andor work on Disney+, but could they translate to the big screen?
The other issue with Taika Waititi that might damage his long-term work with Star Wars is his tendency, according to those he works with, to be a creative force that quickly expends all of his best ideas and concepts. Chris Hemsworth mentioned in interviews that the director spent all of his best ideas on Ragnarok, leaving nothing left over for Love and Thunder, which the star thought severely hurt the production. One great movie is better than two mediocre ones, but if the past is any indication, Disney will squeeze all the blood possible out of the comedy stone.
Fans were excited about Patty Jenkins bringing Rogue Squadron to life, and Kevin Feige has a proven track record of success. Is the loss of both films worth a potential wacky Taika Waititi Star Wars’ film? Again, after Rise of Skywalker, the answer is likely a resounding yes, as long-suffering fans want anything that can restore their hope in the franchise.
Considered one of the best films since the original trilogy, Rogue One, it was a one-and-done film that told a concise story, perhaps setting the template for Waititi’s movie. If the director lets it all loose in one glorious 150-minute spectacle, it will likely be amazing, though hopefully, someone else gets the lead role.
