Stranger Things And Deadpool Director Recruited To Helm New Star Wars Movie
Director Shawn Levy is in talks to direct a Star Wars film, according to a new report.
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An exclusive report from Deadline is dropping a new name onto the Lucasfilm merry-go-round for potential Star Wars film directors: Shawn Levy, who recently directed episodes of Netflix’s Stranger Things, as well as Ryan Reynolds’ video game comedy Free Guy. Reynolds recently brought Levy on to direct the upcoming Deadpool 3, after director Tim Miller left over creative differences. If Levy does indeed sign on for Star Wars, it would be his next project after Deadpool 3 finishes filming.
Neither Disney nor Lucasfilm have confirmed the report, and Shawn Levy is due to direct at least two episodes of the final season of Stranger Things (he also serves as executive producer), which begins production next year. He just completed helming all the episodes of another Netflix series, All the Light We Cannot See, and also directed Reynolds in the Netflix film The Adam Project.
Although Levy may not have the name recognition of other Star Wars creators like J.J. Abrams or Jon Favreau, he certainly has the experience and resume to take on a franchise of that magnitude. He also has a long-time relationship with Disney, having gotten his start directing episodes of The Famous Jett Jackson. He also directed Reel Steel, the highly-popular (and highly successful) Night at the Museum films and the Cheaper by the Dozen remake for Fox, both now owned by Disney.
The rumor appears to indicate Lucasfilm’s latest attempt to get the Star Wars franchise back on track. Although they have found success with their TV projects, Star Wars films in the Disney era have been critically divisive. Despite healthy box office receipts, the Sequel Trilogy went horribly astray, as competing storytelling approaches derailed the narrative, and the spinoff film Solo: A Star Wars Story was a box office flop.
While Marvel has been steadily releasing two to three films a year, Lucasfilm has not released a Star Wars theatrical film since The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. Bringing in Shawn Levy may provide the creative vision Lucasfilm can work with, as they appear to clash far too often with other filmmakers. David Benioff and Dan Weiss, the creative duo behind HBO’s Game of Thrones, abandoned their proposed Star Wars trilogy, over what was rumored to be creative differences.
Patty Jenkins, the director of DC’s Wonder Woman films, was supposed to direct the next big film in the franchise, Rogue Squadron, which she said would be inspired by her father’s legacy as a fighter pilot. However, that film has been delayed, and maybe even cancelled, over creative differences. Taika Waititi was also developing a Star Wars film, although little movement on that film has been announced.
Yet another Star Wars film, from Damon Lindelof (LOST) is currently in development, and may actually be the best prospect to go into production soon.
Even filmmakers they can work with seem to be unable to get their projects going. Rian Johnson’s trilogy of films, announced after Episode IX hit theaters, has languished in development hell since then.
For a number of years, Shawn Levy has been attempting to make a film called Monster Problems, about creatures running amok in the apocalypse. The project may indeed be delayed again, if he does take on Star Wars.
