Things on the film side of Star Wars are still not going well. Disney put a pause on movie efforts after the absolutely abhorrent Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker came out and has simply not been able to get things back on track, despite the TV side of the franchise flourishing. Now, it appears, that Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is the next in line to attempt to right the proverbial X-wing as Variety has reported that the showrunner/writer has been tapped to draft a screenplay for the next Star Wars movie.
Knight comes in after yet another recent blow for Disney’s attempts to get something into theaters for one of the biggest franchises ever made. Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson had long been rumored to be writing a new movie, but news came last month that they had departed the project after turning in a draft, most likely because of everyone’s favorite excuse of “creative differences.” That left the upcoming film, which is set to be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, without a screenwriter. Enter Knight, who has experience across a variety of genres and mediums beyond Peaky Blinders and may finally be able to turn something in for a Star Wars movie that Disney likes.
The studio has been struggling hard to even get new Star Wars films into production. Trouble was already in the air back when the studio removed the directors from Solo: A Star Wars Story and (effectively) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, then brought J.J. Abrams in for The Rise of Skywalker after ditching Colin Trevorrow, but it’s all come crashing down since then. The Game of Thrones creators were brought in to make a new series of films but eventually left. Rian Johnson’s much-hyped trilogy is probably never happening. And Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron movie was shelved alongside a film coming from Marvel’s Kevin Feige. In fact, this now leaves only two movie projects seriously in the works, this one and Taika Waititi’s film that he’s writing. Sean Levy has also been tapped to possibly make a film too, but the way things are going, it feels totally up in the air.
We shouldn’t have to wait too long to know more, though. Star Wars Celebration is coming soon, and Disney is sure to want to march out any confirmations of actual movies it can then.
