New ‘Star Wars’ projects from ‘Jojo Rabbit’s’ Taika Waititi and ‘Russian Dolls’ Leslye Headland are on the way
- The project was announced on May 4, unofficially known as Star Wars Day
- Other planned series for Disney+ include a Cassian Andor prequel with Diego Luna and one focusing on Obi-Wan Kenobi, starring Ewan McGregor
New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi will write and direct a new "Star Wars" film, Disney announced on May 4, 2020. Waititi has shot from indie acclaim to mainstream Hollywood success in recent years, overseeing Marvel superhero smash hit "Thor: Ragnarok" in 2017 before winning a screenplay Oscar for Nazi satire "Jojo Rabbit" in February. (Photo by Jean-Baptiste Lacroix / AFP)Happy Star Wars Day: Taika Waititi is headed back to a galaxy far, far away.
The writer-director, who won the adapted screenplay Oscar for his 2019 film “Jojo Rabbit,” will be directing a new “Star Wars” movie that he is co-writing with “1917’s” Krysty Wilson-Cairns. The project was announced Monday on the official Star Wars website.
This marks Waititi’s return to the world of “Star Wars.” The “Thor: Ragnarok” filmmaker directed the first-season finale of “The Mandalorian” and voiced the bounty hunter turned nanny droid IG-11.
The May the Fourth announcement also officially confirmed “Russian Dolls” co-creator Leslye Headland is developing a new “Star Wars” series for Disney+.
More Baby Yoda on the way as Disney announces more Star Wars content
Headland’s series is the fourth live-action “Star Wars” show headed to Disney’s streaming service.
Disney+ launched with Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian,” which follows the adventures of a blaster-slinging bounty hunter who takes it upon himself to care for Baby Yoda (officially known as the Child).
Also headed to the streamer is a series following “Rogue One’s” Cassian Andor prequel series starring
Diego Luna and an Obi-Wan Kenobi series starring Ewan McGregor set between the events of “Revenge of the Sith” and “A New Hope.”
Release dates for Waititi’s movie and Headland’s series have not yet been announced.