Taika Waititi Casts Doubt On His New Star Wars Project

Despite audience anticipation for the film, Taika Waititi is sounding doubtful about his new Star Wars project. Waititi first appeared in front of the camera for Lucasfilm's long-running franchise with Disney+'s The Mandalorian, in which he voiced the assassin droid IG-11 for three episodes of the series and earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance. The New Zealand filmmaker would also get behind the camera for episode 8 of the Star Wars show.

As Waititi's star profile continued to rise in the big-budget world helming Thor: Ragnarok for Marvel Studios, the Oscar winner would reunite with Disney to direct and co-write a new Star Wars film with Oscar nominee Krysty Wilson-Cairns in early 2020. With Waititi busy on Thor: Love and Thunder and Next Goal Wins, amongst a number of other projects, the filmmaker has been slow at work developing his new Star Wars project, with Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy indicating it would release in 2023 prior to Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron, which is slated for December 2023. However, this may no longer be the case for the next big screen outing for the Star Wars franchise.

While speaking with the New York Times for Thor: Love and Thunder, Taika Waititi offered an update on his new Star Wars project. Though confirming he is still writing the film, the filmmaker sounded doubtful about its potential, saying it will be up to the studio to determine if his take on the franchise is approved. See what Waititi said below:

“I’m trying to write the ‘Star Wars’ idea at the moment. I’ve got to see how that goes, because once I submit it, that might determine when it gets made or if it gets made, even.”

Waititi's doubts regarding his new Star Wars project comes just a few days after he confirmed that it wouldn't begin filming this year as he will be busy with both Our Flag Means Death and Time Bandits for the rest of 2023, but did indicate he would still be writing. Though his new comments may prove concerning for those eager to see his take on the franchise, Waititi has offered plenty of promising teases about his Star Wars project in the years since he first signed on for the film, confirming he won't rely on legacy characters and that his biggest goal is to make it feel like a Star Wars movie. While Waititi may be doubtful, those around him seem more confident in the project, with co-writer Wilson-Cairns confirming not long ago development on the script was moving nicely and Kathleen Kennedy revealing at this year's Star Wars Celebration that she held a story conference meeting with the duo and was confident in its development.

One of the more interesting bits about Waititi's doubts for his new Star Wars project is that Lucasfilm may ultimately not accept the approach he's bringing to the franchise. The studio has memorably encountered multiple instances of creative differences with filmmakers in the past, including infamously firing Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from Solo: A Star Wars Story and reportedly clashing with Patty Jenkins on Rogue Squadron and resulting in its delay. While audiences await further updates on his Star Wars project, they can look forward to Waititi's Marvel Cinematic Universe return with Thor: Love and Thunder hitting theaters on July 8.

Why Palpatine Looked So Weird In Obi-Wan Kenobi

Sith Lord Palpatine appears in Star Wars’ Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 6, but he looks very different from his previous appearances. The series is set approximately 10 years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, when Palpatine executed Order 66, bringing the Empire to power and forcing the few surviving Jedi into hiding. Yet, in this period, Palpatine seems to have changed dramatically from his prequel-era look

In Obi-Wan Kenobi, after learning that Senator Organa’s daughter Leia was kidnapped, Jedi Master Obi-Wan hesitantly embarks on a journey to rescue her. He succeeds, only after embracing the Force he had become estranged from, and defeating his former Padawan Darth Vader. The series finale features cameos from renowned light side and dark side characters. This includes a heart-warming reunion between Obi-Wan and the Force ghost of his Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, reprised by Liam Neeson in his first Star Wars appearance in 23 years. But perhaps the most notable cameo comes earlier in the episode, Darth Vadar returns to Mustafar after losing to Obi-Wan in battle, where he faces a hologram version of his own Master Darth Sidious (Palpatine), played by Ian McDiarmid in his sixth Star Wars live-action appearance.

Both cameos help tie the series to previous Star Wars projects, and as it takes place between the prequel and original trilogies, it makes sense that the surviving Palpatine would appear. However, his face differs substantially from other projects. He is older and more deformed by the dark side than in the prequels but is more human than the resurrected version of Palpatine seen in the sequels. Palpatine's face looks weird in Obi-Wan Kenobi due to appearing at a point in the timeline that we have not seen him in before. As a result, it's understandable that he would have a "new", surprising look.

In Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine is seemingly disfigured in battle when his Force lightning is deflected back towards him by Jedi Mace Windu. However, there is a theory from the Legends comics, where Palpatine uses Sith alchemy to conceal his true face behind a mask, which the Force lightning breaks, rather than causing disfigurement. This is reinforced in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, when Luke Skywalker is physically unaltered by Palpatine’s Force lightning. Also, the dark Force can physically change its users, as evidenced by Anakin Skywalker’s eyes turning yellow – like Palpatine’s – after his first kills influenced by the dark side. Palpatine’s changed appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi likely reflects 10 years of aging and further deformity from continued use of the dark side of the Force. Contrastingly, Palpatine’s visage in the sequels is radically different, as he is a partially-resurrected version of himself, housing his consciousness in a cloned body. This body could not contain him and rapidly decayed, leaving him with yet another drastically different look from what viewers see in the series finale.

Though he may look weird, Palpatine’s cameo in Obi-Wan Kenobi makes sense for the character at that time and acts as a key indicator of the show’s place along the Star Wars timeline, second only to beloved characters Leia and Luke appearing as children. His appearance, paired with that of Qui-Gon Jinn, signals that no cameo is off the table in this new age of Disney+ Star Wars content. With Qui-Gon Jinn telling Kenobi “We’ve got a ways to go” before the show concludes, it seems there is potential for either a second season or more cameos from these legendary characters in future Star Wars projects.