The normally solid footing beneath the Star Wars franchise hasn't been all that solid recently. Although the classic Lucasfilm movie series continues to be adored by fans all over the world, it hasn't had the same levels of success in recent years. In fact, it also hasn't had the same levels of success that it experienced just a few years ago after its launch on Disney Plus.
Although the likes of The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka have been pretty major success stories for the saga (with Andor being a high point critically), it has suffered some missteps too, with fan-favorite series The Acolyte getting cancelled after just one season due to its enormous budget. And that underlines a lot of what is happening in the industry right now, as studios realize that big-budget productions on television aren't all that feasible due to their need to turn a profit. And with that, the Star Wars franchise has begun a move back to the big screen - a place where there has also been some uncertainty in the past decade.
That said, one seemingly cancelled project, which was placed on indefinite hold a few months back, might be moving ahead after all based on a new update.
Taika Waititi's Star Wars movie gets working title, suggesting it's still on the table
According to Nexus Point News, two upcoming Star Wars movies have been granted working titles. Those films are Star Wars: Starfighter (directed by Shawn Levy) and the as-of-yet-untitled Star Wars movie from director Taika Waititi. While Starfighter's is Kyber Mist (with Blue Mist Productions being the production name), Waititi's reportedly has a working title of Cosmic Doom (with Ghost Truck 6 being the production name).
Needless to say, this is exciting news on both fronts, but it's particularly interesting to hear an update on Waitit's Star Wars film, which has been placed on indefinite hold for nearly a year. Prior to that, there had been so little updates on its status that fans thought the indefinite hold was a sign that its cancellation was inevitable. This might suggest otherwise.
Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter is a more recent addition to the Star Wars calendar, with the film finalizing its cast in recent months. Ryan Gosling is set to lead the production with Mia Goth expected to play its central villain and production is set to begin in October. With that in mind, the reveal of a working title for it makes sense. Waititi's movie on the other hand is a little surprising.
This is a film that has been in development since Disney Plus Day in 2020. Although Waititi and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy have spoken of the director's slow approach to filmmaking being part of the reason why it has taken so long to get off the ground, the recent shift at Disney (which has also impacted Marvel Studios) when it comes to release strategies had fans convinced that it would ultimately be shelved. But, with the studio's move back to making more Star Wars movies (and apparently less Star Wars TV shows), it's possible that Waititi's movie has been put back on the docket.
The Mandalorian and Grogu will place the Star Wars franchise back on the silver screen for the first time in seven years when it releases in 2026. It's also just the beginning of that return, with Starfighter offering up the next chapter in 2027, and the long-awaited Rey solo movie as well as Waititi's mysterious project among the many Star Wars movies in development right now. There is also set to be a Dave Filoni-made film that wraps up the storylines of various Disney Plus shows, bringing the casts of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett, and Skeleton Crew together.
With all of the cinematic showdowns to look forward to on the big screen from that galaxy so far far away, we can only hope that all of these movies - including Waititi's - ultimately get made. We're ready for all of the adventures, that's for sure!
More from Bam Smack Pow: