Serious question: Does Taika Waititi ever sleep? We’ve long had our suspicions about the very busy writer-director-actor for some time now, but the latest nugget of news about the Oscar nominee hints at yet another major project in the works—one that could return him to a certain galaxy far, far away.
The Hollywood Reporter cites “sources” that claim Waititi “has been approached to develop a Star Wars movie.” That’s the entirety of the rumour; there’s no further details on whether that means he may be tapped to direct or write or co-write or anything else. But this seems like a likely, not to mention exciting, prospect for several reasons—including but not limited to Waititi’s much-loved contributions to Disney+ series The Mandalorian (both behind the camera, directing the season one finale, as well as his work voicing the heroic breakout character IG-11).
Waititi also, of course, already has a solid relationship with Marvel head and newly-minted Star Wars guy Kevin Feige, thanks to Thor: Ragnarok and the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder. Does Waititi’s potential Star Wars project have anything to do with Feige’s project? Maybe, but who can say?
Basically, we have zero ideas at the moment as to what Waititi’s contributions to big-screen Star Wars might involve, but considering how The Rise of Skywalker was positioned as a lavish send-off to the Star Wars of old, bringing someone in who’s proven he can bring vision, energy, quirkiness, and originality to anything he touches seems like an excellent choice for the franchise as it moves forward.
In the meantime, he’s got the Oscars (Jojo Rabbit is up for six awards, including Best Picture), acting roles in movies like Free Guy and Suicide Squad, another season of FX’s What We Do in the Shadows (which he executive produces), and seriously like a zillion other projects, including a sports movie called Next Goal Wins, that Time Bandits TV series, an animated Flash Gordon reboot, and maybe even an Akira movie one day. Whew.