The decision by Game of Thrones creators David Benioff & D.B. Weiss to step away from their planned Star Wars trilogy is not only good for the franchise, but it's also beneficial to them. The duo served as the showrunners for Game of Thrones during its eight-season run. Even though the HBO series was an overall success based on popularity, a large segment of viewers was outspoken regarding their dismay towards the eighth and final season.
With Game of Thrones in the rearview, Benioff & Weiss were supposed to turn their focus to Star Wars. Their trilogy was planned to become the first set of films following the end of the Skywalker Saga which will conclude with December's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The initial announcement came in May, but recently news broke that the Game of Thrones creators exited their planned Star Wars trilogy set to begin 2022. Benioff & Weiss cited their busy schedules with Netflix as the reason behind the exit. The pair reportedly signed a mega-deal with the streaming service for five years and nine figures.
Benioff & Weiss' exit from Lucasfilm may pay off for Star Wars considering the controversy that came with their hiring. It's safe to say that Benioff & Weiss are the internet's least favorite writers at the moment. Long-time viewers of Game of Thrones weren't too pleased with how the final season of the series was developed. The rushed conclusion and questionable character development were just two aspects that weren't well-received. It also didn't help Benioff & Weiss' recent comments about fan feedback and their approach to the series. Disney and Lucasfilm have already suffered the backlash from Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Solo: A Star Wars Story so it's best that they stay away from an unpopular hire like Benioff & Weiss. There's still hope that The Rise of Skywalker will get the franchise back on track and their distance from the controversial pair certainly won't hurt.
The former Game of Thrones showrunners might have made a good decision for themselves by walking away from Star Wars. If they had stayed and developed the trilogy, they would have been in a lose-lose situation. Fans are still upset over Game of Thrones and those feelings would have carried over to Star Wars. A number of potential viewers were already worried that Benioff & Weiss would "ruin" another major franchise. By focusing on their Netflix deal, the pair can create their own original projects while cashing in on a big contract. The pressure is lessened and they can try to rebuild their reputation. The situation is similar to Damon Lindelof's backlash from Lost. The writer then moved on to Prometheus which further tarnished his career. He eventually set his reputation back on track with The Leftovers but Benioff & Weiss have a chance to avoid a Prometheus-like situation on a much larger scale.
Even without Benioff & Weiss' trilogy, the future of Star Wars is still bright. Rian Johnson still has a trilogy in development and it's plausible that his films could take over the December 2022, 2024, and 2026 release dates. There's also a collaboration between Kevin Feige and Kathleen Kennedy in the works. These films are in addition to the series set to debut on Disney+. Besides The Mandalorian, which will premiere on Disney+'s launch day, the streaming service is developing a Cassian Andor series as well as an Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
