An update provides some surprising insight into a new Star Wars series from the MCU Spider-Man director Jon Watts. Since the conclusion of Disney’s Star Wars sequel trilogy back in 2019, Lucasfilm's focus has shifted to the development of new TV series for Disney+. So far, these shows have included two seasons of the wildly successful The Mandalorian, as well as the follow-up series The Book of Boba Fett and the animated The Bad Batch.
This roster of shows is continuing to expand with the imminent arrival of Obi-Wan Kenobi, which will see the much-anticipated return of Ewan McGregor’s version of the character, in addition to Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. Further down the line, Rosario Dawson will be headlining a series titled Ahsoka, while Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor will return in a prequel to Rogue One called Andor. And it seems the franchise's small-screen expansion won't stop there.
Now, Vanity Fair provides an update on the development of yet another Star Wars series, created by Watts and Christopher Ford, who shares a writing credit on Spider-Man: Homecoming. The series is still in the earliest stages of its development, and doesn’t even have a name yet. However, it has been confirmed that it will be set after the events of the original trilogy’s conclusion with Return of the Jedi, like The Mandalorian. It will also be focused on a young cast of children aged 11-12, and has been described as a throwback to the “classic Amblin coming-of-age adventure films of the ’80s.”
Undoubtedly, Watts and Ford have been lined up to helm the project following the success of the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy. At the time, Spider-Man: Homecoming was praised for capturing a young teen-comedy spirit, in a similar vein to classic '80s films like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and it looks like the project will be trying to do something similar. From the very vague description, it also seems like the development of the project will be attempting to tap into the success of shows like Stranger Things, which have capitalized on interest in '80s nostalgia.
Many critics of Star Wars’ recent output, from the sequel trilogy to the new Disney + series, have pointed to the franchise’s tendency to focus its stories on the same group of people, failing to live up to the universe's wider potential. A series like this, though still clearly in the earliest stages of development, seems like it might be the start of Star Wars attempting to tell truly new stories, with new characters in new places. However, the franchise has also struggled to bring all of its projects to fruition in the recent past, and with the series still without a name, there is always the chance that it might never make it to screens. If it does, it will be sure to capture a lot of interest with the promise of something different.
Source: Vanity Fair
