In an announcement on StarWars.com, LucasFilm and Disney said Gareth Edwards of Godzilla fame will direct the as-yet unnamed film, while The Book of Eli screenwriter Gary Whittas will write the script. The movie is slated to open 16 December 2016.
The movies, spinoffs on the famous Star Wars characters, are not meant to have any connection with the forthcoming trilogy of the original title that will open in December, 2015, and which will continue the storylines from the original three films and the Star Wars’ prequels. Both the companies have kept all other details regarding the cast and other notifications under tight wraps.
With Edward at the helm, Star Wars fans would certainly be hoping for an encore of his previous outing which though not great, was a decent attempt. Hopes from Whittas will be high as well, though The Book of Eli didn’t find many takers.
Since the movie is set to fill the gap in the release calendar between 2015’s “Episode VII” and “Episode VIII,” which presumably will come two or three years later, both – LucasFilms and Disney – have strategically roped in big names for the standalone projects.
Most of the cast for “Episode VII” was unveiled on 29 April, and it’s probable that none of those actors – Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher, reprising their roles as Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia, respectively, along with Girls star Adam Driver, Max von Sydow, and others – will appear in the spinoff movies.
Though, it seems like there would be lot at stake, with the previous Star Wars movies, including re-releases, and The Attack of the Clones, having earned a total of $2.2 billion, according to Box Office Mojo.
