Now that it's been officially confirmed that a new Star Wars movie will be helmed by Taika Waititi, it would make sense if that film and Kevin Feige's Star Wars project are one and the same. The Skywalker saga may have come to a close, but Disney is far from finished with the franchise. Several Star Wars projects are currently in the works, including at least one movie from Feige. The superproducer may be best known for his work behind the wheel of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he will soon be headed to a galaxy far, far away.
As for Waititi, who is fresh off the immense success of Jojo Rabbit, this won’t be the New Zealand auteur’s first brush with Star Wars. He directed the season finale of The Mandalorian, an episode written by Jon Favreau that saw Waititi voice the role of IG-11. Titled “Chapter 8: Redemption”, the installment not only wrapped up the Disney+ series' freshman outing perfectly but also teased some intriguing developments for season 2. Now, Waititi will co-write (with Krysty Wilson-Cairns) and direct a Star Wars feature film as well.
Feige has a history with the director, as Waititi was also behind Thor: Ragnarok, easily the most beloved Marvel film to focus on the God of Thunder and considered by many to be one of the MCU's best entries. They will continue to collaborate on Thor: Love and Thunder, which has been delayed until 2022. Due to their current and very lucrative working relationship, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the movie Waititi is directing will be the same one Feige is working on. Little is known about Feige’s Star Wars film, though there has been speculation that he may be involved in more than one. Despite earlier concerns, it was made clear that Feige will not be taking over Lucasfilm.
Disney doesn’t have the best track record with Star Wars at this point, with some films becoming instant classics and others splitting the fandom right down the middle. With that in mind, borrowing talent from the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t a terrible idea. The MCU is undeniably successful and while the films aren’t perfect, an argument can be made that no MCU movie is truly bad. Feige has had an incomparable string of blockbusters that have appealed to fans and critics alike. It's reasonable to expect him to bring these same sensibilities to Star Wars. Waititi has already proven he can breathe new life into a massive franchise with Thor: Ragnarok and his work on The Mandalorian has made fans enthusiastic about the prospect of the director putting his stamp on a Star Wars movie.
As a huge fan of the franchise himself, Feige will undoubtedly be hoping to create something viewers can be proud of and Waititi will definitely bring his unique vision to this familiar universe. Of course, it’s too soon to tell if Waititi and Feige are working on the same upcoming Star Wars project, but it’s certainly an exciting possibility.
