GODZILLA's Gareth Edwards Directing STAR WARS Spin-Off Coming December 2016

THR is reporting a new development concerning the Star Wars spin-offs. They say that Godzilla and Monsters director Gareth Edwards has been hired by Lucasfilm to direct one of their unnamed spin-offs. It's been rumored for months the first one could be the Boba Fett movie. It's rumroed to have a script penned by Lawrence Kasdan (Return of The Jedi, Empire Strikes Back, Episode VII), while the other films don't have completed scripts.

UPDATE: The release date is set for December 2016, which very well could mean this is Boba Fett. Along with the addition that Gary Whitta (After Earth, Book of Eli, Akira) has written the film. Fett is rumored to be the first spin-off released, and was expected to take the 2016 spot.

SOURCE: THR

Did Disney Kill A DARTH MAUL Game Because Of The New STAR WARS Films?

Apparently, Lucas Arts had been secretly working on a Darth Maul video game at Red Fly Studios, titled Battle of The Sith Lords. Along with revealing the game, GameInformer posted a treasure-trove of artwork from the canceled game. It looked impressive enough and could have been a massive success, and was said to be an open world type game (not unlikely 1313). So why would Disney pull the plug on it?

It's revealed that Red Fly Studios had free reign over the project and were never given a script, that was until the Lucasfilm/Disney merger. It's rumored that because Disney works with EA Games that the project was shelved. There could be other motives behind this as well.



My own speculation is that Lucasfilm and Disney might have movie plans for the character and didn't want Maul's origins or story dictated by an unaffiliated video game company. This isn't the first time Disney has killed a Star Wars video game. That had connections to upcoming movie developments.

The theory stems from the Star Wars game 1313, around the same time it was announced Disney had indeed bought the Star Wars rights and Lucasfilm, the game was suddenly canceled. This was a bit shocking, but Disney could do whatever they liked. It was later revealed the rumors had been true and 1313 was in fact a Boba Fett game. We've been hearing since 2011 that Captain America: The First Avenger director Joe Johnston (who helped co-create Fett) had been pitching George Lucas a Boba film, and possibility even had an outline for project back then.

Soon, after the announcement Star Wars: Episode VII was happening, talk of even more movies started hitting the trades and blogs. They included a prequels for Yoda, Han Solo, Boba Fett and even an interesting Seven Samurai inspired jedi film pitch from Zack Snyder. Eventually there was word from that Lawrence Kasdan (Fett's other co-creator), had been tasked to write the script for the Boba Fett film. Kasdan and Simon Kinberg had been hired by Lucasfilm to pen spin-offs for the studio, that relationship led to Larry being hired to rewrite the script for Episode VII.

At this point we have no clue if there is a Darth Maul movie being developed at Lucasfilm, but we do know that the character is still alive via The Cone Wars. And this game was going to include his robotic body and his apprentice/brother Savage, the group Death Watch and would take place during the rule of the Empire, so post-Episode III. The game also suggests Maul and other Sith lords were at odds with the Empire and didn't abide by the "rule-of-two". Nothing says Maul will be in the new films, but it's very possible he could be apart of the spin-offs.

Lucasfilm went out of their way to first resurrect Maul, and then keep him alive at the end of the series.
Out of all the prequel characters, Maul was the most interesting and the animated series supported that. One piece of art confirmed this game was to take place during the rule of the Empire, with an officer that looks very similar to actor Ralph Fiennes.

Below is the stellar concept artwork from the game via GameInformer. It the artwork also includes many different sith bosses that Maul would have had to fight. There is also footage from the game floating online as well.

Five STAR WARS Films Coming Between 2015-2019 , Plus YODA Spin-Off Given The Axe While BOBA FETT/HAN SOLO Films Likely To Move Forward?

While we'll be kept guessing what the new cast Star Wars will look like for a couple of months. As casting is apparently about to begin in the UK. A new tidbit of information via JoBlo should give us a better idea of how Disney plans on releasing the new films. Apparently, the new episodes (2015, 2017 and 2019) will be released every other year while the two spin-offs (2016 and 2018) will include the Han Solo and Boba Fett films. The Yoda film didn't seem to make the cut for the first round of films. The assumption is that like Marvel we could more phases of the Star Wars rollouts with more spin-offs and three more episodes.

HAN SOLO And BOBA FETT Films In Development, Could Joe Johnston And Robert Rodriguez Direct?

EW is reporting that not only is LucasFilm and Disney looking to bring a Yoda film to the screen but two other characters will get their due. They say that Boba Fett and Han Solo could be getting their own films as the studio is already developing them. No word if Disney/LucasFilm has been meeting with directors but a few seem like possible candidates. Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg were confirmed by Disney yesterday to be writing two spin-offs. EW also mentions that Darth Vader could be involved in both films which makes sense since the Empire will still be kicking around. Adhering to previous rumors that Vader would be making a return to the franchise.

Boba Fett has long been a fan favorite but never got either enough screen time or things to do (minus the awful prequels). They mention that his film could be set during the time between the Sith and Hope or slightly after the events of Jedi. Joe Johnston (involved with all three original films) is the creator of the bounty hunter has since become a highly valued director. Making films such as Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, The Rocketeer, Jurassic Park 3 and Captain America: The First Avenger. Back in 2011, during an interview with ScreenRant he teased that he was pitching a Fett film to Lucas. He has since kept things quiet and won't answer questions concerning Star Wars. This could be a strong reason why he didn't return to direct Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Perhaps, he let the cat out of the bag too soon?

“You know if he wants to see it, I would show it to him. I’m trying to get George to make a feature based on Boba Fett.”

A Han Solo adventure spin-off movie that could take place between Episodes III and IV. While they would need to re-cast the role two directors have recently mentioned a desire to tackle the scruffy smuggler. Those names include directors Wes Anderson and Robert Rodgriuez. Two excellent names that could do something fresh with the material. Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr. Fox) jokingly said he would make a Han Solo film but mess it up and have to be replaced. Rodriguez (Sin City, Spy Kids), a more suitable candidate confirmed to MTV if he were offered a Han Solo film he would consider it.

"If there was something that somebody said, 'Here, Han Solo, his own adventures.' I'd go do that."

Rodriguez loves to make family films but has never really nailed down compelling characters or stories within that genre. Having the Star Wars universe to fill those gaps could make him finally brake that old habit. Robert is good friends with Lucas which come into play if he ends up pitching for the job. When the first news broke about the spin-offs I pegged Robert as a perfect candidate to tackle the seedy side of the Star Wars universe. Seeing him make a Star Wars film focusing on gamblers, smugglers and the criminal underworld (the Huts) could be fantastic to say the least.