Taika Waititi's Star Wars movie could start filming a lot earlier than expected. While recent comments from the director have suggested the film is very early in the development process, according to The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision blog, the film could be in production in early 2023.
"Taika's Star Wars project may be coming your way sooner than some of his interviews let on," the update says. "Multiple sources tell us that the project is eyeing an early 2023 start. God knows plans can shift with Lucasfilm, is the usual caveat, of course."
Waititi has recently suggested that the film might not even happen. "I'm trying to write the Star Wars idea at the moment," he said adding: "I've got to see how that goes, because once I submit it, that might determine when it gets made or if it gets made, even." He also lately acknowledged that, considering several other high profile Star Wars movies have seemingly been abandoned, the same "might" happen to his film. Judging by the latest update, though, the film is further along than the director's comments might make it seem – and that lines up with Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy telling Total Film that the film is aiming for a late 2023 release.
We can expect an all new take on the galaxy far, far away when the film finally does arrive, too. "Look, I think for the Star Wars universe to expand, it has to expand," Waititi told Total Film back in June. "I don't think that I'm any use in the Star Wars universe making a film where everyone's like, 'Oh great, well that's the blueprints to the Millennium Falcon, ah that's Chewbacca's grandmother.' That all stands alone, that's great, though I would like to take something new and create some new characters and just expand the world, otherwise it feels like it's a very small story."
Time will tell if we really can expect Waititi's project in 2023, but in the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows in the works – and catch up on the entire saga on Disney Plus.
