After years of radio silence and mounting fan skepticism, Taika Waititi has finally broken his silence about his long-gestating Star Wars film. The Thor: Ragnarok director just revealed his creative vision for the project—and it sounds like exactly what the franchise needs right now.
Director Taika Waititi has had plenty of ups and downs over the last decade, with career highs from beloved films like What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Jojo Rabbit, and the MCU game-changer Thor: Ragnarok. However, he’s also experienced some creative stumbles with projects like the divisive Thor: Love and Thunder and the underwhelming sports drama Next Goal Wins. Despite this mixed recent track record, Lucasfilm announced Waititi as the director of an upcoming Star Wars movie as part of a new wave of filmmakers working with the studio. But as of 2026, this project still has far more questions than answers—until now.
What’s Taking So Long? The Waititi Star Wars Movie Timeline
Due to a combination of hold-ups from both Waititi’s packed schedule and Lucasfilm’s notoriously cautious development process, his Star Wars movie has yet to settle into a concrete release timeframe after multiple delays to its production and release. The project was first announced in May 2020, making it over five years since fans first learned about Waititi’s involvement with the galaxy far, far away.
For context, that’s longer than the entire production timeline of the original Star Wars trilogy. Since the announcement, Lucasfilm has shuffled its theatrical slate repeatedly, with projects from Patty Jenkins (Rogue Squadron), Shawn Levy (now titled Starfighter), and others moving in and out of active development. Meanwhile, Waititi has directed Thor: Love and Thunder, Next Goal Wins, completed voice work for multiple projects, and developed several television series.
The delays have led some fans to question whether Waititi’s Star Wars movie would ever actually happen—joining the graveyard of announced but never-produced Star Wars films from directors like Josh Trank, Colin Trevorrow (who was later brought back for Rise of Skywalker), and the David Benioff/D.B. Weiss trilogy that vanished without explanation.
Taika Waititi Reveals His Star Wars Vision: “Harnessing the Fun”
However, at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, Waititi spoke with Variety and finally teased what fans can expect from his Star Wars project. Mentioning the idea of bringing “a little more of the fun from the original films,” he hopes to take viewers back to the era that first made the galaxy far, far away such an iconic franchise—the original trilogy era of Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983).
“I think you’ve seen it before, but I’m just trying to go back and harness a little more of the fun from the original films, which is what I remember,” Waititi explained. “The stakes were very high, and there were serious things going on, but also, there was a lot of fun to be had in those films, and so that’s what I was trying to bring back.”
This philosophy represents a potentially crucial course correction for Star Wars. While the sequel trilogy and recent projects have delivered spectacle and emotional moments, many fans feel the franchise has lost the adventurous spirit and irreverent humor that made the original films so rewatchable. Think of Han Solo’s sarcastic quips, the chemistry between Luke, Leia, and Han, or the playful banter between C-3PO and R2-D2—moments that balanced the epic mythology with genuine entertainment.
Waititi’s approach sounds less like the darker, more serious tone of Andor or the mythology-heavy sequel trilogy, and more aligned with the swashbuckling adventure energy that defined George Lucas’s original vision. His track record suggests he understands how to balance comedy with stakes—Thor: Ragnarok featured genuinely hilarious moments while still dealing with the destruction of Asgard and the loss of Thor’s eye and hammer.
Waititi’s Star Wars Track Record: The Mandalorian Success
While Waititi’s Star Wars movie has faced more than its fair share of delays, excitement is still building to see what he can do on the big screen in this universe. Importantly, he’s not a complete newcomer to the franchise. Along with his roles voicing IG-11 and IG-12 on screen, Waititi previously brought his expertise as a director to The Mandalorian for the Season 1 finale, titled “Chapter 8: Redemption.”
That episode is widely regarded as one of The Mandalorian’s best episodes, featuring the emotional sacrifice of IG-11, the thrilling Moff Gideon confrontation, and the first reveal of Baby Yoda (Grogu) using the Force. Waititi demonstrated his ability to handle Star Wars action, emotion, and world-building within the franchise’s established parameters while still injecting his signature visual flair.
He also directed the Season 3 finale, “Chapter 24: The Return,” which brought Moff Gideon’s arc to a close and featured spectacular practical effects and creature work. These directing credits prove Waititi can work within Star Wars’ creative sandbox successfully—now the question is what kind of story he will deliver when the time does come for him to bring his theatrical vision to the big screen.
Star Wars Movie Slate: Where Does Waititi Fit In?
Star Wars is moving into a different era on the big screen, particularly considering the franchise has been absent from theaters since 2019. That year, Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office but received less-than-stellar reviews from critics and fans alike. The Skywalker Saga’s final movie became the worst-rated live-action Star Wars film on Rotten Tomatoes by Tomatometer score at just 51%, leaving the franchise’s theatrical future in question.
Since Rise of Skywalker’s polarizing reception, Lucasfilm has pivoted heavily toward streaming content with Disney+, producing critical and commercial hits like The Mandalorian, Andor, and Ahsoka. However, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has consistently emphasized that Star Wars’ future includes both theatrical and streaming projects.
After The Mandalorian and Grogu debuts in theaters this May 2026—bringing Din Djarin and the beloved Child to the big screen for the first time—Shawn Levy’s Starfighter is next up for Lucasfilm. That film stars Ryan Gosling as a Rebel pilot and reportedly takes place between the original and sequel trilogies. Waititi’s undisclosed Star Wars movie is currently slated to come sometime after those efforts, likely in 2027 or 2028.
What Can We Expect From Taika Waititi’s Star Wars Vision?
Looking at the Thor director’s past work, fans can surely expect plenty of comedy and wild action sequences to be utilized in this intergalactic adventure. Waititi has proven himself a master of visual creativity, whether it’s the neon-soaked chaos of Sakaar in Thor: Ragnarok, the heartfelt absurdism of What We Do in the Shadows, or the satirical WWII setting of his Oscar-winning Jojo Rabbit.
His Star Wars film will reportedly be an original story unconnected to the Skywalker Saga, though specific plot details remain under wraps. Industry insiders have suggested it might explore a completely new era of Star Wars history or focus on characters from the franchise’s extensive Expanded Universe/Legends material.
The screenplay is being co-written by Waititi and Academy Award winner Krysty Wilson-Cairns (1917, Last Night in Soho), suggesting Lucasfilm is taking the script seriously and investing in top-tier writing talent. Wilson-Cairns brings a strong track record of emotionally grounded storytelling that could complement Waititi’s visual flair and comedic timing.
One thing is certain: if Waititi successfully channels the fun, adventure, and heart of the original trilogy while bringing his unique directorial voice, his Star Wars movie could represent a major turning point for the franchise’s theatrical future. After years of trying to recapture lightning in a bottle with varying degrees of success, perhaps what Star Wars really needs is a director willing to stop overthinking it and just have fun again.
A New Hope for Star Wars?
Taika Waititi’s commitment to recapturing the original trilogy’s sense of fun and adventure represents a refreshing creative direction for Star Wars’ theatrical future. While fans have learned to temper expectations after years of delays and cancellations, Waititi’s proven track record with The Mandalorian and his Oscar-winning filmography suggest he could be exactly what the franchise needs.
The real question is whether Lucasfilm will give him the creative freedom to execute his vision—or whether the project will face more delays and development struggles.
What do you think about Taika Waititi’s approach to Star Wars? Is focusing on “fun” the right direction for the franchise, or does Star Wars need something different? And what era or characters would you most want to see him explore? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
