Damon Lindelof Says He Was ‘Asked to Leave’ the ‘Star Wars’ Franchise Amid Busted Project
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Damon Lindelof is opening up about his axed “Star Wars” movie.
After being announced as one of the directors for a future “Star Wars” franchise installment, the “Lost” creator confirmed he was “asked to leave” the Disney project before it got off the ground.
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“I was in more than talks to join the ‘Star Wars’ universe,” Lindelof said as part of Esquire’s “Explain This” video series. “I joined the ‘Star Wars’ universe and was asked to leave.”
Rumors circulated that Lindelof’s script, co-written with Justin Britt-Gibson, followed an elderly Rey (played by Daisy Ridley in the latest trilogy) who was training two new Jedi knights, one of whom would be played by “Watchmen” actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Lindelof departed the project earlier this year.
In April 2023, Disney announced that documentarian Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy would instead be directing Ridley as Rey once more. “Peaky Blinders” writer Steven Knight penned the new script. Disney shared that Obaid-Chinoy’s film “will tell the story of rebuilding the New Jedi Order and the powers that rise to tear it down.”
Lindelof revealed that he is not yet done with his dreams of helming a “Star Wars” movie.
“Will I get back in line outside the club and try to get back in again?” Lindelof told Esquire. “Absolutely.”
The “Mrs. Davis” creator added, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again, or again again try, as Yoda would say.”
Lindelof previously told Variety that the scrapped “Star Wars” script was a “true labor of love.”
“The movie is still happening, but unfortunately not with me,” Lindelof said earlier this month. “I wish them all the best of luck. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is an incredible director, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.”
As for the future of “Star Wars” films, Patty Jenkins’ project has been shelved, while Taika Waititi’s film is slated to come out next. The Hollywood Reporter shared that LucasFilm executive Kathleen Kennedy stated during Disney Day that “the company was working on expanding the mythological timeline created by George Lucas, by pushing forward, backwards, and sideways,” with each of the three new films covering a different timeline. Obaid-Chinoy’s is set in the future, while James Mangold and Dave Filoni’s movies will be set across various eras.
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