Summary
The newestStar Warslive-action television series,Skeleton Crew,dropped its fourth episode last week. Season 1, episode 4, “Can’t Say I Remember No At Attin” was at the helm of two of the most exciting directors to not just helm any episode set in George Lucas' galaxy far, far away, but two of the industry’s most refreshing creative voices. These two areDaniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, best known collectively as the Daniels.
The Daniels have brought some of the most bold, eccentric, and heartfelt character-driven original films released within the last decade. The filmmakers made a splash in 2016 with their directorial debut,Swiss Army Man,a surreal, absurdist A24 comedy which starred Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe. However, it was 2022 when their sophomore outing,Everything Everywhere All At Once,enthralled critics and audiences alike. The film became A24’s highest-grossing film, and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
AStar WarsCinematic Drought
It has been five years since Lucasfilm released aStar Warsfilm on the big screen. Despite grossing over $1 billion at the global box office,The Rise of Skywalker,directed by J.J. Abrams, concluded the divisive sequel trilogy to mixed reviews at best. IfThe Mandalorianhadn’t premiered on Disney Plus at roughly around the same time, 2019 would have left the franchise in a very bleak place.
Since then, Disney Plus has served as the exclusive home for newStar Warscontent, with original shows includingThe Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, Ahsoka, The Acolyte,and nowSkeleton Crewgiving viewers new galactic adventures. WhileStar Warshas been vital to Disney Plus' streaming library, Lucasfilm has struggled to bring any new films to the big screen. The upcomingThe Mandalorian and Grogu,directed by Jon Favreau, is set to be the first cinematic outing in nearly seven years once it hits theaters in 2026.
Along withThe Mandalorian and Grogu,there are a few otherStar Warsfilms in development. James Mangold, who directedIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, is set to helm a film telling thestory of the first Jedi. Meanwhile, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, whose previous directing credits include episodes of Marvel Studios’Ms. Marvel,is tapped to direct a film set 15 yearsafter the events ofThe Rise of Skywalker.Daisy Ridley will reprise her role as Rey, who will be leading the new Jedi Order. Other upcoming projects include afilm byDeadpool & Wolverinedirector Shawn Levyand anew trilogy to be written by Simon Kinberg.
Lucasfilm Still Has Cold Feet
With several projects in the works, casual fans may read such headlines and assume thatStar Warshas an exciting cinematic future ahead of it. However, dedicated fans are cautious. Not only has there been mixed reception when it comes to the last few cinematic outings, but an embarrassing number ofStar Warsfilms have been announced only to never see the light of day.
Rian Johnson, writer and director ofThe Last Jedi,was set to helm a new trilogy of films, but has since went on to launch an original film franchise of his own withKnives Out.Game of Thronescreators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were set to write and produce a new series of films, but canceled their contracts with Lucasfilm.ARogueSquadronfilmto be directed byWonder Womandirector Patty Jenkins was set for a 2023 release, but has since been shelved. And when was the last time anyone heard anything about that film thatThor: Love and Thunderdirector Taika Waititi was developing?
With its numerous original television series, Lucasfilm has had several exciting filmmakers directing episodes and giving audiences a taste of their own creative sensibilities withinStar Wars.Filmmakers such as Rick Famuyiwa, Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Rodriguez, Lee Isaac Chung, Jon Watts, David Lowery, and now the Daniels have all had the opportunity to be in the director’s chair. And with the Daniels' work on oneepisode ofSkeleton Crew,they exhibited some of their core storytelling strengths seen in their previous films. If given the right canvas, these strengths could lend well to a compelling newStar Warsfilm.
The Force Is Strong With The Daniels
The Daniels' skill at bringing passionate performances out of their actors speaks for itself. Audiences can see it in the commitment that Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe exhibited inSwiss Army Man,as well as the Academy Award-winning performances of Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis inEverything Everywhere All At Once.It’s clear that whoever is cast in their hypotheticalStar Warsfilm, their performances will be top-notch.
In the Daniels' episode ofSkeleton Crew,the performances of the child actors in particular were noteworthy. There is a sentimental scene that is shared between Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) and Hayna (Hala Finley) that exhibits the tender moments. It brings more insight into the characters' wants and desires that resonate deeply with audiences, while also serving the narrative well.
Of course, with anyStar Warsfilm, action is key. While the characters and story are of the utmost importance, audiences want to see some exciting sci-fi action sequences. The Daniels can pull this off too.Everything Everywhere All At Onceis filled with martial arts fight scenes full of energy and visual dynamism that would lend well to a galaxy far, far away. Think of Ke Huy Quan’s fanny pack battle in the IRS office, and replace the fanny pack with a Lightsaber. As a matter of fact,casting Ke Huy Quanas a Jedi would be the most exciting thing to see.
The moments of action in the Daniels’Skeleton Crewepisode are a mere taste of what they could bring toStar Wars.In particular, the rampageSM-33 (Nick Frost)almost goes on towards the end of the episode exhibits some of the madcap character-driven action that would soar to greater heights in a big screen outing.
These Are The Directors You’re Looking For
Ultimately, Lucasfilmwould be making a bold and exciting choiceif they were to give the Daniels their ownStar Warsfilm. Ideally, the duo should be given a blank canvas and explore any era of the franchise they would want, introducing their own original characters and stories. While the duo are currently working on their next project under a five-year film deal with Universal Pictures, perhaps they can springboard from their work onSkeleton Crewinto a pitch for an originalStar Warsfilm. These directors could honor the franchise by embarking on bold new storytelling that George Lucas would celebrate.
