Production on Patty Jenkins’ planned Star Wars film, Rogue Squadron, has ceased due to the creative differences she’s had with executives from the franchise’s production company, Lucasfilm. The filmmaker and the company’s executives, including senior VP Michelle Rejwan, were unable to agree on a script for the planned feature, according to a recent report from Puck’s Matthew Belloni.
The news of the sci-fi drama’s cease in production comes after it was also recently reported that the movie was delayed indefinitely by Disney. Initially, the postponement was attributed to Jenkins’ busy work schedule, as she was splinting her time between Lucasfilm and Warner Bros., where she’s working on Wonder Woman 3.
But also according to Belloni’s report, when production on Rogue Squadron went on hiatus, Jenkins and Lucasfilm executives were still unable to decide what the plotline of the drama should be. That indecision ultimately led to the movie’s cancellation.
Belloni’s report also mentions that due to her disagreement with Lucasfilm executives, the Emmy Award-nominated Jenkins decided to move on to other projects she has planned. That includes the highly anticipated third installment in the Wonder Woman 3 series.
Jenkins’ involvement in the Star Wars franchise was originally announced in December 2020. Disney revealed at the time that the drama’s title would be Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, and it would be the first installment in the franchise to be helmed by a female director.
It’s currently unknown if Jenkins disagreed with Lucasfilm and Disney was over the amount creative freedom they were willing to offer her on Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. But she isn’t the only director to now exit their planned Star Wars series entry.
In the same report, Belloni mentions that Rian Johnson, who helmed 2017’s Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, also saw his planned Star Wars trilogy put on hold over creative differences. Game of Thrones‘ showrunners, David Benioff and Dan Weiss, also decided to pass on creating a new Star Wars trilogy, which reportedly would have explored the origin of the Jedi, due to creative differences.
The Puck report notes that various agents have revealed that some of the top filmmakers in the world would like to direct a Star Wars project. However, they at times feel held back by “micromanagement and plot-point-by-committee” planning.
It’s currently unknown if or when either Jenkins or Johnson’s movies will be made and released. The news of the film’s cancellations comes after the franchise recently garnered more success with its hit Disney+ show, The Mandalorian.