We recently learned that Free Guy and Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy has been enlisted to direct a mystery Star Wars movie at Lucasfilm. However, as one of those gains a filmmaker, another has lost one.
Talking to The Wrap (via SFFGazette.com), Devotion helmer J.D. Dillard confirmed his Star Wars project - first reported on in February 2020 - is no longer happening. Revealing that it's "unfortunately no longer a thing," Dillard added "it was not for lack of trying" before teasing the fact he's looking to make an "original" space movie.
The filmmaker didn't elaborate on what went wrong, but we're assuming his vision didn't line up with Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy (who has scrapped more Star Wars features than we can count at this point). Dillard later noted that he was a big fan of the Star Wars: TIE Fighter video game, so we do wonder if an Imperial pilot was to be the main focus.
Another movie the director won't be moving forward with at Disney is The Return of the Rocketeer. He was first attached to the sequel in 2020, and while Dillard didn't elaborate on how close he came to making that one, he's understandably disappointed to have not been given the chance to bring that long-awaited follow-up to our screens.
"I am not on that movie," Dillard said (via ActioNewz.com). "But, you know, it’s tricky. I love, love, love ‘The Rocketeer.’ What I have a slightly hard time wrapping my head around now is going back to pre-1970 aviation. You know, I’m not saying never. But I think I need a breather from period aviation."
Dillard admits that he has "no idea what version of that story they’re putting together," but is confident his take would have a lot in common with what he's delivered in Devotion.
Oh, and one final project the director distanced himself from is J.J. Abrams' Black Superman movie. While Dillard got his start working with that filmmaker on The Force Awakens, he says it's not "something I have never spoken about" and "not something I have been introduced to" despite his interest in reuniting with his former collaborator.
So, that's three franchises he's missed out on, though we're sure he has a bright future ahead without any of them. Devotion has been receiving rave reviews ahead of its release on November 23, and it feels like Disney and Lucasfilm have made quite the blunder by parting ways with the up-and-coming director on two high-profile potential blockbusters.
Stay tuned for updates on all of these movies.