DEVOTION Director J.D. Dillard Confirms He's No Longer Working On STAR WARS, THE ROCKETEER Sequel, Or SUPERMAN

DEVOTION Director J.D. Dillard Confirms He's No Longer Working On STAR WARS, THE ROCKETEER Sequel, Or SUPERMAN

Devotion director J.D. Dillard confirms he's no longer directing a Star Wars movie for Lucasfilm and that he's moved on from The Return of the Rocketeer. He also addresses those Superman movie rumours.

By JoshWilding - Nov 09, 2022 11:11 AM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: The Wrap (via SFFGazette.com)

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. 

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Godzilla2000Zer
Godzilla2000Zer - 11/9/2022, 11:03 AM
Ironically I've never heard of him being attached to these. I must have been under a rock.
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 11/9/2022, 11:43 AM
@Godzilla2000Zer - honestly I have no idea who he is.

But those 3 franchises are 3 dream come true franchises to work on. I'd be gutted.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 11/9/2022, 11:17 AM
Damn that’s a strikeout. Hope he gets to do what he wants.
The1st
The1st - 11/9/2022, 11:22 AM
I love Kathleen Kennedy. Some of the biggest films I've enjoyed under her watch, Twister comes to mind immediately, but...not for Star Wars. Maybe that'll change and Disney has figured it out, but mostly I feel like I'm watching the Thor franchise in a galaxy far, far away. Some things work, and some don't.
AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 11/9/2022, 11:24 AM
At this point if you're attached to a star wars project expect for it not to happen 😕
bobevanz
bobevanz - 11/9/2022, 11:58 AM
The Rocketeer and The Shadow need love too
TheShape9859
TheShape9859 - 11/9/2022, 12:03 PM
Never heard of the guy. No big loss
HistoryofMatt
HistoryofMatt - 11/9/2022, 12:04 PM
Lucasfilm is such an absolute s--tshow. Kathleen Kennedy has ruined everything about what was once a reliably good production company. She has run Lucasfilm into the ground, which means women finally have the equality they want because we now see that a woman is equally as capable of destroying IP with terrible decisions, willful ignorance, and outright hatred of fans as is a man.

So.. congrats, Kathy?
Lokiwasright
Lokiwasright - 11/9/2022, 12:07 PM
People be like ironman...
PartyKiller
PartyKiller - 11/9/2022, 12:19 PM
Never heard of him. Looking at his filmography, I see no reason why he would have been considered for those projects. He's barely qualified to direct TV shows.
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 11/9/2022, 1:57 PM
I don't know who owns rights to who, but as a kid I always wanted to see a movie or cartoon or read a graphic novel that was a crossover between The Shadow, The Phantom, The Rocketeer, The Green Hornet and Kato, amd Dick Tracy and his rogues gallery.
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