The Star Wars franchise appears close to being back on the right track after some noteworthy misfires, with The Mandalorian and Grogu eyed as the first instalment of a new trilogy and Shawn Levy's Starfighter taking shape thanks to the additions of actors like Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth.
The odd miss for Lucasfilm doesn't appear to be putting off A-List talent from heading into a Galaxy Far, Far Away. Today, Daniel Richtman (via SFFGazette.com) is reporting that Madame Web star Dakota Johnson is being eyed for an undisclosed role.
This is another of those vague casting claims we'd advise against taking too seriously. However, it's interesting that Johnson would consider another major franchise after speaking so negatively about her Marvel experience with Sony Pictures.
"It wasn’t my fault," she said in a recent interview. "There’s this thing that happens now where a lot of creative decisions are made by committee. Or made by people who don’t have a creative bone in their body. And it’s really hard to make art that way. Or to make something entertaining that way. And I think unfortunately with 'Madame Web,' it started out as something and turned into something else."
"And I was just sort of along for the ride at that point," Johnson continued. "But that happens. Bigger-budget movies fail all the time. I don’t have a Band-Aid over it. There’s no part of me that’s like, ‘Oh, I’ll never do that again’ to anything. I’ve done even tiny movies that didn’t do well. Who cares?"
Johnson worked closely with The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal on Materialists, so perhaps he helped change her mind? Of course, just because the 50 Shades franchise star is being considered for a role, it doesn't mean she'll accept.
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy addressed the state of Star Wars earlier this month when she said, "I really think that now we’re in a position where it’s broadened the possibility of stories and filmmakers we can bring in to tell stories that mean something to them – it doesn’t necessarily have to connect to every little thing that’s been done in Star Wars."
"It can actually be a standalone story that then builds into many, many other stories," the studio executive who is expected to step down from her position later this year added.
Do you think Johnson would be a good fit for Star Wars fresh off her Razzie win for Madame Web? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts on this rumour in the comments section.