Despite finding huge success on Disney+, the Star Wars franchise is definitely in trouble on the big screen. Countless movies have been announced and then failed to materialise (including Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron), and there is now a long list of projects in development from various filmmakers...and your guess is as good as ours when it comes to whether they'll happen!
Earlier this week, news broke that Disney CEO Bob Chapek has been ousted from the company, with Bob Iger stepping in for the next two years to get things back on the right track.
The Direct (via SFFGazette.com) has shared a very interesting rumour suggesting Chapek could be to blame for why the Star Wars franchise has been shelved since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker. It's said that the former CEO was responsible for the directive to not release any Star Wars movies, likely because he wanted to prioritise building Disney+'s streaming catalogue.
Profits have always been at the forefront of Chapek's mind, though he hasn't done the best job with that either, hence why he's now been ousted. Iger is a creative at heart, so we're bound to see some big changes in the months ahead (don't be surprised if that results in Marvel Studios moving out of this current "quantity over quality" era).
Elsewhere in the report, it's noted that Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has a deal in place until at least 2025 and, as a longtime friend of Iger's, it's likely she'll remain in charge of Star Wars for the foreseeable future. There are conflicting reports about her future at the studio, but when hasn't there been?
It's definitely going to be an interesting few years for the Star Wars franchise with Iger back in charge, and as the man responsible for acquiring Lucasfilm and getting that new trilogy mapped out, we're sure he'll push Kennedy to get her house in order beyond just what we see on Disney+.
As always, keep checking SFFGazette.com for the latest Star Wars updates as we have them.