Damon Lindelof says he was asked to leave the Star Wars universe

During an interview with Esquire, filmmaker Damon Lindelof (Lost, Watchmen, Prometheus) seemingly confirmed that he was indeed fired by Disney from the Star Wars film he was once slated to write.

While answering fan questions on a tablet, somebody asked Linfelof, “You were in talks to join the Star Wars universe, can you see yourself revisiting it in the future?”

Lindelof’s answer to this question was somewhat revealing, as the circumstances of his departure from the project have been shrouded in mystery up until this interview. “I was in more than talks to join the Star Wars universe,” Lindelof clarified. “I joined in the Star Wars universe. I was asked to leave the Star Wars universe. So will I get back in line outside the club and try to get back in again. Of course.”

Lindelof reiterated his love for all things Star Wars, as the original film from 1977 is apparently the first movie he remembers watching as a youngster sitting on his dad’s lap. I think Lindelof’s style would have been a good fit for this universe, which is in dire need of a shakeup after recent rumors of corporate disorganization.

Although we don’t know what Lindelof’s film would have looked like, we do know that it was going to focus on Rey (Daisy Ridley) after the events of the sequel trilogy. That film is now being written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinnoy. In March, Lindelof wished the new team all the luck with the project.

What the heck is Disney doing with Star Wars?

Lindelof’s firing is the latest in a series of head-scratching Star Wars decisions. Colin Treverrow and Josh Trank were both slated to direct Star Wars films, but were both eventually fired from their respective projects. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were the original directors of Solo: A Star Wars Story before “creative differences” saw them booted from the project. Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were also supposed to make a movie for Disney, but they left for a big Netflix deal.

Kevin Feige was reported to be directing a Star Wars film, but then Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said in an IGN interview that was never happening. In the same interview, Kennedy confusingly said that none of the other Star Wars movies that we have yet to get any firm updates on are “shelved,” but also that their development cycles are just taking a long time. These films include Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron movie, which Kennedy said was “pushed to the side last fall, and Taika Watiti’s Star Wars movie, which we haven’t heard anything about in a while.

The main connection between all of these fallen projects seems to be “creative differences.” But creative differences with who? Disney and the filmmakers? Kathleen Kennedy and the filmmakers? Or the filmmakers and a brick wall? With Disney churning out mediocre shows like season 3 of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, perhaps they should just let their writers write and their directors direct while they rake in the millions either way.

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