You’ve probably heard about this over the long weekend, but here we are once again confirming that director Josh Trank has indeed left the director’s chair on a yet-to-be-titled “Star Wars” spin-off film.
And apparently, there is a reason why Disney decided to let him go.
Lucasfilm officially confirmed the report by announcing on Friday (1st May) that the “Fantastic Four” reboot director will no longer direct the spin-off film. Trank himself cited a personal decision as the reason for his departure.
His full statement is as follows:
After a year of having the incredible honor of developing with the wonderful and talented people at Lucasfilm, I’m making a personal decision to move forward on a different path. I’ve put a tremendous amount of thought into this, and I know deep down in my heart that I want to pursue some original creative opportunities. That said, the Star Wars universe has always been one of my biggest influences, and I couldn’t be more excited to witness its future alongside my millions of fellow Star Wars fans. I want to thank my friends Kathleen Kennedy, Kiri Hart, Simon Kinberg, and everyone at Lucasfilm and Disney for the amazing opportunity to have been a part of this. May the Force be with you all.
Though the director cited a nasty flu as the reason for his absence at the “Star Wars Celebration” in April, various insiders told The Hollywood Reporter that Disney asked him not to attend while considering whether or not he is still the suitable director.
Sources also said that Trank’s behaviour is “erratic and at times very isolated”, making it difficult for the producers to pull the film together. The source added, “If you’ve got someone who can’t answer questions or who isn’t sure or is in hiding, that’s not good.”
Regarding Trank’s departure, Lucasfilm only stated:
It was a privilege to collaborate with Josh. We are grateful for the energy and love of Star Wars that he brought to the process, and we wish him all the best.
On a different note, TheWrap reported that the “Star Wars” anthology movie that Trank was supposed to direct will tell the origin story of Boba Fett, one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy. He was a young Mandalorian warrior, who later became one of the fans’ favourite bounty hunters sent by Jabba the Hunt to capture Han Solo in the original trilogy. He was primarily portrayed by English actor Jeremy Bulloch in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi”.
A representative for Disney had no comment regarding the report that confirmed one of many rumours surrounding the 2nd spin-off film.
Disney and Lucasfilm are currently on the search for a new director before the production on Gareth Edward’s spin-off movie “Star Wars: Rogue One” begins this summer. Starring Felicity Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, and Riz Ahmed, Edward’s movie will follow a group within the Rebel Alliance who unites to steal the blueprints for the Death Star.
It is set to be released in December 2016 while the 2nd spin-off film that focuses on the bounty hunter is scheduled for release in 2018.
So, what do you think of the report on Trank? Are you excited to watch a “Star Wars” spin-off movie that centres on Boba Fett? Let us know what you think in the comments box below.
(Sources: StarWars.com, THR, TheWrap / Featured image via Screen Rant)
