Marvel Studios Chief Kevin Feige Shifts His Attention Away from Star Wars Endeavor
In a surprising turn of events, Kevin Feige, the mastermind behind Marvel Studios’ extensive cinematic universe, has officially withdrawn from his ambitious Star Wars project, opting to concentrate on the multitude of films and TV shows within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
When questioned about the status of his Star Wars venture, Feige succinctly responded, “No,” during a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight. This revelation occurred on the red carpet at the Las Vegas premiere of “The Marvels” on Tuesday.
Back in 2019, The Hollywood Reporter unveiled Feige’s involvement in a Star Wars project, and in January 2021, it was disclosed that he had enlisted the talents of Michael Waldron, the creator of “Loki,” to craft the screenplay.
The circumstances surrounding Feige’s initial engagement with Lucasfilm, led by Kathleen Kennedy, and Disney’s studio co-chairmen, Alan Horn and Alan Bergman, have undergone substantial changes since then. At the time, “The Rise of Skywalker” had not yet graced the silver screen, and the phenomenon of “The Mandalorian” and the endearing Baby Yoda had not yet propelled Disney+ into its early stages.
Feige once expressed his affection for the Star Wars universe, remarking to The Hollywood Reporter in that same year, “I love that world and I love the notion of exploring new people and new places in that universe.”
Over the years, Lucasfilm had initiated several ambitious big-screen projects, but many of them ultimately faltered, including a trilogy that was to be penned by the creators of “Game of Thrones,” David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, as well as the Patty Jenkins-directed “Rogue Squadron.” Now, Feige’s project joins the ranks of those unfulfilled aspirations.
Lucasfilm, undeterred by this setback, is pushing ahead with an upcoming feature led by Daisy Ridley from “The Rise of Skywalker,” with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, known for “Ms. Marvel,” taking the director’s chair. Additionally, Lucasfilm has exciting features in the pipeline from “The Mandalorian’s” Dave Filoni and acclaimed director James Mangold.