David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the masterminds behind HBO’s Game of Thrones, have shared details about their cancelled Star Wars film.
Originally signed on with Lucasfilm in 2018, they were set to create a new series of Star Wars films. However, plans changed and their project was scrapped along with other films in development at the studio.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Benioff explained their specific story idea, which Lucasfilm eventually decided not to pursue. The project, announced in 2018 with high praises from Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, was intended to be distinct from the Skywalker saga.
Benioff and Weiss’ vision was to explore the origins of the Jedi Order, aiming to delve into the creation of the first lightsaber and the formation of the Jedi, essentially crafting a narrative around the First Jedi. This idea aligns closely with an upcoming Star Wars movie, Dawn of the Jedi, by James Mangold (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), which is also rumoured to focus on the early days of the Force.
By 2019, Benioff and Weiss withdrew from the trilogy, citing scheduling conflicts with their Netflix projects. Weiss humorously noted that Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi title posed a challenge, as it closely resembled what could have been an ideal title for their project.
“We wanted to do The First Jedi. Basically how the Jedi Order came to be, why it came to be, the first lightsaber,” Benioff said. “And we were annoyed as hell when [Rian Johnson] called his movie The Last Jedi,” Weiss added. “He completely destroyed the obvious title for what we were working on.”
Discussing the cancellation of their First Jedi film, Benioff revealed that Lucasfilm chose not to pursue their specific story concept, stating, “We had a very specific story idea in mind, and ultimately they decided they didn’t want to do that.” Despite this, he expressed understanding, acknowledging, “We totally get it. It’s their company and their IP, but we weren’t the droids they were looking for.”
The duo is now focusing on another adaptation, Netflix’s 3 Body Problem, based on Chinese author Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy. 3 Body Problem is slated for Netflix release on 21 March.
Meanwhile, Lucasfilm is working on new Star Wars projects, including Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian & Grogu film, and season two of Dave Filoni’s Ahsoka.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing Honkai: Star Rail, cosplaying, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
Yonk
Si Jia
