EntertainmentMoviesSci-Fi MoviesStar Wars MoviesGame of Thrones showrunners reveal the story behind their scrapped Star Wars movie: “We weren’t the droids they were looking for"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentMoviesSci-Fi MoviesStar Wars MoviesGame of Thrones showrunners reveal the story behind their scrapped Star Wars movie: “We weren’t the droids they were looking for"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
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Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss have revealed the plot of their scrapped Star Wars movie – and we’re already missing what could have been.
“We wanted to do The First Jedi,” Benioff toldThe Hollywood Reporter. “Basically how the Jedi Order came to be, why it came to be, the first lightsaber. [Lucasfilm] ended up not wanting to do a First Jedi story. We had a very specific story idea in mind, and ultimately they decided they didn’t want to do that. And we totally get it. It’s their company and their IP, but we weren’t the droids they were looking for.”
The movie was first announced back in 2018, with Lucasfilm president Kathleen calling the duo “some of the best storytellers working today.” The planned film series was to be separate from Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi series and the Skywalker saga.
The duo announced their exit from the trilogy in 2019, stating that they were stepping away because they couldn’t juggle both Star Wars and their Netflix projects.
“We were annoyed as hell when [Rian Johnson, the duo’s longtime friend and 3B producer] called his movieThe Last Jedi,” Weiss told The Hollywood Reporter. “He completely destroyed the obvious title for what we were working on.”
Of course, the duo aren’t the only ones with a canceled Star Wars movie.Kevin Feige’s take on the franchise was ultimately scrapped, although Kathleen Kennedy says it was never greenlit in the first place. Patty Jenkins' Star Wars: Rogue Squadron was taken off the official Lucasfilm schedule,with Variety reporting that it was shelved indefinitely.
Benioff and Weiss are set to debut their new sci-fi series 3 Body Problem on March 21 exclusively on Netflix. For more, check out our list of the bestnew TV showscoming your way in 2024 and beyond, or, check out our list of all the upcomingStar Wars movies and showsyou should know about.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”