Lucasfilm has released a substantial amount of Star Wars series exclusively on Disney+ since The Mandalorian began streaming in 2019. In that time, shows such as The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi have seen a massive amount of success on the streaming platform.
In the coming years, the Disney+ release schedule will be even more packed, as nearly a dozen series are confirmed to be released. However, many fans have had complaints about the film side of the franchise, which has been completely bare since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker.
Disney and Lucasfilm have had plans to keep the galaxy far, far away on the big screen, but that journey has been rocky up to this point.
The first movie to follow the end of the Skywalker Saga was supposed to be Rogue Squadron, which was going to be directed by Patty Jenkins and would've released in December 2023. The film was announced all the way back in 2020 but never seemed to have any real developments until it was scrapped from Disney's release schedule in September.
With the future of Star Wars films still up in the air, a Lucasfilm Senior Executive has recently stepped down from her position, adding to the uncertainty that lies ahead.
Lucasfilm's Michelle Rejwan Steps Down From SVP Position
A recent report from Deadline revealed that Michelle Rejwan, who served as Lucasfilm Senior Vice President of Live Action Development and Production since 2019, has recently stepped down from her position. However, she will remain at Lucasfilm as a full-time producer.
Rejwan was hired as SVP in June 2019 after serving as a producer on The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker. Her job duties consisted of overseeing all live-action Star Wars content, including a new slate of feature films and Disney+ series. She also played a key role in the future of Star Wars, specifically when it came to theatrical releases.
It is unclear why Rejwan stepped away from her position at Lucasfilm, but it is important to note that every Star Wars film announced while she was SVP hasn't moved past the development stage. This includes Taika Waititi's untitled movie as well as Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron.
Another report from the past claimed that Jenkins and Rejwan couldn't come to an agreement on the film's script, which has apparently happened with multiple filmmakers that have been set to direct an upcoming Star Wars film. It is important to remember that Rian Johnson was promised a trilogy by Lucasfilm following the success of The Last Jedi, which also is not even close to seeing the light of day.
Good News for Future Star Wars Films?
The original trilogy is known as some of the most influential flicks of all time. Even the prequel trilogy broke barriers on the technical side of the filmmaking industry. The bottom line is that most people associate Star Wars with the big screen. Due to how those films have impacted the entertainment world, many fans want to see the franchise back in the movie theater.
Michelle Rejwan obviously had a lot of influence on all live-action Star Wars projects as SVP. Lucasfilm has been extremely focused on pushing out content to Disney+ since the end of the Skywalker Saga, but many fans are growing impatient specifically because the studio has promised that movies will be coming soon, only for them to be scrapped at a later date.
Rejwan stepping down could indicate that Lucasfilm is finally ready to move forward with these promises. Taika Waititi's movie is still on the upcoming slate, as are Kevin Feige's and some other untitled features. If Lucasfilm can appoint a new SVP that is passionate about their work and is willing to work closely with the filmmakers, then Star Wars may have a chance to be back in theaters sooner than fans think.
