Taika Waititi’s Latest Star Wars Tease Is So On Brand

Taika Waititi on the Thor: Ragnarok set.
(Image credit: Disney)

While there are a number of big sci-fi franchises, Star Wars’ iconography and fandom is on another level. Generations grew up with the galaxy far far away, and those fans are eager to learn about what’s coming with upcoming Star Wars movies. While Lucasfilm has announced its plans for a new trilogy, there are some other announced Star Wars projects. That includes Taika Waititi’s flick, and his latest tease for the movie is so on brand.

Waititi became a household name thanks to his work on Thor: Ragnarok, which was quickly followed up by the Oscar-winning movie Jojo Rabbit. He’s reportedly not going to work on another Thor movie, which should open up his schedule to develop a Star Wars installment. Taika Waititi was recently asked by Variety about what to expect from that blockbuster, saying:

It will be … dramatic pause… a Taika Waititi film. It’s gonna piss people off.

Well, that’s one way of putting it. Taika Waititi is known for his signature style and sense of humor. It sounds like he’s going to be putting his own spin on the Star Wars galaxy. And he’s expecting to ruffle some feathers along the way. Sign me up!

Waititi’s comments to Variety were at the premiere of his new movie Next Goal Wins. Like so many interviews he’s had in recent years, the conversation eventually turned to his forthcoming Star Wars movie. The WGA strike no doubt slowed down its development, but the Oscar winner is determined to make the type of movie he’s interested in.

While Taika Waititi thinks that he’s going to piss off moviegoers with his Star Wars movie, I actually think he’s the perfect man for the job. He’s already got experience in the franchise, as Waititi directed an episode of The Mandalorian, where he also played the role of  IG-11. Although perhaps this intimate knowledge of the franchise is why he’s so certain that some fans aren’t going to be happy with what he brings to the table.

As previously mentioned, Waititi does have a signature sense of humor/sensibility as a filmmaker that we’ve seen throughout his career. He brought new life to the Thor franchise with Ragnarok, which was much zanier and funnier than its predecessors. And since the Skywalker Saga is officially over, he should have more freedom to bring a new tone to Star Wars.

It’s currently unclear when a new Star Wars movie will hit theaters, but new TV content will continue arriving for those with a Disney+ subscription. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.