The “Star Wars” sequel trilogy was not well received by fans, but would that have changed if Ben Affleck had directed the films? The actor revealed that Lucasfilm asked him to direct the first film in the sequel trilogy, but he turned it down. The actor went on to say that there were a lot of “challenges” that came with directing a movie in a galaxy far, far away, in addition to dealing with a fanbase that has a lot of “very strong opinions.”
Ben Affleck Shocks Fans With ‘Star Wars’ Reveal
The “Star Wars” sequel trilogy began in 2015 with “The Force Awakens” and continued with 2017’s “The Last Jedi” and 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker.” Lucasfilm initially selected three directors to carry each film: J.J. Abrams, Rian Johnson, and Colin Trevorrow. However, Lucasfilm parted ways with Trevorrow and brought Abrams back to complete “The Rise of Skywalker.”
However, Affleck recently revealed that Disney initially approached him to create “The Force Awakens,” which would have been the first “Star Wars” movie to hit theaters since the divisive close of the prequel trilogy.
What Ben Affleck Had To Say About His ‘Star Wars’ Connection
On October 12, Covered Geekly shared a video snippet from the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast in which Affleck admitted he was asked to direct “The Force Awakens” but ultimately turned it down.
“I like Star Wars,” Affleck confessed before admitting that he didn’t think that he was the best person to direct the first film in the sequel trilogy.
“Yeah, they came to me and asked me, ‘Hey, are you interested in this?’ I thought, ‘I like Star Wars, and I’m a fan, but I’m not the person to direct this movie.’ Someone who has more passion for this is going to do a better job,” he said.
“I don’t know if I could make a great version of Star Wars or reinvent this,” he continued. “There are a lot of challenges to reinventing that. In fact, you’ve seen it play out. It hasn’t been easy for them to reinvent that franchise. Some have done really well. Then you got this whole fan base that’s got its own very strong opinions.”
Adam Driver Blasts ‘Moviemaking By Committee’
Disney has faced a lot of criticism for how it handled the sequel trilogy. This weekend, Adam Driver, who portrayed the villainous First Order enforcer Kylo Ren and the redeemed Ben Solo in the final installment, seemed to take a moment to criticize the franchise while answering questions on the red carpet for the premiere of James Gray’s “Paper Tiger.”
Driver clearly emphasized his preference for working with one director and seemed to slam Disney’s habit of “moviemaking by committee,” which has become common with larger franchises.
“When it’s a bigger budget, sometimes it gets into moviemaking by committee, and I just don’t do well in those atmospheres,” Driver said. It’s unclear if he is specifically referring to Disney with his latest comments, as he is making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Minister Sinister in the upcoming “X-Men” reboot.
Where Is The Franchise Going From Here?
Little is known about what Disney plans for the franchise, although Jon Watts is reportedly set to direct the first film in a new trilogy from Simon Kinberg. Unfortunately, very little is known about the project. Many believe that Daisy Ridley will return as Rey and that the trilogy will pick up where the sequel trilogy left off, but that has yet to be confirmed.
What fans do know is that they don’t have to wait long to see the state of the galaxy following the Battle of Exegol, which featured the deaths of Emperor Palpatine and Ben Solo, effectively ending the Skywalker bloodline.
The next “Star Wars” movie to hit theaters is “Starfighter.” The film, starring Ryan Gosling and directed by Shawn Levy, will take place about five years after the events of “The Rise of Skywalker.” The movie is being marketed as a standalone adventure, so it is unclear whether Rey or any other sequel trilogy characters will appear in the film.
Shawn Levy Recently Joked About His Upcoming ‘Star Wars’ Movie
While at the A Sense of Home NYC Gala with PEOPLE magazine, director Shawn Levy offered a witty update on his upcoming journey into a galaxy far, far away.
“I’m working on this small little niche art film called Star Wars, and that’ll be out next May,” Levy joked.
When addressing his creative vision, the filmmaker emphasized that he had to be a “fan” first when taking on iconic franchises. “When I make a Marvel movie, I’m a Marvel fan making that movie,” Levy explained. “When I’m making Star Wars, I’m a fan making that movie. I don’t think I could make something that I’m not a fan of.”
“Star Wars: Starfighter” is scheduled to hit theaters on May 28, 2027.
