There’s been a lot of back and forth among the nerds over the past several decades about who the target audience for the “Star Wars” movies is. A lot of the more hardcore fans take issue with the idea that they’re for kids, because those fans tend to be, when they’re arguing about this, not themselves be kids.
Not that I particularly want to re-open that discussion right here. Instead, I’ll let “Blade Runner 2049” and “Arrival” director Denis Villeneuve do it for me. In discussing his upcoming “Dune” project with Fandom, he said his plan for that film will be to make a “‘Star Wars’ for adults.”
“Most of the main ideas of ‘Star Wars’ are coming from ‘Dune’ so it’s going to be a challenge to [tackle] this,” Villeneuve said. “The ambition is to do the ‘Star Wars’ movie I never saw. In a way, it’s ‘Star Wars’ for adults. We’ll see.”
Of course, Villeneuve also points out that the “Dune” project is still in its infancy and may not happen at all or might end up going forward with a different director.
“Today you’re asking me this question about a project that doesn’t exist yet. I’m used to talking about projects when they’re shot, finished, I’m in the editing room, I’m about to release the movie. Then you talk about something real,” Villeneuve said. “Right now, I might in three weeks or two months learn that nobody agrees on a screenplay, it will be with someone else. It can happen. And when the movie will be made? It’s all theory right now.”
And with “Dune” you certainly never know. Pretty much at any given moment in the past 40 years or so somebody has been trying to put together an adaptation of the Frank Herbert classic novel series, but a big screen version has only happened once, with David Lynch’s 1984 flick with Kyle MacLachlan. Prior to that, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s attempt to make a “Dune” movie in the mid-70s is one of Hollywood’s most famous aborted projects.
Syfy also put together a pair of “Dune” mini-series in the early Aughts, covering the first three “Dune” books, but despite record ratings for the network they haven’t been able to go any further since. In more modern times, Paramount tried to get a Peter Berg-helmed “Dune” off the ground but it never materialized.
So there’s plenty of reason to be skeptical about the future of the project. That said, Villeneuve did just manage to successfully revive “Blade Runner” after that property lay dormant for more than three decades, so maybe he’s got a better shot at this than everyone else. But, anyway, if it does happen — rest assured that it’ll be “‘Star Wars’ for adults.” Finally.
All the 'Star Wars' Behind-the-Scenes Shakeups Since Disney Bought Lucasfilm (So Far)
In September 2017, Lucasfilm announced it had parted ways with "Star Wars: Episode IX" director Colin Trevorrow just months before the film was set to begin production, and then revealing a week later that JJ Abrams would take his place. But that's hardly the first shakeup of the modern "Star Wars" era. Here's all the drama that's happened since Disney bought Lucasfilm (and the "Star Wars" franchise) in 2012.
All three new numbered "Star Wars" movies ("The Force Awakens," "The Last Jedi," and the untitled Episode IX) were originally announced for May launches before being pushed to December.
Michael Arndt was originally hired to write "The Force Awakens" but was replaced because his draft wasn't coming along as quickly as the powers that be at Lucasfilm wanted -- director JJ Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan took over screenwriting duties.
Josh Trank, the first director hired for the standalone anthology film that we now know as "Untitled Han Solo Film," was fired from the project in May 2015 amid reports of drama on the set of his "Fantastic Four" film, with producer Simon Kinberg reportedly calling him "erratic." Trank later said he left "Star Wars" because he wanted to do "something original."
Colin Trevorrow landed the "Episode IX" directing gig in 2015, and wrote the first script with his writing partner Derek Connolly. But Lucasfilm ultimately nixed their screenplay, and in August, Jack Thorne was reported to have taken over those duties. (Lucasfilm still hasn't made any official announcement about Thorne.)
Phil Lord and Chris Miller were hired to direct "Han Solo" from Lawrence Kasdan's script, and made it through most of production before being fired in June 2017. Reports credited a conflict with Lucasfilm over their filmmaking style. Ron Howard was then brought in to finish the project.
Michael K. Williams landed a supporting role in the Han Solo movie, but after Ron Howard replaced Lord and Miller, the amount of additional shooting was apparently extensive enough that Williams no longer had time for the film. His character ended up being cut from the film completely.
Trevorrow was replaced on "Episode IX" by "The Force Awakens" director JJ Abrams, who Disney also announced would write the screenplay with "Argo" and "Batman V Superman" scribe Chris Terrio.
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From the first ‘The Force Awakens’ script to the departure of “Episode IX” director Colin Trevorrow
In September 2017, Lucasfilm announced it had parted ways with "Star Wars: Episode IX" director Colin Trevorrow just months before the film was set to begin production, and then revealing a week later that JJ Abrams would take his place. But that's hardly the first shakeup of the modern "Star Wars" era. Here's all the drama that's happened since Disney bought Lucasfilm (and the "Star Wars" franchise) in 2012.
