After spending $4 billion on Lucasfilm, it doesn’t appear Disney is taking a gentle, see show it goes approach to Star Wars. Last week it was revealed that Michael Arndt had signed up to script Star Wars: Episode VII, and now it seems the House Of Mouse wants the scripts for Episodes VIII and IX written at the same time.
Both Deadline and THR report that sources have told them Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back screenwriter and director Lawrence Kasdan has been hired to pen the screenplay for Star Wars: Episode VIII. Kasdan also wrote Return of the Jedi and Raiders of the Lost Ark for Lucasfilm.
Screenwriter Simon Kinberg is likely to cover scripting duties on the final chapter in this upcoming new trilogy, Star Wars: Episode IX. He is best known for his work on X-Men: First Class and the Sherlock Holmes movies starring Robert Downey Jr..
It’s said that both Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg have already signed on, but Disney will not confirm that news at this time, so take it as a well sourced rumour for now. If all three films are indeed being written at essentially the same time, its likely that the three writers will be collaborating amongst themselves in terms of sorting through George Lucas detailed story notes.
The concurrent writing also has to make you wonder if Disney is planning to shoot the new trilogy back-to-back, which could be the most cost-effective way, and may also help get the original cast back if they know they can do it all at once, rather than running to and from the sets so Disney can make the films for release every two-to-three years. We’ll have to wait and see.