### The Future of Taika Waititi\u2019s Star Wars Project: Indefinitely Paused<\/p>\n
*Published: Oct 18, 2026, 8:50pm UTC*<\/p>\n
For fans eagerly anticipating a journey to a galaxy far, far away under the creative direction of Taika Waititi, the news is unfortunately definitive: the project has been shelved. The visionary behind Thor: Ragnarok<\/a> and the Academy Award-winning Jojo Rabbit<\/a> recently confirmed that his long-gestating Star Wars movie<\/a> is no longer in active development.<\/p>\n #### A Shift in Creative Direction Waititi offered a candid, no-nonsense response regarding the collaboration: “I hate to break this to you, but we’re going to actually put it on ice and we’re working on a different thing together.”<\/p>\n #### A Long Road to Nowhere Much like a chef who spends years perfecting a complex recipe only to decide the ingredients no longer harmonize, Waititi and McNamara have opted to pivot toward fresh creative pastures. While the Star Wars landscape remains in constant flux-with various projects frequently entering and exiting development-this particular chapter is officially closed.<\/p>\n <\/a>
\nThe update arrived during a promotional tour for Waititi\u2019s latest feature, Klara and the Sun<\/a>. During an interview with Inverse<\/a>, the director was asked about the status of the script he had been co-writing with Tony McNamara. <\/p>\n
\nThe cancellation marks the end of a development cycle that spanned over half a decade. Speculation regarding Waititi\u2019s involvement with the franchise first surfaced in January 2020, shortly after his massive success within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the time, Disney and Lucasfilm had approached<\/a> the *What We Do in the Shadows* creator, hoping his unique brand of humor and visual flair would revitalize the Star Wars brand.<\/p>\n
\n*Taika Waititi. Photo by Stefania D’Alessandro\/Getty Images.*<\/p>\n