Shawn Levy enters , JD Dillard exits .
The Star Wars cinematic universe struggles more and more to keep projects going, which are often announced and then don’t materialize.
To the point that, recently, the rumor has spread that the Disney management had “advised” the president of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy not to announce anything more .
Now there is a new “victim” of this constant coming and going in the Lucasfilm offices: JD Dillard, in fact. Sleight ‘s director was supposed to direct a Star Wars movie , but, when interviewed by The Wrap , he revealed that the project will no longer be made, albeit “not because we didn’t try”. Dillard declined to reveal any more details about the film, but said the Star Wars: TIE Fighter video game had a huge impact on him as a kid:
My father was an aviator and we had a lot of flight simulators. I’ve been playing that game for months and my dad was flying with me. And I said, “This game is so beautiful”. And he: “Well, you know, this game comes from a series of films”. And I: “Are you kidding?”. It was then that I watched Star Wars for the first time and realized what world-building meant.
Goodbye Rocketeer
Dillard also revealed that he is no longer aboard the Rocketeer reboot he was supposed to direct, and the reason seems to be his next film, Devotion , a story of friendship between pilots set against the backdrop of the Korean War. The director explained:
I will not make that movie. But that’s a shame, because I love The Rocketeer . What I find difficult is going back to pre-70s aviation. Never say never, but I think I need a break from vintage aviation.
Dillard adds:
I’m trying, as I hope you understand from seeing Sleight , Sweetheart and Devotion , not to make the same film twice. I will go straight ahead on this road.