Watts plans a Star Wars Western series
Before stepping into the directorial seat for the next installment of the “Star Wars” film trilogy, filmmaker Jon Watts was already deep in the orbit of Lucasfilm, having spent months cultivating a secret project for the franchise.
Watts is a name already familiar to fans, having previously steered the Tom Holland-led “Spider-Man” movies for Sony. His creative talents quickly led to bigger opportunities, notably serving as a key creative team and showrunner on the live-action series Skeleton Crew.
Following the success of the “Skeleton Crew” series, Watts and his collaborator Christopher Ford reportedly remained close to Lucasfilm, dedicating a significant portion of this year to developing another major “Star Wars” television project. This secret endeavor wasn’t just a side project; it was envisioned as an ambitious eight-episode Disney+ series.
The vision for the series was distinctly different from the typical space opera. Instead, the team aimed to deliver a story infused with a Western sensibility, blending the epic scope of “Star Wars” with the ruggedness of frontier adventure, much like the mixture of pirate tales and the Amblin films.
The development process was reportedly intense, with the writers’ room operating from January through August of the year. It was a period dedicated to crafting a new cinematic world for the franchise, focused on atmosphere and grit rather than traditional conflict.
However, amidst all the buzz surrounding the planning phase, the project has recently gone silent. It remains unclear whether Lucasfilm has decided to temporarily shelve the concept or quietly move it to the back burner.
This unexpected pause contrasts with other creative developments within the franchise. While other writers, such as Simon Kinberg, have been developing their own film concepts, this particular initiative involving Watts and Ford has entered a period of deep, industry-wide silence, leaving fans eagerly waiting for clarity on what might be next for this unique, Western-flavored saga.
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