Lucasfilm and Disney announced today that director Gareth Edwards will direct the first of several planned
Star Wars spin-off films, with a screenplay by Gary Whitta. No details about the film itself were revealed, other than the untitled spin-off's theatrical release date: December 16, 2016.
In an interview separate from the announcement, Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull confirmed Edwards is still attached to direct a
Godzilla sequel, but clarified that it will arrive after Edwards'
Star Wars spin-off.
According to the Lucasfilm news release, "Gareth Edwards blazed into the filmmaking forefront with his acclaimed work on
Monsters, a film he wrote, directed and served on as cinematographer and visual effects artist. The skill and vision readily apparent in
Monsters earned him the high-profile spot directing this year's smash hit
Godzilla.
"Ever since I saw
Star Wars I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life -- join the Rebel Alliance! I could not be more excited and honored to go on this mission with Lucasfilm," said Edwards.
Gary Whitta's screenwriting credits include 2010's
The Book of Eli starring Denzel Washington. He is also well known as a journalist and editor in the video game industry, as well as part of the BAFTA award-winning team on Telltale Games adaptation of
The Walking Dead.
Whitta states, "From the moment I first saw the original movie as a wide-eyed kid,
Star Wars has been the single most profound inspiration to my imagination and to my career as a writer. It is deeply special to me, so to be given the opportunity to contribute to its ongoing legacy, especially in collaboration with a film-maker as talented as Gareth, is literally a dream come true. I'm still pinching myself.""
Director J.J. Abrams'
Star Wars: Episode VII is due in theaters on December 18, 2015