‘Star Wars’ Trilogy Deal: Lucasfilm Taps Simon Kinberg To Write & Produce
EXCLUSIVE: Lucasfilm has closed a deal with Simon Kinberg to develop a trilogy of Star Wars films. Kinberg will write the trio and produce them with Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy.
I heard this will comprise Episodes 10-12 of The Skywalker Saga that began with George Lucas’s 1977 first film, which, along with Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, reshaped the global blockbuster game. Insiders disputed my intel that Kinberg will continue that storyline, saying this instead will begin a new saga, and sit alongside percolating Star Wars projects with James Mangold, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Taika Waititi and Donald Glover. As usual, Lucasfilm and Disney are not commenting.
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Kinberg previously worked with Lucasfilm in co-creating with Dave Filoni and Carrie Beck the Emmy-nominated animated series Star Wars Rebels that ran for four seasons from 2014-2018. He was also a consultant on Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, the J.J. Abrams-directed film that revived the franchise in 2015.
He has also been heavily involved in other franchises as writer and/or producer. That includes a decade spent on the X-Men films and the Logan spinoff film that starred Hugh Jackman and was directed by Mangold. He was also producer of the first two Deadpool films, and exec producer of the 2024 blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine; he produced the Ridley Scott-directed The Martian‘ and has scripted such films as Mr & Mrs Smith and co-wrote the film that launched the Sherlock Holmes franchise with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. He also produced the Kenneth Branagh Agatha Christie film trilogy that started with Murder on the Orient Express. In short, he’s comfortable in the franchise sphere.
RELATED: ‘Star Wars’ Artist Reveals ‘Phantom Menace’ Twist That George Lucas Cut From Film
Upcoming, Kinberg is producing Paramount’s remake of Stephen King’s The Running Man, which just went into production. Edgar Wright is directing Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Emilia Jones, William H. Macy and Lee Pace. He also is attached to produce Paramount’s Star Trek movie directed by Toby Haynes and penned by Seth Grahame-Smith.
Kinberg is repped by CAA and Karl Austen at Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
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