Jon Favreau Tapped To Write And Produce A Live-Action 'Star Wars' TV Series For Disney
Jon Favreau is joining the Star Wars universe as writer and producer of an untitled live-action television series in the works.
Disney announced that the accomplished filmmaker will be on board for the direct-to-consumer project on Thursday, March 8.
Favreau In 'Star Wars'
"If you told me at 11 years old that I would be getting to tell stories in the Star Wars universe, I wouldn't have believed you," Favreau says in an official statement. "I can't wait to embark upon this exciting adventure."
The Emmy-winning producer isn't new to mega-franchises, having played a big role in the development of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Favreau directed Iron Man and Iron Man 2 as well as executive produced the Iron Man and Avengers films for Disney.
Now, he will help build Disney's Star Wars universe in the small screen.
"Jon brings the perfect mix of producing and writing talent, combined with a fluency in the Star Wars universe," Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy says. "This series will allow Jon the chance to work with a diverse group of writers and directors and give Lucasfilm the opportunity to build a robust talent base."
Favreau has already been part of the franchise with roles in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the new Solo: A Star Wars Story coming out in May 2018.
The accomplished filmmaker has also worked with Disney as the director and producer of The Jungle Book. His upcoming projects include The Lion King in 2019.
'Star Wars' On Television
News of an original live-action Star Wars series broke last year along with the confirmation of a new trilogy with The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson. The release date for the untitled series has not yet been confirmed.
This upcoming television show is part of Disney's push to maximize the trend for streaming content. The company is launching an ESPN streaming service this year dubbed ESPN Plus, while another service that's Disney-branded is set to debut in 2019. This new platform is expected to feature content from Lucasfilm, Marvel, and Pixar, including Favreau's new Star Wars series.
A Monsters, Inc. spin-off, a High School Musical film, and a reboot of The Muppets are also in the works.
'Bad PR' For International Women's Day
While news of Favreau joining Star Wars will be welcome for those who loved his work in Marvel, Disney received considerable backlash on Twitter for releasing the report on International Women's Day.
Some Twitter users are accusing Disney of only hiring "white dudes," even as they acknowledge Favreau's experience and skills in filmmaking.
Star Wars is allergic to women of color in production, writing, and directorial roles. Yes, I know about the women in the LucasFilm Story Group. Let's have more than just that. https://t.co/hSxOfQsNXT — WaCONda Forever (@ConStar24) March 8, 2018
On the one hand, Jon Favreau is a proven blockbuster filmmaker with a strong command of fantasy storytelling. On the other hand, announcing that another straight white dude is helming a Star Wars project ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY is… not great.https://t.co/cYeU7eGIyk — Adam B. Vary (@adambvary) March 8, 2018
