'Star Wars' Cursed? “Game of Thrones” Showrunners Latest To Leave
It has become chaotic almost comical.
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the showrunners from "Game of Thrones" are the latest to bid goodbye to the "Star Wars" universe before the movie even hits the cinemas. They have now become a part of a long list of directors who have realized that it was impossible to turn their vision into reality with the current trend in corporate culture.
These A-list directors said that the "culture" of the current management of "Star Wars" has very little room for independence and creative arguments. The two have finally joined the ranks of Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Colin Trevorrow and Josh Trank who were all dismissed from the production of the movie they were intended to helm.
This is not the first of its kind, though. In movies the size and scale of "Star Wars," it is common for the production team to run into several heated arguments. Creative disagreements can sometimes be good for film productions as such because it helps them come up with something great.
However, the growing rate of turnover in this particular film production is raising eyebrows in the Hollywood scene.
All eyes are on Kathleen Kennedy, the executive assigned to guide Lucasfilm productions to ensure that new ways to expand the concept of the galaxy are explored.
Jeff Bock, an analyst from Exhibitor Relations, commented on the job and said that when a person takes the job as the director of "Star Wars," it is like he is thrown into a Sarlacc Pit without any chances of ever getting out unless they are a Jedi Master.
Even the directors who were left with the production have had their share of work issues. While filming "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," Gareth Edwards was replaced by Tony Gilroy during extensive re-shoots. In the end, Edwards was still the one credited for the final output of the film.
Why are these A-list creative directors leaving the film? Multiple insiders say that the new ideas presented to Kennedy were often shot down. In fact, when disagreements about the direction of the film become heated, the management opts to let go of the director instead of an attempt to find common ground.
The Lucasfilm brain would turn to new writers, only to retreat to the old standby writers who have become the film's sounding board over the years.
Whether it is the lack of appetite for creative new ideas or the fear of taking creative risks, the problem all boils down to the abrupt departure of essentially key talents to the production.
Is this a problem of how the directors and creative talents are vetted? Is the problem the process of hiring?
Ultimately, film analysts say that the brand "Star Wars" has created could eventually withstand all the drama behind the scenes. The movies of "Star Wars" are not just box office hits -- they have become cinema juggernaut with very few equals of its kind.
