Damon Lindelof’s Star Wars Exit: ‘I Was Asked to Leave,’ but Would ‘Absolutely’ Try Again if Offered

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Elle Fanning has some experience starring in a major studio franchise thanks to her role as Aurora in Disney’s two “Maleficent” movies, but the 25-year-old star has yet to join franchise behemoths like “Star Wars” and Marvel. During a recent interview on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Fanning was asked if there is pressure on her career to join big studio franchises in order to stay “relevant” as an actor. “I don’t feel that [pressure]. I don’t,” Fanning said, while also acknowledging that joining the likes of Marvel, “Star Wars” or DC “does something” for other actors’ careers. “But you also don’t know if they’re going to work sometimes, which is scary,” she added.

Emmys love in the Limited Series category, but that doesn’t mean the show won’t see a second season. A source close to the production told TheWrap that creators Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez always intended for Season 1 of the genre-bending series to have a “conclusive and satisfying ending” with the finale episode airing Thursday, May 18. The source added that while discussions on a potential second installment have not started, “nothing is off the table.”“[The finale] really ties the whole story together.

Nicole Kidman will not be receiving her AFI Achievement Award as planned – at least not just yet.

When you look at the state of the “Star Wars” franchise, there are two different stories to be told. On the one hand, you have the TV side of things over on Disney+, which seems to be thriving.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Anthony and Joe Russo conquered the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the record-breaking blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame” (their fourth Marvel movie after “Captain America: The Winter Solider,” “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War”), and it turns out the “Star Wars” franchise could’ve been next. During an appearance on the “Smartless” podcast (via Total Film magazine), Joe Russo confirmed that the brothers had early talks about signing on for Marvel president Kevin Feige’s “Star Wars” movie. The project has since been shelved. “We love ‘Star Wars,'” Joe Russo said. “Kevin Feige is a huge ‘Star Wars’ fan, and there were some early conversations about maybe teaming up with Kevin to do ‘Star Wars.'”

“Star Wars” franchise is ever-present, and there’s plenty more to come. After Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm spurred the dawn of a new sequel trilogy and a couple of prequel films, things have been on hold for “Star Wars” on the big screen ever since the release of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” But now, at long last, it sounds like there’s some significant movement for the franchise on the big screen.Below, we run down every upcoming “Star Wars” movie currently in the works, what it’s about, and its current status – and we even look back on the many “Star Wars” movies that have yet to be made.Likely the next “Star Wars” movie to be released is an untitled film that will feature the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey, as announced at Star Wars Celebration in April 2023.

May the Fourth be with you, “Star Wars” fans. And with three upcoming films announced at last months Star Wars Celebration, the “Star Wars” universe has plenty to be excited about on the holiday this year.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Big names from across movies and television are coming together to voice their support for the Writers Guild of America strike, which officially started on Tuesday. Notable creators speaking out include “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, “Dopesick” writer and director Danny Strong and “Mrs. Davis” writers and producers Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez.

Do you folks remember, not that long ago, during Star Wars Celebration, when Kathleen Kennedy told the press that Kevin Feige was never really attached to a “Star Wars” film and it was just the fandom that made it all up? She actually said, “We never discussed an idea,” and basically, gaslit everyone into thinking it was all a rumor. Of course, we know that’s not true because Feige talked about it, Michael Waldron talked about being hired to write a script, and now, we have the Russo Brothers, who not only confirm that Feige was working on a “Star Wars” film with Lucasfilm but that they were discussing possibly signing on to direct.

Damon Lindelof is revealing the circumstances behind his departure from the latest “Star Wars” production.

Damon Lindelof has admitted he was told to stay far, far away from the Star Wars universe.

Explain This” video) that “I was in more than talks to join the ‘Star Wars’ universe. I joined the ‘Star Wars’ universe and was asked to leave.” Ouch.Still, Lindelof admits that he would still be up for tackling a story set in a galaxy far, far away. “Will I get back in line outside the club and try to get back in again? Absolutely,” Lindelof says in the video posted Friday.

Damon Lindelof is in the limelight yet again thanks to the success of his most recent TV show, “Mrs. Davis,” on Peacock now.

Bonding with James Bond. Rachel Weisz shared rare insight into her and husband Daniel Craig’s home lives with their 4-year-old daughter, Grace.

Peter Caranicas Deputy Editor This year, Variety’s Power of Law breakfast at The Maybourne Beverly Hills on April 19 is treating attendees to not one but two keynote conversations with industry players: showrunner Damon Lindelof, interviewed by Variety Co-Editor-in-Chief Cynthia Littleton, and executive Erica Huggins, interviewed by Variety Chief Production Officer Claudia Eller. At the Power of Law event – where City National Bank is the presenting partner and Signature Resolution is an official partner – the pair will offer their insights into the rapidly evolving entertainment landscape to an audience of invited attorneys who form this year’s Legal Impact Report honorees.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Welcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.” In his first comments since it was revealed that he and Justin Britt-Gibson are no longer writing the script for director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s “Star Wars” movie, Damon Lindelof tells me the project was a “true labor of love.” “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight is now penning the script. “The movie is still happening, but unfortunately not with me,” Lindelof said at the premiere of “Mrs. Davis,” the offbeat Peacock dramady he is shepherding with showrunner Tara Hernandez. “I wish them all the best of luck. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is an incredible director, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.”

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Justin Bieber came to the defense of Frank Ocean in an Instagram post in which the “Peaches” singer praised Ocean’s controversial Coachella performance. Ocean headlined Coachella 2023 along with Bad Bunny and Blackpink, but his April 16 set proved to be a massive disappointment for fans after he started an hour late, skipped over many fan-favorite songs, performed mostly sitting down and with his back to the crowd and lip-synched to several tracks. He also ran past the Coachella curfew and abruptly ended his set after less than 90 minutes. While Ocean has received pans for his performance, Bieber had nothing but raves for his fellow musician. Bieber, who memorably surprised Coachella in 2019 by joining Ariana Granda’s headlining set, praised Ocean’s artistry and voice in a heartfelt note on social media.

Mrs. Davis co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez joined star Betty Gilpin at Deadline’s Contenders TV event to discuss the sci-fi series which asks, “are we losing part of our humanity as we become reliant on tech?”

At last weekend’s Star Wars Celebration, Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy revealed three new “Star Wars” movies in the pipeline.  Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy will direct a film that centers around Daisy Ridley‘s Rey; Dave Filoni has a film that culminates “The Mandalorian” and its connected Disney+ series; and James Mangold will helm “Dawn Of The Jedi,” about the birth of the Jedi order 25,000 years ago.

Amon Warmann Guest Contributor On almost any other day, a train car full of Mandalorians, Grand Admiral Thrawns, Ahsokas, and Obi-Wans may have seemed strange. But for the four days of Star Wars Celebration, this was the norm on the 8 a.m. DLR train. Even before you stepped foot inside the event’s vast ExCeL Centre venue in East London, the Star Wars community was well represented, with people of all ages and ethnicities cosplaying as their favorite characters, be they as popular as Darth Vader or as niche as the umbrella-like lightsaber-wielding Sith Lord from “Star Wars: Visions.” If you need a reminder that, sometimes, fandoms can be good, Star Wars Celebration is it. Without the racist backlash against new characters played by people of color, or interminable hate tweets about specific movies, the event showcases the fandom at its best — as a joyous, inventive, inclusive and delightfully weird affair; a place where you’re as likely to stumble upon a mob of prisoner-attired fans chanting “One Way Out!” in unison as you are to witness an Orson Krennic striptease.