Lucasfilm was ready to make their theatrical comeback with Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron film, and though the film was originally set to come out in 2023, it looks like it will have to be delayed.
As per Variety, production for Rogue Squadron, which was set to star in 2022, has been pushed back, and this will likely result in the movie not making its original slate. The delay was said to have caused scheduling conflicts with Jenkins, and as of now, Rogue Squadron has been taken out of Disney’s production schedule.
Though the film has been delayed, Jenkins is still onboard with the project, which some are seeing as a good thing for Lucasfilm. After the numerous director changes that happened with their last slate of Star Wars movies, it was apparent that Lucasfilm needed a different approach when it came to their projects and their directors.
While the “one-Star-Wars-movie-a-year” model seemed to be working since Force Awakens, the structure had seemed to fall apart toward the end, with films like Rogue One, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and The Rise of Skywalker reporting behind-the-scenes drama. With Disney+ allowing for a new, cheaper avenue to publish materials though, this allowed for Lucasfilm to make some more experimental, fan-focused projects like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
Personally, Star Wars has always been about the theatrical experience for me, and while I’m okay with the lore-dependent EU material coming out to streaming, I’m hoping that the theatrical releases will stick more to the core themes of Star Wars—like The Last Jedi.
No new release date has been set for Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron.
