Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow was originally attached to head the final instalment in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, but was forced to depart the project. The script for the project, titled Duel of the Fates, is available for audiences to read, but there is one member of the cast itself that refuses to take a look.
Actor John Boyega spoke on the Happy Sad Confused podcast and declared he would not read Trevorrow's script. "I can't read that one because I would be heartbroken," the actor said. He then described his meeting with Trevorrow and the discussions they had about what they wanted to include in the film.
Trevorrow was brought on in 2015, but left the project in 2017 due to creative differences with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, who was reportedly unsatisfied with the script she was presented with. He was ultimately replaced by The Force Awakens director J.J Abrams and Duel of the Fates was replaced with The Rise of Skywalker.
Concept art for Trevorrow's Star Wars, as well as the script itself, leaked online in 2020. While there was some debate about its authenticity, the Jurassic World head confirmed it was legitimate shortly after they appeared. Among the many notable differences between The Rise of Skywalker and Duel of the Fates were the central antagonist and a romantic subplot between Rey and Poe Dameron. It also included a Stormtrooper uprising led by Finn and a simple cameo for Palpatine, rather than a major role.
Where Will Star Wars Go From Here?
The Rise of Skywalker, which concluded the Skywalker saga, premiered in 2019 to mixed reviews from both critics and audiences alike, with some criticizing its relationship to the preceding film, The Last Jedi and the apparent focus on correcting some of the criticized plot points and characters the Rian Johnson-helmed film brought to the story. However, the film was still a box office success, grossing $1.07 billion worldwide against a budget of $275 million.
Lucasfilm has suggested future films in the franchise will take place after the events of Episode IX. Kennedy announced earlier this year, "The sequel era is what we talk a lot about in terms of where we're going with our movies, and just how far out from that we’ll go. That's very much the space we’re concentrating on." She also confirmed the franchise would move away from the one-release-per-year model, citing strains it placed on creators.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker is available for streaming on Disney+.
Source: YouTube