Star Wars fans were met with shocking news today – Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss made an announcement declaring their decision to exit from their upcoming Star Wars trilogy. The announcement confused everyone. The showrunners had rushed the last season of Game of Thrones so they could move on to a different project, one that many assumed was the duo's upcoming trilogy in the galaxy far, far away.
However, now that Benioff and Weiss are out of the franchise, some are beginning to question the next project Lucasfilm has in mind for Star Wars – Rian Johnson's set of Star Wars films. What does the Game of Thrones showrunner's exit mean for Johnson's trilogy?
For the past few months, Johnson has assured fans that he's still in the process of developing his Star Wars movies for Lucasfilm. Sure, there had been a bit of uncertainty when he was asked about his trilogy earlier this month, however, everything seems back on track now with the director confirming in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that he's still set to work on the project together with Lucasfilm.
"Did I say 'if'? Oh god," he said with a laugh during the interview, "I have no update at all. But I'm still working with Lucasfilm on it, and they're figuring out when they do what and everything."
If things don't really hold up, then there's a chance that Lucasfilm may cancel Johnson's trilogy. Now that Weiss and Benioff are gone, Disney might be shifting their plans for the galaxy far, far away as it looks to the future of the franchise. The Mickey Mouse House may want to put its focus on its upcoming Star Wars series like The Mandalorian and that Obi-Wan Kenobi spinoff.
Still, it would be such a missed opportunity if Disney were to cancel Johnson's trilogy. Star Wars: The Last Jedi might have ended up being one of the most divisive films in the franchise, however, it did bring Star Wars to a new direction.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker premieres December 20, 2019.
Read: Fans Love Kathleen Kennedy's Statement Regarding Weiss and Benioff's Star Wars Departure