10 Canceled Star Wars Movies & TV Shows We’d Have Loved To See

Summary

• So many Star Wars movies and TV shows have been canceled over the years, leaving fans longing for certain stories that never came to life.
• Some projects, like the Boba Fett film and Rogue Squadron, had potential but were scrapped due to various reasons, including creative differences.
• Even with the cancellations, there are still possibilities for the future, with different directors and writers attached to upcoming films in the Star Wars universe.

So many Star Wars movies and TV shows have been canceled over the years, but here are ten that I’d have desperately wanted to see. When the Skywalker saga wrapped up in 2019, the franchise essentially moved to the small screen – and it’s yet to return to the cinemas. The last few years have seen so many canceled Star Wars movies and TV shows, as Lucasfilm struggled to figure out which direction to take next.

In truth, though, there have been many canceled projects even before this. Some were pulled because they were too expensive, too complicated to schedule, or simply because they didn’t find a compelling enough plot. Here are ten movies and shows I really wish I’d gotten the chance to see.

10 There Was Going To Be A Solo Boba Fett Film

Instead, Fans Received The Book Of Boba Fett

In the years before The Mandalorian, Lucasfilm originally planned to work on a standalone Boba Fett movie by Josh Trank (best known for his reboot of The Fantastic Four). That project wound up in development hell for years – which is probably for the best, given The Fantastic Four. But last year, James Mangold revealed he had his own R-rated Boba Fett pitch. As he explained:

Well at the point I was doing it… I was probably making much more of a borderline rated-R… single-planet Spaghetti Western… the world would never be able to embrace Baby Yoda if I had made that, because it didn’t really belong in the world I was envisioning.

This would have been a massive improvement on The Book of Boba Fett, but sadly, it’s likely the project was pulled after the box office failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story. Instead, Lucasfilm pivoted towards The Mandalorian, so things did surely work out for the better. Still, I’d have loved to see Mangold’s movie break new ground for Star Wars.

9 Rogue Squadron Was Supposed To Release In 2023

It Was Headed By Wonder Woman Director Patty Jenkins

All the way back in 2020, Disney announced that they were working on a new film revolving around a set of fighter pilots later in the Star Wars timeline. Rogue Squadron would have focused on pushing the franchise into the future, something that has only been left to the sequel trilogy and various books and comics. Having another movie set in this time period would have been perfect to fully flesh it out and make it feel like more than the time when the sequel trilogy took place.

This film would have been directed by Patty Jenkins, creator of the Wonder Woman movies. The best-selling Rogue Squadron novels by Michael Stackpole and Aaron Allston show just how fantastic a Rogue Squadron movie would have been. Sadly, scheduling became a nightmare due to Jenkins’ work with DC and the chaos caused by the pandemic. Rogue Squadron is generally believed to have been canceled, although there are still occasional rumors it could yet happen.

8 There Was A Rumored Mos Eisley Spaceport Movie

It Would Have Focused On Tatooine

Although it never really made it past the concept stage, there was reportedly going to be a film that focused both on the planet of Tatooine and the infamous Mos Eisley spaceport and cantina. This would have been another anthology spin-off similar to Rogue One and Solo, and could have potentially focused on the area’s criminal underbelly. Little to nothing is known about this movie, however, as it never evolved to have a full teaser or potential release date.

I would have loved for
Star Wars
to take a harder look at aspects of the galaxy that don’t revolve around the Jedi and the Empire.

When Solo failed in the eyes of Disney, it cut off many different possibilities for the franchise. It’s likely that this is the reason that the Mos Eisley movie was canceled, along with so many others. This film could have been an interesting look into what exactly happens in the cantina, and I would have loved for Star Wars to take a harder look at aspects of the galaxy that don’t revolve around the Jedi and the Empire. For now, however, fans will have to make do with the small glimpses from The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.

7 Colin Trevorrow Was Supposed To Direct Episode IX

Star Wars: The Duel Of Fates Promised A Very Different Film

When the ninth installment of the main franchise was in development in 2015, Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow was set to direct it. Originally titled Star Wars: Duel of Fates, much of what he intended for the film’s storyline has since been revealed. The differences between his version and the final version of the movie are many, including a focus on the planets Coruscant and Mortis, making Kylo Ren the true villain of the film as opposed to the Emperor, and leaving Rey as a character with no lineage or connection to legacy characters.

Eventually departing from the project in August 2017, Trevorrow cited creative differences as his reason for leaving. The script for the movie has leaked online and can be experienced by anyone, but it is not the same as having a feature film version to watch. In theory, this version of Episode IX would have been exciting to see, given the state of Episode IX as it currently is – specifically because it seems more like a direct continuation of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

6 Kevin Feige’s Star Wars Film Was Canceled

The Film Never Made It Into Production

Best known for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kevin Feige is the producer for films such as the original X-Men movies as well as Avengers: Endgame. He has been a part of the Marvel franchise of films since the very beginning, acting as the president of Marvel Studios since 2007. He was reported to be working with Disney to create a Star Wars movie in 2019, with Loki writer Michael Waldron serving as the film’s writer.

Similarly to Rogue Squadron, however, the film was revealed to have been canceled in 2023. Despite the confirmation that the film was a work in progress, Kathleen Kennedy stated that the film had not even made it through the earliest stages of conception. This cancelation is particularly disappointing, as Feige’s early work pioneering the extended universe genre meant that he would have offered the perfect lens to view Star Wars through as a filmmaker and producer.

5 David Benioff & D. B. Weiss Were Set To Direct A Trilogy

The Game Of Thrones Showrunners Left To Pursue Other Options

In 2018, before Game of Thrones ended, the showrunners for the series, David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, signed on to produce a trilogy of Star Wars movies with Disney. These films would have been far removed from the Skywalker saga, taking place in either the far past and dealing with time periods like the Old Republic or High Republic or the far future after the sequel trilogy. Because these time periods either had little or no canon content to speak of at the time, these films would have been a welcome change of pace.

This did not last, as soon enough, both of them left the project in order to sign on with Netflix. One is left to wonder if this was really the best choice, given the lack of fame these new projects have had, or if their departure from the project was actually fueled by the unsatisfying ending to their Game of Thrones series. Regardless, I would have liked to see if they could capture lightning in a bottle once again and mirror the smash hit that was Game of Thrones, but in a Star Wars setting.

4 Damon Lindelof Was The Original Director Of The Rey Skywalker Movie

In His Version, Rey Would Have Been Much Older

Before Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight and Ms. Marvel director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy signed on to create the upcoming New Jedi Order movie, it was originally going to be spearheaded by Damon Lindelof. Best known for his work on projects including Lost, Prometheus, and the most recent series of Star Trek films, Lindelof is no stranger to science fiction. His version of the upcoming movie would have seen an older version of Rey, taking place around sixty years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

However, these ideas have since been scrapped. With Daisy Ridley confirmed to be returning to the franchise, the film will certainly be a departure from what Lindelof initially envisioned. Though it is exciting to know that the writer of Peaky Blinders is currently hard at work on the script, having someone as well versed in science fiction as Lindelof on a Star Wars film is too good of an opportunity to pass up.

3 Guillermo Del Toro’s Film Would Have Expanded On Jabba The Hutt

His Artistic Style Of Filmmaking Would Have Brought A Fresh Look To The Franchise

Best known for his incredible work in breathing life into the original Hellboy movies, Guillermo del Toro’s style is best described as whimsical and emotional. Films such as The Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth are the best examples of this, with del Toro creating lifelike fantasy creatures in worlds not dissimilar to our own. He was originally tasked with creating a film centered around Jabba the Hutt, and presumably this film would have centered around his rise to power.

Unfortunately, after the script was written, the film was scrapped by Lucasfilm. This is perhaps one of the biggest disappointments on this list, as del Toro’s unique style is the exact sort of cinematic flavor that could lend itself well to dramatic science fiction. Though the film will likely never see the light of day, due to the talent attached and the unique subject material, it was certain to be one of the more interesting films in recent Star Wars memory.

2 George Lucas Had Ideas For A Sequel Trilogy

These Ideas Were Cut When Disney Bought The Property

Before Disney acquired the rights to Star Wars in 2012, George Lucas had developed his own ideas for a sequel trilogy. With what has since been revealed, this sequel trilogy would have been much different than the one fans did receive. Not only would it have followed Leia Organa as she rebuilt the Republic and Luke Skywalker as he rebuilt the Jedi Order, but characters such as Darth Maul and Darth Talon would have been the main antagonists of the series.

Not only would it have followed Leia Organa as she rebuilt the Republic and Luke Skywalker as he rebuilt the Jedi Order, but characters such as Darth Maul and Darth Talon would have been the main antagonists of the series.

Because Disney bought the rights to the franchise, many of these ideas were scrapped in favor of following the story of Rey and Ben Solo. It would have been interesting to see a story more focused on Luke and Leia once again, though it seems that some of these ideas are currently being implemented in television series such as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. Regardless, seeing Darth Maul at the height of his power would have been an instant draw for a sequel series, one that would have had me on the edge of my seat.

1 Star Wars: Underworld Was An Early Canceled Show

Ideas From The Show Have Been Reused In Other Projects

Originally announced at Star Wars Celebration in 2005, Star Wars: Underworld was promised as a darker look at the world of Star Wars, focusing more on both the crime and politics of the galaxy. It was well into development by the time it was canceled, with over 100 episodes fully plotted out. However, it was discovered that the series would be too expensive to produce, so it was eventually dropped by Lucasfilm.

That is not to say that ideas from the series are completely gone. The idea for Rogue One was developed from one of these episodes, as was the plot for how exactly Han Solo won the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian. This loss is perhaps the greatest of all, as not only were countless Star Wars stories written and then subsequently lost, but it also promised a grittier look at the galaxy beloved by so many fans.