Don’t Panic: ‘Star Wars: Episode 9’ Gets A New Writer
Update:Rian Johnson chimed in on Twitter to note that, contrary to the initial report, he did not write the treatment forStar Wars: Episode IX.
We have updated the article accordingly.
With Rian Johnson’sStar Wars: The Last Jedireadying for release this Christmas, development forColin Trevorrow’sStar Wars: Episode IXis heating up for a January 2018 production start and a new screenwriter has been hired to polish the work laid by Trevorrow and writing partnerDerek Connolly. Below, find out more about theStar Wars Episode 9writer.
The Hollywood Reporterhas gotten word thatJack Thornehas been hired to work on the screenplay for the ninth installment of the Skywalker saga.
Thorne was a Pearson Writer-in-Residence at the Bush Theatre 2006-7, and is a graduate of the Royal Court Theatre’s Young Writer’s Programme. The British scribe has largely been responsible for many UK miniseries and television series, working onSkins, Castoffs, The Fades, This is England, Glue, National Treasureand the upcoming small screen adaptation of Philip K. Dick’sElectric Dreams.
He has written a few screenplays, including the 2014 filmA Long Way Down, 2014’sWar Bookand the upcoming Julia Roberts-Jacob Tremblay movieWonder. He is a hot screenwriter who has a number of projects in development, including an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’sSandmanfor producer David S. Goyer, which will probably never happen.
There is no reason to take this news as a sign of trouble on the production as often times screenwriters are brought on board to polish big franchise scripts in the months leading to shooting. Thorne will do a rewrite of the draft penned by Trevorrow and his writing partner Derek Connolly, who have previously worked together onSafety Not GuaranteedandJurassic World. Although Lucasfilm and Disney plan to makeStar Warsmovies indefinitely, this is the third part of a trilogy and is expected to conclude the major storylines.
Star Wars: Episode 9is set to hit theaters onMay 24, 2019.
