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We nearly had a Star Wars movie from the Avengers directors

So Jedi, assemble was almost a thing?

We nearly had a Star Wars movie from the Avengers directors

By Andrew Williams

08 May 2023

In an alternate reality there’s a Star Wars film made by Avengers directors the Russo brothers, and it almost happened in this reality, folks.

At one point Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was attached to a Star Wars movie, and he approached the Russo brothers about directing it.

The Russos talked about this strange moment in their careers on the SmartLess podcast, hosted by Sean Hayes, Will Arnett and Jason Bateman.

“We love Star Wars. There were early conversations, there were some early conversations with us. Kevin Feige is a huge Star Wars fan and there were some early conversations about maybe teaming up with Kevin to do Star Wars,” said Joe Russo.

Joe and Anthony Russo directed Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, as well as Captain America: Civil War and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

We’ve heard plenty of rumours about this Star Wars Kevin Feige project before, including that Feige had teamed up with Michael Waldron to work on the script. Waldron wrote Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness and was showrunner on Loki.

However, the last rumour, back in March, was that Feige’s Star Wars project has now been shelved entirely. The Marvel megamix Star Wars movie is not happening, apparently.

So what actually is coming from the Star Wars universe? Three movies.

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy announced the three projects at Star Wars Celebration. They are headed up by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Dave Filoni and James Mangold.

All have deep links with one Disney property or another. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy directed two episodes of Ms Marvel. Dave Filoni directed three episodes of The Mandalorian, as well as a bunch of other Star Wars projects. James Mangold directed Logan back in 2019.

Would the Russo brothers have been a better option? While they are Marvel royalty, their most recent film was the 3-star The Gray Man. Their involvement is not a guarantee of an Avengers: Infinity War-grade smash.

Lucasfilm has said Mangold’s film will dig into the origin of the Jedi, Filoni’s is to be set in the New Republic era. And Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Star Wars movie will take place after the events of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.