Gareth Edwards Declares He’ll Never Direct Another Star Wars Film!

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Gareth Edwards, who directed “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”, has ruled out returning to the Star Wars universe. In a chat with Business Insider, he expressed no desire to make another Star Wars film and is content to focus on new projects.

It might come as a shock to some enthusiasts, given that Rogue One is often regarded as one of Disney’s most powerful Star Wars installments. This 2016 prequel centered around a band of rebels on a mission to snatch the Death Star plans, featuring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, and Forest Whitaker. It raked in over $1 billion globally and ignited the critically-acclaimed Disney+ spinoff Andor, further cementing its impact.

Still, Edwards isn’t interested in revisiting that universe.

“I’m very happy to move on and do my thing,” he said.

When Business Insider named Rogue One the top Star Wars film during the Disney period, Edwards responded in a modest manner.

He expressed disagreement but acknowledged appreciation,” he remarked. “I’m deeply thankful when people offer kind compliments.

Edwards highlighted that the true payoff from movie-making lies in lasting audience admiration, rather than instant approval.

He expressed that what truly matters isn’t the initial reactions when something is launched, but rather the sentiments people hold towards it decades later. He used the example of someone approaching you 20 years from now, excitedly saying “Oh my God, I loved that movie!” as his measure of success. In other words, he finds this long-term appreciation to be the ultimate reward.

The Tony Gilroy Controversy

Despite the fact that Rogue One turned out to be a huge hit, its creation process was notoriously challenging. Rumors circulated that Lucasfilm took away some control from Edwards during post-production, bringing in Tony Gilroy to pen fresh dialogue and oversee significant reshoots – actions many fans believe dramatically altered the movie. Later on, Gilroy took up the role of showrunner for Andor, which has only added fuel to the speculation that he was the primary driving force behind the film’s success.

For a while, it’s been Edward’s stance to challenge the story suggesting he was sidelined. During an interview with KCRW’s The Business in 2023, he refuted the allegations.

He stated that there’s an overwhelming amount of incorrect information available online regarding the events depicted in that film. Tony Gilroy indeed contributed significantly to the project, and his efforts were undeniably impressive. However, it’s important to note that everyone involved collaborated right up until the very last minute of that movie.

Additionally, he seemed to dismiss any issues he may have encountered during the process, and this statement carries a different tone now that he’s expressed he won’t be making another Star Wars film.

He excitedly declared, “I’m fortunate enough to create a ‘Star Wars’ movie!” In essence, he felt like he had struck gold with this opportunity. He couldn’t fathom feeling anything but gratitude for his situation, and he didn’t want to be the one expressing dissatisfaction.

Moving On to Dinosaurs

Currently, Edwards is directing “Jurassic World Rebirth,” the upcoming film in Universal’s dinosaur series, set to release on July 2. It appears he has swapped spaceships and soldiers for velociraptors and chaotic science, a trade he seems very happy with.

As a devoted Star Wars enthusiast, I can’t help but reflect on the debate surrounding which Disney-era film stands supreme, but there’s no denying that Gareth Edwards has chosen to part ways with the galaxy far, far away. For him, the allure of the Force lies in memories of yesteryears.

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2025-06-27 19:56