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Godzilla director Gareth Edwards has just been hired by Disney and Lucasfilm to direct the first Star Wars spin-off film. The script is being written by Gary Whitta and the movie will be released December 16, 2016. This was confirmed on Star Wars.com.

It also means we won’t see Godzilla 2 until well after 2016. Edwards is still attached to that film as well as a Godzilla 3.

The Hollywood Reporter first broke this massive news. Originally they said there’s no word on which of the three unannounced films but then Star Wars.com added the following:

In addition to the episodes of a new Star Wars trilogy, Lucasfilm and Disney have begun development on multiple stand-alone movies that will offer new stories beyond the core Saga. Gareth Edwards will direct the first stand-alone film, with a screenplay by Gary Whitta. The film is due out December 16, 2016.

Gareth Edwards blazed into the filmmaking forefront with his acclaimed work on Monsters, a film he wrote, directed and served on as cinematographer and visual effects artist. The skill and vision readily apparent in Monsters earned him the high-profile spot directing this year’s smash hit Godzilla.

“Ever since I saw Star Wars I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life – join the Rebel Alliance! I could not be more excited & honored to go on this mission with Lucasfilm, said Edwards.

Gary Whittas screenwriting credits include 2010s The Book of Eli starring Denzel Washington. He is also well known as a journalist and editor in the video game industry, as well as part of the BAFTA award-winning team on Telltale Games adaptation of The Walking Dead.

Whitta states, “From the moment I first saw the original movie as a wide-eyed kid, Star Wars has been the single most profound inspiration to my imagination and to my career as a writer. It is deeply special to me,so to be given the opportunity to contribute to its ongoing legacy, especially in collaboration with a film-maker as talented as Gareth,is literally a dream come true. I’m still pinching myself.”

What’s most interesting about this is, months ago, Lucasfilm and Disney confirmed Simon Kinberg and Lawrence Kasdan were writing the first two spin off films. With Gary Whitta coming on board, a few things may have occurred. Either those movies got pushed back or someone dropped out. It could be Kinberg, because of the demanding commitment he recently made to 20th Century Fox and their Marvel franchises. Or, Kasdan is just so busy on Episode VII and Kinberg is so busy on Fox stuff, those movies are merely going to be released in 2018 and 2020.

Also, the Star Wars press release cleverly doesn’t say what the subject of this film is, but recently it was suggested the first three films would be about Boba Fett, Han Solo and Red Five. Kasdan and Kinberg were expected to be writing the first two, so there’s a chance Solo and Fett get bumped back. We’ll surely find out more specifics in the coming months.

Also, the Hollywood Reporter story states while Edwards is attached to direct Godzilla 2 and Godzilla 3, those films are super-early in development and without a script. This script is most likely much further down the line, especially considering it now has a locked in release date one year after Star Wars Episode VII. Godzilla 2, therefore, won’t be out until 2017 or 2018 at the earliest.

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Godzilla director Gareth Edwards is attached to direct one of the upcoming Star Wars spinoff films, which will feature a screenplay by Gary Whitta and is now set to hit theaters December 16, 2016! The official announcement reads as follows:

In addition to the episodes of a new “Star Wars” trilogy, Lucasfilm and Disney have begun development on multiple stand-alone movies that will offer new stories beyond the core Saga. Gareth Edwards will direct the first stand-alone film, with a screenplay by Gary Whitta. The film is due out December 16, 2016.

Gareth Edwards blazed into the filmmaking forefront with his acclaimed work on “Monsters,” a film he wrote, directed and served on as cinematographer and visual effects artist. The skill and vision readily apparent in “Monsters” earned him the high-profile spot directing this year’s smash hit “Godzilla”.

“Ever since I saw Star Wars I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life – join the Rebel Alliance! I could not be more excited & honored to go on this mission with Lucasfilm, said Edwards.

Gary Whitta’s screenwriting credits include 2010s “The Book of Eli” starring Denzel Washington. He is also well known as a journalist and editor in the video game industry, as well as part of the BAFTA award-winning team on Telltale Games adaptation of “The Walking Dead”.

Whitta states, “From the moment I first saw the original movie as a wide-eyed kid, “Star Wars” has been the single most profound inspiration to my imagination and to my career as a writer. It is deeply special to me,so to be given the opportunity to contribute to its ongoing legacy, especially in collaboration with a film-maker as talented as Gareth,is literally a dream come true. I’m still pinching myself.”

Star Wars: Episode VII, meanwhile, is set to star John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow in addition to original cast members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker. It will open in wide release on December 18, 2015.

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Production is officially underway on J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII and the Bad Robot Twitter feed has just shared a behind-the-scenes image of the official slate from the first day of production in the Abu Dhabi desert. Check it out below!

Set to star John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow in addition to original cast members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker, Star Wars: Episode VII will be directed by Abrams from a script he co-wrote with Lawrence Kasdan. It will open in wide release on December 18, 2015.

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When is was first announced that Girls actor Adam Driver had been cast in Star Wars: Episode VII, word on the street was he would be playing the main villainous Sith in the J.J. Abrams-directed film. It looks like there’s a little bit more to it than that, though. According to a source for Jedi News, Driver will also be playing the son of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). Here are the details they offer in their report.

Possible SPOILERS ahead:

“Sounds like Adam Driver is NOT going to play a villain…sort of. He will be playing the son of Han and Leia, and it seems he will be seduced to the Dark Side, and a main plot point for the movie will be their attempt to rescue him.”

This is just a rumor at the moment, but a rumor that could turn out to be true. I think that Driver has the perfect look for a dark, Sith villain, but now that this rumor has been thrown out there, I can kind of see him playing the son of Han and Leia as well.

It is exciting to see this all come together what  are your  thoughts to the whole universe just suddenly expanding and  ideas  coming around?

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One of Star Wars‘ best pilots won’t be returning in Episode VII. Denis Lawson, who played Rebel ace Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy, has confirmed that he turned down the chance to return in the upcoming Star Wars sequel. Speaking at a screening of his new movie, The Machine, Lawson said “they asked me but it just would have bored me.”

Wedge — not to be confused with the Captain Antilles strangled by Darth Vader minutes into Episode IV — appeared as a hotshot pilot in all three original movies. While his part was minor, Wedge notably helped save Luke Skywalker during his attack on the first Death Star, survived the battle of Hoth, and contributed to the destruction of the second by flying into its core alongside Lando Calrissian. According to Badass Digest, Lawson suggested he might have returned if the role was increased in scope, but ultimately rejected the offer.

Wedge Antilles survived all three original movies

While his screentime in the original trilogy was limited, the Corellian ace found a greater role in Star Wars‘ Expanded Universe. Wedge, lest we forget as 30 years of Star Wars lore is whitewashed, was front and center in almost all of that far-off galaxy’s major post-Return of the Jedi tribulations. He commanded elite Rogue and Wraith Squadrons, helped Death Star engineer Qwi Xux regain her memory, solved the bacta crisis, played an important role in beating back the Yuuzhan Vong menace, and fought for Corellia for a time against the increasingly authoritarian Galactic Alliance.

While we likely won’t see an on-screen Wedge worthy of his Expanded Universe exploits, it’s not yet clear whether in Lawson’s absence, the role will be recast. For the sake of Episode VII‘s new republic, or if only to see a fan favorite back on the big screen, we can hope it is.

I know i would of liked to seen wedge back it  just  give the  feel it needs to be.  but  for him to say it would  bore him is  ridiculous  he  should of been honored to be asked back into the series!  what are your thoughts?

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Although it’s certainly no surprise given the immense popularity of the franchise, The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger confirmed today during a Q2 Fiscal 2014 Earnings Conference Call that “at least three” Star Wars films are in development beyond the new trilogy of “Saga” chapters. Up until now, only two of these standalone projects were confirmed.

Referred to in the past as “origin story film[s]”, these features are said to be targeting release dates that alternate with the Saga entries, suggesting that these three (presumably the first of many more) will arrive in 2016, 2018 and 2019. Although previous rumors have suggested that these adventures will follow Han Solo, Boba Fett and/or Yoda, nothing specific has as of yet been confirmed outside of Larry Kasdan and Simon Kinberg’s involvement on the screenplay side.

J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII, meanwhile, is set to star John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow in addition to original cast members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker. It will open in wide release on December 18, 2015.