Why Guardians of the Galaxy director won’t make a Star Wars movie (yet)

When fans of any franchise see a movie they like — even if it’s a film outside their preferred fandom — they’re often immediately inclined to want that film’s director to take on a project in their favorite universe. Lovers of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies such as the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, for example, really want James Gunn to direct Star Wars.

But Gunn has been clear recently that he has no current interest in taking on a galaxy far, far away. The director had the perfect response when a fan on social media asked him to “Please make a Star Wars trilogy.”

“I’m finishing a Guardians trilogy,” he responded in a tweet. “That’s enough space opera for me at this moment.”

This doesn’t mean, of course, that he’ll never direct a Star War. It just means that for the foreseeable future, he’s going to focus on finishing a completely different but still very enticing space movie … and then maybe something less space-focused after that. Maybe.

James Gunn would not be the first director to jump from the MCU to a galaxy far, far away. Taika Waititi, who directed Thor: Ragnarok as well as the upcoming Love and Thunder movie this summer, is reportedly still working on a Star Wars movie. Last we checked, he’s still in the writing phase. But we’ll let you know if and when that changes.

There are plenty of directors who have already touched Star Wars — and absolutely crushed it in the best way possible — that Lucasfilm can choose from. Bryce Dallas Howard is a fan-favorite choice for a future movie, for example. Deborah Chow gets a whole show next month, but who knows? She might take on a movie someday, too.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is expected to release in theaters on May 23, 2023.

Follow Dork Side of the Force for all your Star Wars news, reviews, and more!