Game of Thrones creators ditch Star Wars citing Netflix commitment

In a setback for Disney, Games of Thrones creators David Benioff and DB Weiss have announced they are dropping out of Disney Lucasfilm’s upcoming Star Wars trilogy as the duo wants to focus on their Netflix commitment. The duo was supposed to write and produce the Star Wars trilogy, which was to be distinct from the adventures of Luke Skywalker and his family that drove the first three trilogies. The first of the trilogy by the duo was scheduled for a 2022 release.

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'Regretfully stepping away'

“There are only so many hours in the day, and we felt we could not do justice to both Star Wars and our Netflix projects, so we are regretfully stepping away.” the pair told an international daily. They said their enthusiasm for Star Wars remains boundless but, regrettably, their schedule is full.

“We love Star Wars; when George Lucas built it, he built us too. Getting to talk about Star Wars with him and the current Star Wars team was the thrill of a lifetime, and we will always be indebted to the saga that changed everything,” Benioff and Weiss’ said in a statement.

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Duo's US$ 250 million deal with Netflix

Benioff and Weiss reportedly signed a USD 250 million five-year deal with Netflix in August, 18 months after they agreed to produce the Star Wars trilogy for Disney. The decision to walk away from the Star Wars universe means that the pair’s output will be solely under Netflix’s umbrella for the foreseeable future. 

The Star Wars franchise has been a golden-goose for Disney since it acquired Lucasfilm in 2012. The four films released since then raked in almost $5 billion in global box office sales.

Disney has not shut down doors for the duo after their exit from the Star Wars venture. “David Benioff and Dan Weiss are incredible storytellers, we hope to include them in the journey forward when they are able to step away from their busy schedule to focus on Star Wars”, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said.

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