The force is no longer with ‘Game of Thrones’ creators David Benioff and DB Weiss.
The pair, who were set to helm the next ‘Star Wars’ cinematic trilogy, have left the project because of scheduling conflicts caused by their recent deal with Netflix, according to Deadline.
The forthcoming saga, slated to launch in 2022, will succeed the Skywalker period, which started in 1977 with ‘A New Hope’ and ends in December with ‘The Rise of Skywalker’.
“We love ‘Star Wars,’” the creative duo said in a statement to Deadline. “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.”
The new trilogy will eventually join a rapidly growing ‘Star Wars’ slate, bolstered by Disney’s inaugural streaming service, Disney+, which goes live next month and promises no shortage of content from a galaxy far, far away.
Available at launch will be Marvel veteran Jon Favreau’s ‘The Mandalorian,’ a fresh spin-off story starring Pedro Pascal, while Ewan McGregor will later return to the franchise in a not-yet-titled Obi-Wan Kenobi project.
“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,” Benioff and Weiss told Deadline. “So we are regretfully stepping away.”
As part of their partnership with Netflix, Benioff and Weiss will write, produce and direct exclusive series and films in a major move for the pioneering platform, which will face its toughest competition yet as Disney, Apple, NBC and more enter the streaming wars.
Netflix struck a deal with the established team following an intense bidding war with Amazon, Disney and HBO’s WarnerMedia.
“David Benioff and Dan Weiss are incredible storytellers,” said Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy in a statement to Deadline. “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.’”
