'Peaky Blinders' creator Steven Knight is set to write the screenplay for the untitled 'Star Wars' movie as original screenwriters Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson have departed from the project.
The movie is widely expected to be among Lucasfilm's first 'Star Wars' films since 2019's 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'. More information about the movie, including a possible title, is expected to be announced at the Star Wars Celebration in London in April, reports Variety.
Knight is a veteran screenwriter who launched his career specialising in gritty crime dramas like 2002's 'Dirty Pretty Things' and 2007's 'Eastern Promises', eventually branching out to lighthearted dramedies, war thrillers, and biopics.
He also created and executive produced the BBC period crime drama 'Peaky Blinders', which streams on Netflix in the US. Lindelof - best known as the co-creator of the TV series 'Lost', 'The Leftovers' and 'Watchmen' - brought on Britt-Gibson to write a 'Star Wars' movie together.
After turning in a draft earlier this year, the duo departed from the project in February, becoming the latest creatives to part ways with Lucasfilm after signing on to develop one or multiple new "Star Warsa film projects to great fanfare.
Earlier in March, it was reported that separate movies - one shepherded by director Patty Jenkins, the other by producer Kevin Feige - had been shelved by Lucasfilm and were no longer in active development. Director J.D. Dillard ('Devotion') told TheWrap in November 2022 that he was no longer developing a 'Star Wars' project at the studio.
The 'Star Wars' films known to still be active at Lucasfilm include a project from filmmaker Taika Waititi in which he would likely star, as well as a prospective film from Shawn Levy that would follow his commitments to direct 'Deadpool 3' and complete work on the Netflix limited series 'All the Light We Cannot See', which Levy developed with Knight.