DAVID FINCHER Almost Made a Star Wars? Plus Interview with Hasbro's CHRIS REIFF // #316

·1 hr 8 min·5 clips

David Fincher had conversations with Lucasfilm about directing a Star Wars movie after Episode IX.

The episode opens with hosts Matt Hudson and Luke Blythe addressing listener feedback from their previous episode about 'The Hunt for Ben Solo' and explaining why they are delaying a 'Star Wars: Visions' season three review to allow listeners time to watch. They then dive into the main topic: a report from Jeff Sneider that director David Fincher had conversations with Lucasfilm about directing a Star Wars movie after Episode IX. The hosts explore Fincher's filmography and directorial style, noting his bleak, character-driven approach and comparing him to other modern auteurs like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve. They speculate on how a Fincher-directed 'The Force Awakens' would have been more akin to 'Andor' and likely less commercially successful. The discussion reveals that the talks collapsed because Fincher demanded final cut, which Lucasfilm could not offer due to its collaborative franchise model. The hosts connect this to recent news about Steven Soderbergh's interest in a Ben Solo film, suggesting Lucasfilm is engaging with prestigious directors even if projects don't materialize. They then shift to the announced IMAX re-release of 'A New Hope' in April 2027 for the film's 50th anniversary, debating whether it will be the original 1977 cut or the special edition and its potential impact on other Star Wars releases. The episode includes a segment recorded at MCM Comic-Con London, where the hosts interview Hasbro senior designer Chris Reiff. Reiff discusses recent Hasbro reveals like the Vintage Collection Khem Val and Black Series Quinlan Vos figures, the Darth Vader electrocuted skull piece, and the Maul Shadow Collective figure. He confirms Hasbro is well-prepared for 'The Mandalorian & Grogu' movie merchandise and addresses the HasLab Republic Gunship campaign and fan engagement. The hosts also mention seeing fan campaigns like 'Bring Back Ben Solo' at MCM and briefly discuss the paint scheme of the new Razor Crest in the 'Mandalorian & Grogu' trailer. The episode concludes with Patreon shout-outs and promotional details for upcoming events like the Surrey Star Wars weekend.

As heard by us

A lively Star Wars conversation about Lucas, fandom politics and the franchise's next move.

Star Wars Sessions uses a broad Star Wars catch-up to look at how the franchise keeps negotiating with its own history. Matt Hudson and Luke Blythe move from a delayed Visions breakdown to George Lucas's museum in Los Angeles, Celebration LA and the marketing around Mando and…

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Why you'd press play

You get a lively Star Wars Sessions detour through George Lucas museum chatter, Celebration LA possibilities, and the timing questions around Mando and Grogu.

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