In case you missed it, Guillermo del Toro admitted that he was supposed to work on a Star Wars movie about a legendary villain before the project was ultimately scrapped. Now, the Pacific Rim director has shared new details about the cancelled film and he described it as "Jabba the Hutt Scarface"!
Guillermo del Toro had previously opened up about the failed Star Wars project, confirming that it was supposed to explore Jabba the Hutt's rise to power as one of the most powerful mob bosses in the Star Wars Universe. In a new interview with the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the filmmaker shared more details about what could have been the first Star Wars mobster movie.
"I would love to do a Jabba the Hutt Scarface, his ascension in the crime family," Del Toro said. "But it's not a plan, I'm not announcing it. Don't pick it up," he added with a laugh.
Del Toro also spoke about his admiration for Jabba. "I just love monsters," he said. "And Jabba is, [first of all], basically my same shirt size, and second, I love him, man."
Guillermo del Toro Shares His First Star Wars Experience
The Pan's Labyrinth director also opened up about his love for Star Wars, revealing how his first experience with the 1977 movie made a lasting impression.
"What happened is I went to the first showing, I think it was 10am, and I went around the block and I went to the second showing, and I went around the block... I went to every showing that day," he said.
It's a relatable experience for most Star Wars fans, especially those who grew up watching the original film trilogy. Although we'll probably never get to see Jabba in his own standalone movie, the future of Star Wars is still set, thanks to the new projects on Disney+.
Why did Disney cancel Guillermo del Toro's Jabba the Hutt movie?
It is unclear why the Jabba movie was scrapped by Lucasfilm and Disney. However, there is a possibility that the companies decided to focus on the development of the MandoVerse starting with the release of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian and most recently with Ahsoka (which is expected to get a second season). Since all of these shows take place after the events in Return of the Jedi, this means that Jabba has already been killed off by Leia Organa in the MandoVerse's current timeline. Although a prequel is still possible, Lucasfilm might choose to focus on stories taking place after Jedi to avoid confusing new fans.
For now, it is unlikely that Lucasfilm and Disney will reverse their decision on the Jabba movie. In the meantime, the MandoVerse is set to move forward with the next Star Wars series. Skeleton Crew, which takes place at roughly the same time as Ahsoka, is expected to premiere on Disney+ in January 2024.
