Weird selection of some directors/writers for Star Wars projects

The SW (both old and new) has had a handful of really experienced directors and gifted writers working on it. But the choice of some writers and directors is confusing. Some of these people used to have either little no credit at all, or were but not impressive enough to work on SW films.

Here are some of them:

* Gary Whitta: good video game man, but his films credits are not impressive at all. How could he be hired on SW after After Earth? Although his script for the RO was later rewritten, the fact of hiring him raises questions.

* Gareth Edwards: just the average director whose pre-SW films had 6/10. Disney probably should have realized that he was not the safest choice.

* Jonathan Kasdan wrote and directed only two unremarkable and mixed films. In many ways, his father’s connections gave him a job rather than a talent for writing. Nepotism # 1.

* Chris Terrio: a guy who wrote one good film in his entire career, but otherwise his credits are weak for writing the final episode of such a great saga.

* Bryce Dallas Howard: I would understand if she participated in The Mandalorian as an actress. But she is a director, moreover, she did not have any highly valued weighty credits before, and the connection with her father helped in many ways. Nepotism # 2.

* Joby Harold: He has good films where he was only an executive producer. But he only has two written credits, and both are very mixed. Nevertheless, he was entrusted with such a series, which could have invited someone with a more impressive list of works.

Someone might argue that Lucas also doesn't have much experience before ANH. Yes, but both of his pre-SW films have become iconic and highly acclaimed. Irvin Kershner and Richard Marquand made not very visible films before OT, but they were highly regarded and it was in terms of directing that they were shot well. Lawrence Kasdan had no screen credits before TESB, but his unproduced screenplays were highly regarded in the film industry and he was considered a very promising guy.

What do you think about this?

 

I feel like the people you've listed seem more promising on paper than the OT's writers and directors. Whitta wrote The Book of Eli, which made $160 million worldwide (not to mention episodes of Star Wars: Rebels). Edwards directed critical and commercial success Monsters as well as the Godzilla reboot, which grossed over half a billion dollars. Kasdan wrote episodes of Dawson's Creek and Freaks & Geeks, two popular TV shows. Terrio's an Oscar winner for Argo and wrote the critically divisive but financially successful Batman v Superman. Howard isn't a director but she is a very successful actress and it's not unheard for actors to try their hand at directing, particularly on TV. And Harold has not yet been fully confirmed to be writing the series, and even if he was, the show's still under the direction of excellent TV director Deborah Chow.
Regardless of what you think of the final product that each of these filmmakers produced, it's undeniable that they each have some successes (both critically and commercially) under each of their belts.

 

It's not about financial success, but about the fact that they have a critically mixed filmography. Kasdan is generally an example of nepotism, for his whole career is based on his father.

Yes, Terrio wrote one good film and a long time ago, and everything else was very mixed. One good film (and two mixed films) this is a small and unreliable track record for writing the final episode of such a legendary saga.

If Harold was just Kenobi's mini-album, I wouldn't mind. But his writing career does not inspire confidence. It's not about financial success, but about the fact that they have a critically mixed filmography. Kasdan is generally an example of nepotism, for his whole career is based on his father.

Yes, Terrio wrote one good film and a long time ago, and everything else was very mixed. One good film (and two mixed films) this is a small and unreliable track record for writing the final episode of such a legendary saga.

If Harold was just Kenobi's mini-album, I wouldn't mind. But his writing career does not inspire confidence. Some of the TCW contributors could be hired.