Discussion Gary Whitta is no longer writer for spinoff movie.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-standalone-movie-loses-762372

Gary WhittaVerified account ‏@garywhitta
My year of work in a galaxy far, far away is done! I’m onto my next project, adapting @mrmarkmillar’s STARLIGHT for 20th Century Fox!

 

Thanks for posting.

 

Just came in here to report this. Mannnnn this is an exciting time. Soon they will begin casting if they have not been already. Soon the rumors will begin.

 

I mean this without spite: this is a good thing.

 

I wonder if this signifies a somewhat negative track record between Disney and its Lucasfilm directors; probably too early to tell.

 

Between this and the Josh Trank rumors, there seems to be some instability surrounding the spinoffs.

 

Edit: I mean to say Lucasfilm's writers - what have you heard about Josh Trank?

 

This all sounds very much like the Arndt case doesn't it?

 

That's exactly what I'm thinking.

 

I get the impression he finished the script...

 

I think he turned in a draft for the script, which will likely be revised or partially rewritten by another writer.

This was probably his diplomatic (and professional) exit statement for the project.

I think this is very similar to the Arndt situation.

Time will tell.

 

HAHAHAHHAHA! Victoly!

 

The main question is are they going to bring in someone to do a page one rewrite, or do they just need someone to touch it up.

 

I don't think this is anything like the Arndt case. To my knowledge, Arndt hasn't commented on being booted off The Force Awakens at all, and I think we'd already heard talk about story disputes before that. In this case, Whitta is just moving onto a different project, as his work at this point in time is complete. He's commented on it, and he sounds fine with it. I don't think this is anything more than a simple job completion and transition. It's just getting blown up on the interwebs like this because it's Star Wars, and Star Wars drama gets clicks.

 

Michael Arndt didn't go on anti-Star Wars rants on public forums though.

 

There were some rumors that he behaved extremely unprofessionally on the Fantastic Four set, like showing up late and high to the set or completely trashing the rental house he was provided during filming, and that this unprofessionalism may cost him the stand-alone job.

 

Well it certainly wouldn't be a First Draft since this thing goes before the cameras likely in the first half of this year. If anything I think Disney has gotten another writer to polish just because Witta hasn't had a hit yet.

 

The rumor says he's also off FF and Fox is looking for a new director to handle the reshoots.

 

between Arndt, Whitta, and Trank (if he gets kicked) that's 3 for 3.

 

Personally, I take that news as a positive. Whitta was easily one of the weakest writers hired. It appears the draft he wrote wasn't up to snuff.

I think Disney needs to slow down on the spinoffs. There is no need to rush any of them.

Which film is going into production first?

 

Seems like this is more behind schedule than TFA. Abrams finished his final draft at the end of January. That gives the new writer(s) a couple of weeks to finish in order to not be more behind schedule than TFA.

 

I believe there was still rewrites afterwards. I think the shooting script was probably finished around March/April.

Alan Horne I believe did an interview alluding to such around that time.

 

Or it is on schedule and this is nearly the final draft or is the final draft... not to mention Edwards could be writing as well which would mean he could do rewrites. Remember all these films have other writers that help but aren't necessarily credited.

 

Oh my God, thank you, a birthday present.