'Deadpool' Director Shawn Levy in Talks to Helm 'Star Wars' Film

Shawn Levy, director of "Stranger Things" and "Deadpool 3," is in talks to helm a "Star Wars" project for Disney.

‘Deadpool’ Director Shawn Levy in Talks to Helm ‘Star Wars’ Film

“Stranger Things” and “Deadpool 3” director Shawn Levy is poised to join another huge franchise. The Canadian filmmaker is in early talks to direct a “Star Wars” feature film for Disney and Lucasfilm, IndieWire has learned.

Plot details for the film are being kept under wraps, and there’s no word yet on whether any writer is attached. No deal has been reached between Levy and Disney, and the director is still slated direct “Deadpool 3” and some episodes of the fifth and final season of “Stranger Things” before tackling the “Star Wars” project. He’s also in post production on the limited series “All the Light We Cannot See” for Netflix.

Disney had no comment.

Lucasfilm has not released a theatrical “Star Wars” film since 2019, when “Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” concluded the sequel trilogy that began after Disney acquired the company in 2012. The movie was financially successful, but mixed reception from fans — along with the underperformance of “Solo” the year before — caused the studio to put a halt on releasing “Star Wars” projects for the big screen. Several “Star Wars” films have been reported to be in the works, including “Rogue Squadron” by Patty Jenkins, a film from Taika Waititi, and a film written by Damon Lindeloff and directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. All of the projects are early in development, however, and seem a galaxy away from filming.

Since 2019, the franchise has continued on via Disney+ series like “The Mandalorian,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and the ongoing “Andor.” Upcoming “Star Wars” shows for the streamer include “The Acolyte” starring Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-Jae, which just began production, “Skeleton Crew,” and Season 3 of “The Mandalorian,” which premieres February.

Initially known for his work on family comedies — including “Big Fat Liar,” “Cheaper By the Dozen,” and the “Night at the Museum” franchise — Levy has recently been on a prolific streak directing sci-fi and action films such as “Free Guy” and this year’s “The Adam Project,” both of which starred Ryan Reynolds. Levy’s next film, “Deadpool 3,” reunites him with Reynolds and features the highly anticipated return of Hugh Jackman as the superhero Wolverine, after initially retiring from the role in 2018. That film is scheduled to release in theaters November 2024. Aside from his film work, Levy is best known for executive producing and directing eight episodes of Netflix’s “Stranger Things.” He is represented by WME

In an interview with IndieWire earlier this year for his film “The Adam Project,” Levy spoke about his approach to filmmaking, and the tone he wanted to capture with his blockbuster projects.

“It feels like the only four-quadrant movies anymore are Marvel movies,” Levy told IndieWire. “I would argue that many are great, but they don’t have something I really remember loving, which is that Amblin combination of high concept and intimate humanity, where technology and spectacle is in the service of something more humanist, something thematic. I like watching those movies, and I’ve always wanted to make the kinds of movies that I like watching.”

Deadline first reported the news.