Josh Trank No Longer Directing STAR WARS ANTHOLOGY Film
A lot of questions were raised at Star Wars Celebration when director Josh Trank was a no show at a panel he was supposed to attend with Rogue One director Gareth Edwards. Trank said he had the flu, but it looks like there was more to the story.
Disney and Lucasfilm have confirmed that Trank is no longer attached to the project Star Wars Anthology project he was developing. The studio officially announced the departure, and they released the following statement:
“It was a privilege to collaborate with Josh. We are grateful for the energy and love of Star Wars that he brought to the process, and we wish him all the best.”
I was actually looking forward to seeing what Trank would do with a Star Wars project, but it sounds like something that his heart just wasn't into. He said:
"After a year of having the incredible honor of developing with the wonderful and talented people at Lucasfilm, I’m making a personal decision to move forward on a different path.
“I’ve put a tremendous amount of thought into this, and I know deep down in my heart that I want to pursue some creative opportunities. That said, the Star Wars universe has always been one of my biggest influences, and I couldn’t be more excited to witness its future alongside my millions of fellow Star Wars fans. I want to thank my friends Kathleen Kennedy, Kiri Hart, Simon Kinberg, and everyone at Lucasfilm and Disney for the amazing opportunity to have been a part of this. May the Force be with you all."
It sounds like there is more than meets the eye, and apparently there is some major drama that may have led to Trank's departure. According to inside sources, while he was shooting Fantastic Four his behavior was “erratic” and at times “very isolated.” He also apparently didn't give any clear direction, and the source told THR, "If you've got someone who can't answer questions or who isn't sure or is in hiding, that's not good."
Star Wars and Fantastic Four producer Simon Kinberg was also reportedly so unhappy with Trank's behavior and working style that he went to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and the rest of the team to let them know he was unhappy. Over time they became less confident in him being about to handle the film production. So it seems as if Trank may have really been fired.
If this is true, it sucks to be Trank. I'm not sure why anyone would want to work with a person like that. I'm not worried about the Star Wars franchise though, there are several other directors out there that are dying to take his place in the directors chair, so it's his loss.
Source: Star Wars