Zack Snyder Helming a 'Star Wars' Film (But Not One of the Sequel Trilogy Ones, Though)

Whoa. We knew that Disney had plans for Star Wars spinoffs beyond the upcoming Sequel Trilogy, but did anyone expect that Zack Snyder would be developing one of them? If a Vulture report is true, the Man of Steel and Watchmen director will bring his distinct style to the Star Wars universe, directing a standalone film based on Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (which, George Lucas pretty much based the entire concept of the Jedi upon in the first place).

It will be an as-yet-untitled Jedi epic loosely based on Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 classic Seven Samurai, with the ronin and katana being replaced by the Force-wielding knights and their iconic lightsabers. 

It’s not clear just where Snyder’s untitled Jedi film would fall within the Star Wars chronology, but one insider expects it will not be considered part of the “numbered” episodes, but rather a stand-alone film set sometime post–Episode VI events, meaning the next phase of the franchise development is much broader than previously thought.

The idea of upper-tier talent coming on to direct Star Wars standalone films make much more sense than those kinds of directors helming one of the Sequel Trilogy's films. The numbered episodes will probably follow the tone of Episodes I through VI much more closely, while the standalone films will most likely have more freedom. So when does Joe Johnston's Boba Fett spinoff get announced?