Damon Lindelof’s ‘Secret’ Star Wars Film Taps Ms. Marvel Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

The Star Wars franchise’s much-awaited return to the big screen just took a major step forward. Damon Lindelof, the creator of shows like Lost, The Leftovers, and HBO’s Watchmen, is developing a new Star Wars movie for Lucasfilm. Academy Award and Emmy-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Ms. Marvel, 3 Bahadur) will direct the film.

As per Deadline, Lindelof is co-writing the currently untitled project, but it is unknown who his writing partner is. The script is still being written, so it’ll be a while before the movie arrives in theaters. Lucasfilm and Lindelof reportedly wanted to recruit the director to incorporate their vision into the script. So, it’s likely that Obaid-Chinoy will play a big role in setting the tone of the “secret” Star Wars film.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is an award-winning Pakistani-Canadian journalist who has made a name for herself in the film industry as well. She won two Academy Awards for her documentaries, Saving Face (2012) and A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness (2016). However, Obaid-Chinoy’s big break in Hollywood came when she was hired by Marvel Studios to co-direct Ms. Marvel. She is also set to direct the Will Smith-produced film adaptation of Marcus Sakey’s Brilliance. Obaid-Chinoy now brings her distinct vision to the Star Wars franchise.

Related: Lost Showrunner Damon Lindelof Hopes Marvel Will Focus on Quality over Quantity

Damon Lindelof Could Take Star Wars Into Uncharted Territory

Damon Lindelof is a television veteran who is responsible for creating some of the most groundbreaking TV shows of the last century, like Lost, The Leftovers, and Watchmen. He also penned the films Prometheus, World War Z, and Star Trek Into Darkness.

Damon Lindelof is a frequent collaborator of J.J. Abrams, a fact that probably won’t sit well with Star Wars fans. Lindelof also addressed the issue back in 2020, just months after the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. When asked if he’d ever make a Star Wars movie, Lindelof said:

“At some point, but certainly not in the immediate future, I feel like I would love to do something in the Star Wars universe. Maybe a decade from now when I would no longer be blamed for ruining it. That would be a hoot.”

The polarized reception of Star Wars titles among fans still continues, with The Mandalorian being the only exception. The recent Disney+ shows like The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi were huge letdowns. Andor, on the other hand, has proved to be a vastly different type of Star Wars project: gritty, low on fan service, and mainly targeted at adults.

Damon Lindelof could also bring a fresh perspective to Star Wars with his film, which we don’t yet know if it will be a standalone feature or spawn a new trilogy. Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron and Taika Waititi’s Stars Wars film are yet to even begin production. So, it’s likely that Lindelof’s film will mark Star Wars’ return to the big screen. The plot is being kept under wraps, but now that the project is out in the open, the casting and story details will soon follow as well.

In the meantime, be sure to check out Andor on Disney+, streaming a new episode every Wednesday.