Shawn Levy is heading to a galaxy far, far away, and he’s bringing a friend with him.
Per Jeff Sneider of The Insneider, Jonathan Tropper will pen Levy’s Star Wars movie. Levy and Tropper have collaborated on several projects together, including 2014’s This Is Where I Leave You and 2022’s The Adam Project, with the latter being Netflix’s third-most-popular movie in the streamer’s history.
Outside of his work with Levy, Tropper has created several critically acclaimed television series for Cinemax, including Banshee and Warrior. In 2020, Tropper became the executive producer and showrunner of the Apple TV+ series See. Production on Tropper’s next Apple TV+ show, Your Friends and Neighbors, began in April 2024.
In 2022, Deadline reported that Levy was in talks with Lucasfilm to develop a Star Wars movie. The director later confirmed the news on X (formerly Twitter). “Childhood me is losing his shit right now,” Levy wrote in his post.
Levy is one of the most in-demand blockbuster directors working today. Until 2016, Levy was arguably best known for directing Night at the Museum and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. However, Levy’s work on Stranger Things helped elevate his profile in Hollywood.
Childhood me is losing his shit right now. Grown-up me is too. @DEADLINE pic.twitter.com/NJFPeIUHKK
— Shawn Levy (@ShawnLevyDirect) November 8, 2022
In the last few years, Levy has directed Free Guy, which grossed over $331 million on a rumored $125 million budget, and The Adam Project. On television, Levy directed all four episodes of the Netflix miniseries All the Light We Cannot See. Levy is the rumored top choice to direct Avengers 5, though he will likely pass on the opportunity to work on his Star Wars movie.
Before Levy dives headfirst into Star Wars, he must complete his work on two massive projects. The first is Deadpool & Wolverine, which arrives in theaters on July 26, 2024. The third Deadpool film is expected to shatter the box office opening weekend record for R-rated movies with a projected haul of over $200 million. After Deadpool & Wolverine, Levy will finish his commitment to Stranger Things season 5, which will likely come out in 2025.
Plot details surrounding Levy’s untitled Star Wars are under wraps. The film does not have a release date. The next Star Wars movie to release in theaters will be The Mandalorian & Grogu on May 22, 2026. Lucasfilm has titled untitled Star Wars films set for December 18, 2026, and December 17, 2027. Directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the December 2026 movie marks the return of Daisy Ridley’s Rey.
