Game of Thrones showrunners quit the Star Wars trilogy. Is the disastrous GoT finale to be blamed?

Why did Weiss and Benioff exit the Star Wars universe
Benioff and Weiss exit the Star Wars universe
Benioff and Weiss exit the Star Wars universe

Something that we all saw coming has finally happened - Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have walked out of their highly publicised deal with Lucasfilm to write and produce three films in the Star Wars universe.

The duo had signed up with Lucasfilm, the entertainment company founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas, to shape up three films to take the Star Wars narrative forward; though very little had emerged about the storylines, the three films were supposed to be based on new stories, and were not planned as extensions to the current episodic Skywalker saga, which ends with the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. But earlier this year, the duo had signed a $200 million deal with Netflix to produce exclusive content, which reportedly left them with no time for their Star Wars projects.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker concludes the Skywalker chapter on Star Wars
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker concludes the Skywalker chapter on Star Wars

Though Benioff and Weiss have blamed their hectic schedules for their exit, fans could not help but wonder if the widely disappointing reviews to the final season of their blockbuster series Game of Thrones is the reason why they were dropped from the project. Especially, given the fandom-appeasing nature of the Star Wars franchise and the fact that majority of fans did not want the duo at the helm of the Star Wars films, the first outing of which was set to release in 2022.

<em>Benioff and Weiss (far right) on the set of Game of Thrones</em>
Benioff and Weiss (far right) on the set of Game of Thrones

In fact, a petition went viral on Care2Petitions which demanded that Benioff and Weiss be removed from the Star Wars projects as their involvement would be a downer for the franchise; the petition gathered 12,790 signatures.

"We love Star Wars. When George Lucas built it, he built us too. Getting to talk about Star Wars with him and the current Star Wars team was the thrill of a lifetime, and we will always be indebted to the saga that changed everything," Benioff and Weiss said in a statement.

Star Wars creator George Lucas visited the sets of Game of Thrones Season 8 during its filming
Star Wars creator George Lucas visited the sets of Game of Thrones Season 8 during its filming

"There are only so many hours in the day, and we felt we could not do justice to both Star Wars and our Netflix projects. So we are regretfully stepping away," the statement added. Benioff and Weiss were roped in by Lucasfilm to design the next decade of Star Wars, but although the future of the trilogy remains uncertain, the franchise has already lined up quite a few outings for the next few years.

One of the most notable standalone series is The Last Jedi director's Rian Johnson's Star Wars trilogy which is in the works. Moreover, the mind behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe Kevin Feige is developing a separate movie and Disney + is releasing the live-action adaptation of The Mandalorian, starring Game of Thrones star Pedro Pascal.

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