According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Star Wars spinoff scheduled for 2016 has lost its writer. Gary Whitta is no longer writing the film after a year on the project. In a statement he says, “The year I spent working with Lucasfilm on this Star Wars film has been by far the most rewarding period of my entire career. As a lifelong Star Wars fan I’m deeply grateful to have had the rare opportunity to contribute to a new chapter in its ongoing cinematic legacy. The film is going to be amazing.”
Director Gareth Edwards, who is still attached said, “Gary has been a wonderful, inspired contributor and I enjoyed working with him tremendously. I’m so grateful for all of his contributions.”
Whitta took to Twitter to share his enthusiasm for the project.
My year of work in a galaxy far, far away is done! I’m onto my next project, adapting @mrmarkmillar’s STARLIGHT for 20th Century Fox!
— Gary Whitta (@garywhitta) January 10, 2015
This is by far the most I’ve ever enjoyed writing a title page. See you in 2016! #MTFBWY pic.twitter.com/Wr3Ij1XUKj
— Gary Whitta (@garywhitta) January 10, 2015
Neither Lucasfilm nor Disney commented on the change in writers. Previously, Star Wars: Episode VII lost its original writer Michael Arndt as the project transitioned to Lawrence Kasdan and director J.J. Abrams.
The Star Wars spinoff currently has a release date of December 16, 2016.