Whether this news counts as a great disturbance or a new hope for Star Wars fans is a matter of debate. No one doubts Lindelof’s commitment to science fiction, but the response to his work has been decidedly mixed. Along with co-showrunner Carlton Cuse, Lindelof made Lost a genuine cultural phenomenon. But that show’s finale remains divisive among viewers. Lindelof’s Hollywood script work is even more checkered, as he contributed to the screenplays of controversial movies Prometheus, Star Trek Into Darkness, and The Hunt. Uneven as that track record may be, Lindelof also spearheaded two of the most universally praised television series in recent history. He co-created The Leftovers for HBO along with author Tom Perrotta, who wrote the book the series adapts. The acclaimed series starred Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, and Christopher Eccleston living in the aftermath of a mysterious event that wiped away 2% of the world’s population, while in 2019, Lindelof debuted Watchmen, a remix/sequel of the classic Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons comic book that updated the source material’s themes to address systemic American racism and police brutality. Led by Regina King and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen wowed both audiences and critics and won eleven Emmy Awards. As these shows indicate, Lindelof may well be the perfect choice for a new Star Wars entry. A fan of the mystical parts of science fiction, the writer will feel at home crafting stories about space monks and the mystical forces controlling the universe. However, his willingness to reimagine certain canonical elements, as he did with Watchmen, may worry some Star Wars fans, many of whom appreciate the more traditional approach taken by The Mandalorian and The Bad Batch. Will Lindelof’s Star Wars movie ever materialize? Or will it fade away, like the body of a Jedi Master, struck down by an enemy? Only time will tell.
