If I were Kathleen Kennedy, I’d seriously consider letting go of Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. No offense to her craft, but just a few days into the new year, she’s already becoming a public relations nightmare for Disney and LucasFilm.
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Star Wars fans, particularly the passionate ones, and there are millions of them, are still recovering from the last trilogy, led by Rian Johnson’s drastic approach that left them uneasy about their cherished childhood memories. The last thing they need is to hear Obaid-Chinoy declaring her intention to “make men uncomfortable.”
In a recent viral clip, Obaid-Chinoy unabashedly stated:
“I like to make men uncomfortable. I enjoy making men uncomfortable […] It’s only when you’re uncomfortable and have to have difficult conversations that you will, perhaps, look at yourself in the mirror and not like the reflection.”
One has to question if Obaid-Chinoy has even watched a Star Wars movie, and it wouldn’t be surprising if she hasn’t. Just a few days ago, she claimed, “it’s about time that a woman” shaped a Star Wars movie, seemingly oblivious to Princess Leia and Rey.
Given Obaid-Chinoy’s background in feminist non-fiction filmmaking, her statement isn’t shocking. If that’s her passion, so be it—make as many men uncomfortable as desired.
However, considering that the majority of Star Wars fans are male, they might be hesitant to purchase tickets for Obaid-Chinoy’s upcoming film.
It’s peculiar that, out of all the directors available, Disney and LucasFilm opted to hire a non-fiction filmmaker with minimal experience in studio filmmaking to steer the struggling Star Wars ship in the right direction.
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While it’s not unprecedented for rookie filmmakers to be hired for franchises like Marvel, Star Wars holds a significant place in Hollywood, and it has been struggling for a few years now.
The last film was released in 2019, and the upcoming one, titled ‘Jedi Order,’ will be directed by Obaid-Chinoy. It seems like a risky move.
This recent dilemma for Disney follows CEO Bob Iger’s commitment to refocus on “entertainment first” and move away from “messages.” Iger attributed Disney’s failures to the “progressive” messaging in their movies, emphasizing a desire to “quiet things down after years of culture wars.”
