Are you guys ready for yet another Star Wars rumor? AICN is saying — in their nearly-unreadable, every-other-word-capitalized way — that the first spin-off movie about a Star Wars character will be starring Yoda. Excellent news this is, if true. AICN also says Lucas has been considering a stand-alone film about Jabba the Hutt, but a Yoda film would come first.
In the past, Joe Johnston has expressed interest in doing a Boba Fett movie, while Robert Rodriguez wanted to do a Han Solo stand-alone film. And Zach Snyder recently denied rumors he was working on a Seven Samurai style Star Wars spin-off. We also heard recently that writers Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Raiders of the Lost Ark) and Simon Kinberg (Sherlock Holmes) would be involved in a future Star Wars project, but they aren’t writing episode VII.
In other words, Kathleen Kennedy and LucasFilm do seem to be planning multiple Star Wars projects, but a stand-alone movie about Yoda is still just a rumor. Slashfilm also brings up an obvious point that “merchandise is always going to be a part of any plans for the Lucas universe, and a Yoda film — complete with a collection of other cute but tough alien characters — could be a bonanza in that department.”
Merchandising, merchandising, where the real money from the movie is made. Yoda the T-shirt, Yoda the coloring book, Yoda the lunch box, Yoda the breakfast cereal, Yoda the flame thrower. And last but not least, Yoda the doll. Adorable.
[Banner image: “A (very) long time ago” by Vincent Bocognani.]