Jon Watts Explains Original ‘Skeleton Crew’ Movie Pitch Plans

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As a lifelong Star Wars enthusiast who’s been following its evolution for decades, I can’t help but marvel at how the universe has expanded and contracted over the years. In 2017, when Jon Watts pitched Skeleton Crew as a film, it felt like we were on the cusp of a new era for Star Wars – one that promised a steady stream of cinematic adventures. Fast forward to today, and we’re in a completely different galaxy, with Skeleton Crew set to grace our screens as a Disney+ series instead.

director has revealed his original pitch for a Star Wars feature film and how it morphed into the upcoming Disney+ series. Set during the same time frame as The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew has been pitched as The Goonies but in the Star Wars universe. The series follows a group of young kids who uncover a hidden ship on their planet that accidentally sends them to the other end of the galaxy. Lost and confused, these young kids will encounter pirates on their way to find a way home. The series is led by Watts, who is best known for his work in the MCU on all three entries in the Spider-Man trilogy.

During an interview with TV Line, both Watts and the co-creator of Skeleton Crew, Chris Ford, discussed the original concept they proposed for a Star Wars movie that eventually evolved into a television series. According to Watts, this is what transpired.

The story begins with a group of children who are unaware that they’re in the ‘Star Wars’ universe. They become lost within this galaxy and embark on a journey to return home.

The basic concept we started with eventually guided us through intriguing storylines. Ford explained, “It sparked a journey, exploring the ripple effects of that initial idea, the various realms and characters we’d introduce, and the people they would encounter along the way.” Watts and Ford first proposed Skeleton Crew in 2017, during the run-up to Spider-Man: Homecoming’s release, between the premieres of Rogue One and The Last Jedi. Watts added, “We simply began with that idea and let it shape our narrative.

I proposed the idea quite some time back, specifically following the release of the first ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ film. Originally, I presented this concept to Lucasfilm as a movie, but due to the success of the initial Spider-Man film, I was required to create two more Spider-Man movies. As events unfolded, Jon Favreau created ‘The Mandalorian’ and Disney+ emerged, which led to a transformation of the concept from a movie into a television series. With the completion of the third Spider-Man film, ‘No Way Home’, we were finally able to start working on it.

After collaborating with Jon Favreau on the entire Spider-Man trilogy, his efforts helped launch the movie “Skeleton Crew”. This project was officially unveiled in May 2022 during Star Wars Celebration, a little over five months after “Spider-Man: No Way Home” premiered. It’s believed that Watts’s choice to focus on his “Star Wars” endeavor may have been the reason for him stepping down from directing “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”, as he announced his departure in April 2022, only a month before “Skeleton Crew” was officially announced.

How Just Seven Years Difference Changed the Direction of ‘Skeleton Crew’

In 2017, the pace of development in the Star Wars universe, as represented by Lucasfilm, was rapid compared to the timeline when Watts and Ford presented Skeleton Crew. At that time, Disney and Lucasfilm were still planning to release a new Star Wars film each year. The recent releases like The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story had been blockbuster hits both commercially and critically. Their schedule was packed until 2019, with projects such as a Boba Fett solo movie, an Obi-Wan Kenobi film, Rian Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy, and other projects in the pipeline. Given Watts’ involvement with the Spider-Man movies at that point, Lucasfilm and Disney probably thought they could postpone considering Skeleton Crew until a later date.

Initially, the underperformance at the box office of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” influenced Lucasfilm’s strategy. They chose to complete the Skywalker Saga with “The Rise of Skywalker.” However, only three months following the release of “The Rise of Skywalker,” the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, causing a shift towards streaming platforms, especially for “Star Wars” content as “The Mandalorian” gained widespread popularity. In response, Lucasfilm adapted their upcoming films into television series such as “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Skeleton Crew.” Now, the tide has turned once again, with Disney and Lucasfilm moving “Star Wars” back towards cinema releases. Currently, “Skeleton Crew” is one of the last live-action “Star Wars” series in the pipeline, while there are numerous “Star Wars” films under development.

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2024-12-02 18:02