Star Wars fans have another project to look forward to, with Russian Doll showrunner Leslye Headland developing an upcoming series for the Disney+ streaming service.
News of the project was first reported by Variety and was later confirmed by Disney and Lucasfilm on Star Wars Day (May 4).
Official details are scarce, but the earliest, unofficial report indicated that the series will be a female-led project set in a part of the sci-fi saga’s timeline that hasn’t been explored yet. Additional plot details are scarce, making the project a bit of a mystery at this point.
Headland is the co-creator of the hit Netflix series Russian Doll in addition to serving as an executive producer on the series and its showrunner. She will write and serve as showrunner and executive producer for the Star Wars series, which is currently assembling a staff.
Headland’s series will join several other Star Wars shows in various stages of development and production for Disney’s streaming service. A series focusing on Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi will bring prequel trilogy star Ewan McGregor back in the title role, while another series will explore the early years of Rebel spy Cassian Andor, with Diego Luna returning to the character he played in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
With only a few Star Wars movies in any stage of development, Disney is turning to its wildly successful streaming service for the future of the franchise.
Fortunately for Star Wars fans, the franchise already has a good record on Disney+, thanks to the success of the first season of The Mandalorian, which premiered on Disney+ in November 2019 and quickly became a worldwide phenomenon (due in no small way to breakout star Baby Yoda). The second season of The Mandalorian premieres in October, and to the surprise of no one, Disney already renewed the series for a third season.
There’s a chance that Headland could also find herself in the director’s chair for one or more episodes of any Star Wars series she brings to Disney+, as she directed several episodes of Russian Doll for Netflix. That series followed a video game developer played by Natasha Lyonne who finds herself reliving the same night over and over again. Russian Doll was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning three for its critically acclaimed first season.
