Jon Favreau to write, produce new Star Wars series
Past work with Disney includes Iron Man, Avengers, The Jungle Book and The Lion King
Jon Favreau will write and executive produce a live-action Star Wars series for the Walt Disney Co.'s planned streaming platform.
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy says in a Thursday announcement that Favreau will oversee the new spinoff series.
"Jon brings the perfect mix of producing and writing talent, combined with a fluency in the Star Wars universe," Kennedy, Lucasfilm president, said in a statement.
"This series will allow Jon the chance to work with a diverse group of writers and directors and give Lucasfilm the opportunity to build a robust talent base."
Disney is readying a streaming service to compete with Netflix, and it has signalled that Star Wars will be a major component. The not-yet-named service is planned to launch in late 2019.
Favreau has been a Disney regular, having directed the first two Iron Man films for Marvel, helped produce several Avengers movies and directed 2016's The Jungle Book. He's currently prepping a Lion King remake to be released in 2019.
He has some Star Wars experience, too, having provided a voice for The Clone Wars animated series and will appear in a role in the upcoming Han Solo spinoff Solo: A Star Wars Story.
"If you told me at 11 years old that I would be getting to tell stories in the Star Wars universe, I wouldn't have believed you," said Favreau.
