To the surprise of no one, Kevin Feige is a huge Star Wars fan. It might surprise many, however, that the Marvel Studios chief is going to be developing a Star Wars movie as Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy makes new plans for a wave of projects set in the universe, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Feige had discussed a foray into the Star Wars universe in a late summer meeting with Kennedy and studio co-chairmen Alan Horn and Alan Bergman, sources say. In response to a query from THR, Walt Disney Studios co-chairman and chief creative officer Horn said, "We are excited about the projects Kathy and the Lucasfilm team are working on, not only in terms of Star Wars but also Indiana Jones and reaching into other parts of the company including Children of Blood and Bone with Emma Watts and Fox. With the close of the Skywalker Saga, Kathy is pursuing a new era in Star Wars storytelling, and knowing what a die-hard fan Kevin is, it made sense for these two extraordinary producers to work on a Star Wars film together."

Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige’s highly anticipated “Star Wars” project just took a big step forward, with “Loki” executive producer and writer Michael Waldron signing on to write the screenplay, Variety has confirmed.

Waldron’s work on the “Star Wars” movie is part of a larger deal he’s signed with Disney, suggesting a long-term relationship with the company and its live-action divisions. Along with his duties on the Disney Plus series “Loki,” Waldron recently wrote the upcoming Marvel Studios feature “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”

Waldron first cut his teeth in the business working on various projects for Dan Harmon, including “Rick and Morty” and “Community.” He recently executive produced and co-wrote the Starz drama “Heels,” about a family of pro wrestlers starring Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig.

Disney first confirmed that Feige was developing a “Star Wars” feature in Sept. 2019, but otherwise Lucasfilm and Feige have remained tight lipped about the project. Meanwhile, Lucasfilm has aggressively expanded its Star Wars slate for Disney Plus: During Disney’s Investors Day presentation in Dec. 2020, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy announced 10 more series for the streamer in the wake of the success of “The Mandalorian.”

By contrast, the company has been far more conservative about its “Star Wars” feature slate. At the same Investors Day presentation, Kennedy formally announced just two new “Star Wars” movies. The first, “Rogue Squadron,” will be directed by Patty Jenkins and is slated to open December 2023; the second untitled film will be directed by Taika Waititi from a script by Waititi and Krysty Wilson-Cairns (“1917”). But Kennedy did not mention Feige’s project, nor a Star Wars feature in development from “Sleight” writer-director J.D. Dillard and “Luke Cage” writer Matt Owens.