New female director says ‘it’s about time’ a woman shapes the Star Wars franchise

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the new director of the upcoming Star Wars film, said in a CNN interview that as a woman, she plans to shape the iconic franchise.

CNN host Kristie Lu Stout interviewed the Pakistan-born filmmaker about her film and set up the television interview by emphasizing that Obaid-Chinoy was the “first woman and the first person of color to direct a Star Wars film.”

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“I’m very thrilled about the project because I think what we’re about to create is something very special,” Obaid-Chinoy said during the CNN interview. “We’re in 2024 now, and I think it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape the story in a galaxy far, far away.”

The Star Wars franchise has had numerous male directors, including creator George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Richard Marquand, J.J. Abrams, and Rian Johnson.

Obaid-Chinoy will be directing the return of actress Daisy Ridley as the female heroine Rey, which will be a follow-up to the franchise’s 2019 film, The Rise of Skywalker.

She recently posted on Instagram that she was excited to direct the next Star Wars film.

“The blueprints of the heroes we see on screen are rooted in reality – I’ve spent my life meeting real-life heroes, who have overcome the most oppressive empires and battled impossible odds and that to me is the heart of Star Wars…which is why I was attracted to the promise of a new Jedi Order … and why I’m particularly excited about being immersed inside a Jedi Academy with a powerful Jedi Master… #starwars,” she wrote.

Some of Obaid-Chinoy’s past film credits include being an executive producer on Women with Gloria Steinem, which tells the story of how feminist icon Gloria Steinem has guided women despite “progress and oppression.” She was also the winner of the best documentary short award for A Girl in the River at the 88th Academy Awards in 2016.

The feminist filmmaker has previously shared her political views in a panel discussion at the 2015 Women in the World Summit with moderator Jon Stewart, stating that she enjoys making men ‘uncomfortable.’

“I like to make men uncomfortable. I ENJOY making men uncomfortable,” Obaid-Chinoy said in response to questions about patriarchy.

Social media’s reactions to Obaid-Chinoy’s CNN comments predicted bad news for movie ticket sales.

“Another flop incoming,” social media influencer Link Lauren said.

“In a related story, Disney lost $900 million on its big budget films last year,” Fox News media analyst Joe Concha quipped.

“Like Harvard’s recent misfortunes have shown, the cultural elite is completely incapable of rejecting the DEI idiocy. They have to pick all the hills, and they will die on all of them, figuratively,” columnist Kurt Schlichter said.

Political commentator Stephen Miller disagreed that women haven’t already “shaped” the franchise.

“Whatever they decide to do with this, fine. But to argue a woman hasn’t shaped the story of Star Wars is completely and insultingly naive to who Marsha Lucas or Leigh Brackett were, and that’s ultimately the problem with Disney Feminism – it purposely erases the accomplishments of other women because of their warped woke world view that history started in the year 2020,” Miller said.

He added, “Marsha Lucas had more influence in shaping Star Wars than anyone else alive, and that’s why [Lucasfilm president] Kathleen Kennedy should be fired into the sun.”

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Marcia Lucas, the former wife of George Lucas, was one of the main editors responsible for crafting the first Star Wars film. She had been a legendary Hollywood editor before Star Wars with a resume that included working with groundbreaking directors such as Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorcese. She was behind the careful and complex editing of film footage, battle scenes, dialogue footage, and creating a distinct feel in scenes and transitions in the Star Wars film. She helped come up with and create climactic scenes that included killing Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi. She and Lucas later divorced in 1983.

Screenwriter Leigh Brackett wrote the original draft of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Her writing and vision helped build the foundation of the Star Wars franchise.