Monica’s one-time boyfriend on “Friends” is now in charge of the “Star Wars” TV show

In a spectacularly ill-timed announcement, Lucasfilm has just unveiled another upcoming Star Wars project and yet another white male helmer. The Lion King director Jon Favreau is set to executive produce and write a new live-action Star Wars series for Disney’s streaming service, which is set to launch next year. While this is the first time Favreau will step behind the camera for Lucasfilm, the director previously voiced a role in animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and is set to appear in Solo: A Star Wars Story in May.

It’s not entirely surprising to see Lucasfilm add Favreau to their growing list of Star Wars creators — he’s a proven filmmaker who was instrumental in jumpstarting fellow Disney subsidiary’s very-much-thriving MCU — but considering the timing of the announcement and Lucasfilm’s continued inability to read the room, fans are not too thrilled.

In the last six months, Rian Johnson has been given a Star Wars trilogy, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have been given a set of Star Wars films, J.J. Abrams is returning to direct Episode IX, and now Favreau is getting a series.

You don’t have to be Columbo to see the pattern here.

Favreau’s announcement comes in the midst of intense scrutiny Lucasfilm has been facing over its inability to hire filmmakers and creators who are not white men. Even more disappointing, Lucasfilm hasn’t directly addressed the very valid concern. In her statement announcing Favreau’s hiring, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy made a feeble reference to the lack of diversity among Star Wars creatives.

“I couldn’t be more excited about Jon coming on board to produce and write for the new direct-to-consumer platform, she said, “Jon brings the perfect mix of producing and writing talent, combined with a fluency in the Star Wars universe. 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.

As a wise, powerful woman once said to the reckless man piloting the Millennium Falcon,“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Like all the other men before him, Favreau released a statement expressing his love of the out-of-this-world universe since childhood and his excitement for the upcoming show. He said, “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. I can’t wait to embark upon this exciting adventure.”

Happy International Women’s Day!

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