Lucasfilm Vows To Deliver Female-Directed Star Wars Movies; Episode IX Appoints Victoria Mahoney As Second Unit

Female-directed Star Wars movies are on the way, according to Lucasfilm general manager Lynwen Brennan, and one need only look to the appointment of Victoria Mahoney as Episode IX‘s second unit director.

Variety has the scoop, confirming that Mahoney has become the first black woman to ever serve in any directing role within Lucasfilm’s time-honored franchise. She’ll be working alongside J.J. Abrams and screenwriter Chris Terrio (Justice League) when production kicks off this summer, soon after the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Brennan’s comments to WalesOnline (h/t MovieWeb) came at a perfect time, then, as the landmark addition of Victoria Mahoney surely – surely – means that the first female-directed Star Wars movie is well within reach.

I think it’s certainly something we’re keen on and there are some fantastic directors out there. It’s going to happen!… [Kathleen Kennedy’s] leadership team has always been 50 percent women because they happen to be the best at their job. [We at Industrial Light & Magic] haven’t had a quota at that leadership stage. However, we are getting a lot more pragmatic and specific about not accepting the level we have regarding women in visual effects and technology.

Ava DuVernay, director of Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time and one of the hot-tipped favorites to land a Star Wars gig, marked the announcement with a Twitter post. For the record, DuVernay and Mahoney had previously worked together on her series Queen Sugar.

https://twitter.com/ava/status/986378268742828032

Catt's outta the bag. Thank you @ava for putting my name in the #StarWars #LucasFilm hat. Thank you #JJAbrams for inviting me on your ferocious ride. *This one's for the outliers, dreaming big–in small corners of the Earth.
#MaytheForceBeWithYou https://t.co/G6ckWzCIwt

— Crown Vic (@VictoriaMahoney) April 17, 2018

It’s news that Star Wars fans around the globe ought to welcome with open arms, as Mahoney’s casting is further proof that the 40-year old cinematic titan is beginning to get with the times. Looking further afield, Solo is poised to whisk viewers back in time on May 25th, before Episode IX closes the book on this current sequel trilogy next December.