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Justin Simien Opens Up About Grief Over Disney's 'Star Wars' Cancellation

Director Shares Pain of Lost Project

“There Was a Bible, Concept Art, Scripts”

WEB Filmmaker Justin Simien has opened up about the grief he felt following Disney's decision to scrap his “Star Wars: Lando” series. The project, which was in development for several years, was ultimately scrapped in favor of a “Star Wars” movie centered around the character. In a recent interview, Simien shared the emotional toll the cancellation took on him.

“It was really devastating,” Simien said. “There was a bible, there was concept art, there were scripts. We had put a lot of work into it, and we were really excited about it. So, to have it just sort of abruptly end was really difficult.”

Simien also described the mourning process he went through after the cancellation. “There was a sense of loss, and a sense of grief,” he said. “It's like losing a loved one, in a way. You have to go through the stages of grief. You have to go through the anger, the sadness, the acceptance. It's a process.”

Despite the disappointment, Simien said he is grateful for the experience of working on the project. “I learned a lot from it,” he said. “I learned about myself, I learned about the industry, and I learned about the creative process. So, I'm grateful for that. But it was definitely a difficult experience.”