Lucasfilm announced that it has added Jon Favreau as writer and executive producer of Disney's first live-action Star Wars drama series.
The as yet untitled Star Wars drama series that also has no broadcasting date, will be produced for Disney's to-be-launched streaming service in America, but will likely be available through foreign distribution from The Walt Disney Company for international broadcasters.
It means that the Star Wars series might become available to broadcaster's like M-Net for possible pick-up in countries where Disney's streaming service won't have a presence, in the way that Netflix picked up Star Trek: Discovery from CBS All Access for outside the United States, and how M-Net acquired the rights to both Netflix and Amazon series before those streamers made their debut in South Africa and Africa.
Walt Disney first revealed plans for a live-action Star Wars series in November 2017 and its streaming services is expected to launch in 2019 in the United States.
"I couldn’t be more excited about Jon coming on board to produce and write for the new direct-to-consumer platform," says Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm president, in a statement.
"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."
Jon Favreau says "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".
The actor-director played roles in both the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series on the Cartoon Network and Disney XD in which he voiced the character of Pre Vizsla, and will appear in the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story film.
He is also an executive producer of the Iron Man and Avengers films for Marvel Studios.
