Lucasfilm and Kathleen Kennedy are reportedly turning once again to the same creative circle that has defined much of modern franchise storytelling—for better or worse. According to industry insider Jeff Sneider, Lost co-creator Carlton Cuse and his son Nick Cuse are now rumored to be writing a new Star Wars series for Disney+. While plot details remain tightly guarded, this development marks yet another return by Kathleen Kennedy to figures closely tied to J.J. Abrams and the storytelling legacy of Lost, Alias, and Bad Robot.
J. J. Abrams speaking at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con International, for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
If the rumor proves true, this wouldn’t be the first time Kathleen Kennedy has looked within the J.J. Abrams creative network. She previously brought in Abrams himself to direct The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker. She also tapped Lost alum Damon Lindelof to co-write an upcoming Star Wars film centered on the character Rey. That project supposedly remains in development, now reportedly with a script from George Nolfi and direction by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: (L-R) Daisy Ridley, Kathleen Kennedy and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy attend the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
The Cuses, a father and son duo, would be the latest to join the expanding group of J.J. Abrams-associated storytellers trusted by Kathleen Kennedy with Star Wars. Carlton Cuse has built a prolific television career post-Lost, working on Bates Motel, The Strain, Locke & Key, and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. Nick Cuse, meanwhile, has worked on The Leftovers, Watchmen, and Station Eleven. This rumored Star Wars series would represent their first major team-up.
Yet the broader pattern is hard to ignore. Abrams’ creative web appears to extend across much of Hollywood, particularly when it comes to big-budget science fiction and fantasy.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 15: Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios attends “The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power” Los Angeles Red Carpet Premiere & Screening on August 15, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
At Amazon Studios, The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power, the single most expensive television series of all time, was handed to J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, two writers whose only claim to fame was ties to Bad Robot through Star Trek Beyond. That project was greenlit during Jennifer Salke’s tenure at Amazon, who herself has been linked to Abrams’ professional circle. Abrams reportedly pushed for Payne and McKay to take on the big-budget show, which has since seen massive audience attenuation. Lindsey Weber, a former Bad Robot executive, also served as executive producer on the show.
Salke has since stepped down from her role at Amazon with many insiders reporting that she was fired.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 25: (L-R) Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay speak onstage during The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power SDCC Press Preview Event at Venue 808 on July 25, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios)
Despite The Rings of Power drawing a divided reception, the reliance on Abrams’ disciples continues. At Paramount, longtime Abrams collaborator Alex Kurtzman remains in charge of the Star Trek television universe. Having co-written the 2009 Star Trek reboot alongside Abrams, Kurtzman now oversees an array of spinoffs like the failed Star Trek: Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds. Though fan sentiment around these series has been far from unanimous, Kurtzman’s leadership has gone largely unchallenged.
Alex Kurtzman speaking at the 2019 San Diego Comic Con International, for “Star Trek: Discovery”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
This raises questions not just about Lucasfilm, but the wider entertainment industry: Why do the same figures keep getting the call? With Kennedy potentially stepping away from her executive role later this year, some had hoped for a creative reset within Star Wars. But if the rumors are true, it seems old habits die hard.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: Kathleen Kennedy attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
And with each new announcement, it becomes more apparent that the “mystery box” method—a style of storytelling that promises grand questions but often delivers murky answers—continues to be the go-to playbook in Hollywood’s most sacred franchises.
Why do you think Kathleen Kennedy continues to trust Star Wars to J.J. Abrams disciples? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
Desperation, thy name is Kathleen Kennedy. Rey’s not a popular character with true fans, Lost was such a different animal from SW I can’t see the writers of it doing the latter any justice, and people are sick of Disney SW anyway. This is going to crash and burn like everything else Kennedy touches, I just know it.
Same way Michael Bay and Zack Snyder keep getting work. The major studios are all ran by morons.
JJ Abrams is a cultural vandal.
The reason why kk continues to turn to J.J adams disciples is purely I feel ideology driven, like a secret society you can be in the club if you do what the grandmaster dictates without questioning that the emperor has no clothes.
Herpes always comes back
Insanity is doing the some woke garbage over and over.