More and more rumors keep swirling about the galaxy regarding Disney and Lucasfilm's future Star Wars movies. Multiple outlets report that The Empire Strikes Back co-writer Lawrence Kasdan and X-Men: First Class co-writer Simon Kinberg are negotiating to be involved in some kind of producer/writer capacity with Episode VIII and Episode IX.
This news comes less than two weeks after Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3) was hired to write the screenplay for Star Wars: Episode VII. It's uncertain whether Kasdan and Kinberg will co-write or divvy up the writing responsibilities on the second and third acts of the new trilogy. Both are expected to become producers.
Kasdan's connection to Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi will certainly catch fans' attention, though he hasn't done much since those films and Raiders of the Lost Ark. He most recently wrote and directed Darling Companion, a romance for middle-aged dog people.
Kinberg is one of the go-to guys at 20th Century Fox. He has writing credits on not just First Class but the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past and even X-Men: The Last Stand. His other credits include xXx: State of the Union, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Warner Bros.' Sherlock Holmes.
Disney and Lucasfilm have not confirmed any of this, and say all official announcements will be made through StarWars.com.
