Daniel Scheinert’s next project: The Daniels clear air on ‘Star Wars’ series
We finally know about Daniel Scheinert’s next project, and he and his directing partner Daniel Kwan traveled to a galaxy far, far away to do it.
After their film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” won seven Academy Awards including best picture, the world wanted to know what superstar directing duo Daniels would make next. Multiple entertainment outlets have reported the pair will direct on a new “Star Wars” series for Disney.
Many feared these new distinguished, highly innovative artists would become the latest to succumb to big Hollywood studio opportunities. But on his Instagram page (@dunkwun), Scheinert’s colleague Daniel Kwan cleared the air about the “Star Wars” project and reassured their fans can exhale.
“Lol, all of the people @ing us about getting sucked up by the ‘corporate machine’ can chill,” Kwan wrote in an IG story. “These headlines are always misleading. Don’t worry. We aren’t working on a whole series, we guest directed one episode.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show is “Skeleton Crew,” a Disney+ series starring Jude Law. “‘Skelton Crew’ is the upcoming Disney+ show that stars Jude Law and hails from Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy director Jon Watts,” the THR report says. “It centers on a group of kids lost in the galaxy, trying to find their way home. The series, set in the New Republic era, is executive produced by The Mandalorian masterminds Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.”
Kwan said director Jon Watts (who made the Tom Holland Spider-Man trilogy) approached the Daniels to do an episode “awhile ago,” before their film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” even released in spring 2022. But they were enthusiastic about the opportunity for many reasons Kwan listed.
“We love Jon, love Star Wars, love learning new tech, we love meeting new cast and crew, and we needed the days to keep our healthcare (!!!) so it was an easy yes,” Kwan said.
He said they shot the episode in 2022 and had “an incredible time working with the most talented cast and crew” and that he is excited for fans to see it.
But fear not, Daniels fans, their next project will come from their own beautiful brains: “Our next film will be an original daniels project so you can stop worrying (and stop bothering me about it),” Kwan wrote.
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” won Oscars for best picture, directing (Scheinert and Kwan), original screenplay (Scheinert and Kwan), actress (Michelle Yeoh), supporting actor (Ke Huy Quan), supporting actress (Jamie Lee Curtis) and editing (Alabama native Paul Rogers). It led all nominees with 11 total at the 95th Annual Academy Awards.
Born in Birmingham, Scheinert attended Oak Mountain Elementary and Middle Schools before going to high school in Shades Valley. His parents, Ken and Becky, now live in Guntersville. His dad said Scheinert got into filmmaking through local competitions and musical theater during high school.
Where does one go after reaching the summit of 11 Oscar nominations and potentially several wins for a film many consider the best of a given year? The Daniels (with producing partner Jonathan Wang) last summer signed an exclusive five-year deal with Universal, giving them more resources and power to develop original ideas on a much larger Hollywood scale.
“They’re trying to put together the framework of how they can move forward with both TV shows and movies and still maintain the creative spark that they have,” said Scheinert’s father Ken. “I know Daniel is struggling with that in terms of they’re used to working on such a low budget. They don’t want to get too big or too complex that they can’t do what they’ve done in the past. So that’s their big challenge right now. How do they top and continue what they’ve done in a different structure?”
His mother Becky said the success of “Everything Everywhere” and the subsequent awards circuit, where they’ve had the opportunity to meet other talented industry professionals, have given the Daniels a sense of whether various actors share a similar aesthetic and if they could work with them in the future. “I know that’s what he’s thinking, ‘Oh, let me see where this guy’s head is. What is he like really?’”
READ: Mom’s going to the Oscars! ‘Everything Everywhere’ director’s parents talk son’s success
During the annual Oscar nominees luncheon in February, the Daniels mixed and mingled in the same room as Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise and Guillermo Del Toro. As they took their places for the nominee class photo, you can see Scheinert standing next to “Elvis” star Austin Butler as the two carry on conversation for several minutes while others get set for the picture. “He talked about meeting Cate Blanchett,” Ken said. “He said he was really kind of intimidated initially talking to her, then realized, ‘Wait, she’s kind of wild and crazy like me. This is fun.’”
Ken said they even got a phone call from Spielberg, who invited the Daniels to lunch where they spent the time talking and sharing ideas, which he called “a big deal for Daniel.” His mom said Spielberg shared advice on how to manage being a director with other components in life. “Some real philosophical things that Steven Spielberg can certainly pontificate on, if he so chooses,” Becky said, “that would give a pathway and good insight for the Daniels.”
More on Daniel Scheinert:
One of the Daniels on his Alabama roots, fitting his state into ‘Everything Everywhere’
Mom’s going to the Oscars! ‘Everything Everywhere’ director’s parents talk son’s success
Stephen Colbert calls on Alabama filmmaker to save ‘Late Show’ opening
What Steven Spielberg learned from Oscar-nominated Alabama filmmaker