Is Zack Snyder Making His Own 'Star Wars' or What?

We knew Man of Steel director Zack Snyder was definitely not directing Star Wars: Episode VII, but he is apparently working on his own Star Wars project.

Update: Snyder's rep has shot down Vulture's report, in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter. The spokesperson said: "While he is super flattered because he is a huge fan, Zack is not involved in any way with the new Star Wars. He is currently in post on his two films, Man of Steel and 300: Battle of Artemisia." Borys Kit of THR added: "That means no Episode VII, VIII or IX, and no offshoot movies, the rep confirms." So perhaps this isn't happening. We're eager to hear more.

Original post: We knew Man of Steel director Zack Snyder was definitely not directing Star Wars: Episode VII, but he is apparently working on his own Star Wars project. The project, according to Claude Brodesser-Akner at Vulture, is a "Jedi epic" that will be "loosely based" on Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. (Aiming for the Criterion Collection, are we, Star Wars?) As Brodesser-Akner points out, that film is one of George Lucas' favorite.

Brodesser-Akner says Snyder engaged in a bit of misdirection when he denied he'd take on Episode VII when he told the Los Angeles Times he didn't "think I’d be interested in [directing it]" and "I’m a huge Star Wars fanatic. I just think doing [episodes] seven, eight and nine is just a slippery slope. It’s a whole other mythological experiment I’m excited to see, but it’s a lot of effort."

The details of this Star Wars-But-Not-Star Wars project are still murky. An source told Brodesser-Akner that the film is not expected to be one of the "numbered" Star Wars films, and in fact will stand alone. But it will however take place sometime after Episode VI, i.e. Return of the Jedi, and will occur within the general Star Wars universe.

With this movie, Episode VII, and ABC's reviving its interest in a live-action Star Wars television series, there is a lot of Star Wars on the horizon. And why not? Walt Disney paid $4 billion to buy LucasFilm. They want to get that money back. Get your light sabers ready, folks.