Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are confirmed to write the screenplay for either episode VIII or IX. Kasdan is especially notable choice because he has written the screenplay for The Empire Strikes Back, a movie that many consider to be the best Star Wars movie.
If you thought we’d be heading into the Thanksgiving holiday without one more Star Wars rumor for the road, you’d be wrong. Michael Arndt was recently confirmed as the screenwriter for Star Wars: Episode VII, and while everyone is busy speculating over who will or won’t direct the next installment in the franchise, it appears that Disney already has its sights set on Episodes VIII andIX. Word on the street is that the Mouse House is looking at Empire Strikes Back screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan and X-Men: First Class scribe Simon Kinberg to possibly get to work on the next two installments in the new trilogy right away. Hit the jump for more.
[Update: Kasdan and Kinberg's involvement has been confirmed along with the news that the two will also produce. More after the jump.]
[Heat Vision is now reporting that Kasdan and Kinberg have closed deals to write either Episode VIII or Episode IX, though the division of their responsibilities has yet to be determined. This means that Kasdan could possibly find himself writing the middle chapter in a Star Wars trilogy again, and we all know how that worked out the first time. The duo will also produce the films. Our original story follows below.]
