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- The Mandalorian & Grogu
- Rey New Jedi Order Film
- Simon Kinberg’s New Star Wars Trilogy
- James Mangold’s First Jedi Movie
- Dave Filoni Mandoverse Crossover Film
- Lando Movie
- Rogue Squadron
- Taikia Waitit’s Movie
- Shawn Levy Film
- Rian Johnson’s Star Wars Trilogy
As a long-time Star Wars enthusiast who has witnessed the highs and lows of this iconic franchise, I must say that the current state of upcoming projects is a rollercoaster of anticipation and uncertainty.
The legendary film series known as “Star Wars” has been unmatched in popularity since its inception. Initially, only the original trilogy existed, followed by the prequels that expanded the storyline into an epic saga. However, when Disney bought Lucasfilm Ltd. in 2012, they not only planned sequels for Episodes VII, VIII, and IX but also intended to create standalone films. Over a five-year period, beginning with 2015’s “The Force Awakens,” Disney released a new Star Wars film annually, including “Rogue One” in 2016, “The Last Jedi” in 2017, “Solo: A Star Wars Story” in 2018, and “The Rise of Skywalker” in 2019. Despite four out of these five films grossing over $1 billion at the global box office, “Solo: A Star Wars Story” underperformed. The launch of Disney+ and the COVID-19 pandemic then led to a transition for Star Wars into a television franchise.
It’s important to note that Disney has not abandoned plans for more Star Wars films. Although it’s been over five years since a new film from the franchise was released in cinemas, this doesn’t mean there haven’t been movies announced but never produced. Disney and Lucasfilm have faced criticism for announcing Star Wars films that ultimately didn’t materialize, but they still have many projects underway. It seems they are aiming to resume their goal of releasing one new Star Wars film per year, with some plans even suggesting two releases in 2026 – on May 22 and December 18, 2026. Here is a list of all the currently active Star Wars films in development.
10 The Mandalorian & Grogu
May 22, 2026
The upcoming movie featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu, set to hit theaters on May 22, 2026, marks a nearly seven-year absence of new Star Wars films since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. This movie is essentially a spin-off from the hit Disney+ series, The Mandalorian, which seems to be replacing Season 4. Details about the film’s storyline remain scarce, but Pedro Pascal will reprise his role as Din Djarrin/The Mandalorian, and Sigourney Weaver has been cast in an undisclosed character. Additionally, Zeb, a character introduced in Star Wars: Rebels and featured in Season 3 of The Mandalorian, will also appear in the film.
Jon Favreau, who both created “The Mandalorian” and launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe with “Iron Man”, will direct the series featuring “The Mandalorian” and Grogu. Favreau collaborated on the script with Dave Filoni, the Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer known for writing numerous beloved “Star Wars” series such as “The Clone Wars”, “Rebels”, “Ahsoka”, and more. Given the immense popularity of “The Mandalorian”, it is understandable that this would be the first new Star Wars film Lucasfilm aimed to bring back into theaters.
9 Rey New Jedi Order Film
Release Date TBD
At Star Wars Celebration 2023, Disney and Lucasfilm revealed plans for three upcoming Star Wars movies, with the one generating the most buzz being a film focusing on Rey (Daisy Ridley), the main character from the sequel trilogy. Initially, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who has directed two episodes of Ms. Marvel and is known for her work in documentaries, was chosen to direct this project. However, the original writing team of Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson left the project in February 2024, and Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, took over as writer. Recently, Knight also departed the project, leaving the movie in search of a new screenwriter.
The specifics about the storyline of the upcoming film remain vague. It was initially proposed that Lindeloff and Britt-Gibson’s concept involved a film set six decades after “The Rise of Skywalker,” with Helen Mirren portraying an older Rey. However, Lucasfilm chose to rehire Ridley, and the movie is now slated for a release 15 years post “The Rise of Skywalker.” Fans may be eagerly anticipating the plot revolving around Rey’s efforts to establish a new Jedi Order, a concept that has long been desired since Luke Skywalker was hinted at doing so in the sequel trilogy and series such as “The Book of Boba Fett.” The film is scheduled to commence production in 2025.
8 Simon Kinberg’s New Star Wars Trilogy
Release Date TBD
The latest Star Wars film unveiled by Lucasfilm is a trilogy created and managed by Simon Kinberg, who has previously worked on Marvel films from 20th Century Fox. Contrary to initial assumptions that it would be Episodes X, XI, and XII of the Skywalker Saga, recent reports suggest that it will actually be a standalone trilogy apart from the series. Kinberg is widely recognized for his work as a writer and producer on movies like Logan, Deadpool, and X-Men: Days of Future Past, but he has also faced criticism for his screenplay of Fantastic Four and Dark Phoenix, which was one of the least successful films in the franchise.
Information about Matt Kinberg’s planned Star Wars trilogy is kept secret, partly because Lucasfilm has not officially announced it; instead, the trade publications were the ones who leaked the news. Kinberg has a significant history with the Star Wars franchise under Disney, as he joined the team in 2012 to help develop ideas for the sequel trilogy before those plans were changed when J.J. Abrams was brought on board for The Force Awakens. Kinberg played a role in creating Star Wars: Rebels and formed a close working relationship with Dave Filoni. In 2018, Kinberg was hired to write a script for a Boba Fett movie directed by James Mangold. This Boba Fett movie was later canceled after the box office failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story and transformed into The Book of Boba Fett. However, it seems that Kinberg has been preparing to direct a Star Wars film for quite some time now.
7 James Mangold’s First Jedi Movie
Release Date TBD
Regarding James Mangold, although he didn’t end up directing the Boba Fett movie, he will helm another Star Wars film instead. This upcoming movie will transport viewers to the earliest days of the Jedi Order, making it the farthest back in time any Star Wars story has ventured so far. At Star Wars Celebration 2023, Mangold’s Star Wars project was announced and is reportedly set an impressive 25,000 years before the events of A New Hope. Mangold himself has likened the film to a biblical epic, drawing comparisons to The Ten Commandments as a creative inspiration. Star Wars producer Simon Emmanuel revealed that the movie could potentially be titled Jedi Origin, though Lucasfilm has yet to confirm this name and it remains unclear if it is the official title or merely a working one.
Previously, Lucasfilm had pondered creating a trilogy focusing on the First Jedi, with the creative team behind “Game of Thrones,” David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, potentially overseeing it. However, they left the project in 2019, leaving its future uncertain as to whether their concepts would be utilized. In April 2024, Beau Williams was announced as the writer for James Mangold’s upcoming “Star Wars” film. Mangold has cultivated a productive relationship with Lucasfilm, having directed “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” Yet, the release date of this movie remains undetermined due to Mangold’s commitments to both this project and “Swamp Thing” within James Gunn’s new DCU at Warner Bros.
6 Dave Filoni Mandoverse Crossover Film
Release Date TBD
It turns out that there’s more than just The Mandalorian and Grogu in the Disney+ Star Wars universe. In fact, this was an unexpected revelation during Disney’s Investor Call in December 2020. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy announced that a series set in the New Republic would intersect in a cinematic event, much like The Avengers in the MCU. Originally, this would involve The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, Rangers of the New Republic (before it was canceled and replaced with Skeleton Crew). At Star Wars Celebration in April 2023, it was confirmed that Dave Filoni will be directing this Star Wars crossover movie, which is intended for theatrical release.
The foundation for an exciting collaboration has been set throughout the Disney+ series, hinting at a reinterpretation of the renowned Legends books, specifically “The Thrawn Trilogy,” where Grand Admiral Thrawn is the main antagonist. This upcoming Disney+ series and its crossover movie will serve as a bridge narrative between the original Star Wars trilogy and the sequel trilogy, delving into the origins of the First Order following the Empire’s downfall. “The Mandalorian & Grogu” will pave the way, premiering after the second season of “Ahsoka” on Disney+ in 2026, implying that we might not see this film until 2028.
5 Lando Movie
Release Date TBD
It wasn’t unexpected when Disney initially planned a Lando Calrissian series for Disney+ following the positive reception of Donald Glover’s portrayal in “Solo: A Star Wars Story” in 2020. However, three years later, in September 2023, fans were taken aback when they learned that the Lando project had been transformed into a feature film instead. This shift was likely due to Disney’s decision, by 2023, to allocate more resources towards feature films and less towards streaming series in their production strategy.
Donald Glover and his brother Stephen are taking over as writers for the upcoming “Lando” film, with Rian Johnson vacating the position previously held by Ryan Coogler. At this point, no specifics about the plot have been disclosed, and there’s been no update on the project’s progress since its initial announcement. Given the various movies in production, it appears that the studio is not hurrying to release the “Lando” film; instead, they seem content with developing it gradually until it reaches a suitable state of readiness.
4 Rogue Squadron
Release Date TBD
The film, titled “Rogue Squadron,” was initially planned as the first installment in a fresh series of Star Wars movies, post the ending of the Skywalker Saga. This announcement was made during a Disney Investor Call in December 2020, accompanied by a video showing director Patty Jenkins gearing up in an X-wing fighter uniform. Remarkably, even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a release date for the movie was set for December 22, 2023. Later in May 2021, Matthew Robbinson was appointed to write the script. The project seemed to be progressing smoothly until November of that year when the production encountered some delays.
It was suggested that the difficulties faced by the production of “Rogue Squadron” might have stemmed from Lucasfilm’s apprehension following the unfavorable reception of Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman 1984.” This film premiered in theaters and on HBO Max, just 15 days before “Rogue Squadron” was announced. The movie was taken off the release schedule in September 2022. However, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy hinted that “Rogue Squadron” could potentially be transformed into a Disney+ series in 2023. Interestingly, Patty Jenkins’ schedule became more flexible after DC Studios scrapped her plans for “Wonder Woman 3,” opting instead for James Gunn’s new DCU plans. In March 2024, Patty Jenkins signed a new contract with Lucasfilm to pen and direct the movie version of “Rogue Squadron.
3 Taikia Waitit’s Movie
Release Date TBD
On May 4th, 2020, Disney officially announced that Taika Waititi would be penning and directing a fresh Star Wars movie. Waititi has already been involved with Star Wars, having lent his voice to IG-11 in The Mandalorian. Additionally, he’s built a strong professional bond with Disney, having directed Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder for Marvel Studios, while Searchlight Pictures distributed his Oscar-winning film Jojo Rabbit and the more recent critically panned Next Goal Wins.
The film directed by Waititi for the Star Wars franchise has experienced several postponements, largely due to Waititi being occupied with projects like Thor: Love and Thunder and Next Goal Wins, as well as the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike that halted his work on the project. Originally slated for release in both 2023 and 2024, the film has yet to initiate casting processes, which suggests significant delays. Although Waititi has hinted at potential uncertainty regarding the production, Lucasfilm has not yet made any official statements. The director mentioned that his Star Wars movie would feature new characters and may provoke some fan displeasure, indicating that it might not be high on their list of priorities.
2 Shawn Levy Film
Release Date TBD
It was announced in November 2022 that Shawn Levy would be directing a new Star Wars movie, which he planned to start working on after Deadpool & Wolverine and Stranger Things Season 5. However, the project was halted due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strike, and there’s been no news about it since then, except that Deadpool & Wolverine might influence how Levy approaches this film. The specific Star Wars movie Levy was going to direct was never disclosed, so it’s possible he could be working on the Simon Kinberg Star Wars trilogy. Given that Deadpool & Wolverine grossed $1.3 billion, Disney and Lucasfilm are likely eager to expedite whatever this film turns out to be.
1 Rian Johnson’s Star Wars Trilogy
Release Date TBD
The much-anticipated Rian Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy, which fans are yet to receive confirmation about whether it’s in development or has been abandoned, was initially announced by Disney in November 2017, just a month before the premiere of The Last Jedi. Given that The Last Jedi was the only Star Wars film under Disney that steered clear of any significant creative issues behind the scenes, it wasn’t surprising that Disney entrusted Johnson to spearhead a new Star Wars trilogy.
In contrast to the usual expectations that a film earning $1.3 billion at the box office and receiving critical acclaim would be given priority, The Last Jedi found itself entangled in a societal conflict. The debate over whether fans truly despised it has raged for years, with some using low audience ratings as evidence of fan dislike, while others claim these scores were artificially lowered by bots to create the impression that audiences did not enjoy the movie. This narrative manipulation attempt is said to have been aimed at portraying a negative view of the film among the audience.
Regardless of the reason, a significant amount of publicity and commotion probably wasn’t desired by Lucasfilm, and over the years, there hasn’t been much news regarding Rian Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy. One factor contributing to this silence has been that Johnson has been preoccupied with his work on Knives Out films and the television series, Poker Face, for Peacock Original. In April 2023, Kathleen Kennedy shared with Variety that…
“Rian and I talk all the time. He is unbelievably busy. So we’re not actively involved in anything at the moment because he’s doing another one of the ‘Glass Onion’ movies, and then God knows what else. But he really wants to step back into the space. It’s a big commitment of time, so that’s really on him.”
The project hasn’t been formally canceled, but there seems to be no active development on it from either Johnson or Lucasfilm as of that time.
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2024-11-12 07:02