Star Wars Horror Project Reportedly in the Works (But Is That a Good Thing?)

The Star Wars franchise could be branching out into new territory, as Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy has teased Lucasfilm is developing some kind of horror project. While speaking with Business Insider at a red carpet event for Andor Season 2, Gilroy was asked about earlier comments he made to SFX Magazine, where he joked that he’d like to see Lucasfilm attempt a “three-camera sitcom” or a horror film in the galaxy far, far away next. When pushed to elaborate on possible ideas for the horror movie, Gilroy indicated that such a project is already in the works.

“They’re doing that. I think they’re doing that,” Gilroy said. “I think that’s in the works, yeah.”

Traditionally, Star Wars has been a space opera franchise, enthralling audiences with classic big-budget spectacle and tales of good vs. evil. However, Lucasfilm has experimented with other tones and story archetypes in the past. Rogue One and Andor are fueled by a serious, mature approach reminiscent of war pictures. Solo took viewers on an adventure through the galactic underworld, playing more as a heist/crime film.

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Following 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, Lucasfilm has had trouble figuring out the best course of action for future Star Wars films, but there are signs things are getting back on track. Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian & Grogu is scheduled to hit theaters in May 2026. Other projects, like Shawn Levy’s untitled film starring Ryan Gosling and the Rey/New Jedi Order movie are currently in development, though those do not have release dates at this juncture.

A Star Wars horror film would be quite different from anything that’s come before. Inherently, that makes it a risk; fans have a clear idea in their heads what Star Wars “should” be, and they might reject something that goes so against the grain. However, an argument can be made this kind of project could be a breath of fresh air for the franchise. Star Wars has been around for almost 50 years, and any property that’s still going after all that time needs to embrace change and new approaches to avoid becoming stale. It would be interesting to see what the right director could come up with for a Star Wars horror movie. Lucasfilm is still finding ways to explore Darth Vader’s story, so perhaps there could be a film where he’s essentially a terrifying slasher villain hunting down a group of rebels or Order 66 survivors. Vader’s hallway massacre in Rogue One had plenty of horror overtones and could be a blueprint to follow.

Throughout the Infinity Saga, Marvel Studios found great success blending superheroes with different film genres. Captain America: The Winter Soldier evoked espionage thrillers; Ant-Man was a heist comedy; Spider-Man: Homecoming was heavily influenced by the films of John Hughes. There’s no reason why Lucasfilm can’t follow suit and do something similar with Star Wars movies, ensuring each one has its own unique feel that makes it stand out. A sitcom might be a step too far for Star Wars, but the franchise has plenty of villains who were intimidating presences on screen. A horror movie could be in Lucasfilm’s wheelhouse.