Lucasfilm Exec Teases the Future of Star Wars After The Rise of Skywalker

The Star Wars franchise is about to enter unprecedented territory very soon, as the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will see the conclusion of a series that has spanned across nine films throughout the last four decades. But this isn't the end of the road for the galaxy far, far away, as there are many plans in place for the future of Star Wars in movies, television, and beyond. With new shows coming to the Disney+ streaming service and a series of films already dated for 2022 and beyond, it looks like the legacy of the Star Wars franchise is secure — even if it is shrouded in mystery for the time being.

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy recently spoke about the direction of the franchise after the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, teasing that it has no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

"It's not as though we have nothing to dip into, but all it is, really, are road posts, pointing us in a direction," Kennedy explained to the New York Times. "You don't spend a lot of time defining what it is that George intimates in this mythology. You tell stories about people, and you take the mythology and apply it to their conflict."

There have been rumors about the future of the franchise, especially after the success of Star Wars: The Mandalorian. Some speculation indicates that show runner Jon Favreau could take on a bigger role in planning future projects. The series has dominated discussion among fans, even as the buildup toward The Rise of Skywalker continues to swell, and it's all because of the adorable Baby Yoda.

The character has become a viral sensation on the Internet, and is both a constant source of memes and a refreshing new development in the Star Wars saga as fans come up with theories to explain his existence.

Favreau himself previously teased that Baby Yoda will play a major role in the franchise after fans were shocked by his appearance at the end of the first episode.

"I wanted to surprise people, and I wanted to—well, there are bigger arcs that go through the whole season and the whole throw of the show. So as fun as it is to reveal new characters and surprise them, it also fits into a larger narrative about what's going on in the galaxy after the revolution, and this is an important character."

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker premieres in theaters on Friday, December 20th.