Star Wars: Project Luminous Finally Revealed

After months of teasing, Lucasfilm has finally revealed details about Star Wars Project Luminous. At a publishing event, Disney publishing confirmed that the new initiative is meant to fuel the fandom in the years waiting for the next theatrical chapter in the franchise. Tonya Agurto, SVP of Disney Publishing Worldwide, confirmed that, similarly to how the publishing arm of the franchise carried the interest of fans between the release of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, as it did between the release of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, these new stories will unfold in previously unexplored corners of the galaxy far, far away.

Project Luminous is a new initiative taking place during the "High Republic" era, 200 years before the Skywalker Saga begins, with Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain noting this was "a golden time. A time of peace and prosperity. A time when the Jedi really are galactic guardians, stewards of peace and justice." The initiative was also described as the "Jedi Knights of the Round Table" at a time featuring "space Vikings."

The stories will be told through a number of comic books and novels published by Disney Lucasfilm Press, Del Rey, Marvel, and IDW Publishing. The writers involved include Cavan Scott (Star Wars Adventures), Claudia Gray (Star Wars: Master & Apprentice), Charles Soule ( Star Wars: Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith), Daniel José Older (Star Wars: Last Shot), and Justina Ireland (Star Wars: Lando's Luck).

The idea for Project Luminous came from Siglain back in 2014 before progress officially began on the endeavor. He pitched the project and it has been in the making since 2018. The five authors involved in Project Luminous met at Skywalker Ranch in September 2018 to discuss the story with Lucasfilm Publishing editors and the Lucasfilm Story Group. They convened to discuss the project again in March 2019, a month before the project was announced to the public at Star Wars Celebration. At New York Comic Con last year, the Star Wars publishing panel hinted that this story would alter or reveal something new about the nature of the Force in a significant way.

Stay tuned for more details on Project Luminous and the various storytelling efforts from Lucasfilm.

What do you think about the new storytelling opportunities? Let us know in the comments below!

Additional reporting by Scott Huver