While it’s been more than three years since the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and no Star Wars films have been released since the conclusion to the Star Wars sequel trilogy, the saga has managed to thrive on the small screen, as a number of live-action TV series have showcased new corners of the galaxy far, far away. Still, even with the success of these small-screen adventures, audiences know just how fulfilling it is to witness a Star Wars adventure on the big screen, with last month’s Star Wars Celebration helping answer a few questions about what the franchise’s future holds.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Many fans spend Star Wars Day looking at the franchise’s past, but we’re here to highlight its future and clear up some of the projects that are confirmed to be in development and others that are only rumors.
Scroll down to see all of the confirmed and rumored Star Wars projects that fans are looking forward to.
Confirmed – James Mangold Film
Logan director James Mangold has been rumored to be involved with Lucasfilm for years, as reports emerged around the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story that he was developing a Boba Fett film, only for those talks to fizzle. Having officially partnered with Lucasfilm to bring Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to life, the collaboration between the filmmaker and the studio seemingly proved fulfilling, as Mangold is developing a film that is said to take place at a time in which the first Jedi emerge. The film doesn’t yet have a release date and with Mangold connected to various other projects, it will likely be quite a wait before the project is realized.
Confirmed – Dave Filoni Film
Likely one of the least surprising announcements about who would be helming a new movie for the galaxy far, far away was that Dave Filoni would direct a project that took place during the New Republic and would serve as a way to tie together the events of The Mandalorian, Star Wars: Ahsoka, and Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett. Lucasfilm had previously teased that such an event was in the works, though many had assumed such an event would be a limited series.
We can’t rule out this project being a Disney+ exclusive film, but the assumption would be that this project is aiming to be a theatrical release. Between the various other Disney series and Filoni’s work on them, it’s unclear when this project will be moving forward.
Confirmed – Sharmeen Obid-Chinoy Film
Ahead of Star Wars Celebration, this project would have been referred to as a Damon Lindelof project, despite Obid-Chinoy being enlisted as the director, yet Lindelof ended up parting ways from the project.
Lucasfilm seems to have a lot of excitement for this movie, as the studio brought Daisy Ridley out on stage to reveal that the adventure would take place 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker and feature Rey Skywalker’s attempts to develop a New Jedi Order. Based on remarks from Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and from various other reports, this film is the most likely project to hit the big screen the soonest, possibly in 2025.
Confirmed: Rian Johnson Trilogy
Before writer/director Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi even hit theaters, Lucasfilm was so excited by what the filmmaker brought to the saga that they solidified plans to allow the filmmaker to head into uncharted waters with his new trilogy of films.
Lucasfilm’s initial slate of sequels and standalone films all involved familiar characters or events, while also delivering audiences brand-new characters and creating fresh journeys. From the initial announcement of Johnson’s films, fans knew that he would be telling a story that was almost completely disconnected from anything we found familiar with the franchise, other than his stories taking place in the same galaxy.
In the more than five years since this trilogy was announced, no official word has emerged on when the series will move forward, despite Johnson regularly confirming the project was still on the table and that it was up to Lucasfilm to determine where it would fit into their schedule.
Confirmed: Taika Waititi Film
Taika Waititi pulled off the impossible by reviving the Thor franchise, which had become the outlier in the successful Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Thor: Ragnarok, leading to a directing gig on The Mandalorian. It’s clear that the filmmaker has many more ideas on how to explore the galaxy far, far away, with Lucasfilm confirming that he would be directing an untitled movie from a script he will write with Krysty Wilson-Cairns.
While this news largely excited fans, some can’t help but be apprehensive, knowing that Waititi has a penchant for blending action and adventure with self-referential humor, similar to the style of filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller. With that pair departing Solo: A Star Wars Story due to conflicts over the film’s tone, the announcement of a Waititi film seems like it will inevitably lead to him departing the project, but having proven himself with both Ragnarok and The Mandalorian, as well as vocal frustrations from fans regarding Star Wars films over the last few years, likely means Waititi wouldn’t have signed on without ensuring a set amount of creative control or without Lucasfilm being interested in supporting his ambition, even if it might deviate from their traditional narrative formula.
The most recent update on the project’s possible timeline is Waititi himself saying the project could shoot in 2024.
Confirmed: Star Wars: Ahsoka
After being a beloved figure in the world of Star Wars animation, thanks to Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka Tano made her live-action debut in Season 2 of The Mandalorian, paving the way for her own solo series.
With Ahsoka’s live-action debut including the tease of her quest for Grand Admiral Thrawn, this was merely a hint of how we’ll see Rosario Dawson star in a series that will reunite Ahsoka with her Rebels allies Hera Syndulla and Sabine Wren. Star Wars: Ahsoka is set to premiere on Disney+ this August.
Confirmed: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Much like how The Mandalorian embarked on a new avenue of storytelling for the galaxy far, far away, the upcoming Disney+ series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew aims to similarly forge a new path for the saga. Rather than being in a new timeline or a new medium, Skeleton Crew will mark a live-action story that focuses on a group of young heroes and will embrace the spirit of ’80s adventure films.
Skeleton Crew will take place in the New Republic period of time and could feature crossover elements with The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Ahsoka. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2023.
Confirmed: Star Wars: The Acolyte
The upcoming Star Wars: The Acolyte is one of the more anticipated projects for the Star Wars saga, as it will be the first live-action project that takes place during the time of The High Republic.
The new series is described, “The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.”
The series comes from Leslye Headland and stars Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies) and feature Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), Jodie Turner-Smith (Murder Mystery 2), Dafne Keen (Logan), Dean-Charles Chapman (1917), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), and Margarita Levieva (Revenge). Star Wars: The Acolyte is expected to premiere in 2024.
Confirmed: Star Wars: Andor Season 2
Back in 2022, Star Wars: Andor proved what the power of storytelling could accomplish, as it was a story that centered on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story‘s Cassian Andor, a prequel adventure that arguably no one was asking for. Despite the unlikelihood of the project coming together in the first place, it proved to be a major hit with both audiences and critics.
Ensuring that the series can quit while it’s still ahead, a second season of the series is currently in production, with the events of the upcoming season set to run up to the timeline of Rogue One. Season 2 of Star Wars: Andor is anticipated for 2024.
Confirmed: Lando
Described as being a “limited event,” the upcoming Lando was one of the projects audiences were most excited about. While many other Star Wars series being developed focus on relatively new characters, this one will focus on Lando Calrissian, which will surely excite longtime fans of the franchise.
Coming from Dear White People and Bad Hair director Justin Simien, the series has yet to confirm the exact timeframe in which it will unfold. Since the announcement of Lando back in 2020, fans have wondered if we could expect Solo: A Star Wars Story‘s Donald Glover to reprise the role, and while he has confirmed that talks are still happening about the project, there’s no concrete updates on what the future holds for the project.
Confirmed: The Bad Batch Season 3
Following the unexpected cancellation of Star Wars: The Clone Wars back in 2014, fans had been hoping to get an official conclusion to the series for years. A final season of the animated show debuted on Disney+in 2021, and gave fans and the series’ heroes the closure they had been looking for. While it may have been a final season, those episodes of Clone Wars also planted the seed for the spinoff series Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
The concept of the “Bad Batch” of clones, who were discarded from the Republic’s clone army, has been discussed by Clone Wars creator Dave Filoni for years, with their official introduction in Clone Wars confirming not only the characters’ storytelling potential, but also fan interest in the characters. The first two seasons of The Bad Batch were a success, resulting in the confirmation of a third and final season of the series, which is expected for 2024.
Confirmed: Star Wars: A Droid Story
With C-3PO and R2-D2 centering the animated film, Star Wars: A Droid Story will see the pair embarking on a journey with an all-new hero. The project will see a partnership between Lucasfilm Animation and Industrial Light & Magic, so we can likely see the film embracing ambitious animation techniques to tell the story whenever it lands on Disney+.
Details about its actual narrative were ambiguous, so other than knowing that it features these beloved droids, we just know that it will take place at a time when they actually know each other, meaning either during the events of the prequel trilogy or after their “reunion” in Star Wars: A New Hope. A second season of the animated Star Wars: Visions just premiered on Disney+, proving the interest among fans of more animated projects.
Rumored: The Mandalorian Season 4
Some would think that a live-action Star Wars series would be a risky endeavor, but as proven by The Mandalorian, the mythology of the franchise lends itself perfectly to episodic storytelling.
While the first six films were ultimately the vision of George Lucas, The Mandalorian is largely guided by creator Jon Favreau, though one of the keys to its success has been his enlistment of a diverse group of filmmakers to helm various episodes. That trend is continued in Seasons 2 and 3 of the series, with Favreau himself teasing that he could see the series running up through a Season 5. With Season 3 only having concluded earlier this year, Lucasfilm and Disney+ have yet to confirm that a Season 4 would be developed.
Rumored: Star Wars Detours
The animated Star Wars Detours is a unique example of what could be in store for Lucasfilm, as the only rumor about it is whether or not it will ever be released.
Originally announced at Star Wars Celebration VI in 2012, Detours comes from the minds of the creators of Robot Chicken and offers audiences a more humorous take on Star Wars mythology. The acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney months later and the announcement of new films led to the series being put on hold indefinitely, as the studio didn’t want young viewers’ first exposure to the series being a humorous perspective.
What makes Detours so interesting is that, during a Reddit AMA, co-creator Seth Green confirmed that 39 episodes had been completed with more than 60 scripts having been finished.
While there have been no hints or teases that Detours will ever see the light of day, we can’t help but wonder if the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga and series like Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures skewing towards much younger audiences debuting online could result in this comedic series being unveiled online as opposed to alongside its various other Disney+ offerings.
Scrapped and Debunked Projects
In the years since The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm, various projects have either been reported or officially announced, only to suffer some complications in varying degrees. Some of these projects are as follows:
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
- Announced in 2020, the announcement of the film came with a video of filmmaker Patty Jenkins billing it as the greatest fighter-pilot movie of all time. Between scheduling conflicts and reported creative conflicts, the film hasn’t been ruled out entirely, as Kennedy even admitted that the concept could be revived or potentially reimagined as a TV series.
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss Films
- The Game of Thrones co-creators were announced as developing films for the franchise, only for them to part ways from the studio, with the pair citing their commitments to Netflix projects as the reason for the split. It’s unknown what these films would have explored.
J.D. Dillard Film
- While Lucasfilm never confirmed this project, it was reported by various outlets that the Devotion filmmaker was developing a project for the franchise, though Dillard himself has confirmed that these talks are no longer happening.
Kevin Feige Film
- Like the Dillard film, this was a project that was reported by trades and earned promising updates from various filmmakers, though Kennedy confirmed at Celebration that whatever these talks might have been, it was something in very early stages.
Star Wars: Rangers of the New Republic
- Announced in December of 2020, this series was expected to focus on Cara Dune and her adventures in the galaxy far, far away. With the studio parting ways with actor Gina Carano and other TV series incorporating planned elements of that series, the concept was shelved indefinitely.
Which Star Wars project are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!
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