New Star Wars Film Reportedly in the Works From Sleight Director and Luke Cage Writer

With the home video release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker approaching, fans of the galaxy far, far away are wondering what could be next for the franchise in the world of feature films, with The Hollywood Reporter claiming that Sleight and Sweetheart director J.D. Dillard is working with Lucasfilm to develop an entry into the series. The project would also involve Luke Cage and Agents of SHIELD writer Matt Owens, though it’s unclear in what capacity the pair will be featured if the project moves forward. Whatever this project might be, it is reportedly disconnected from the projects that Kevin Feige and Rian Johnson are said to be developing.

One big question that this report posits is whether this film will be developed for the big screen or for Disney+. Currently, Lucasfilm has announced three release dates for Star Wars films, beginning in December of 2022 and continuing into December of 2024 and December of 2026. Previously, Disney CEO Bob Iger had revealed that Game of Thrones co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss would utilize at least the first of these three release dates, though their departure from the franchise last year conjured a number of theories about what this would mean for the franchise’s future.

Earlier this year, Iger reiterated that plans to develop theatrical endeavors would be put on “hiatus” and that Lucasfilm would be focusing on content for Disney+.

The debut of Disney+ coincided with the launch of The Mandalorian, the first live-action TV series for the franchise, which earned praise from both fans and critics alike. Created by Jon Favreau, the series replicated the scope and scale of recent genre efforts in the TV realm to deliver a story which, both in look and feel, rivaled any sci-fi experiences that could be witnessed in theaters.

Last December, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker landed in theaters, which earned the lowest critical ratings of any film in the entire franchise. This followed 2018’s release of Solo: A Star Wars Story, which earned the franchise’s lowest box office numbers.

It’s unclear what the future holds for the franchise in the theatrical space, as there have been no updates on the announced trilogy of films Star Wars: The Last Jedi writer/director Johnson was slated to develop since that project was announced back in 2017, while Marvel Studios president Feige is said to be involved with a project, though it is unconfirmed in what capacity he will be involved.

Stay tuned for details on the future of the Star Wars saga.

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