Lucasfilm Gets New Leadership as Live-Action Movies and TV Get Redeveloped
A major shift is happening in the galaxy far, far away as Lucasfilm wrestles with the future of its live-action slate.
Next year, Star Wars makes its grand return to the big screen with The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), a film directed by Jon Favreau. While it’s not confirmed if the movie will replace a fourth season of The Mandalorian, it will take center stage in Lucasfilm’s theatrical plans. This is despite Kathleen Kennedy previously announcing three other Star Wars movies in early 2023.
The three projects—helmed by James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy—are still reportedly in development, along with Patty Jenkins’ long-awaited Rogue Squadron, Shawn Levy’s untitled Star Wars project, and Simon Kinberg’s rumored new trilogy. But as Star Wars fans know, just because something is “in development” doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to happen.
James Mangold has confirmed his film will explore the earliest days of the Force, set 25,000 years before any previous Star Wars story. Meanwhile, Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey Skywalker project just added another writer, George Nolfi. Given that Kinberg’s trilogy is reportedly Episode X, XI, and XII, Rey’s future remains uncertain.
Levy’s film, on the other hand, is completely separate from the Skywalker Saga and is rumored to star Ryan Gosling in the lead role. And while Rogue Squadron has been on and off the schedule for years, it seems to be back in Lucasfilm’s plans—though there’s no word on when fans might see it.
On the TV side, Andor Season 2 is expected to arrive this year, while Dave Filoni is already working on Ahsoka Season 2. These series follow two 2024 releases—The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew—which saw mixed reactions. The Acolyte sparked a wave of discourse and was ultimately canceled by Disney, while Skeleton Crew fared slightly better critically but struggled with viewership.
The ever-changing landscape at Lucasfilm has led to some internal shake-ups. Rayne Roberts, the former Vice President of Development, has been replaced by Derek Hoffman.
According to TheWrap, “Derek Hoffman has been named as Lucasfilm’s new vice president of development.” The outlet continued, “Hoffman will oversee development of live-action projects. He replaces former longtime development exec Rayne Roberts, who left the company at the end of last year. Roberts co-developed The Acolyte with Leslye Headland, where she was credited as a producer.”
The Acolyte became a major talking point last year, as Leslye Headland’s series took Star Wars into new territory. While some fans embraced its bold storytelling, others fiercely criticized the show, its creators, and its cast, leading to a turbulent reception.
With Hoffman now leading live-action development, the question remains: what direction will Star Wars take next? With multiple films in the pipeline, how will these projects connect with audiences?
Lucasfilm’s bio on Hoffman highlights his impressive background, stating: “Getting his start with The Donners’ Company as a runner, he quickly moved into an assistant role for director Richard Donner and then to associate producer on the feature film Timeline and co-producer on 16 Blocks.”
The studio continues, “Derek next became a development executive and later vice president for the company where he worked on each film in the X-Men franchise, including as associate producer on X-Men: Days of Future Past.”
Hoffman also played a key role in Legion and The Gifted, both of which brought X-Men stories to the small screen. Now, he’s set to shape the future of Star Wars live-action storytelling.
How do you feel about Derek Hoffman’s appointment? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
