The future of Star Wars might look bright on paper, but behind the curtain, it appears to be a web of shifting timelines, competing visions, and sudden shake-ups. Disney and Lucasfilm’s galaxy-spanning ambitions remain as grand as ever, but clarity around what’s actually moving forward continues to blur.
At Star Wars Celebration Europe in April 2023, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy unveiled an ambitious trio of theatrical films helmed by James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. These joined previously discussed projects from Shawn Levy and Taika Waititi, while a once-sidelined Rogue Squadron film from Patty Jenkins was rumored to be flying again.
Each project aimed to carve out a unique slice of the franchise. Mangold’s would go deeper into Star Wars mythology than ever before, tracing the roots of the Force itself. Filoni’s movie promised a crossover-style event, interweaving The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, and The Book of Boba Fett into a single narrative.
But 2024 brought a major curveball. Lucasfilm confirmed that Jon Favreau would direct The Mandalorian and Grogu, officially arriving in 2026. The project not only advances the beloved characters’ journey to the big screen but also closes the chapter on the Disney+ series, with reports suggesting a fourth season is no longer in the works.
That decision impacts the entire schedule. Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey-centric film, set years after 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker, had been expected to follow shortly after. While working titles such as New Jedi Order and A New Beginning have circulated, nothing has been locked in.
Then came another twist. On November 7, 2024, Lucasfilm revealed that Simon Kinberg—best known for producing The Martian and directing X-Men: Dark Phoenix—would write and produce a brand-new Star Wars trilogy.
“The new story is not meant to be a continuation of the Skywalker Saga, the name of the overall arc of the popular and pop culture-dominating Star Wars movies known as Episodes 1 through 9,” The Hollywood Reporter wrote.
“The intent here is to have brand new characters and a new story, and not have it be a continuation, sources tell [THR]. (Although that does not mean that some characters could not or would not pop up.)”
The announcement sparked immediate speculation. Would Kinberg’s vision sideline Obaid-Chinoy’s already announced project? While Kennedy confirmed that Kinberg’s trilogy will take the franchise in a bold new direction, there may be creative overlap that complicates Rey’s story arc.
“But Rey, the scavenger-turned-Jedi played by Daisy Ridley in the last three episode movies, is key to the franchise’s next turn,” THR added. “That potentially puts Kinberg’s trilogy story development, as early in its conceptual stages as it may be, on a collision course with the Rey standalone movie that is actively in the works with director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.”
A source told the outlet, “[Rey] is the most valuable cinematic asset, in some ways maybe the only one, Star Wars has right now.”
At last update, Ocean’s Twelve (2004) screenwriter George Nolfi was attached to pen the Rey project. But according to a recent report, that film has now hit pause again.
“According to scooper Daniel Richtman, ‘The Rey movie is on hold once again, as both the Shawn Levy and James Mangold Star Wars films are moving forward first. The project is not canceled — just temporarily on hold,’” SFF Gazette reported.
Levy’s film—revealed at Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo—is now slated to follow The Mandalorian and Grogu. Titled Star Wars: Starfighter (2027), it stars Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth and picks up five years after The Rise of Skywalker.
Meanwhile, Mangold’s project is apparently gaining momentum. Years ago, Lucasfilm had tapped Game of Thrones creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff to tackle a trilogy about the Force’s ancient origins. Though that trilogy was scrapped, Mangold’s concept now appears to share some of that DNA—something both he and the former showrunners have acknowledged in interviews.
As debate swirls and fans scrutinize Disney’s strategy—particularly regarding the stalled New Jedi Order movie—some have taken matters into their own hands. Fan channel Darth Trailer released a concept trailer for a would-be Episode X: New Jedi Order, keeping Rey in the spotlight.
With projects shifting constantly and no single direction taking hold, the years ahead may prove pivotal in deciding what Star Wars becomes on the silver screen.
