Disney’s ‘Star Wars’ Suspension Leads to Highly Anticipated Movie Reboot: Report
More news from a galaxy far, far away points toward a full theatrical revival for Star Wars.
Nearly seven years will have passed between theatrical outings by the time the franchise returns to multiplexes. Since the release of Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, Lucasfilm’s attention has largely shifted to Disney+, where The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and the Skeleton Crew have all expanded the post-Return of the Jedi timeline.
Now, the storylines shepherded by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are making the leap to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu (2025). The project seemingly replaces what would have been The Mandalorian Season 4, while also serving as Favreau and Filoni’s first feature-length film.
Disney has set the release for May 22, 2026. Originally, another Star Wars project was scheduled for December of that year, with speculation pointing to Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey Skywalker film. That slot has since been reassigned to 20th Century’s Ice Age 6.
The Mandalorian and Grogu was, until recently, the only confirmed Star Wars film on Disney’s calendar. However, Lucasfilm later confirmed that Shawn Levy’s film, Star Wars: Starfighter, will arrive in May 2027. Starring Ryan Gosling, the movie is set roughly five years after Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker.
While Starfighter is moving forward, other long-announced projects continue to stall. According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, Lucasfilm quietly shelved Taika Waititi’s Star Wars entry—the one the filmmaker previously described as something that would “piss people off.” In contrast, Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron has returned to active development.
The Wonder Woman (2017) director reflected on her shifting relationship with the galaxy during an interview earlier this year.
“So, when I left Star Wars to do Wonder Woman 3, I thought maybe I’ll come back to Star Wars after Wonder Woman 3,” Jenkins told Collider in March 2024. “So we did a deal for that to happen, started a deal, but I thought I was doing Wonder Woman.”
“When that went away, Lucasfilm and I were like, oh, we gotta finish this deal. We finished the deal right as the [WGA/SAG-AFTRA] strike was happening. So I now owe a draft of Star Wars and so we will see what happens there. You know, like, who knows?” she added.
On the franchise’s uncertain big-screen future, Jenkins explained:
“It’s hard, they have a hard job in front of them of what’s the first movie they’re gonna do,” she said. “They have other directors who have been working, but I am now, you know, I’m back on doing Rogue Squadron and we’ll see what happens. We need to develop, you know, get it to where we’re both super happy with it.”
Daniel Richtman has since doubled down, with The Direct reporting: “According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron movie is back in development at Lucasfilm. Specifically, Richtman revealed the news via Patreon, simply confirming that Lucasfilm took it off the shelf and that it is currently being worked on in some capacity.”
Announced in December 2020, Rogue Squadron was once pitched as a chance to showcase a new generation of fighter pilots. After its removal from Disney’s release slate in 2021, prospects looked slim. Richtman’s latest report indicates renewed development, though no release date has been locked.
Lucasfilm continues to weigh several other ambitious projects. Daisy Ridley will return as Rey Skywalker in a film centered on founding a new Jedi Order. Dave Filoni is preparing a feature designed to wrap up the New Republic storyline, while James Mangold will direct Dawn of the Jedi, exploring the origins of the Force.
Waititi, meanwhile, has been open about his slow-going approach. Promoting Next Goal Wins in 2023, he told The Kelly Clarkson Show: “I’ve been developing [the Star Wars film] for a few years, but I think with any film, but that one in particular, it’s something I’d really like to get right, so I don’t want to rush it. It’s going to bubble along on the side.”
Reports now suggest that bubble has burst, though Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy later claimed the filmmaker’s project could still happen in the future. With the studio’s track record of canceling films, skepticism remains.
In addition, producer Simon Kinberg is said to be developing a new trilogy that could potentially serve as Episodes X through XII. That development raises further questions about how Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey film—which was believed to be Episode X—fits into the overall roadmap.
The future of Star Wars continues to expand even as Lucasfilm reassesses its theatrical direction. With established characters returning and entirely new stories on the horizon, the saga is preparing to evolve in ways that remain unpredictable.
