Disney Confirms New ‘Star Wars’ Series Set Before Controversial Sequel Trilogy
The Star Wars galaxy is circling back to familiar territory as a new story arc promises to revisit–and revise–the narrative groundwork laid by Disney’s sequel trilogy.
Han Solo remains one of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars canon. Brought to life by Harrison Ford in the original trilogy, and later reimagined by Alden Ehrenreich in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), the character’s arc spans from rogue smuggler to legendary hero.
First introduced in Star Wars: Episode IV–A New Hope (1977), Han began as a self-serving mercenary whose priorities revolved around survival and credits. Over time, however, he evolved into a key figure in the Rebel Alliance, deeply entwined with Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), whom he eventually married.
His journey continued in Disney’s sequel trilogy, where his fate grew darker. In The Force Awakens (2015), Han is confronted by the devastating reality of his son, Ben Solo, who had fallen to the dark side and become Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Their reunion ended in tragedy as Ben killed his father, marking one of the franchise’s most emotional moments.
Ford’s return for J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens, alongside Fisher and Mark Hamill, was a major anchor for Disney’s next phase of the saga. While the film was met with general praise and huge box office returns, the trajectory of the trilogy would soon become far more contentious.
Though The Force Awakens garnered largely positive reactions, the trilogy’s follow-ups stirred far more division. Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi (2017) upended expectations so thoroughly that some fans launched online movements calling for a complete redo of the series. Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker (2019) was no less controversial, especially due to the revival of Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) and the reveal of Rey’s (Daisy Ridley) lineage.
The criticism weighed heavily on Disney’s cinematic output. Since The Rise of Skywalker wrapped up its theatrical run in December 2019, no new Star Wars films have graced the big screen. That’s set to change next year with Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu, followed by Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter in 2027. Levy’s film, set five years post-Rise of Skywalker, stars Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth.
Even as Lucasfilm charts new territory, it continues to reexamine its past, including the years before The Force Awakens. Now, that lens focuses squarely on Han Solo.
Lucasfilm is introducing a new five-part comic book series that aims to flesh out the timeline leading up to The Force Awakens, particularly around Han Solo’s lost ship.
“Less than satisfied with a settled life, Han Solo lands on the idea of reclaiming the Falcon and returning to a life of adventure. The problem is, he can’t find it,” reads the official synopsis. “After enlisting a less than enthusiastic Chewbacca, the duo embarks upon a quest to reclaim the greatest ship in the galaxy. Standing in their way are a laundry list of rogues who have staked a claim to the Millennium Falcon as well, like the villainous scoundrel who stole the Falcon, Ducain.”
This storyline fills in a notable blank from The Force Awakens, which never explained how the Millennium Falcon slipped out of Han’s grasp.
Titled “Han Solo—Hunt for the Falcon,” the series is written by Rodney Barnes and debuts this fall. For Barnes, the project hits close to home. “’Han Solo–Hunt for the Falcon’ is a dream come true,” he told Newsarama (via ComicBook). “Han, Leia, Chewbacca and Lando were my heroes as a kid. To write an adventure that includes that quartet (and more!) is truly an honor. One huge check off my bucket list!”
Editor Mark Paniccia also shared his excitement: “Rodney is pulling all these characters who’ve had history with the Falcon and having them cross their deadly paths. It’s a very fun ride that captures the heart of who Han Solo is while throwing him into some ‘uncomfortable’ situations. And [artist] Ramon Rosanas is doing some of the best work of his career on this. This is a special project for him and the detail he brings to the ships and locations is magnificent.”
The series launches on September 3, 2025.
With Star Wars continuing to fill in the blanks left by the sequel trilogy, fans are once again faced with the evolving legacy of a galaxy far, far away.
Is this the Han Solo story we needed all along?
