The ambitious “First Jedi” trilogy has officially been shelved, but in true Star Wars fashion, its cancellation paved the way for an exciting new chapter in the galaxy far, far away.
During Star Wars Celebration in London back in April 2023, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy took the stage to unveil the franchise’s future. After the divisive reception to Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)—the last theatrical release that left fans polarized—there was palpable anticipation for Kennedy to reignite the spark.
With Rogue Squadron by Patty Jenkins shelved (but now reportedly back in development), Rian Johnson’s trilogy on pause, and Kevin Feige’s Star Wars project scrapped, Lucasfilm needed a bold, fresh strategy. Fans were left buzzing when Kennedy announced three new feature films designed to explore uncharted corners of the Star Wars timeline.
Among the newly revealed projects was the “Dawn of the Jedi” movie, helmed by Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny director James Mangold. This film promises to explore the origins of the Force, marking the earliest point in Star Wars history ever depicted on-screen. Meanwhile, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s “New Jedi Order” movie will see Daisy Ridley return as Rey Skywalker, rebuilding the Jedi Order in the post-First Order era. Finally, Dave Filoni—widely considered Lucasfilm’s golden boy—will direct a climactic feature tying together The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and other New Republic stories, with fans speculating about a showdown with Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).
But while Mangold’s “Dawn of the Jedi” ushers in a bold new era, it bears a bittersweet connection to a long-abandoned project: the so-called “First Jedi” trilogy initially championed by Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
Announced in 2018, the trilogy aimed to explore the origins of the Jedi. At the time, Kathleen Kennedy praised Benioff and Weiss as “some of the best storytellers working today” and said their vision would “break new ground” for the saga. However, following backlash over the final season of Game of Thrones, their involvement quietly dissolved.
Speaking with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Weiss opened up about the project, stating, “I think we got relatively far story-wise with the first one. We had a basic roadmap for the other two. It was a shame. The truth is, our batting average on things conceived to things actually finished has never been tremendously high, and there will always be ones that get away for various reasons.”
When asked about similarities between their scrapped trilogy and Mangold’s new film, Weiss offered only kind words, saying, “I love Jim. He’s a great dude. All the best of luck to him.”
Mangold, meanwhile, has provided new details about his project, reinforcing prior reports about its timeline. Speaking to MovieWeb while promoting his upcoming film, A Complete Unknown (2024), he revealed:
“The Star Wars movie would be taking place 25,000 years before any known Star Wars movies take place. It’s an area and a playground that I’ve always [wanted to explore]… I’m not that interested in being handcuffed by so much lore at this point that it’s almost immovable, and you can’t please anybody.”
This sentiment echoes his comments to Empire Magazine during Star Wars Celebration Europe, where Mangold shared his grand vision for the film. Interestingly, its place in the timeline will officially see it replace The Acolyte as the furthest Star Wars has gone back in time in live-action.
“It takes place 25,000 years before Episode IV, and it’s about the discovery of the Force,” he explained, likening the project to historical epics. “I told Kathy [Kennedy] I wanted to make a kind of Bible movie, a kind of Ten Commandments of Star Wars – a Cecil B. DeMille film about the arrival of the Force, and that’s what I’ve been pecking away at between press events. That’s the idea.”
While “Dawn of the Jedi” moves forward, Lucasfilm will return to the screen with another major project: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), directed by Jon Favreau, as part of the evolving Star Wars roadmap. Though details remain under wraps, the project is expected to include Pedro Pascal as the voice of Din Djarin, albeit with potential limits on his live-action involvement due to commitments to The Last of Us Season 2 and The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025).
What do you think? Would you have preferred the “First Jedi” trilogy, or are you excited for Mangold’s “Dawn of the Jedi”? Let us know in the comments below!
