Credit: LucasfilmAfter a long silence, the Star Wars machine is back in motion. Thrusters are at maximum, the hyperdrive engine is engined, co-ordinates are mapped: there’s a star map for where the galaxy is headed next, and all systems are go. While the saga of Anakin Skywalker’s descent into becoming Darth Vader, and Luke Skywalker’s heroism will always cast a long shadow over any Star Wars fan, the future promises uncharted territory.
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Yes, the story of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), Boba Fett (Temeura Morrison), Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and many more will continue to fill in the spaces between the Skywalker Saga’s volumes. But new to the table are stories set in the distant past, from the High Republic to further back than we’ve ever ventured, and the uncharted future, beyond Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise Of Skywalker (2019). Let’s find out what’s next…
Where Is The Star Wars Galaxy At Currently?
Theatrically, Star Wars may have been on something of a hiatus, but on streaming, it has never been busier. Disney+ has opened the doors for content covering both characters old and new, across animation and live action, giving us hours of time in the Star Wars galaxy and in corners we’ve never seen before…
Where Have The Movies Left Us?
The last time we saw Star Wars on the big screen was 2019’s The Rise Of Skywalker, one of the most controversial entries in the saga. Arriving to a less than lukewarm response, many fans levied criticism that Rise seemed to pander too much to the critics of the previous film, 2017’s Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi.
After somehow, Palpatine returned (Poe Dameron/ Oscar Isaac’s words, not mine), our heroes united the galaxy in a last stand against the resurrected Sith Lord on the stormy, dark world of Exegol. The revelation that Rey (Daisy Ridley) was a Palpatine herself, alongside her status as part of a ‘Dyad’ in the Force with Ben Solo/ Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), made for a climactic confrontation. In the skies, Finn (John Boyega) leads the charge against the First Order’s Sith Eternal fleet.
Joined by the spirits of the Jedi that went before her, with the voices of everyone from Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) to Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) reverberating through the Force, she defied Palpatine’s ferocious attacks to overcome his evil and banish him once and for all. The fight took everything she had, and she dies on the throne room floor. Solo, in turn, uses the last of his energy to heal her with the Force, bringing her back to life in time to share a kiss before he dies himself.
Outside, the newly gathered Resistance fleet overcomes the First Order, and celebrations ring out across the galaxy once more. On Tatooine, we see Rey at the Lars homestead, there to bury Luke and Leia’s lightsabers. When a passerby asks her for her name, she answers: “Rey Skywalker”. Nearby, we see the Force ghosts of Luke (Mark Hamill) and Leia (Carrie Fisher) watching on.
Where Are The TV Shows Up To?
Star Wars on TV is far more numerous and across many different timeline points than theatrically. We’ll tackle them chronologically here.
In Star Wars: The Bad Batch, set not long after the conclusion of Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith (2005), we saw our Clone Force 99 heroes (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) lose their ward Omega (Michelle Ang) to the sinister Imperial research division on Mount Tantiss. There was a jaw-dropping ending as it was revealed that Omega’s sister was one of the Imperial scientists we had seen throughout the show’s run so far, working for the malevolent and cold Dr Hemlock (Jimmi Simpson).
In Andor, set before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (1977), we left court titular hero on the precipice of well and truly joining the rebellion itself, now fully forming into a cohesive movement.
Finally, in The Mandalorian, set after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983), things reached something of a definitive chapter close for our central heroes, as Moff Gideon was seemingly destroyed in the destruction of the Imperial Remnant base on the scorched world of Mandalore. Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) had led the united Mandalorian people to victory against the enemy and found proof that life could indeed begin again on their home world. Grogu (Baby Yoda, as himself) was also officially adopted as Din Grogu, and the pair were content at their new homestead on Nevarro, with Djarin having actioned a deal with the New Republic for them both to begin helping in the hunt for any remaining Imperials on the Outer Rim.
What’s Next For Star Wars On Screen?
So that’s where Star Wars is at right now. But where is it going? April’s Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 gave us a whole host of announcements, and all signs point to a bright future for Star Wars both on the big and small screen in the years to come…
What Was Announced At Star Wars Celebration?
The London event was key to unlocking the future of Star Wars, with key Lucasfilm leaders, from Kathleen Kennedy to Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, taking to the convention’s many stages to announce what’s next. Two things that aren’t? More Obi-Wan Kenobi and Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron movie, at least not in the near future.
But elsewhere, there’s plenty to look forward to. Tony Gilroy took to the stage to give the audience an exclusive look at Andor season two, which promises to up the stakes and the pace as it races towards placing Cassian straight into the events of Rogue One at it’s conclusion. That’s currently due to drop in August next year.
In the world of animation, The Bad Batch are set to return for a third and final season, announced during a panel looking at the show’s run so far. The preview footage shown saw Omega still within Mt. Tantiss, but looking for a way out, and Emperor Palpatine himself arriving to look over proceedings.
There was also the announcement of a second season of Dave Filoni’s Tales Of The Jedi, the shortform animated stories filling in additional stories around some of the galaxy’s most iconic lightsaber wielders. The first season saw stories focused around Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku, but featured cameos from others such as Yaddle and Mace Windu along the way. There’s no date on this one, but that only adds to the anticipation of seeing what — and who — they come up with.
Looking ahead to the future — or should that be the deep past? — is Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte, set in the time of the High Republic, more than 200 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace (1999). The High Republic will be making its live-action debut in this show, bringing the diverse, textured world established in the books, audiobooks, and comics to life on screen for a story centered around the rise of evil in the galaxy and a point of view firmly in the Dark Side.
Back further still is one of the projects we know very little about: a film following the first ever Jedi, directed by Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s James Mangold. It’s promised to be an epic firmly in the Biblical mode. Closer to the Star Wars we know is Dave Filoni’s Mando-verse film, which looks to bring big screen heft in a climactic tale drawing together the characters who have appeared in all the Mandalorian adjacent shows so far. Expect Din Djarin, Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and no doubt many more to put in an appearance here.
Finally, and my personal highlight, is the announcement of the return of Daisy Ridley’s Rey. She will star in a movie following the New Jedi Order, set 15 years after the events of The Rise Of Skywalker, and following her character as she leads a new generation of Jedi against the rise of a new threat to the galaxy. Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will direct that movie, and rumor has it John Boyega could be back as Finn.
What Star Wars Content Is Coming Later This Year?
With all that Star Wars goodness to come in the future, let’s not lose sight of what we have yet to come much sooner. Despite us already being treated to the Andor finale, Bad Batch, and the third season of The Mandalorian this year, there’s still much more to come.
On May the 4th, Star Wars Day, pre-school High Republic animation Young Jedi Adventures will make it’s debut on Disney+ — and by Young Jedi Adventures, I mean Nubs. Everyone’s favourite blue-furred Youngling, voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, is already a fan favorite, and the show hasn’t even dropped yet (although you can get a head start via the YouTube shorts on Disney Junior).
Also releasing on May 4th is the second volume of Star Wars: Visions. This animated compendium sees animation studios worldwide given free license to do what they want with the Star Wars IP. The first volume was quite centered around showcasing traditional Japanese animation. This second volume opens up slightly more, incorporating studios from Brazil to Ireland and showcasing some of the very best animations the world has to offer.
In August, we will see Rosario Dawson return once more to the role of Ahsoka Tano for the Dave Filoni-led Ahsoka series. Appearing alongside her is something of a soft launched live action Star Wars: Rebels reunion, with Mary Elizabeth Winstead joining the cast as Hera Syndulla and Natasha Liu Bordizzo bringing Mandalorian artist Sabine Wren to life. After seeing Zeb pop up in this season of The Mandalorian and the trailer revealing Lars Mikkelsen’s Grand Admiral Thrawn to be a major threat, this looks set to be an exciting live-action continuation of the story first established in that much-loved animation.
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When Is The Next Star Wars Movie Due?
There’s no firm dates in place, but rumor has it — alongside Gizmodo — that it could be December 19, 2025 before we see the New Jedi Order movie in cinemas.
What are you most excited for in the future of Star Wars? Tell us in the comments below.