Credit: Inside The MagicAfter some significant delays announced at its box office, Disney has finally revealed the official release dates for its new upcoming Star Wars films, which are set after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Here’s what we know.
Disney Announces Release Dates for the New Star Wars Movies; Rey Will Return in 2026
Earlier this year, Disney made the official announcement that more Star Wars films would be released in the coming years, with one movie set after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), bringing back Daisy Ridley’s controversial Rey character – with some familiar faces set to appear as well (maybe Luke and Anakin?). The announcement was made at this year’s Star Wars Celebration event in April in Europe.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will direct the film and put Star Wars 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker when Rey will be tasked with rebuilding the Jedi Order, which Luke set out to do after the events of Return of the Jedi. The film will take Guests through uncharted territory in the Star Wars universe, with new characters and the hopes of undoing all the wrongs the sequel trilogy did, like killing off the only remaining Skywalker – Ben Solo. Disney announced that Obaid-Chinoy’s Star Wars film would be released in cinemas worldwide in May of 2026.
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The Next Star Wars Films Will Be Set In Different Timelines
Aside from Rey returning to the Star Wars universe, two more films are releasing in cinemas that will take place in different timelines, which fans have never seen, giving us a glimpse into what to expect from future projects from Lucasfilm and Disney. The following films will take place during the subsequent eras:
- Dawn of the Jedi
- The High Republic
These eras were announced during this year’s European Star Wars Celebration event. Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny (2023) director James Mangold is set to direct the films set thousands of years in the past, focusing on the first ever Jedi to rise in the galaxy. Here are some comments from Mangold on his upcoming Star Wars movie:
When I first started talking to [Kathleen Kennedy] about doing one of these pictures, what occurred to me was thinking about what kind of genre of movie within Star Wars I wanted to do.
And I thought about a biblical epic, like a Ten Commandments, about the dawning of the Force. Where did the Force come from? When did we discover it? When did we learn how to use it?
– James Mangold on his upcoming ‘Star Wars’ film
Mangold’s film will either release on December 18, 2026, or December 17, 2027.
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Dave Feloni Will Finally Direct a Live-Action Film
After years of fans calling out to Disney and Lucasfilm to let legendary Star Wars enthusiast, director, and producer Dave Filoni finally direct a live-action Star Wars film, it would seem Disney has listened and responded – FINALLY. Filoni’s film will bring together all the Disney+ shows he’s worked on thus far, bringing them all to an epic conclusion on the big screen. Shows like The Mandalorian (2019), The Book of Boba Fett (2022), and Ahsoka (2023).
The film is set to be a cinematic event that will bring all the characters we have come to love and enjoy on these shows to unite under one film and conclude their stories respectively. The movie is set to take place after Return of the Jedi (1983) and before The Force Awakens (2015). This film will either be released in December of 2026 or December of 2027. The reason behind this is that Disney has only released the following dates as official dates for Star Wars films: May 2026, December 2026, and December 2027.
Our guess is as good as yours regarding which film will take which release date. But one can guess that the new Rey movie will be released before any other films as Disney attempts to right their wrongs from the sequel trilogy. We are all hoping for Finn and maybe even Poe to make appearances. Rumor has it that Rey won’t even be the main character in her movie, with a new character taking front and center stage.
What are your thoughts on the new release dates for the upcoming Star Wars movies? Which movie are you most excited about?
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