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Credit: LucasfilmLucasfilm is officially moving past its choppy summer with a new big-screen release coming this December.
In June 2024, Lucasfilm began airing its latest TV show on Disney+. The Acolyte from creator Lesyle Headland took the Star Wars franchise the furthest back in the timeline for a live-action project, bringing audiences to the end of the High Republic Era. Showcasing the rise of Sith powers in the galaxy after the Golden Age of the Jedi, The Acolyte explored the Force in a way not seen before in the canon.
Yet despite expanding the almost five-decade-old franchise in new ways, fan response was hugely mixed, with discourse about canon, timeline, and diversity flaring to heights not seen since the controversial release of Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII–The Last Jedi (2017).
A show led by a queer woman, with multiple people of color in its leading cast, was always going to be a hurdle for Disney and Lucasfilm. In this current political and culturally-charged digital age, for some, inclusion equals “woke,” meaning The Acolyte had an uphill battle ever since it was announced as a “female-centric” Star Wars show.
While The Acolyte‘s nine-episode first season left many questions unanswered, including how both Darth Plagueis and Jedi Master Yoda play into the story, Lucasfilm canceled the show, citing low viewership. While low ratings were the reason for the cancelation, many still think the studio gave too much weight to the “toxic fans” who continually trashed the show and its cast week after week.
With The Acolyte‘s fate confirmed, many now wonder if it will eventually be purged from Disney+ and made forbidden media like Lucasfilm’s 2022 show Willow. That is not the case right now, and The Acolyte remains firmly on the Disney streaming service. Looking ahead, though, a new show will soon replace it as Lucasfilm’s latest entry into the canon.
Originally planned for a December 3 release, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will now drop a day earlier on December 2, 2024. The two-episode premiere will now air on Monday evening at 6 p.m. PT and 9 p.m. ET. But that’s not all. Skeleton Crew‘s first two episodes are also hitting the big screen, and free tickets are being made available through Fandango for Star Wars fans.
“The Skeleton Crew screenings are only taking place in select U.S. markets. There are 25 theaters participating, and as of this writing, 17 of those locations are sold out,” wrote Comic Book on November 26. “It’s important to keep in mind that the event is first come, first served, so fans should get their tickets as soon as possible if they want to attend.”
Skeleton Crew takes place in the same timeframe as the Mando-Verse shows such as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka and follows a group of four children—Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith)—who get lost in the galaxy after discovering something on their home planet.
Along the way, they encounter Jude Law’s Jod Na Nawood, an enigmatic Force user.
Skeleton Crew was created by Jon Watts and Christopher Ford and is described as a coming-of-age story set within the world of Star Wars. The show seemingly aims to tap into the popularity of kid-centric shows like Stranger Things. The arrival of Skeleton Crew in theaters closes the book on The Acolyte, firmly beginning a new chapter for the franchise.
While it is exciting to have Star Wars back on the big screen, it’s not truly in the way that fans want. There has been a drought since the climax of Disney’s sequel trilogy when J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker (2019) closed out the lukewarmly received series of films.
Related: ‘Star Wars’ Show Canceled, Future of ‘Ahsoka’ Now Changed Forever: Report
Audiences will have to wait until May 2026 for their next trip to see a Star Wars movie in theaters when Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu lands. The movie, which will seemingly replace The Mandalorian Season 4 and tell the next installment of Din Djarin and Din Grogu’s story, was announced at the top of the year, despite Kathleen Kennedy’s previous reveal of three new movies last April.
There’s no word on whether the other Mando-Verse characters will be featured in The Mandalorian and Grogu; this crossover will likely be saved for Dave Filoni’s future movie that is said to adopt the “Heir to the Empire” storyline and close out the New Republic era of Star Wars.
The Mando-Verse/New Republic era is what Lucasfilm has poured most of its energy into over the last half a decade. However, new information came to light earlier this month when it was revealed that X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) writer and director Simon Kinberg had been tapped to produce a new trilogy for the studio.
Whether or not this is episodes X through XII is yet to be seen, but it does pose the question of how Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey Skywalker movie–currently known as New Jedi Order–will now fit into the franchise.
Adding to the confusion is that the December 18, 2026, release slot saved for a Star Wars movie has now been replaced with Ice Age 6 (2026). Will a new post-sequel era movie ever materialize?
How do you feel about Skeleton Crew hitting the big screen? Do you think The Acolyte will ever have closure? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!