Credit: LucasfilmLucasfilm’s ever-expanding galaxy is no stranger to canceled projects, and one of the most ambitious—dubbed the “First Jedi” trilogy—has officially been laid to rest. But from its ashes, a new story is rising, and it’s one fans won’t want to miss.
Back in April 2023, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy took center stage at Star Wars Celebration in London, offering fans a glimpse of the future.
The stakes were high following the divisive reaction to Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)—the last theatrical release that left the fanbase deeply divided. With big plans to reignite excitement, Kennedy revealed a slate of new films set to chart the galaxy’s future.
Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron was shelved (although reports suggest it’s back in development), Rian Johnson’s trilogy was put on indefinite pause, and Kevin Feige’s Star Wars movie was officially scrapped. Lucasfilm had to deliver, and Kennedy unveiled three new projects that sent fans into a frenzy.
One of these, helmed by Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny director James Mangold, will take fans back to the “Dawn of the Jedi,” exploring the origins of the Force itself. Another, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, will feature Daisy Ridley returning as Rey Skywalker to rebuild the Jedi Order in a post-First Order galaxy.
Finally, Dave Filoni, one of the masterminds behind The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, will direct a climactic feature tying together characters from the New Republic era, likely culminating in a showdown with Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).
After many reported production issues, the Obaid-Chinoy Rey movie has recently acquired yet another new writer in the form of The Bourne Ultimatum and Ocean’s 12‘s George Nolfi. The screenplay writer follows Damon Lindelof, Justin Britt-Gibson, and Steven Knight, who were all once attached to pen the script for this new entry into the galaxy far, far away.
As for Mangold’s “Dawn of the Jedi,” the movie also carries a history involving the canceled “First Jedi” project once spearheaded by Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
Originally announced in 2018, the trilogy was set to explore the very beginnings of the Jedi. At the time, Kennedy lauded Benioff and Weiss as “some of the best storytellers working today” and promised their vision would “break new ground” for the franchise. But their involvement quietly dissolved.
Reflecting on the project during an interview on Happy Sad Confused, Weiss said, “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 any overlap between their concept and Mangold’s upcoming film, Weiss graciously stated, “I love Jim. He’s a great dude. All the best of luck to him.”
Now, after languishing in Lucasfilm’s back pocket for almost two years, a new report suggests that the script (co-written by Andor‘s Beau Willmon) will be finished soon and casting done by summer. This means that filming, according to the report, will commence in December.
“Today, we have a positive update courtesy of scooper @MyTimeToShineH,” SFF Gazette wrote. “It’s said that the current plan is for the movie to begin shooting in December. The script, written by Mangold and Andor‘s Beau Willimon, will be completed by the summer and it’s then casting will begin.”
Before this new report, Mangold himself shed light on his vision for the new project.
Speaking to MovieWeb, Mangold said, “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] and that I was inspired by as a teenager. 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.”
Mangold’s comments touch on a recurring theme—the challenges of navigating Star Wars’ passionate and often divided fanbase. It’s a similar situation that The Acolyte, Lucasfilm’s Disney+ series, reportedly faced, with viewership struggles and polarized online discourse leading to its rumored cancellation after one season.
Earlier reports about the “Dawn of the Jedi” timeline were confirmed by Mangold himself during Star Wars Celebration Europe. Speaking with Empire Magazine, he revealed, “It takes place 25,000 years before Episode IV, and it’s about the discovery of the Force.”
He added that he envisioned the project as a grand, historical epic: “I told Kathy [Kennedy, head of Lucasfilm] I wanted to make a kind of Bible movie, a kind of Ten Commandments of Star Wars – kind of a Cecil B. DeMille film about the arrival of the Force, and that’s what I’ve been pecking away at between press events.”
As Mangold’s “Dawn of the Jedi” continues to take shape, Lucasfilm is readying the first major project on its theatrical roadmap. In early 2024, the studio revealed The Mandalorian and Grogu, directed by Jon Favreau, which promises to further expand the adventures of Din Djarin and the beloved Child.
Not only has James Mangold’s movie gained momentum–if these new reports are true–but so has Shawn Levy’s. The Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) filmmaker has been attached to the Star Wars franchise since 2022, but in recent weeks, new developments have surfaced that suggest it will star Ryan Gosling (Barbie, The Fall Guy) and will go into production as early as this Fall.
So, despite Disney and Lucasfilm scrapping its future December 2026 Star Wars release, it does seem that ground is being covered and the bricks are being laid to give the franchise the big screen return it deserves.
Are you more intrigued by Mangold’s “Dawn of the Jedi” now that production is seemingly moving fast? Share your thoughts in the comments below!