Credit: LucasfilmThere’s no shortage of activity in the galaxy far, far away, but with each announcement, a fresh layer of confusion seems to take hold. Lucasfilm’s evolving slate of theatrical releases has Star Wars fans excited—but also scratching their heads—as the studio juggles overlapping timelines, ambitious projects, and sudden pivots that continue to reshape the franchise’s cinematic future.
At Star Wars Celebration Europe in April 2023, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy revealed a trio of new films in development. Directors James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy were announced as the creative leads behind these projects, joining previously discussed entries from Shawn Levy and Taika Waititi. Meanwhile, Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron, which had previously been shelved, was said to be back in motion.
Each film brings its own flavor to the Star Wars mythos. Mangold’s entry promises to explore the earliest origins of the Force, taking the saga into previously uncharted territory. Filoni’s film, meanwhile, is building toward an expansive crossover event that’s expected to weave together storylines from The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett, and Skeleton Crew.
Then came a major twist in early 2024. Less than a year after the celebration announcement, Lucasfilm revealed that Jon Favreau would be directing The Mandalorian and Grogu, slated for 2026. The project, designed to bring Din Djarin and Grogu to the big screen, effectively concludes The Mandalorian on Disney+. Reports soon followed that a fourth season of the hit series was no longer in active development.
This development has led to a ripple effect across the broader film slate. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s film, set years after Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker (2019) and starring Daisy Ridley as Rey Skywalker rebuilding the Jedi Order, was initially thought to be next in line. Two possible titles—New Jedi Order and A New Beginning—have circulated, though neither has been confirmed.
Further complicating the roadmap, Lucasfilm made another significant announcement on November 7, 2024. Simon Kinberg—known for directing X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) and producing The Martian (2015)—was tapped to develop a brand-new Star Wars trilogy as both writer and producer.
“The new story is not meant to be a continuation of the Skywalker Saga, the name of the overall arc of the popular and pop culture-dominating Star Wars movies known as Episodes 1 through 9,” The Hollywood Reporter noted in its coverage of Kinberg’s hiring.
“The intent here is to have brand new characters and a new story, and not have it be a continuation, sources tell [THR]. (Although that does not mean that some characters could not or would not pop up.)”
That announcement sparked immediate speculation about whether Kinberg’s trilogy could conflict with Obaid-Chinoy’s film. Both projects appear to point Star Wars in separate directions, prompting concern over how Lucasfilm will reconcile the two visions. Kennedy later confirmed that Kinberg’s trilogy aims to carve out a distinctly new path, seemingly distancing itself from the Skywalker legacy.
“But Rey, the scavenger-turned-Jedi played by Daisy Ridley in the last three episode movies, is key to the franchise’s next turn,” THR reported. “That potentially puts Kinberg’s trilogy story development, as early in its conceptual stages as it may be, on a collision course with the Rey standalone movie that is actively in the works with director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.”
One source told THR, “[Rey] is the most valuable cinematic asset, in some ways maybe the only one, Star Wars has right now.” George Nolfi (The Banker) was previously confirmed as the writer for the film—until a recent update cast doubt on the timeline once again.
“According to scooper Daniel Richtman, ‘The Rey movie is on hold once again, as both the Shawn Levy and James Mangold Star Wars films are moving forward first. The project is not canceled — just temporarily on hold,'” SFF Gazette reported.
Now, despite the confusion over whether the next Rey Skywalker chapter will actually get off the ground, a new report has claimed that the New Jedi Order era will be the main franchise replacement for the Mando-Verse. Daniel Richtman has once again offered a scoop (via Cosmic Marvel).
Lucasfilm’s plans for the ‘Star Wars: New Jedi Order’ era have reportedly been revealed:
• It will be similar to the Mandoverse.
• It will begin with Daisy Ridley’s upcoming film.
• It will gradually build toward a major event that brings together characters introduced in past films.
Lucasfilm’s plans for the ‘Star Wars: New Jedi Order’ era have reportedly been revealed:
• It will be similar to the Mandoverse.
• It will begin with Daisy Ridley’s upcoming film.
• It will gradually build toward a major event that brings together characters introduced in… pic.twitter.com/Fy7kSYJMwz
— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) August 5, 2025
Shawn Levy’s project was already expected to follow The Mandalorian and Grogu, following its official reveal during Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo. Titled Star Wars: Starfighter (2027), the film will star Ryan Gosling, Mia Goth, and Matt Smith, and is set roughly five years after The Rise of Skywalker.
Perhaps even more surprising is that Mangold’s film is now reportedly moving up the priority list. Years ago, Lucasfilm had enlisted Game of Thrones creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff to develop a trilogy exploring the Force’s beginnings. Though that effort stalled, its themes appear to be living on through Mangold’s upcoming film. The director and others involved have recently acknowledged the connection in interviews.
As debates swirl online about the future of Star Wars and frustration mounts over Disney’s approach to projects like The New Jedi Order, some fans have taken to filling in the gaps themselves. One popular YouTube channel, Darth Trailer, created a conceptual teaser for Rey’s next chapter, imagining it as Star Wars: Episode X—The New Jedi Order.
With multiple creative teams working in parallel and the timeline in constant flux, the next few years are shaping up to be pivotal in defining what Star Wars becomes on the big screen.
What are your thoughts on where the franchise is heading? Share your take with Inside the Magic in the comments.