Credit: LucasfilmThe future of Star Wars is officially animated.
Disney’s track record with Star Wars is patchy, to say the least. The sequel trilogy — The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019) — earned billions at the box office but divided audiences, with debate over creative direction, continuity, and the franchise’s long-term plan.
In recent years, Disney has shifted largely toward streaming, where shows like The Mandalorian and Andor drew stronger fan reception. However, even this has had its rough patches, with the likes of The Acolyte drawing intense criticism from fans, while others – such as Ahsoka and The Book of Boba Fett – received generally mediocre reviews.
Lucasfilm is now preparing a return to theaters with The Mandalorian & Grogu (2026), its first Star Wars film since 2019. But when it comes to a galaxy far, far away on Disney+, recent reports suggest that it is taking a different direction.
Disney Doubles Down on Animated ‘Star Wars’ Stories For Disney+
On April 6, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord will debut on Disney+.
The animated series is set to follow Maul, a former Sith lord, as he tries to rebuild his life and recruit a new apprentice in the wake of the Clone Wars. Lucasfilm co-president Dave Filoni has confirmed that the show – which will premiere two episodes per week until May 4, aka Star Wars Day – will lean heavily on ideas from George Lucas himself.
It also seems like it marks a turning point for Disney’s Star Wars streaming strategy.
Filoni has confirmed that the show is already greenlit for a second season (via StarWars.com). Lucasfilm Animation is already working on the project, although it’s unclear when it will hit Disney+.
That marks the first big announcement for Star Wars on Disney+ in some time.
After several years in which fans received at least one annual Star Wars series, the franchise’s live-action presence on Disney+ has slowed considerably. The only confirmed project currently on the slate is Season 2 of Ahsoka. Filming wrapped last fall, but Lucasfilm has not announced a release date.
Rumors have circulated about second seasons of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Skeleton Crew, though neither project has officially moved forward. For now, there is little indication that additional live-action series are entering production.
Animation, however, remains active. Later this year, Lucasfilm will release The Ninth Jedi, an anime spinoff series connected to Star Wars: Visions Presents. The project continues the anthology’s experiment with anime studios reinterpreting the franchise’s mythology.
That leaves the near-term future of Star Wars on Disney+ leaning heavily toward animation. The shift is not entirely surprising, particularly as Lucasfilm turns its attention back to theatrical releases.
The studio’s next film is The Mandalorian & Grogu, marking the franchise’s first return to theaters since The Rise of Skywalker. Several other cinematic projects are also in development.
Among them is Star Wars: Starfighter (2027), a standalone adventure set several years after The Rise of Skywalker and starring Ryan Gosling. Lucasfilm has positioned the film as part of a new era of storytelling following the sequel trilogy.
Other projects have faced a more uncertain path. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is attached to direct a film centered on Rey (Daisy Ridley), though development has encountered multiple delays. A separate project from James Mangold and Beau Willimon exploring the origins of the Jedi is also on pause, as per former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.
After several turbulent years for the franchise, Lucasfilm appears to be slowing down its release pipeline. The studio is now focusing on rebuilding its theatrical slate before expanding further on Disney+, where projects have racked up budgets comparable to those of the silver screen (Disney spent $230 million on The Acolyte and $645 million on Andor) without generating anywhere near as much profit.
For the moment, that likely means Disney+ subscribers will see more animated storytelling while the next phase of Star Wars films takes shape.
Are you optimistic about the future of Star Wars?