The future ofStar Warsis in a state of flux. While last week fans were high on the anticipation ofStar Wars 9—which we now know is titledStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—the excitement was undercut a tad when Disney CEOBob Igerrevealed that afterSkywalker,the films will be taking a bit of a hiatus. No newStar Warsmovies are currently in production, and none are even in the preparation stages. Indeed, as Collider exclusively revealed last summer, Lucasfilmput a halt on plans for more spinoffs, like the Obi-Wan movie, following the box office disappointment ofSolo: A Star Wars Story.
So whatdoesthe next phase ofStar Warslook like? Lucasfilm presidentKathleen Kennedyhas been adamant thatThe Rise of Skywalkerwill bring an end to the Skywalker Saga, concluding the story that technically began withEpisode I – The Phantom Menaceand bringing an end to that particular arc.
Speaking withEW, Kennedy said that in looking at upcomingStar Warsmovies, they’re not just thinking in terms of the next trilogy—they’re thinking longterm:
“We’re not just looking at what the next three movies might be, or talking about this in terms of a trilogy. We’re looking at: What is the next decade of storytelling?”
Kennedy said the creative braintrust will be mapping out a strategy, and central to that strategy are new film series fromStar Wars: The Last Jediwriter/directorRian JohnsonandGame of ThronesshowrunnersDavid BenioffandD.B. Weiss. We previously learned that Johnson was creating a new trilogy ofStar Warsfilms focusing on new characters in a new setting, and Benioff and Weiss were separately hired to create their own new series of films. But Kennedy tells EW that Benioff and Weiss are actually working together with Johnson to plan out the future of the franchise:
“As they finishGame of Thrones, they’re going to segue intoStar Wars,” Kennedy said. “They’re working very closely with Rian.”
Johnson is currently in post-production on his murder mystery movieKnives Out, but one imagines asThroneswraps up in May and as Johnson gets closer to finishing his next movie, they’ll begin to hammer out the details of what each will be contributing to this galaxy far, far away.
However, when it comes to the timeline, that “a long time ago” part could be altered either way—a longer time ago, or a shorter time ago—with this next phase ofStar Warsfilmmaking, says Kennedy:
“Yes, absolutely. I think that that’s absolutely on the horizon,” she said. “We’re looking at whether we can move massively in one direction of the other. It’s stillStar Wars, and holding on to the DNA of whatGeorge Lucascreated is still very important to us. I think this is a huge opportunity to step into the galaxy in a little bit different part of the timeline.”
Stories set in the Lucas era will still abound in books, comics, and especially on the small screen, as theJon Favreau-created Disney+ seriesThe Mandaloriantakes place after the events ofReturn of the Jediand very much sounds like a show meant to appeal to longtime fans ofStar Wars. But as the franchise approaches 45 years old, it makes sense for Kennedy and Co. to begin looking beyond what came before to find fresh avenues for storytelling. After all, you can’t keep milking Luke Skywalker forever.
