It’s time to address the bantha in the room — May 2026 will see the release ofThe Mandalorian & Grogu, andthis will mark the first theatricalStar Warsmotion picture in nearly seven yearssinceStar Wars: The Last Jedihit theaters in December of 2019. WithLucasfilm’s recent focus on the premium streaming television format for the franchise,the drought of theatrically releasedStar Warsprojectswill officially end.No matter how you feel about the current direction of theStar Warsfranchise or recent shows, it’s undeniable that multiple new projects and films have been publicized too quickly sinceDisney took ownership of the studioin late 2012. The issue has led to a string offired directors, canceled films, long-delayed trilogy plans, and reworked projects. It’s time to take a deep dive into why Lucasfilm needs to take more time to develop its film projects before prematurely announcing them.
A Look Back at Canceled ‘Star Wars’ Projects
Lucasfilm’s history of canceledStar Warsprojectsbegan back in 2015. In 2014, Lucasfilm announced that filmmakerJosh Trankwould be directing one of the earlier standalone anthologyStar Warsfilms for Lucasfilm, similar toRogue One: A Star Wars StoryandSolo: A Star Wars Story. While Trank was scheduled for a Lucasfilm theatrical division panel at Star Wars Celebration in 2015, he actually never appeareddue to the fact that he was quietly fired from the project,likely due to alleged incidents duringthe production of his then yet-to-be-releasedFantastic Fourreboot. While never confirmed,Entertainment Weeklyreported that the film was meant to feature Boba Fett and the other bounty hunters who appeared inThe Empire Strikes Back.The Boba Fett moviemarked the first major theatrical project from Lucasfilmthat was killed during development after being announced it was in the works.
Later in November 2017, Lucasfilm announced thatStar Wars:The Last JedifilmmakerRian Johnsonwould helma brand-newStar Warstrilogyfollowing the release ofThe Last Jedi. Although details ofJohnson’s planned trilogyare scarce, the plan was for Johnson to write and direct the first installment, where he would collaborate with his longtime producing partner,Ram Bergman.The trilogy was intended to be separate from the episodic Skywalker saga and “introduce new charactersfrom a corner of the galaxy that Star Wars lore has never before explored.” It’s been seven years since that announcement. Johnson is nearing completion of hisKnives Outtrilogy, but development andtalk ofhis newly plannedStar Warstrilogyhave ceased.While speaking toEmpirein 2022, Johnson appeared hopeful that he could resume work on the project at some point, but based on Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy’s diplomatic comments about Johnson in a 2022 interview withVanity Fair,it appears both parties have moved on.
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Another instance of a planned unrealized theatricalStar Warstrilogy concerns a project meant to be helmed byGame of Thronestelevision series showrunnersDavid BenioffandD.B. Weiss. The trilogy was announced in February 2018. Disney and CEOBob Igerwere so confident aboutthe writers' trilogythat they announcedthree new release dates for theStar Warsfranchise: December 2022, December 2024, and December 2026. However,those plans were also canceled in October 2019, whenDeadlinereported that the duo departed from the project, citing their landmark creative deal with Netflix. They later revealed in a January 2024 interview withThe Hollywood Reporterthat their idea was meant to bea story about the first Jedi and the birth of the Jedi Order. According to Benioff,Lucasfilm didn’t want to move forward with the idea.
Lucasfilm Announced Three New ‘Star Wars’ Movies in 2023
Back in April 2023 atStar Wars Celebration, Lucasfilm announcedthree newStar Warspicturesto be released in theaters. The announcement mentioned a new New Jedi Order movie starring the returningDaisy Ridleyas Rey Skywalker, directed bySharmeen Obaid-Chinoy,a movie about the dawn of the Jedi Order, directed byJames Mangold; and a movie directed byDave Filonito connect the New Republic era shows (The Mandalorian,The Book of Boba Fett, andAhsoka). News recently surfaced in October fromVarietythat writerSteven Knightwas leaving the untitled New Jedi Order project,leading to concerns that the film is facing delays. Ridley and Obaid-Chinoy are still attached to the film, butthe writer leaving the project suggests that Disney and Lucasfilm are strugglingto figure outthe right creative approach for the sequel.
Disney has multiple release dates in the pipeline fortheatrical Star Wars installments in 2026 and 2027. Of the three aforementioned projects, the only film that has finished principal production isThe Mandalorian & Grogu.At the very least, fans know thatthe film reportedly wrapped productionand should make it into theaters next year. However,the repeated pattern of canceledStar Warsfilmsthat never came to fruition after public announcements by Lucasfilm still exists. Mangold’s project sounds similar to what Weiss and Benioff were crafting for the franchise. However, the poor performance of another famous Lucasfilm IP,Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which was overseen by Mangold, raises concerns thatDisney and Lucasfilm might get cold feet with his project, as they have before.
Lucasfilm Needs To Stop Announcing New ‘Star Wars’ Features Prematurely
The recurring pattern here is thatLucasfilm jumps the gun on their announcements. The studio seems to have a bad habit of announcing film projects before the scripts and ideas are fully developed and brought to fruition. Case in point, during the December 2020 Investor Day forThe Walt Disney Company, Lucasfilm revealedtwo new planned theatricalStar Warsfeatures:Rogue Squadron, directed byPatty Jenkins, and an untitled new feature byTaika Waititi. Initially, things with both projects appeared to be progressing well, butDisney later ceased development onRogue Squadronandremoved it from the studio’s release schedulein September 2022. Years later, talk ofWaititi’sStar Warsmoviehas been radio silent afterthe lukewarm receptionofThor: Love & Thunder.
The solution to the problem is clear: Lucasfilm must hold off onpublic announcements.They should instead give the scripts and outlines more time to gestate and provide the writers, directors, and creators more time to develop the projects to the best of their ability. When everyone is on the same page, meaningDisney, Lucasfilm, the executives, and the creators,then perhaps a project can be revealed.Ideally, the projects should be announced right before they are about to start or enter active production.Either way, Lucasfilm needs toslow down and re-evaluate its slate.When the studio is certain that they want to move forward with a specific pitch or idea and are nearly ready to start production, that would bethe best time to reveal the project to the public. Only time will tell if they have landed on the same conclusion.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi
The Star Wars saga continues as new heroes and galactic legends go on an epic adventure, unlocking mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past.
Star Wars: The Last Jediis currently streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.
