It’s time to grab out your lightsaber and alert your favourite droid because Star Wars is officially returning for another three films!
Speaking at the 2023 Star Wars Celebration, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed that three new original Star Wars films would soon be hitting our screens, with one set to focus on the sequel trilogy’s protagonist Rey.
WATCH: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Final Trailer. Article continues after video.
“I’m very excited. The story is really cool. I’m waiting to read a script because, obviously, I don’t have any other updates. It’s not what I expected, but I’m very excited,” actor Daisy Ridley told Variety about her upcoming reprisal of Rey.
In addition to the three new films, the Star Wars cinematic universe will also be expanding with the introduction of the new TV series The Acolyte, starring Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-Jae, and Skeleton Crew, starring Jude Law.
With so much on the agenda, the next few years are set to be big for Star Wars fans, but how much do we really know about the new projects? Scroll down to find out everything we know so far about the new Star Wars movies.
Will there be another Star Wars movie?
If you’ve been living with a Star Wars-shaped hole in your life following the epic conclusion of The Rise of Skywalker, then you’ll be happy to know that another Star Wars movie is on the way to continue the story.
Speaking to IGN, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy revealed some insight on the plot of the new Rey spin-off film, sharing that the story will be set 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker and will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
“There’s a lot of discussion around, ‘Who are the Jedi? What are they doing? What’s the state of the galaxy?’ [Rey is] attempting to rebuild the Jedi Order, based on the books, based on what she promised Luke, so that’s where we’re going,” Kathleen told the publication.
As for the other two new Star Wars films, Thor: Love and Thunder star Taika Waititi is reportedly slated to direct and co-write one of the upcoming Star Wars films alongside Last Night in Soho screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns.
Speaking on The Kelly Clarkson Show in late November 2023, Taika provided an update on the project, saying, “I’ve been developing [the Star Wars film] for a few years, but I think with any film, but that one in particular, it’s something I’d really like to get right. It’s going to bubble along on the side. I’m trying to figure that out. It’ll happen.”
James Mangold, director of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, has also confirmed that he is working on a new addition to the Star Wars universe, with the film slated as an origin story of the Jedi and the Force.
While the news of three new Star Wars films may already be exciting enough, in January 2024, it was announced that a fourth film will be joining the highly-anticipated lineup.
Based on the critically acclaimed Disney+ series starring Pedro Pascal, The Mandalorian & Grogu will be directed by Jon Favreau and is slated to begin production in late 2024.
“I have loved telling the stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created. The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting,” Jon wrote in a statement.
When is the next Star Wars movie coming out?
While the respective release dates for each film are currently unknown, we do have a number of set dates for when the three new Star Wars films are anticipated to hit cinemas.
According to Variety, the first of the new Star Wars films will be released on May 25, 2026, with the date reportedly pushed back from December 19, 2025.
The second new Star Wars film is slated for release on December 18, 2026, with a third film dropping in theatres on December 17, 2027.
Fortunately for fans of the various Star Wars television series, both The Acoltye and Skeleton Crew are set to debut on Disney+ in 2024, with both seasons consisting of eight episodes.
How many Star Wars movies are there?
There are currently nine Star Wars movies in the Star Wars cinematic universe.
The first Star Wars film, Episode IV: A New Hope, was released in 1977, followed by Episode V: Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983).
16 years after the conclusion of the original trilogy, Lucasfilm released a prequel trilogy exploring the origins of Darth Vader, with Episode I: Phantom Menace being released in 1999, followed by Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005).
To the delight of fans of the original Skywalker saga, Walt Disney Studios teamed up with Lucasfilm to continue the story of the original trilogy almost 40 years after its release, with original cast members Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher returning to reprise their roles as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa.
Episode VII: The Force Awakens hit cinemas in 2015, followed by Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), and Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
Where to watch Star Wars
For fans hoping to catch up on all the intergalactic action, you can stream all nine of the Star Wars films and Star Wars series, including The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka, on Disney+.
Stream Star Wars on Disney+ with a month-to-month no lock-in contract. Subscribe here.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
