With the writers and actors strikes now over and the end of 2023 on the near horizon, we take a look what’s to come for the galaxy far, far away. As Christmas and New Year approaches, we are in the odd position that as fans we have absolutely nothing concrete in the diary going forward. Celebration is taking a break next year until Japan 2025, we know a few release dates for novels and as far as television and films go…well it’s a big fat zero. Strikes have had a massive impact on Hollywood and films/shows have shifted endlessly. Lucasfilm’s previous state of flux for the past few years in terms of movies had seemingly to come to a welcome end this year at Celebration with the announcement of three feature films all in various stages of development, but flashforward a few short months and those release dates have shifted once again and nothing has been mentioned since.
So; I’ve gathered all I can from the Jedi Archives of the internet and collected all we know about every film that is still in active development or in various stages of production.
Here they are – all in once place.
REY’S NEW JEDI ORDER MOVIE
Let’s kick off with the film that seems the most concrete and, as much as is possible, most likely to happen. This film has gone through several writers and various iterations from what can be gathered. At one point, this film was to be set 60 years after The Rise of Skywalker with Rey as a much more elder statesperson teaching a new generation of Jedi. This was scrapped after Kathleen Kennedy mulled over the possibility of Daisy Ridley returning. A new writer, Steven Knight, was brought in and rumours have swirled ever since of the possible story ideas. This project seems to have the most faith in the company with director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy brought out with Ridley and the tease that the story will be set 15 years after the events of the sequel trilogy with the Jedi in disarray. The next slated release date for a Star Wars film is May 2026 (pushed back from December 2025) and with Knight now able to return to writing duties then it’s entirely plausible that filming could commence by fall of the next year. It would be nice to have a Star Wars film in May once again, but after talking to various fans it seems clear people have grown to enjoy the Christmas release date.
DAVE FILONI’S MANDOVERSE MOVIE
The man, the myth, the legend that is Mr. Filoni has been given his own live-action feature film that will apparently culminate all of the ‘Mandoverse’ stories. After the recent return of Grand Admiral Thrawn in the Ahsoka series then rumours are abound that he will be the big bad of the film and many are hoping for an ‘Heir to the Empire‘ type of story. This is literally as much as we know which is basically nothing. There’s reports out there that Ahsoka will get a second series so Filoni will surely be spear-heading this and with season 4 of The Mandalorian hopefully very close, I think it’s a safe bet that this is not first on Dave’s list right now. There’s a tentative release date penciled in for a Star Wars film to be released on 17th December 2027 which is the 50th Anniversary of the franchise and what better way to do it than with George Lucas’s heir releasing his film.
JAMES MANGOLD’S DAWN OF THE JEDI MOVIE
The final film announced at Celebration Europe was the one that I was personally most excited about. It wasn’t surprising that Mangold was given the keys the Star Wars universe after hearing how well he got one with Lucasfilm and the House of Mouse during production of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Despite how the film turned out financially/critically it seems evident that all involved were extremely happy with the final product and the creative process. What concerns me for this film’s future is Dial of Destiny’s box office. Bob Iger is, after all, a business man. Disney is here to make money, not lose it. Could Iger get cold feet after the company’s recent losses and stick more closely to something that is, as much as can be, guaranteed to return investment. This film is also not Mangold’s next. He’s next slated to direct the Bob Dylan biopic – ‘A Complete Unknown’. The only thing known about this film is that it’s set 25,000 years before the prequel trilogy.
THE LANDO MOVIE
This one is odd to say the least. I’m not by any stretch of the imagination saying that I don’t want it to happen – far from it. I’d love to see Lando on the big screen but considering how much has been made about Solo’s woes during production and box office, it seems strange that this project has shifted from a Disney Plus streaming series to a film. If anything seems destined to be a series, then surely it’s this? Far be it from me to comment, however, and I thought Donald Glover absolutely nailed the smooth-talking scoundrel and like most of the titles in the list, the apparent status of the project is in the story-development phase with Glover himself, along with his brother Stephen, on writing duties.
Absolutely nothing is known about this film other than the fact it is happening one day according to the man himself. Levy has passion for this project, that much is clear to see and is popular among fandom. Levy’s involvement in Star Wars is not surprising considering his creative duties on the powerhouse global juggernaut that is Stranger Things. Levy has commented that doing a Star Wars film is his dream project and has recently revealed conversations he’s had with Kathleen Kennedy but like most things right now, the recent strikes have delayed everything and Levy needs to complete work on Deadpool 3 before he can turn his eye to the stars.
TAIKA WAITITI’S MOVIE
Finally, the film that seems least likely to be made. This project was announced way back in May 2020 and during Disney’s investor day of the same year it was confirmed that work had begun on the film’s script. And that’s about it. Almost three full years have passed and nothing official has been announced with no concept art or anything. Kennedy has mentioned things here and there and recently Waititi stated that he “won’t be rushing anything” but I wonder if this film will end up like Rian Johnson’s trilogy and while it will never be cancelled – it simply won’t be made.
And that’s your lot folks. What do you think will be the next Star Wars film to arrive at cinemas? I, for one, am ready for the franchise to return to big screen. It’s been four years since the last event and while we’ve had plenty of television to keep us going – I miss being in a darkened screening room surrounded by my fellow fans as we witness those most mystical and joyful of words illuminate the screen; A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….
Speaking of television, join us next week for The Future of Star Wars: Part 2 – Television.
- Hardcover Book
- Richau, Amy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 200 Pages - 12/05/2023 (Publication Date) - DK Children (Publisher)
