Lucasfilm is expanding the Star Wars universe into the realm of horror with a new middle-grade novel set to debut in late 2026. The untitled book, written by Star Wars: Padawan author Kiersten White, is scheduled for publication on September 1, 2026, and marks one of the franchise’s first major moves into a sustained horror-themed narrative.
According to publisher listings and announcements, the novel is being described officially as a “chilling horror-themed middle grade novel based on the Star Wars galaxy.” The story centers on a young girl who becomes haunted by an enigmatic evil presence and must unravel its origins as she confronts her own fears.
This release positions horror more squarely within Star Wars publishing than ever before. While the saga has occasionally flirted with spooky tones across its history, most of those instances have been episodic or thematic rather than foregrounded in original storytelling.
Previous Star Wars Horror
In the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), for example, the Nightsisters on Dathomir use arcane magick to animate the dead in Season 4's “Massacre”, leaning into horror tropes within a broader sci-fi context.
In Star Wars Rebels (2014), desiccated Jedi corpses and eerie supernatural elements appeared in early episodes, expanding the galaxy’s tonal range. Watch the Rebels scene below from YouTube channel “Everything Star Wars“:
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In print, Star Wars has a modest but notable catalog of horror-oriented works.
The Galaxy of Fear novel series—published in the late 1990s—followed young protagonists through a succession of eerie events after the destruction of Alderaan, channeling a Goosebumps-esque vibe within the Star Wars setting.
Joe Schreiber’s Death Troopers (2009) and its prequel Red Harvest brought full zombie horror to the galaxy far, far away, featuring Imperial prisoners and infected Star Destroyers in survival-horror scenarios. More recent comic anthologies like Tales from Vader’s Castle have leaned into creepy storytelling, particularly around Halloween, with eerie tales involving classic Star Wars characters.
However, none of these earlier horror entries were billed as a core franchise milestone. The new White novel appears aimed at bringing horror directly into canon Star Wars publishing with a narrative designed around suspense and supernatural mystery rather than genre homage.
What other genres would you like to see Star Wars experiment with? How would you feel about a full-fledged horror set in the faraway galaxy? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
