Lucasfilm's theatrical future is beginning to take clearer shape.
Jon Watts, the filmmaker behind Tom Holland's Spider-Man trilogy and co-creator of the Disney+ series Skeleton Crew, is attached to direct the first installment of a new Star Wars trilogy written by Simon Kinberg, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Knight Edge Media first broke the news.
THR reports that while Lucasfilm remains deep in post-production on Star Wars: Starfighter, “the next phase of a potential new Skywalker Saga is coming into focus.” Kinberg has been writing the trilogy since late 2024, and according to the outlet, “The project is intended to act as the next chapter in what is referred to as the Skywalker Saga, the stories featuring the multi-generations of the Luke Skywalker family.”
That framing would position the first film as Episode X, the first numbered saga entry since Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019). THR also reports that Daisy Ridley's Rey Skywalker “would appear in some capacity in the new trilogy.”
Not Yet Greenlit
The project is not a done deal. Sources told THR that it “is still in development and has not yet been greenlit by parent company Disney,” though it appears to be “the furthest along the development track after Starfighter.” Lucasfilm had no comment.
The report marks a notable shift from earlier accounts, which suggested Kinberg's trilogy would push the franchise further into the future with a new slate of characters, moving beyond the nine-film saga rather than extending it. The path to this point has also been uneven. An earlier version of Kinberg's work reportedly went through Lucasfilm's development process before being deemed not ready. Rather than abandon the concept, the writer continued refining it, ultimately producing a treatment of roughly 70 pages, with a screenplay draft expected to follow.
Kinberg has said little publicly, though he recently shared a photograph from Skywalker Ranch that included a view of Lake Ewok. The post contained no story details, casting news, or release information, but it indicated that his working relationship with the studio remains active.
A Proven Hand for Large-Scale Productions
THR describes Watts as “a reliable choice for the franchise,” citing his work on Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, where “Watts proved he could navigate the complexities of massive big-budget productions.”
His connection to Star Wars is already established. Watts co-created and co-wrote Skeleton Crew, which THR called “the well-regarded but unfortunately not greatly seen series that starred Jude Law and brought an Amblin vibe to the Star Wars universe.” He also directed two episodes of the series.
Leadership Change at Lucasfilm
The development comes during a period of transition at the studio. Kathleen Kennedy, who led Lucasfilm throughout Disney's ownership of Star Wars, has stepped down as president. Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan have assumed different areas of responsibility, with Filoni continuing in a major creative capacity and Brennan overseeing the business side.
The new leadership inherits a theatrical slate that remains less settled than Disney would likely prefer. The franchise returned to cinemas with The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), and Shawn Levy's Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, is scheduled for release on May 27, 2027. That date coincides with the 50th anniversary of Star Wars, which debuted in the United States on May 25, 1977.
The Status of Rey's Solo Film
Watts' attachment also raises further questions about Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's long-developing Rey film, commonly referred to as New Jedi Order, which would follow the character as she works to rebuild the Jedi Order after the fall of the First Order. Lucasfilm has not announced its cancellation, but the project is widely viewed as unlikely to move forward, with recent indications suggesting it may never reach theaters. If Rey does appear in Kinberg's trilogy, the two projects would cover much of the same narrative ground.
Obaid-Chinoy's film was one of three features announced at Star Wars Celebration in 2023, alongside James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi and a Filoni-directed film intended to bring together the storylines of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and related Disney+ series. None has reached production. Since that event, Lucasfilm has instead advanced The Mandalorian and Grogu, Starfighter, and now what is likely to become Episode X, all of which were revealed after 2023.
No release date or casting has been confirmed for Kinberg's trilogy. With Disney still to give its approval, the project remains in development, though it currently stands as the studio's clearest indication of where theatrical Star Wars is headed after Starfighter.
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