A new era is dawning in the galaxy far, far away as Lucasfilm navigates a turbulent live-action future.
In 2026, Star Wars returns to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu, a feature film directed by Jon Favreau. Though it’s unclear if this will replace a fourth season of The Mandalorian, it has become the cornerstone of Lucasfilm’s upcoming theatrical slate. This comes despite Kathleen Kennedy unveiling three other major Star Wars projects in early 2023.
The three films—led by James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy—are reportedly still moving forward, along with Shawn Levy’s untitled film, Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron, and a trilogy from Simon Kinberg. However, the landscape of Star Wars filmmaking remains unpredictable.
Mangold has teased that his film will delve into the origins of the Force, set 25,000 years before any previous Star Wars story. Meanwhile, Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey Skywalker project has just brought in another writer, George Nolfi. Speculation continues regarding Kinberg’s trilogy, which is rumored to be Episode X, XI, and XII of the Skywalker Saga, leaving Rey’s cinematic future uncertain.
Levy’s film is said to stand apart from the Skywalker narrative and will reportedly star Ryan Gosling in the lead role. As for Rogue Squadron, the long-awaited project has resurfaced on the schedule, but there’s still no confirmation on a release timeline.
In the television arena, Andor Season 2 is set to arrive in April this year, while Dave Filoni is actively developing Ahsoka Season 2. These shows follow a mixed year for Star Wars on Disney+, with The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew facing contrasting receptions. The Acolyte became a flashpoint for controversy, drawing discourse before ultimately being canceled by Disney. Skeleton Crew was met with a warmer response but struggled to attract high viewership numbers.
A significant leadership change has also taken place within Lucasfilm, as Derek Hoffman has replaced Rayne Roberts as Vice President of Development.
As reported by TheWrap, “Derek Hoffman has been named as Lucasfilm’s new vice president of development.” The report continues, “Hoffman will oversee development of live-action projects. He replaces former longtime development exec Rayne Roberts, who left the company at the end of last year. Roberts co-developed The Acolyte with Leslye Headland, where she was credited as a producer.”
The Acolyte pushed Star Wars into new territory, sparking both praise and backlash. While some appreciated its unique approach, others fiercely criticized its creators and cast, making it one of the most divisive Star Wars series in recent memory.
With Hoffman now leading live-action development, the big question remains: what is next for Star Wars? How will these projects land with audiences, and will Lucasfilm manage to chart a steady course?
Lucasfilm’s official bio for Hoffman highlights his extensive experience in Hollywood: “Getting his start with The Donners’ Company as a runner, he quickly moved into an assistant role for director Richard Donner and then to associate producer on the feature film Timeline and co-producer on 16 Blocks.”
The studio further notes, “Derek next became a development executive and later vice president for the company where he worked on each film in the X-Men franchise, including as associate producer on X-Men: Days of Future Past.”
Hoffman also played a pivotal role in bringing X-Men to television, serving as a co-executive producer on Legion and an executive producer on The Gifted. Now, he takes on a critical role at Lucasfilm, shaping the future of Star Wars live-action storytelling.
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