Lucasfilm has reportedly tapped Jon Watts to helm the first film in a new Star Wars trilogy
Simon Kinberg is writing the trilogy and has been working on it since 2018.
The project will continue the Skywalker Saga after years of wider franchise expansion.
Lucasfilm has reportedly chosen Jon Watts to direct the opening film in a new Star Wars trilogy that will carry on the Skywalker Saga. Watts co-created Skeleton Crew and directed Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Simon Kinberg is writing the trilogy, Deadline reported. His credits include X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Prime’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith. He also co-created the Disney XD animated series Star Wars Rebels, which ran from 2014 to 2018.
Jon Watts to direct new Star Wars trilogy?
Eight years after the last Skywalker chapter, and after a steady stream of films and series set across the wider screen universe, Star Wars is returning to the family with its next project.
Disney has not yet approved the project. Lucasfilm declined to comment.
Daisy Rey returns rumours
Daisy Ridley is reportedly being eyed to reprise her role as Rey.
That would place Rey at the centre of the next chapter in the Skywalker Saga. The most recent trilogy was led by Ridley’s Rey and ended with Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.
Skywalker Saga history
The Skywalker Saga began with Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope in 1977. It continued with Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and Episode VI — Return of the Jedi in 1983.
Lucasfilm then expanded the timeline with the prequel trilogy: Episode I — The Phantom Menace in 1999, Episode II: Attack of the Clones in 2002 and Episode III — Revenge of the Sith in 2005.
The latest trilogy brought the saga forward again with Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens in 2015, Episode VIII — The Last Jedi in 2017 and Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. Those films were led by Ridley.
The franchise has grown well beyond the Skywalker storyline since 2019. New films and streaming series have been set across different parts of the Star Wars universe.
The next scheduled release is Star Wars: Starfighter, which is set to premiere on May 28, 2027.
Knight Edge Media first reported the new trilogy's development.
