Next week, The Acolyte will bring Star Wars further into the past than ever before. The new series takes place over a century before the events of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace in a time known as the High Republic. For fans of the Star Wars novels, it’s both a recognition of the larger canon that’s existed for years off-screen and an exciting new time period to explore away from the “Skywalker saga.” The series stars Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game), and Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix).
But that’s not all that Lucasfilm has to offer. Though the studio has announced several exciting projects that were kicked to the curb over the past few years—including a Rian Johnson film trilogy, a Kevin Feige movie, and a potential David Benioff & D.B. Weiss trilogy—some ideas are still set for release in the galaxy far, far away. Successful television series Andor and Ahsoka will receive second seasons, while films that bring back fan favorites—including Rey (Daisy Ridley) and a young Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover)—are also in development.
So fear not, brave padawans! There’s no need to make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs just to find out when the next Star Wars project releases. Below, we’ve combed the deserts of Tatooine to find the stories that will hopefully make it out of Jedi training.
The Acolyte
The Acolyte is a new series on Disney+ that focuses on the era of the High Republic. Much like House of the Dragon and Rings of Power, it takes the fantasy/sci-fi story we already love and explores a time deep in the past. The first two episodes, starring Carrie-Anne Moss and Amandla Stenberg, stream on Disney+ beginning June 4. Six more episodes will release weekly throughout mid-July.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew was announced at the Star Wars Celebration 2023 Studio Panel.
Helmed by Jon Watts, director of the Tom Holland–led Spider-Man trilogy, Skeleton Crew is an upcoming series that follows four lost children who try to find their way home in the vast galaxy. Jude Law is set to star in the series, alongside Kerry Condon, Jaleel White, and TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe. Well, none of those actors are children, however, so we’ll just have to wait and see exactly what Skeleton Crew looks like as we inch closer to its rumored late-2024 release date on Disney+.
Andor (season 2)
Disney quickly green-lit Andor’s second season following the overwhelming success of the series last year, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be seeing any more of Cassian anytime soon. Filming for season 2 was completely shut down late last year due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes, meaning that creator Tony Gilroy’s original announcement of an August 2024 release no longer seems possible. When the series does return, we’ll move right up to the stressful events before Rogue One.
Ahsoka (season 2)
Back in January, Lucasfilm confirmed that showrunner Dave Filoni was working on a second season of Ahsoka. Though there’s no release date yet, the story will continue Ahsoka Tano’s (Rosario Dawson) fight against the reemerged Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Set for a May 22, 2026, release date, The Mandalorian and Grogu is the next Star Wars film that will premiere in theaters. It’s also the culmination of many spin-off series streaming on Disney+. According to Star Wars mastermind Jon Favreau, the film will reportedly “close out” the storyline threads left from The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. Most importantly, it marks Grogu’s big-screen debut.
Star Wars: New Jedi Order
Daisy Ridley is set to return to Star Wars.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, director of two Ms. Marvel episodes and the Pakistani animated film trilogy 3 Bahadur, is currently working on a new Star Wars film set after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. According to Deadline, the story will reportedly continue Daisy Ridley’s story as Rey, who seeks to establish a new Jedi Order 15 years after she defeated the Sith. No release date has been announced, though Lucasfilm marked December 18, 2026, and December 17, 2027, as dates for future Star Wars projects.
Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi
Mangold recently worked with Star Wars actor Harrison Ford on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
If you thought Ahsoka was going deep into the past, get ready for James Mangold (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) to tackle a story 25,000 years before any previous Star Wars film. Titled Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, the film is reportedly written by House of Cards creator and Andor cowriter Beau Willimon. According to Mangold, Dawn of the Jedi is set to feature “the birth of the Force.”
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
Patty Jenkins has periodically worked on Rogue Squadron since 2020.
Lucasfilm announced back in 2020 that Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins would helm a Star Wars film titled Rogue Squadron, which was set to “introduce a new generation of starfighter pilots.” Back then, Jenkins was incredibly busy working on a potential Wonder Woman 3 and a Cleopatra film. Both of those projects are now dead, but at the time, they forced Lucasfilm to take Rogue Squadron off the schedule entirely. Jenkins reportedly signed a new contract to resume work on Rogue Squadron just this past March, meaning development for the film should start up once again.
Lando
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in February, Donald Glover confirmed that he’s still working on a film for his Solo character, the young Lando Calrissian. The rapper and Mr. and Mrs. Smith star is writing the project alongside his brother, Stephen Glover. Dear White People creator Justin Simien was originally attached when Lando was in development as a series, but Glover confirmed that the story will now release as a feature film. “If the vision is singular, people want it more,” he said.
Taika Waititi’s Untitled Star Wars Film
Taika Waititi at the 2024 Met Gala.
Back in November, Taika Waititi confirmed that his Star Wars film was still in production, despite his busy work schedule. “I’ve got about four other scripts that I’m trying to finish,” the Next Goal Wins director told Entertainment Tonight. “My thing is I want to take my time with that and get it right. I don’t want to rush this movie.” Though Waititi likely won’t involve himself with another Marvel film following Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, he’s currently working on an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun and is attached to write a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory series for Netflix. But as Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy told Variety, “Taika is still working away” on whatever his Star Wars movie is about. “We’re going to make that one day."
