The future ofStar Warsmight be coming into place, and it could be good news to some, while worrisome to others. The franchise has several feature-length projects in the pipeline, withThe Mandalorian & Groguset for release in May 2026, followed byStarfighterin May 2027. WhileThe Mandalorian & Grogutakes place in the period betweenReturn of the JediandThe Force Awakensin a series of interconnected stories fans call the Mandoverse,Starfighterwill be the firstStar Warsfilm set afterThe Rise of Skywalker. However, it seems another upcoming project will take fans into the future of a galaxy far, far away.
A new rumor, from scooper Daniel Ritchman (viaSFF Gazette), suggests that the Daisy Ridley-ledNew Jedi Orderfilm will jumpstart a new slate of movies for Lucasfilm. Disney reportedly is looking to tell a series of stories set 15 years afterThe Rise of Skywalker, with plot threads that could potentially pick up on one another. These include the planned Rey movie led by Ridley, and, potentially, Simon Kinberg’sStar Warstrilogy. It appears Lucasfilm finally has a plan in place, but some fans might be upset that the new slate will borrow the Mandoverse formula, which established several Disney+ projects as a part of one big storyline.
How ‘Star Wars’ Tells Interconnected Stories
Star Warssetting a series of stories in the same timeframe is nothing new. It’s been the case on the publication side, as they’ve hadinitiatives like the High Republicand theRoad to the Force Awakensbranding that told loosely connected but not entirely overlapping stories. SinceStarfighteris set five years afterThe Rise of Skywalker, it is hard to imagine that it will directly connect to the Rey-centricJedi Orderfilm, which will take place fifteen years later. That said, it appears that Lucasfilm wants the latter to closely tie in new films set in the same timeline.
The comparison to the Mandoverse projects is interesting, since those stories were crafted to connect together like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which makes sense as Jon Favreau was overseeing thoseStar Warstitles.The Mandalorian,The Book of Boba Fett,Ahsoka, andSkeleton Creware meant to crossover in a larger-scale feature film project, though it now may depend on how wellThe Mandalorian & Grogudoes at the box office. While the experiment initially seemed exciting, disappointing entries likeThe Book of Boba FettandAhsokasoured the experience for many, and now this isone corner of the franchise fans might be eager to move on from.
The other aspect worth considering is howStar Warsconnects its various pieces across timelines. New additions to the franchise’s lore and mythology then become incorporated into the wider story. Even though the upcoming Rey film will be set after the events ofThe Rise of Skywalker, that doesn’t mean story threads fromThe Acolyte,Andor, orSkeleton Crewcan’t somehow find their way in. With the number of Jedi who survived Order 66 and seemingly made it out of the Reign of the Empire, maybe one or two of them could show up as part ofRey’s new Jedi Order.
Star Wars: Starfighter
