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Another day, another newStar Warsmovie was announced. It was reported that Lucasfilm had hired Simon Kinberg to write andproduce a newStar Warstrilogy.While it was originally reported as the continuation of The Skywalker Saga and would beEpisodes X,XI, andXII, later reports said this would be an unconnected trilogy that would feature a new set of characters. Further details were not revealed, and Lucasfilm itself has not made a formal announcement, but this newStar Warstrilogy does appear to be happening.
Kinberg is also producinga newStar Trekprequel film, so with his hands in both iconic sci-fi franchises, he certainly has a lot in common with J.J. Abrams, who successfully relaunched both franchises withStar TrekandStar Wars: The Force Awakens. 10 years ago, the news of a newStar Warstrilogy would have broken the internet, and even five years ago, it likely would have gotten fans excited. Yet after so many false starts and stops withStar Warsand Kinberg’s own track record,this is news that was met with more hesitation than anything else. Is Lucasfilm’s new plans what fans want from the franchise, and is there hope this new trilogy might actually happen?
Kinberg’s Spotty Track Record in Hollywood
Easily, the biggest cause for concern is Simon Kinberg himself.On the surface, Kinberg is a solid choice, as he has a good history withStar Wars. He was a co-producer on Disney’s first-everStar Warsproject, the animated seriesStar Wars: Rebels. He also wrote some of the series most memorable episodes, like the two-episode premiere “Spark of Rebellion”, the politically thoughtful “Call to Action”, the epic Season 1 finale “Fire Across the Galaxy”, and co-wrote the two-part finales for Season 2 and the series finale.His contributions toStar Wars: Rebelsare some of the best in the franchise, and the animated series has aged incredibly well over the years. Kinberg also had worked on aplanned Boba Fett solo filmbefore it was retooled intoThe Book of Boba Fettstreaming series.
However,it’s Kinberg’s time working on the 20th Century Fox slate of Marvel films that haveStar Warsfans concerned. Kinberg’s name is attached as a writer on many critically acclaimed films made during that tenure but in different roles. He is the sole credited screenwriter onX-Men: Days of Future Past, regarded as one of the bestX-Menmovies, but he is also the sole writer on the disappointing follow-up,X-Men: Apocalypse.
He also co-wroteX-Men: The Last Standand is one of theco-writers of 2015’sFantastic Four. He is said to have also been in charge of reshoots onFantastic Fourand reportedly oversaw much ofX-Men: Apocalypseas director Bryan Singer was often absent from the set. In terms of non-superhero scripts, his writing credits includexXx: State of the Union,Mr. & Mrs. Smith, andSherlock Holmes.
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He has a strong history as a producer, which might explain why Lucasfilm brought him on board. He is a credited producer on some of the most critically acclaimed entries in theX-Menfranchise, includingDeadpool,Logan,X-Men: First Class, andX-Men: Days of Future Past, but it is unclear how much creative control he had on those films. Apart from those, he is also a producer on Kenneth Branagah’s Hercule Poirot trilogy and his remake ofCinderella.
Kinberg certainly is a mixed bag when it comes to being someone to oversee a newStar Warsproject, as his filmography is filled with good, bad, and some terrible. At the moment, he is not signed on as director, which, based on his track record of thecritical and financial flopsDark PhoenixandThe 355, is a good thing. His instincts as a producer are stronger than his as a writer or director, andStar Warsneeds a strong producer to get a film through development.
Is This the New Trilogy Star Wars Wants to Go With?
The announcement of a newStar Warstrilogy would likely be more exciting if Lucasfilm weren’t seemingly struggling to get one newStar Warsmovie off the ground.WhileThe Mandalorian & Groguwrapped productionwell ahead of its 2026 release date, news of delays to the Rey-centric film has continued a troubling pattern withStar Warsfilms.
Lucasfilm not only has those two films but three otherStar Warsmovies in active development, including aDawn of the Jedimovie fromLogandirector James Mangold, a Lando movie starring Donald Glover, and a crossover film between theStar WarsDisney+ series likeThe Mandalorian,Ahsoka,The Book of Boba Fett, andSkeleton Crewby Dave Filoni. This doesn’t even include all the announcedStar Warsfilms, like Patty Jenkins’sRogue Squadronor Taikia Waiti’s film, which have yet to pan out.
This isn’t even the first time a newStar Warstrilogy has been proposed. In February 2018, it was announced thatGame of Thronescreators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss would write a newStar Warsstory focused on the first Jedi. Many attributed the downfall of the final seasons ofGame of Thronesto the duo wanting to wrap the series up to focus on theirStar Warsproject.In October 2019, it was confirmed that Benioff and Weiss had dropped out of their newStar Warsproject.
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At the time, it was said it was due to the commitment the duo had with their new Netflix deal, but many couldn’t help but notice Lucasfilm dropped the project just five months after the final episode ofGame of Thronesaired and was widely criticized by fans and critics. There was a sense of irony that they might have lost their chance withStar Warsby rushingGame of Thronesto get there.
Then there was theRian Johnson-helmed trilogythat was announced in November 2017, just one month before the release ofThe Last Jedi. No word was ever given on Johnson’s plans for aStar Warstrilogy, butLucasfilm’s next big wave ofStar Warsfilms is expected to follow the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga withThe Rise of Skywalkerin 2019. A lot of factors later impacted Johnson’s trilogy, from the seemingly mixed reaction toThe Last Jedito his schedule becoming busy withKnives Outand its sequels, while Disney shiftedStar Warsplansto Disney+ series and all film plans being delayed following the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Lucasfilm has never officially announced this trilogy’s cancelation, it appears not to be a priority for the studio or Johnson.That means two separateStar Warstrilogy plans were announced since 2017, and neither has panned out, making getting excited about this one a little difficult.
This Could Be a New(er) Hope for Star Wars
That said,there are still plenty of reasons to be hopeful for Kinberg’s newStar Warstrilogy. The first is that it appears that Lucasfilm and Kinberg are looking to head off one fan criticism early on:not planning in advance. The report that Kinberg was signing on toStar Warssaid he would oversee writing and producing a new trilogy. When Lucasfilm first announced they were acquiring Lucasfilm in October 2012, they only announced they were makingEpisodes VII,VII, andIXbut had no writers or directors on board.
They hired writers and directors one at a time for each film entry.This resulted in many fans criticizing the sequel trilogy for not having a plan mapped out, yet now Kinberg will be the creative guide over this new trilogy, seemingly with a plan of how it will start and end. While having a plan does not guarantee success, and much of it depends on the writer’s strength, it shows Lucasfilm has listened to one fan’s criticism.
There is also the news that Kinberg and Lucasfilm are not making a new trilogy of films to continue the Skywalker Saga but instead will focus on new characters. A common criticism of modernStar Warsis that it relies too much on pre-existing characters and fans' nostalgia instead of creating new characters or exploring new ideas. The one time Lucasfilm did decide to explore a new period in theStar Warstimeline with no prior established characters wasThe Acolyte, and that series faced amassive coordinated hate campaignbefore anyone saw a single frame of footage.
While Lucasfilm canceled the series, at least they don’t appear to be afraid to expandStar Warsbeyond the core cast of characters. The characters of Kinberg’sStar Wars: Rebelshave become fan favorites and now have expanded into live-action, so he will likely bring some great new additions to theStar Warsuniverse.
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Finally, there is hope for whoever Lucasfilm gets to direct this new trilogy of films. While Kinberg would appear to be the obvious answer on the surface, his directing credits do not inspire the most confidence.If Kinberg does serve as a writer and producer, he could bring on several different directors to helm these films.Godzilla Minus Onedirector Takashi Yamazakirevealed he was offered many films before opting to direct a follow-up to his kaiju film; there is a possibility Kinberg’s upcomingStar Warstrilogy was one of those films.
That is all speculation at this point, but this new trilogy provides a unique opportunity to hire some fresh new voices onStar Wars. Just in 2024, directors like Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow), Rose Glass (Love Lies Bleeding), Lee Isaac Chung (Twisters), Adil & Bilall (Bad Boys: Ride or Die), and Halina Reijn (Babygirl) are just a few names that Lucasfilm could hire that would generate immediate excitement and interest as filmmakers that could provideStar Warswith a new perspective.
While fans might be hesitant that this new trilogy ofStar Warsmovies will happen, and Kinberg might not be as exciting of a name as Rian Johnson, there are still plenty of reasons to be excited.Kinberg’s new trilogy might be what theStar Warsfranchise needstomove on from “The Mandoverse” eraand into something different. Different can sometimes be scary, but it is also exciting. One need only remember the excitement aroundThe Force Awakensor how refreshingThe Mandalorianfelt when it debuted.
While standalone films like the Rey movie andDawn of the Jedisound exciting, it feels right to have aStar Warstrilogy since that is how the franchise has traditionally been watched. This could be the beginning of a new era forStar Wars.TheStar Warsfranchise is streaming onDisney+.
