After quite the dry spell, it seems as though the animated side of the galaxy far, far away could be receiving a lot of attention, as a veteran name in animation has reportedly signed a deal to develop multiple Star Wars projects in the near future. Since The Clone Wars really found its footing in the late 2000s, animated TV shows have been just as important to the Star Wars universe as the live-action movies. Now, animated projects are released nearly every year, and fans have grown to look forward to each and every one.
According to Disney TV Animation News, cartoonist, storyboard artist, and animation producer Natasha Kline (who was the creator, showrunner, and executive producer of Disney's Primos show) has signed a deal with Lucasfilm Animation that will allow her to develop multiple brand-new animated Star Wars projects from the ground up. As many Star Wars shows have over the past seven years, these titles under Kline's control will be created for and released on Disney+.
It was also revealed that Kline has extended her developmental deal with Disney Television Animation, and that the extension will include Kline overseeing and developing animated shows, movies, and specials that will be released on the Disney+ streaming service.
It is also worth mentioning that the report noted that a new Star Wars series was said to be in development that will debut on the Disney Channel and be more targeted toward children, similar to Young Jedi Adventures. That title was rumored to be a collaboration project between Disney Television Animation and Lucasfilm Animation, and, if that is the case, Kline will likely be overseeing it as well.
This news breaks a dry spell for any updates regarding Star Wars animation, as it has been some time since fans were told of any plans that were being made on the animated side of the franchise. The last big update anyone received was that Maul: Shadow Lord was in the works and that the Star Wars: Visions spin-off titled Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi would be released sometime in 2026.
Aside from those two series, Lucasfilm Animation had not announced any upcoming animated projects, and there had been no reports of anything in the works.
It is possible that fans could receive another Tales of the... installment on May 4, since that has become somewhat of a tradition every year for the past two years. For reference, all episodes of Tales of the Empire were released on May 4, 2024, and then every episode of Tales of the Underworld premiered on May 4, 2025. Tales of the Underworld was somewhat of a surprise release, as it was announced in April 2025 and premiered just one month later.
As mentioned, it is possible that another Tales season will come out on May 4 this year, but nothing has been announced or rumored.
What Animated Projects Does Star Wars Need?
The Star Wars galaxy spans tens of thousands of years, so the possibilities are endless when it comes to storytelling. For the most part, George Lucas and then Disney decided to stay within a certain period of nearly 70 years (the Skywalker Saga spans from 32 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) to 35 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin)).
Dave Filoni has historically been the man behind the curtain when it comes to Star Wars animation, and he will absolutely still be involved in a major way despite becoming Lucasfilm co-president. However, it is possible that Disney and Lucasfilm are bringing Kline in to take care of a lot of the day-to-day duties when it comes to getting these upcoming animated shows off the ground and in production.
While the Skywalker Saga has certainly been exciting to explore, many fans are ready for another era to be the focus of some projects. Lucasfilm and Disney may want Kline to specifically oversee projects set within a certain area. There has been no confirmation of this, but the High Republic would be a great era for an animated show to be set. There is already canon material in that era, but a TV series could really catapult it into the spotlight.
Then, if the show was successful, it would make it more likely for non-readers to pick up the High Republic novels.
Star Wars also could expand its boundaries and create animated shows set in other galaxies. Ahsoka already proved that there are other galaxies out there and that they can be visited. If Kline told stories in a separate galaxy, she would not have to worry about breaking canon or being restricted in any way.
