The next Star Wars movie has been officially announced and given a future theatrical release date.
Star Wars content has completely moved away from theaters since The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, putting a bow on the Skywalker Saga.
That same year, Disney+ launched, introducing the hit series The Mandalorian, starring Pedro Pascal, and introducing the 'Baby Yoda' (Grogu) phenomena.
Heading into the mid-2020s, Lucasfilm has decided it was time for Star Wars to shoot back into theaters after the release of seven seasons of Disney+ programming (with more on the way).
[ Star Wars: 3 Upcoming Movie Release Dates Confirmed by Disney ]
Next Star Wars Film Given Release Date
Disney announced that the next Star Wars film, The Mandalorian & Grogu, will blast into theaters on May 22, 2026 (Memorial Day weekend).
It was previously announced that The Mandalorian & Grogu was an upcoming film for Lucasfilm releasing during May 2026, but it was unknown which weekend it would hit theaters.
The Direct had previously predicted the May 22, 2026 release date for The Mandalorian & Grogu based on untitled Star Wars release dates announced by Disney.
Beyond The Mandalorian spin-off movie, a yet-to-be-titled project by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy was announced, featuring Daisy Ridley's returning Rey and marking the first female director in the film franchise.
Meanwhile, Dave Filoni is working on an epic crossover, merging beloved characters from the MandoVerse into a theatrical event.
Finally, James Mangold's upcoming venture is expected to delve into the ancient origins of the Jedi, although its development is unclear due to Mangold's other commitments.
The Future Star Wars Film Slate
The first domino has fallen for the future of Star Wars in theaters, but two other dates need to be filled with mystery projects.
The Mandalorian & Grogu is locked into the May 22, 2026 release date, leaving two untitled Star Wars films set to open on December 18, 2026 and December 17, 2027.
As it was initially expected to be Star Wars' return to theaters, the expectation is that Obaid-Chinoy's New Jedi Order (unofficial title) starring Daisy Ridley will take the second 2026 slot.
This leaves the MandoVerse crossover by Filoni and Mangold's Jedi origin project.
With Ahsoka Season 2 in the works at Disney+, the timeline gets foggy from streaming to theatrical, especially with Filoni's hands-on involvement.
However, even with Filoni working on another season of Ahsoka, his crossover film is more likely to open in late 2027 as Mangold is currently filming a Bob Dylan biopic and is set to direct a Swamp Thing film for DC Studios.
With all of Filoni's efforts going towards Star Wars, it's easier to predict his movie being the third to release in theaters on the upcoming slate.
The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theaters on May 22, 2026.
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