The Star Wars franchise has endured the test of time. Starting as an unlikely space opera in the 1970s, George Lucas' sci-fi trilogy about Jedi Knights with laser swords and political intrigue among the forces of good and evil in a galaxy far, far away, has become a multi-billion-dollar franchise. Since its sale to Disney, Lucasfilm has continued to churn out new content set in the Star Wars universe, but it's becoming increasingly rare for Star Wars to release a true masterpiece that can hold a candle to the original trilogy.
In 2025, Lucasfilm did just that with the release of Andor Season 2. The entire Andor series, in general, is hailed as some of the best Star Wars content ever, but the second season in particular, which covered the remainder of Cassian Andor's journey leading up to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, was considered a real masterpiece. It was loved by critics and fans alike and maintains a Rotten Tomatoes score higher than Lucas' original Star Wars films.
But Andor was always intended to be a two-season story, and with it all wrapped up, the question now remains where Star Wars' next big hit could be hiding.
In 2026, Lucasfilm has a variety of sequels on its slate. The likes of The Mandalorian & Grogu and Ahsoka Season 2, while promising, have already given audiences a taste of their potential in their past seasons on Disney+, so it doesn't seem like either will be a breakout hit that can rival Andor. Looking further ahead at Star Wars' future, many projects are in development, but history has shown that many of them also fail to get off the ground.
Based on what we know about Star Wars' upcoming slate, here are some projects with the most potential to be the next big masterpiece out of the galaxy far, far away.
What Could Be Star Wars' Next Masterpiece?
Maul: Shadow Lord
Outside of Andor and the original Star Wars films, Star Wars animation has had some of the franchise's highest ratings to date. Both The Clone Wars Season 7 and Star Wars: Rebels were highly beloved by fans and considered some of the best Star Wars storytelling.
In 2026, a new Star Wars series from the animated world will arrive, bridging some of the lore in The Clone Wars, Rebels, and the prequel trilogy. Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord is a new series from Dave Filoni and Lucasfilm Animation, and everything released so far screams potential.
Maul - Shadow Lord has a distinct and refined animation style, brings back some of Star Wars' best characters and voice actors, and promises an intriguing new story set in the criminal underworld. Promoting Maul as the main character, or "hero" of the show, is another interesting prospect that promises Maul - Shadow Lord will have depth and be an interesting exploration of a complex character, with intriguing themes that potentially go beyond those of previous Star Wars animated stories.
If Maul - Shadow Lord can nail this balance, it could land itself in the echelon of other hit animated stories of late, like Arcane or Blue Eye Samurai, and carve a name for itself as a new Star Wars masterpiece.
Star Wars: Starfighter
A wholly original entry into the Star Wars canon, Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling's Star Wars: Starfighter is a wildcard on Lucasfilm's slate. The film's detachment from the Skywalker Saga and other known Star Wars films and series gives it complete freedom to embrace the tone and world of George Lucas' franchise without being hindered by existing canon.
This freedom could be the next big opportunity for Star Wars to deliver a new classic. Everything that is known about Star Wars: Starfighter seems to suggest it has blockbuster potential, with Gosling starring alongside Amy Adams, Matt Smith, and Mia Goth. That A-list cast, paired with the fun and adventurous sci-fi tone that Levy is known for (he directed Deadpool & Wolverine and was a producer on Stranger Things), has the makings of a new hit in the Star Wars world.
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic
Star Wars doesn't operate only in the realms of TV and film; it also has a rich video game history. The franchise hasn't dropped the ball on its video game arm, with Respawn's Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor games considered some of the best in the franchise
Looking ahead at the many Star Wars games in development, one stands out. The recently announced Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic has the potential to bring back the rich storytelling and gameplay of the original Knights of the Old Republic games, which are still considered some of the best Star Wars entries of all time.
Fate of the Old Republic has been described as a spiritual successor to the KOTOR games and will blend narrative-driven action RPG gameplay with immersive combat and choice-based storytelling. Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic reunites original director, Casey Hudson, with the Star Wars gaming franchise he became known for.
The project is still in early development, but it is clearly in good hands, and if Fate of the Old Republic can fill the void of the KOTOR games that fans love so much, it could be Star Wars' next major masterpiece.
James Mangold's Star Wars Film
Among the many stalled, shelved, and unknown-status projects on Lucasfilm's slate, there are quite a few with potential, but it's difficult to tell which may be the next big hit based on the limited cast, crew, or story information available.
That being said, one of these projects stands out. James Mangold's Untitled Star Wars film about the dawn of the Jedi, set around 25,000 years before Episode I: The Phantom Menace is rich with possibility. The concept of exploring the origins of the Jedi order and the ways of the force has lots of untapped potential and could open up the Star Wars canon in exciting new ways - if done right.
But the talent on board suggests this film will be done right. James Mangold is known for handling beloved source material with great expertise, and gave audiences one of the best X-Men films in Logan, and has earned his share of awards and attention through critically acclaimed hits like Ford v Ferrari and A Complete Unknown. Adding to the talent pool is the film's scribe, Beau Willimon, who was also one of the writers on Andor, giving this film great potential to replicate that series' success.
The main thing standing in the way of the film becoming a masterpiece is the question of whether it will ever actually happen, as Kathleen Kennedy's Lucasfilm exit interview revealed that Mangold's film is currently on hold.
