The next trilogy set in a galaxy far, far away might be heading to theaters sooner rather than later. Star Wars hasn't had much to write home about in recent years. While Lucasfilm's animated series have been hits with critics and fans alike, the same can't be said about the company's movies.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu hit theaters earlier this year. It had plenty going for it, continuing a story that had been the belle of the Disney+ ball. Regardless, the movie crashed and burned harder than the second Death Star at the box office. At the end of its theatrical run, the Jon Favreau-directed project brought home $345.2 million worldwide, the lowest mark for a live-action Star Wars film.
There's little doubt that the powers that be at Lucasfilm expected better from The Mandalorian & Grogu. However, they didn't put all their eggs in one basket. Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, is getting great buzz ahead of its 2027 release date. And that's not the only positive development for Dave Filoni and Co.
Back in 2024, the Hollywood trades reported that Dark Phoenix director Simon Kinberg had signed a deal with Lucasfilm to develop a trilogy of Star Wars films alongside the company's president at the time, Kathleen Kennedy. Of course, Kennedy handed the baton to Filoni and Lynwen Brennan in 2026. But she left a parting gift by revealing that Kingberg was still working on his treatment (via Deadline).
Kennedy is a woman of her word because Kingberg, after a steady stream of radio silence, posted a photo on his Instagram profile of Lake Ewok, one of the major landmarks at Skywalker Ranch in California (via Rey Movie Updates on X). While he could just be taking in the sights, it's far more likely that he's nearly ready to show the world what he's been working on and is participating in some social media teasing.
D23 is right around the corner. All eyes are currently on Marvel Studios and whether it will announce the cast of its X-Men reboot movie. Lucasfilm could steal the show by popping the hood on Kinberg's trilogy, especially if it's the follow-up to the Skywalker Saga the world has been waiting for.
Simong Kinberg Might Be Working On Star Wars: Episode X
Kinberg is far from the first filmmaker Lucasfilm has recruited to work on a trilogy of films. Prior to the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson cooked up an idea that was good enough to get the green light from his bosses. His trilogy never came to fruition. But Kingberg might be planning something that's too big to fail.
It's no secret that the Sequel Trilogy failed to meet expectations. Many blamed a lack of planning on Lucasfilm's part as the main culprit behind the misstep. One way to avoid making that mistake again is by having a single strong hand guide the franchise's next era.
When Kingberg first signed on, reports surfaced that the first film in his trilogy could be the long-awaited Star Wars: Episode X. Lucasfilm hasn't done anything to fan those flames in the last two years. Maybe it wasn't trying to put the cart before the horse.
Star Wars as a brand needs a win now more than ever. Starfighter is shaping up to be just what the doctor ordered. But it won't be able to change the narrative until 2027. An Episode X announcement in 2026 can calm all the storms by name alone.
Kinberg likely isn't the creative voice many envisioned taking over Star Wars at arguably the most important juncture in its history. However, he's clearly put in the work and deserves an oppurtunity to prove the naysayers wrong.
