Spider-Man: No Way Home director Jon Watts is set to return to the Star Wars universe for a massive new project. Watts last hit big in the MCU with No Way Home, which became the highest-grossing solo superhero movie in history in 2021 before its 2026 sequel, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, surpassed its $1.9 billion box office gross total. While he has not directed many projects since that time, he now looks to take on one of Disney's other major IP franchises.
Director Jon Watts will direct the first film in Lucasfilm and Disney's new trilogy of Star Wars movies. First reported by Daniel Richtman, this movie will be written by Simon Kinberg, best known for his work on Fox's X-Men Saga from 2011 to 2019 (along with other Marvel projects such as the 2015 Fantastic Four movie and the TV show The Gifted). The Hollywood Reporter later confirmed the news that Watts will direct the upcoming movie.
This would not be Watts' first time in the Star Wars universe, as he also served as an executive producer and showrunner on the Disney+ series Skeleton Crew in late 2024 and early 2025. He directed the show's first and last episodes.
As of writing, there are no plot details confirmed for the next trilogy of movies in the Star Wars universe. Kinberg was initially reported to be involved in this trilogy in 2024 when Kathleen Kennedy was the president of Lucasfilm. While this came before Kennedy left, with longtime Star Wars creative Dave Filoni taking over for her job, Kinberg and Watts are expected to continue their work under Filoni on this new trilogy.
Kinberg's new Star Wars trilogy is expected to take place after the end of the Skywalker Saga, which last came to theaters in 2019 with Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker. After The Mandalorian and Grogu's release in May 2026, the franchise will return to theaters in May 2027 with the release of Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling.
What Jon Watts Will Bring to New Star Wars Movie
While Jon Watts is perhaps best known for his work on the MCU's Spider-Man trilogy, which grossed more than $3.9 billion, he made his mark on the Star Wars universe with Skeleton Crew. Having pitched this show while working on Spider-Man: No Way Home and working with fellow Star Wars executive Jon Favreau, Watts won fans over with his story, which was heavily inspired by '80s projects like The Goonies and E.T..
This sets him up to follow in the footsteps of George Lucas, J.J. Abrams, Colin Trevorrow, and others by taking on a story in the main Star Wars timeline, which could be what this franchise needs to win back fans' favor. Considering the Skywalker Saga ended on a low note and The Mandalorian and Grogu became among the franchise's biggest flops, Watts' expertise should be seen as a positive, given that he delivered massive successes for the MCU and Star Wars in theaters and on Disney+.
For now, it remains unclear when Lucasfilm will go into development on the next trilogy of Star Wars movies, which might not happen until after Star Wars: Starfighter's release next May.
With Watts now reportedly involved, however, the studio is banking on his vision to bring the galaxy far, far away back to prominence after last seeing major critical success with Episode VII — The Force Awakens in 2015. Marking Watts' first directorial efforts in theaters since 2024's Wolfs, he now has the tall order of following up Rey Skywalker, Finn, and Poe Dameron's stories from the end of the Skywalker Saga with a new set of characters fans will grow to know and love.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
