A new Star Wars movie update regarding the saga’s first theatrical release since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker reveals Disney’s only hope for the franchise. Both Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron and Kevin Feige’s Star Wars movie have been shelved (via Variety) after years without any substantial updates on either of them. However, Lucasfilm is reportedly close to deciding which Star Wars movie will release next.
Disney has a 2025 slot reserved for a Star Wars movie, and that idea would be to have new Star Wars releases in 2027 and 2029 as well. Taika Waititi’s Star Wars film continues to be in development, and recent word is that Waititi may star in it. However, the next Star Wars movie to be made might be the most recently announced project.
Damon Lindelof’s Movie Will Likely Be Star Wars’ 2025 Release – And That’s Good
According to Deadline, while Lucasfilm has yet to settle which project will be Star Wars 2025 release, the Damon Lindelof-written, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy-directed Star Wars movie is currently in pole position. Considering how many projects have been announced since the days before The Rise of Skywalker, it is good that Lucasfilm seems to have decided which one should bring Star Wars back to the big screen. Though not much was known for the stories of previously announced Star Wars projects, such as the Kevin Feige-produced one or the Taika Waititi-directed film, Lindelof’s Star Wars movie appears to be an ambitious effort. The writer’s Lucasfilm project reportedly takes place after The Rise of Skywalker, and may incorporate sequel trilogy characters.
Six years may be the shortest window between the end of a Star Wars movie series and the beginning of another, yet it is a significant time without Star Wars on the big screen regardless. After an overall disappointing ending to the Star Wars sequel trilogy and so much expectation for what Star Wars can offer next, Lucasfilm’s 2025 movie slot has gained even more importance. As such, going for a Star Wars spinoff or something distant from Jedi and Sith like Rogue Squadron would be risky. Star Wars’ next movies need to be big, but also inventive, qualities that Damon Lindelof’s projects such as The Leftovers or Watchmen share.
Disney REALLY Needs Damon Lindelof’s Star Wars Movie To Work
Star Wars’ next movie cannot afford to fail. Granted, only one Star Wars movie can really be considered a financial flop – Solo: A Star Wars Story – but winning at the box office should only be a consequence of a movie that sparks audiences’ interest back in the franchise. For all its flaws, Star Wars: The Force Awakens succeeded in bringing Star Wars back to the big screen with a record-breaking movie that still ranks among the highest-grossing films of all time. However, The Force Awakens had the advantage of being “Episode VII,” meaning that it could draw characters and events from all previous Star Wars movies. To that end, it would have taken effort to fail financially.
Damon Lindelof and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy‘s Star Wars film is expected to be a brand new story that, according to The Hollywood Reporter, is being envisioned as a standalone film. After three Star Wars trilogies, a standalone entry that could lead to sequels and spinoffs could indeed be what Star Wars needs. Disney and Lucasfilm need a new Star Wars hit, something that reignites the franchise on the theatrical side of things the same way The Force Awakens did in 2015. Lindelof has a proven track with science fiction, although he has also put out divisive work in the past. Ten years after The Force Awakens, Star Wars’ new comeback must succeed.