During Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, Lucasfilm announced three new Star Wars films, generating a lot of excitement. These include a movie directed by James Mangold called Dawn of the Jedi, a film by Dave Filoni that will connect the stories from the MandoVerse shows, and New Jedi Order directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, which will bring back Daisy Ridley as Rey. The announcement signaled Lucasfilm’s commitment to exploring the vast Star Wars universe in its future films. Each movie is set at a different time in the Star Wars timeline, showing that the franchise can tell many different stories now that the Skywalker Saga has concluded.
It’s been almost three years since those initial announcements, and honestly, it’s frustrating – we still have no idea when we’ll actually see any of these new Star Wars films. Kathleen Kennedy, before leaving her role at Lucasfilm, let slip that Dawn of the Jedi is currently stalled. And it sounds like Dave Filoni’s movie might be too, now that he’s stepped into a leadership position at the studio. What’s really strange is that Kennedy didn’t mention New Jedi Order – the Rey movie – during her recent interview with Deadline when talking about projects in the works. You’d think a film starring Rey would be a huge priority, so her silence almost feels like confirmation of those rumors about where her story is headed.
Rey Could Appear in Simon Kinberg’s Star Wars Trilogy
As a huge Star Wars fan, I was really excited to hear late in 2024 that Simon Kinberg – who’s worked on the X-Men films and Star Wars Rebels, which I both love – was going to write a new Star Wars trilogy! But right away, there was a lot of confusion about where these movies would fit in. Some people said they’d be Episodes 10, 11, and 12, continuing the Skywalker story. Others thought it would be something completely new, with fresh characters and a new direction for the franchise. We were all waiting to find out for sure, and then another rumor started circulating that sounded really interesting…
Rey is currently considered the biggest strength of the Star Wars franchise, so it’s no surprise that Lucasfilm is planning multiple future movies centered around her. What’s particularly noteworthy is that one idea involved a trilogy developed by Kinberg. This suggests Lucasfilm was deciding between continuing with a standalone movie based on the New Jedi Order storyline and launching a new trilogy focusing on Rey’s adventures – it seemed unlikely both projects would happen.
Kathleen Kennedy didn’t discuss the New Jedi Order project during her departure interview, but she did share significant news about Kinberg’s planned trilogy. The first film is still being written; Kinberg submitted a draft to the studio in August 2025 and is currently revising it, with the new treatment expected to be completed this spring. Importantly, Lucasfilm’s new leaders, Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan, are reportedly very supportive of Kinberg’s vision, suggesting this trilogy could be the focus of Star Wars for years to come. Kennedy confirmed it’s the next major project for Lucasfilm, potentially extending into the 2030s.
Okay, so Kennedy didn’t exactly spill the beans on what Kinberg’s planned trilogy is about – which honestly makes me wonder if Rey will even be in it. But her dodging questions about New Jedi Order, combined with the rumors we’ve already heard, is definitely making fans like me read between the lines. Everyone’s been saying Rey is key to the future of Star Wars on the big screen, and there was talk of her continuing the story in Kinberg’s project. It’s starting to look like Lucasfilm has decided to go all-in on a full trilogy instead of just a single movie. While New Jedi Order seems stuck in limbo, this Kinberg trilogy is really gaining momentum, and I’m incredibly curious to see where they take it.
Could New Jedi Order Still Happen?
It’s understandable if Lucasfilm is moving away from the New Jedi Order film. The project, announced in 2023, has gone through several writers, suggesting they’re struggling to develop a compelling story. While Daisy Ridley has hinted it will be worth the wait, there hasn’t been much news lately. This silence could mean the team is diligently working through the details, but it’s also a bit worrying given the lack of progress. Currently, there’s no scheduled start date for production, so the release date remains uncertain.
Lucasfilm might have realized a particular project wasn’t coming together as hoped, and decided to change direction. This isn’t unusual – during its time with Disney, Lucasfilm has often adjusted or canceled plans. There’s a history of Star Wars projects that never materialized, so it’s not surprising they would scrap an idea. If multiple writers struggle to develop a project, it suggests the concept might not be viable, even if it initially seemed promising. While audiences are eager to see Rey train a new group of Jedi, there are other ways her story could go.
Okay, things look a little shaky for the New Jedi Order movie right now, but I’m trying to stay optimistic. I remember Kathleen Kennedy mentioning it – along with Kinberg’s trilogy and Obaid-Chinoy’s standalone film – when she talked about Lucasfilm’s future plans at Star Wars Celebration Japan last year. That made me think maybe these projects aren’t competing with each other, and can co-exist. And in her recent interview, Kennedy said the story for Kinberg’s first movie had to be completely reworked, which suggests things are still in flux. So, if you’re like me and really hoping New Jedi Order still happens, that’s something to hold onto! If Lucasfilm had totally abandoned it, Kennedy probably wouldn’t have even brought it up at Celebration, right?
Fans are excited about upcoming shows like The Mandalorian & Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter, but they’re eager to learn what Lucasfilm has planned next. With Kathleen Kennedy stepping down and Dave Filoni and Brent Brennan now in charge, the future of Star Wars should become more defined. The studio can now focus on the best direction for the franchise without worrying about a leadership change. Hopefully, this will mean sharing details about the new movies and giving fans an idea of what’s to come. While there won’t be a Star Wars Celebration this year, the D23 Expo in August could be a good opportunity for announcements. If not, the 2027 Celebration is expected to be a major event.
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2026-01-17 21:42