Lucasfilm Reverses Course, Sets New Plan for Future Star Wars Movies

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As a huge Star Wars fan, I was really interested to hear what Sigourney Weaver had to say about the future of the films. It sounds like Lucasfilm is changing course a bit! After the Skywalker Saga ended with The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, they focused mostly on shows like The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi to keep the story going. But now, it looks like Star Wars is finally coming back to the big screen in 2026, and it’s going to start with a movie based on The Mandalorian and Grogu – which I’m incredibly excited about!

The new Star Wars movies signal an important change for the series, as many fans believe it’s best experienced in theaters. The franchise has always thrived on telling diverse, standalone stories throughout its history, and we can expect to see much more of that in upcoming projects.

Sigourney Weaver, who appears as Colonel Ward in The Mandalorian and Grogu, recently told Empire Magazine about Lucasfilm’s evolving approach to Star Wars. She explained that the studio has moved away from trying to create one definitive, all-encompassing Star Wars story and is now prioritizing allowing the Star Wars universe to expand and thrive organically.

Your work covers a lot of ground – from big franchises like the upcoming Star Wars to smaller, independent films, and you’ve also done comedies. What would you say ties it all together? Is it the quality of the writing?

I always let the script guide me, and that’s what happened with The Mandalorian and Grogu. I never expected to be part of the Star Wars universe, but what’s exciting about Star Wars now is that they’re not trying to create one definitive story. They’re allowing the universe to expand and explore compelling stories within it.

Weaver also revealed that her character in the next Star Wars film, scheduled for 2026, was originally written as a male. She also admitted she hadn’t watched any of The Mandalorian before starting work on the movie.

It seems Jon Favreau decided to make a particularly strong character female. I don’t know if that was the original plan, but it feels like a lot of projects these days are trying to feel current by including more women – which is great! I was immediately drawn to the script, even though I wasn’t familiar with the source material. When Jon mentioned there was a series based on it, I was surprised – I hadn’t even known that existed!

Weaver’s recent announcement about the future of Star Wars is encouraging, suggesting Lucasfilm is moving towards a more flexible approach. This means they’re open to telling standalone stories that don’t necessarily need to be heavily connected, allowing the franchise to grow in new and creative ways without the need for everything to tie together.

Directed by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian and Grogu follows Din Djarin and Grogu as they team up with the New Republic to defeat the remaining leaders of the former Empire. The film stars Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and Jeremy Allen White, and features a score by Ludwig Göransson, who previously composed music for The Mandalorian. Star Wars: The Mandalorian Grogu will be released in theaters on May 22, 2026.

Why Lucasfilm’s New Plan Should Excite Star Wars Fans 

Traditionally, Star Wars films have all been part of the overarching Skywalker family story. However, Sigourney Weaver recently suggested that Lucasfilm is now planning to tell many different stories within the Star Wars universe, rather than focusing on one continuous saga. This means they’re open to exploring new adventures and characters that could become the next big hit in the galaxy.

The new approach from Lucasfilm is great news for Star Wars fans. It gives future movies and shows more creative freedom, letting filmmakers experiment with unique styles and stories without being overly constrained by existing characters like the Skywalkers or a larger, overarching plot.

Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter is a good example of the current trend of self-contained Star Wars stories. Although Season 2 of The Mandalorian brought back Luke Skywalker, the 2026 film The Mandalorian and Grogu will be a larger, more focused adventure centered on the relationship between the two main characters.

By simply allowing the Star Wars galaxy to be, Lucasfilm has expanded the scope of the story, focusing on the lives of ordinary people – like smugglers, rebels, and those living on the fringes of society – and showcasing new, uncharted worlds.

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2025-11-19 10:05