What We Know So Far
Here are some of the projects that are confirmed or strongly rumored as part of this post-Skywalker expansion:
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The Mandalorian & Grogu is slated for release on May 22, 2026. It transitions the hit The Mandalorian TV series to the big screen. Familiar faces (Din Djarin, Grogu) return as they take on new adventures in the New Republic era.
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Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, set to come out May 28, 2027. This is a brand new adventure ~5 years after The Rise of Skywalker, with new characters and an era we haven’t explored much on film.
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A film centered on Rey Skywalker is also in development. The story reportedly takes place ~15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, focusing on Rey’s effort to rebuild the Jedi Order.
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A new trilogy by Simon Kinberg has been hinted—this is being described by Lucasfilm leadership as “the next iteration, the new saga that will take us into the future.” Whether it continues threads from the sequels or branches into something more novel is still to be seen.
What the Fandom is Excited (and Wary) About
As much as these announcements bring hype, there’s also a mix of hopeful anticipation and cautious skepticism among fans. Here are some of the main threads:
What fans are looking forward to:
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Fresh characters and new eras. After years under the Shadow of Skywalker, many are eager for stories with new Jedi, new villains, and new mysteries.
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Return to strong duel choreography & deeper Force lore. Many hope for more ambitious lightsaber fights, better use of motion/sound effects, and a more nuanced understanding of the Force.
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More consistent storytelling. Fans have repeatedly asked for coherent arcs, less retconning, and stories that build on established lore rather than contradicting or sidelining it.
What fans are worried about:
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Overlap with the sequels. Because some of the upcoming stories are set in the same general era (5-15 years after Rise of Skywalker), there’s concern about whether they’ll resolve the sequels’ lingering plot threads well, or merely gloss over them.
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Reboot fatigue or “nostalgia bait.” Some worry that the new trilogy could fall into the trap of leaning too much on callbacks to old trilogies instead of forging new directions.
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Whether the production will keep the same level of heart & depth. After reactions to The Last Jedi, Rise of Skywalker, etc., many are hoping the creative teams take more risks, care about the details, and deliver payoff emotionally, not just visually.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mandalorian_and_Grogu
https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/star-wars-movies/star-wars-actor-giancarlo-esposito-teases-a-trilogy-or-more-of-mandalorian-movies/
https://en.as.com/meristation/news/star-wars-confirms-the-trilogy-that-will-continue-the-saga-beyond-episode-9-n/
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