For the first time in a while we’re not looking down the barrel of endless Star Wars sequels, with December’s Episode IX set to end both the main Skywalker saga and Star Wars films in general for the next few years.

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Still, that doesn’t mean we don’t have plenty to look forward to over the coming months and years – because with the numbered movies soon to be left behind, Disney and Lucasfilm now seem to be getting a bit creative with how to keep the franchise going.

Below, we’ve gone into all the announced Star Wars projects and release dates – as well as a few that are just rumoured or have been recently cancelled – to keep you up to date on what we can expect from the future of a galaxy far, far away.

This list will be updated as projects are announced

November 12th 2019– The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) in Lucasfilm’s THE MANDALORIAN.
Pedro Pascal in The Mandalorian

Even before the much-hyped Episode IX we’re seeing the beginning of Disney and LucasFilm’s small-screen ambitions, with The Mandalorian – a new series set to launch streaming platform Disney+ – arriving this autumn.

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Starring Pedro Pascal as the titular outer-space adventurer (hailing from the same planet as fan-favourite character Boba Fett), the series has been created by Jon Favreau, and early footage reactions have been very positive even if we still don’t know too much about the series’ storyline.

“After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe,” a synopsis reads. “The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the empire and before the emergence of the First Order. We follow the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic”.

The Mandalorian also stars ex-MMA fighter and Deadpool star Gina Carano, Werner Herzog, Nick Nolte, Taika Waititi, Ming-Na Wen, Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Carl Weathers and Omid Abtahi among others.

December 19th 2019– Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

Here’s one we do know a fair bit about – well, by Star Wars standards.

Directed by The Force Awakens’ JJ Abrams after the departure of Colin Trevorrow, The Rise of Skywalker is set to close off the “modern” trilogy that Abrams started in 2015 as well as the nine-part Skywalker saga as a whole.

Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver and Mark Hamill are among the cast returning, with the film also set to add Richard E Grant and original trilogy star Billy Dee Williams among others. The late Carrie Fisher will also reprise her role thanks to archive footage.

As for the story, well, that’s a mystery – though, according to a panel at Star Wars Celebration, the film takes place some time after The Last Jedi, and the trailer (above) suggests it will involve a mission to the second Death Star (now underwater) and the return of Ian McDiarmuid’s Emperor Palpatine.

Meanwhile, a second trailer suggested that Daisy Ridley's Rey could be tempted to the Dark Side...

Date unknown – Untitled Cassian Andor series

Star Wars:Rogue One
Lucasfilm

A spin-off of 2016’s Rogue One, this Disney+ series is set to have Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk reprise their roles as super-spy Cassian Andor and reprogrammed droid K-2SO, with the drama following their adventures and covert missions for the Rebel Alliance.

Apart from these details, little is known about the series, not even its title, though it’s expected to be released some time after the Rise of Skywalker and before any more Star Wars movies, as it will shoot in London in 2020.

Date unknown – Untitled Obi-Wan Kenobi series

Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan in Star Wars
Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars

After a lot of speculation, Ewan McGregor is officially coming back to play Jedi Master Obi-Wan!

“Yes, I am playing Obi-Wan Kenobi ... it feels so nice to say!” McGregor said onstage at D23, where it was also revealed that a full series of scripts are already written ahead of filming in 2020.

December 16th 2022 – A new trilogy???

DB Weiss and David Benioff

Disney has unveiled release dates for some future Star Wars movies and, as previously announced by LucasFilm, the franchise IS taking a bit of a break after The Rise of Skywalker (at least in cinemas).

Previously, the first film in this brave new Star Wars world will come in the usual Christmas slot in 2022 – but following the departure of Game of Thrones bosses David Benioff and DB Weiss, it's now unclear whether this particular version of the story will continue.

Previously, it was rumoured that Benioff and Weiss’ movie could take the franchise thousands of years before the prequel trilogy, back to the medieval-esque period in Star Wars history known as the Old Republic, which in spin-off media involved a massive clash across the galaxy between thousands of Jedi and Sith. Though perhaps the idea of the Game of Thrones guys doing ANOTHER bloodthirsty medieval fantasy was a little too obvious in hindsight.

It's possible that another creative team will pick up this thread, so watch this space - but for now, signs aren't looking good for this particular project.

December 20th 2024 – Untitled Star Wars movie

While this could be another entry in the formerly Benioff/Weiss saga, it's also possible that 2024 will mark the first part of The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson’s already-announced new trilogy.

Described as a “blank canvas” set in “a corner of the galaxy that Star Wars lore has never before explored,” little is known about Johnson’s plans for the new films – and when RadioTimes.com spoke to him during early planning stages in 2017, he was giving nothing away.

"Well, I hope it's a good story!” Johnson said.

“If you're actually doing things that feel like they really dramatically land, to me the definition of that is you don't see it coming in the moment, and then once it's happened it feels inevitable. That's what you're aiming for.”

Since 2017 there have been no new announcements about Johnson’s trilogy, though it has been confirmed the plan is still on the cards.

On the other hand, even that would be a VERY long production schedule, so perhaps we should take all these rumours with a pinch of salt. Especially when

December 18 2026 – Untitled Star Wars movie

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - Star Wars Logo

As noted above, this could be a continuation of Johnson's or the Knights of the Old Republic trilogies - however, it's also been revealed that Marvel supremo Kevin Feige is working on a Star Wars movie, so it could be that one of these slots has been earmarked for his secret project.

“We are excited about the projects Kathy and the Lucasfilm team are working on, not only in terms of Star Wars but also Indiana Jones and reaching into other parts of the company including Children of Blood and Bone with Emma Watts and Fox,” Disney co-chairman Alan Horn told The Hollywood Reporter.

“With the close of the Skywalker Saga, Kathy is pursuing a new era in Star Wars storytelling, and knowing what a die-hard fan Kevin is, it made sense for these two extraordinary producers to work on a Star Wars film together."

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Supposedly Feige already has a big star in mind for one of the lead roles (Chris Evans and Brie Larson have thrown their hats into the ring), but apart from that we know very little about this project, so watch this space...

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