Just like the Marvel films, Disney plans on having LucasFilm release one new Star Wars movie every year until the trend becomes unpopular or not profitable (so forever). With The Force Awakens breaking box office records left and right, Disney’s also planned out Star Wars’s encroaching grip on our wallets and hearts until 2020.
2016: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Starting with next year, set to release on December 16th, 2016, is Rogue One – A Star Wars Story. The film will most likely fill in Wedge Antilles’s role in the Alliance and overall Star Wars universe. Prior to Disney completely retconning the Expanded Universe, Antilles starred in the Rogue Squadron video game series, along with multiple novels and comics about the Alliance’s best pilot. After the retcon, Wedge is now just the Alliance’s luckiest Alliance pilot that survived both Death Stars battles. Hopefully, this film will be able to fill in some of his story.
Another note of interest is that this will be the first major Star Wars film that’s not directly linked to the “episodes.” This is a spin-off movie being directed by Gareth Edwards of Godzilla (2014). He plans on focusing the plot on the team that stole the original Death Star plans, events that would fit in between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.
2017: Star Wars Episode VIII
It’s hard to talk about what Episode 8 might be about without discussing some major spoilers from The Force Awakens, so it’s probably best not to do so out of respect of the few dozen people who haven’t seen The Force Awakens yet. We do know that Rian Johnson, director of Looper and some random Breaking Bad episodes, will be directing this film, but we currently don’t have more than the episode number and fan theories. The film plans to be released on May 26th, 2017.
2018: Untitled Han Solo Film
It keeps getting called an “Untitled Han Solo Anthology” film, so I guess we’ll role with that. The most popular theory on this one’s plot is that it follows a young Han Solo in his prime smuggling years. We’ll probably be graced with the story of how he met Chewbacca, how he acquired the Millenium Falcon, and all the typical traits that we associate with Han Solo.
The only casting and production members that are confirmed are directors and writers. Phil Lord (21 Jump Street, The Lego Movie) and Christopher Miller (same as Phil Lord) are directing, with Lawrence Kasden (Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark) and Jon Kasden (The First Time, Silverado) writing the script. A minor rumor surfaced that Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Fantastic Four [2015]) will have some role in the film, but past that, it’s all rumors until May 25th, 2018.
2019: Star Wars Episode IX
Just like with Episode 8, but with even less to speculate on and less known about the title. Disney hasn’t even announced which day the film will release; apparently, they can only go three years into the future when providing specific release dates. Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World) will be directing this one, so take that as you will.
2020: Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film
We’re now lost in the spaces of nebulous knowledge and completely unreleased details. Simon Kinberg is most likely the writer for this script, and some minor rumors about where the overall universe is going point to a Boba Fett film, but nothing is really known about the film past that.
And for the future? I’m sure they’ll be planning these out for years. We’ll probably get a spin-off film for the droid with the bad motivator. Whether they create a fourth trilogy is yet to be seen, though. Where do you think LucasFilm’s movies are headed? Sound off in the comments and let us know! (But try keeping it spoiler free of The Force Awakens details).