Spider-Man filmmaker will direct first movie of new Star Wars trilogy in the Skywalker Saga, and it might be replacing the Rey film
Skeleton Crew co-creator Jon Watts is set to direct Star Wars: Episode 10, which means the Rey movie might be dead
Following a years-long break between movies, Star Wars is officially back in its cinematic flow. Following The Mandalorian and Grogu hitting screens this year, and with Shawn Levvy's Star Wars: Starfighter on the way, LucasFilm is moving forward with yet another feature, and it has already found its director.
Jon Watts has been tapped to direct the first movie out of a new trilogy that will next chapter of the Skywalker Saga. The mystery trilogy is penned by Simon Kinberg, who has been working on the three films since late 2024. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project has not yet been greenlit by Disney. However, the feature is the furthest along the development track after Starfighter.
Watt is already part of the Star Wars family due to co-creating, writing, and directing a fair chunk of the 2024 Disney Plus show Skeleton Crew. The filmmaker also has a lot of experience with big franchises like Marvel, directing the first three MCU Spider-Man movies starring Tom Holland, successfully relaunching the web-slinging hero
Though details are being kept tightly under wraps, the project will seemingly act as Episode 10, continuing the Skywalker Saga, which runs from Episode 1: The Phantom Menace right up to Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker. The trilogy will also welcome back Daisy Ridley's Rey Skywalker in some capacity. However, Ridley's involvement has us wondering if Watts' Episode 10 is set to replace the previously revealed Rey movie.
Announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023, the Rey movie was said to be set after Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker, following Rey as she rebuilds the Jedi Order. But if Watts' project follows on from Episode 9 and features Rey, will there be any need for the Rey movie after that? The Rey movie has suffered a series of delays, lost several writers, and has failed to leave early developmental hell. We haven't heard any promising updates on the project in a while, so we wonder if this is really the end.
Next up for Star Wars, though, is the Ryan Gosling starrer Starfighter, which is set to tell a new story away from the Skywalker Saga, taking place five years after The Rise of Skywalker. Star Wars: Starfighter releases on May 28, 2027
For more, check out our guides to the Star Wars timeline and how to watch Star Wars in order, and keep up with upcoming Star Wars movies and shows on the way.
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I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.
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