The galaxy far, far away may have just found its next director.
According to multiple reports, Lucasfilm is in talks with director Jon Watts to helm Star Wars: Episode X, the next chapter in the Skywalker Saga and the first film in a planned new trilogy. While no deal has been formally announced, sources indicate this project has more momentum behind it than many of the Star Wars films that stalled in development following The Rise of Skywalker.
Who Is Jon Watts?
If that name sounds familiar, it should. Jon Watts is the director behind the Spider-Man trilogy for Marvel Studios, including Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and the record-breaking Spider-Man: No Way Home. He is no stranger to the Disney family either, currently serving as showrunner on the Disney+ series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. In 2024, Watts signed a first-look deal with Walt Disney Studios through his production company, Freshman Year, making this pairing feel like a very natural fit.
The Project
The screenplay for Episode X comes from Simon Kinberg, the writer and producer behind Star Wars Rebels and X-Men: Days of Future Past, who has been developing this trilogy concept since 2024. The film would pick up following the events of The Rise of Skywalker and is expected to introduce new male and female leads, with Lucasfilm reportedly seeking relatively unknown actors for those roles.
Daisy Ridley is expected to return as Rey Skywalker, though early reports suggest her role in Episode X may be more supporting in nature, with the potential to expand as the trilogy continues. Notably, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s previously announced New Jedi Order film, which would have starred Ridley in a lead role, has reportedly been shelved to make way for this Episode X project.
What Comes Next
The film has not yet received a formal greenlight from Lucasfilm, but insiders describe it as one of the most viable theatrical Star Wars projects in the pipeline. If negotiations with Watts succeed, production could begin as early as 2027.
For context, the next confirmed Star Wars theatrical release is Starfighter, currently targeting a May 28, 2027 opening. Lucasfilm has not officially commented on the Watts talks.
A director who has already proven he can balance spectacle, humor, heart, and ensemble storytelling across massive franchises? We think Jon Watts sounds like a very promising choice for the next chapter of Star Wars. We will be watching closely as this one develops.
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