Disney and Lucasfilm, the stewards of the Star Wars brand, outlined their Thursday agenda, revealing plans for four new television series. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew will join the current slate, while no immediate return to the big screen is planned for the time being.
Following the tremendous run of The Mandalorian, the flagship series for the Disney+ platform, the studio is in a rapid phase of expansion within the universe George Lucas began in 1977. The Star Wars ecosystem is now celebrating Star Wars Celebration in Southern California, a gathering that brings together thousands of fans who shop for costumes and meet many of the people responsible for this immersive universe. Among the highlights is the promise of a major presentation this Friday, including the return of Ewan McGregor to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a fan-favorite who has helped anchor the saga in recent years.
After the earlier, more restrained premiere of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi aims to draw audiences with a storyline that Disney has kept largely under wraps. In a recent interview, Scottish actor Ewan McGregor noted that the project is longer in duration than a single season yet maintains its own distinct essence. He and the director Deborah Chow spoke positively about the creative direction and the final product.
On August 31, another prominent Star Wars actor will unveil his character in a new series: Andor, featuring Diego Luna reprising Cassian Andor from Rogue One. Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, introduced Luna on stage at the convention, where he was met with enthusiastic applause. Before showing the trailer for the twelve-episode first season, Luna teased that the character takes a surprising turn early in the series, with an additional batch of twelve episodes confirmed for later release.
Jude Law joins Star Wars
One of the notable developments is the casting of British actor Jude Law as a leading figure in a Star Wars television production centered on a group of four children navigating the vast galactic landscape. The show, titled Skeleton Crew, will assemble a creative team that includes filmmakers who previously collaborated on Spider-Man: Homecoming and The Lion King. Jon Watts and Chris Ford, who were involved in these projects, are attached to the production alongside John Favreau, a key figure behind recent Star Wars storytelling innovations.
Filming for Skeleton Crew is slated to begin within the year, with a planned release window that aligns with upcoming programming. Viewers can also expect further developments for Ahsoka, a series that expands on The Mandalorian’s universe and stars Rosario Dawson, who represents a Puerto Rican and Cuban-American presence in the franchise.
The Mandalorian itself is set to return with a third season, continuing to broaden the adventures of its central characters and the broader galactic setting that fans have come to love.
No cinema sign
Despite the extensive lineup, Lucasfilm and Disney have not publicly committed to a theatrical rollout for the Star Wars brand beyond the existing schedule. A film slated for Christmas 2023 remains unconfirmed as the studio evaluates which narrative will lead theaters after the current storyline wraps up the initial era of films released between 1977 and 2019.
Early rumors pointed to Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, a project directed by Patty Jenkins, but production faced delays and was not moving forward at the time. Several other film projects have reportedly been in development, with names like Taika Waititi, Rian Johnson, and Kevin Feige associated with potential future installments; however, none of these plans has solidified recently.