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‘Star Wars’: Jon Watts to Direct Next Movie for Lucasfilm
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Jon Watts has been attached to direct the first film in Simon Kinberg’s planned Star Wars trilogy, potentially launching a new chapter of the Skywalker Saga as Episode X. The project remains in development and has not been approved by Disney, but it is reportedly the furthest-along Star Wars film after Star Wars: Starfighter.
The trilogy is expected to feature Rey Skywalker, played by Daisy Ridley, and would follow Episodes I–IX. Watts previously directed the Tom Holland Spider-Man films and co-created Star Wars series Skeleton Crew, while Starfighter is being directed by Shawn Levy, starring Ryan Gosling and scheduled for release on 27 May 2027.
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In short
- Jon Watts will direct a potential new Star Wars trilogy.
- Simon Kinberg is writing the planned films.
- The project remains unapproved and in development.
How this story developed
- 2 months ago Jon Watts has been attached to direct the first film in Simon Kinberg’s planned Star Wars trilogy, potentially launching a new chapter of the Skywalker Saga as Episode X.
- 2 months ago Jon Watts is attached to direct the first film in a new Star Wars trilogy written by Simon Kinberg, potentially beginning Episode X and extending the Skywalker Saga.
- Variety Jon Watts to Direct Next ‘Star Wars’ Movie
- The Hollywood Reporter ‘Star Wars’: Jon Watts to Direct Next Movie for Lucasfilm
Full account
Jon Watts is attached to direct a new Star Wars film for Lucasfilm, placing him at the centre of plans for a possible continuation of the Skywalker Saga. The project is expected to be connected to a trilogy written by Simon Kinberg and would follow the nine numbered episodes released so far, although it remains in development and has not received final approval from Disney.
The film is understood to be the next major Star Wars project in development after Star Wars: Starfighter, which Shawn Levy is directing with Ryan Gosling in the cast. Starfighter is scheduled for a cinema release on 27 May 2027, a date that will mark 50 years since the first Star Wars film. The new project would also reportedly involve Rey Skywalker, the Jedi character played by Daisy Ridley in the most recent trilogy, though the precise nature of her role is not known.
Watts brings experience of moving between smaller productions and large-scale franchise filmmaking. He directed Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home, following earlier films including Cop Car and Clown. He later directed Wolfs, starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, and returned to Star Wars by co-creating Skeleton Crew with Christopher Ford. Watts directed two episodes of that 2024 series, which starred Jude Law and followed a group of young characters during the New Republic era.
The reports present the appointment as a sign that the project is among Lucasfilm’s most advanced post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker plans, while stressing that development is not the same as a confirmed production. One account describes the film explicitly as the first part of a new trilogy and links it to a future Episode X, whereas the other focuses more cautiously on Watts’ attachment to an unnamed film and Kinberg’s role as screenwriter. They also place different emphasis on Watts’ career: one highlights his perceived reliability after the Spider-Man films and his previous Star Wars work, while the other provides more background on his Disney deal and the wider list of directors who have worked in the franchise.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
Source 1 gives the project a more defined place in the franchise, describing it as the opening chapter of a new trilogy, a potential Episode X and a story involving Rey Skywalker. Source 2 is more restrained, confirming Watts’ attachment and Kinberg’s script without detailing the proposed episode number or Rey’s involvement. Source 1 also discusses the project’s position in Lucasfilm’s development pipeline and Watts’ reputation following his Spider-Man films, while Source 2 concentrates on his filmography, Disney relationship and connection to Skeleton Crew.
Explained simply
Star Wars is a long-running science-fiction film series centred on a conflict between the Jedi, who use a mystical power called the Force, and the Sith, who use it for darker purposes. Its main nine-film storyline, known as the Skywalker Saga, follows several generations of characters including Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and Rey.
Jon Watts is an American director best known for making the three Spider-Man films starring Tom Holland. He also helped create Skeleton Crew, a Star Wars television series, while Simon Kinberg is developing the planned trilogy and Daisy Ridley is expected to return as Rey.
The proposed films would continue the story after Episode IX and could become Episodes X–XII, although the project is still in development and has not been formally approved by Disney. It is one of several Star Wars projects being developed as Lucasfilm plans the franchise’s next stage.