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Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' franchise involves multiple live-action and animated films. The series was initially created as a
trilogy A trilogy is a set of three distinct works that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games. Three-part works that are considered components of ...
set ''
in medias res A narrative work beginning ''in medias res'' (, "into the middle of things") opens in the chronological middle of the plot, rather than at the beginning (cf. '' ab ovo'', '' ab initio''). Often, exposition is initially bypassed, instead filled i ...
'' (partway through the plot) that was later expanded into a trilogy of trilogies, known as the "Skywalker Saga". The original 1977 film ''Star Wars'' (later subtitled ''A New Hope'') was followed by the sequels ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'' (1980) and ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas. The sequel to '' The Empire ...
'' (1983); these films form the original trilogy. Beginning twenty-two years later, the
prequel trilogy The ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy, colloquially referred to as the prequels, is a series of epic space-opera films written and directed by George Lucas. It was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The trilogy was ...
was released, consisting of '' Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'' (1999), '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'' (2002), and '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' (2005). Then, after creator
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman ...
sold Lucasfilm to
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
in 2012, a sequel trilogy consisting of ''Episodes VII'' through ''IX'' was released, namely '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015), '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (2017), and '' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'' (2019). The first three spin-off films produced were the made-for-television ''
Star Wars Holiday Special ''The Star Wars Holiday Special'' is an American television special originally broadcast by CBS on November 17, 1978. It is set in the universe of the sci-fi-based ''Star Wars'' media franchise. Directed by Steve Binder, it was the first ''S ...
'' (1978), '' The Ewok Adventure'' (1984) and '' Ewoks: The Battle for Endor'' (1985). Following Disney's 2012 acquisition of the franchise, these earlier films were dropped from the official canon, but the theatrical animated film '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008) and its television series continuation retain their canonical status. Two
standalone film A standalone film is a film whose story that does not have any relation with other films but happens in the same universe. In the late 1990s, it was typical to create standalone films with no plans for sequels. The term "standalone film" appeare ...
s were produced and released between the sequel trilogy films: ''
Rogue One ''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the first '' ...
'' (2016) and '' Solo: A Star Wars Story'' (2018), both set between the original and prequel trilogies. A years long hiatus began in late 2019, during which numerous films were announced and often shelved. ''
The Mandalorian and Grogu ''The Mandalorian and Grogu'' is an upcoming American film directed by Jon Favreau and co-written by Favreau and Dave Filoni. Produced by Lucasfilm and set to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is part of the ''Star Wars' ...
'', a continuation of the similarly titled television series, is being directed by
Jon Favreau Jonathan Kolia Favreau ( ; born October 19, 1966) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Favreau has appeared in films such as ''Rudy (film), Rudy'' (1993), ''PCU (film), PCU'' (1994), ''Swingers (1996 film), Swingers'' (1996), ''Very ...
and is planned for release in May 2026. The combined box office revenue of the films amounts to over US$10 billion, and it is currently the third-highest-grossing film franchise. The major live-action releases (including all of the films of the Skywalker Saga) were nominated for
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
. The original film was nominated for most of the major categories, including
Best Picture The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...
,
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * As ...
,
Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award (also known as an Oscar) for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best ...
, and Best Supporting Actor for
Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. In the BFI, British Film Institute listing of 1999 of BFI Top 100 British films, the 100 most important British films of the 20th century ...
(who played
Obi-Wan Kenobi Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi () is a character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. In the original film trilogy, he is a Jedi Master who trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force. In the prequel trilogy, he mentors Luke's father, Anakin Skywalke ...
), while all theatrical live-action films have been nominated for particular categories. Several official ''Star Wars'' television series have also been released, all now on
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
.


Skywalker Saga

The main ''Star Wars'' film series is a trilogy of subtrilogies; as it neared completion, Lucasfilm began to refer to it as the "Skywalker Saga". It was released beginning with the original trilogy (Episodes ''IV, V'', and ''VI'', 1977–1983), followed by the
prequel trilogy The ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy, colloquially referred to as the prequels, is a series of epic space-opera films written and directed by George Lucas. It was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The trilogy was ...
(Episodes ''I, II'', and ''III'', 1999–2005) and the sequel trilogy (Episodes ''VII, VIII'', and ''IX'', 2015–2019). The first film released, ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' (1977), is the fourth film chronologically and was later subtitled ''Episode IV – A New Hope'' in 1981. The saga begins chronologically with '' Episode I – The Phantom Menace'' (1999) and concludes with '' Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker'' (2019). The story follows each generation of the
Force In physics, a force is an influence that can cause an Physical object, object to change its velocity unless counterbalanced by other forces. In mechanics, force makes ideas like 'pushing' or 'pulling' mathematically precise. Because the Magnitu ...
-sensitive Skywalker family and their struggle against
Palpatine Sheev Palpatine ( ) is the main antagonist of the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He first appeared in the 1980 film ''The Empire Strikes Back'' as . He is also known by his Sith name, Darth Sidious, which was first used in the novelization of the 199 ...
, an evil
Sith The Sith are the main antagonists in the fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise. They are the antithesis and ancient enemies of the Jedi. The Sith Order is depicted as an ancient cult of warriors who draw strength from the dark sid ...
Lord known as Darth Sidious. The prequel trilogy focuses on
Anakin Skywalker Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the Star Wars original trilogy, original film trilogy as the primary Antagonist, antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire (Star W ...
's time as a
Jedi Jedi (), Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are fictional characters, and often protagonists, featured in many works within the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order is depic ...
under
Obi-Wan Kenobi Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi () is a character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. In the original film trilogy, he is a Jedi Master who trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force. In the prequel trilogy, he mentors Luke's father, Anakin Skywalke ...
, marriage to
Padmé Amidala Padmé Amidala (, ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. She first appeared in the 1999 film ''The Phantom Menace'' as the teenage queen of the fictional planet Naboo. In the following two films of the prequel trilogy, Padm ...
, and fall to the dark side as
Darth Vader Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as the primary antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire. He has become one of the most iconic villain ...
. The original trilogy follows Anakin and Padmé's children
Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the original film trilogy as the main protagonist and also appears in the sequel trilogy. Raised as a poor moisture farmer on the desert planet Tat ...
and
Princess Leia Princess Leia Organa ( or ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the Star Wars (film), original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is a princess of the planet Alderaan, a member of the Galactic Empire (Star Wars ...
, who join forces with
Han Solo Han Solo () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the 1977 film ''Star Wars (film), Star Wars'', and later appeared in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), ''Star Wars: The F ...
and the
Rebel Alliance The Rebel Alliance (known formally Universe of Star Wars, in-universe as the Alliance to Restore the Republic) is an organization that features in the fictional world of the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise. The Alliance is portrayed as a state ...
against Vader and Palpatine's
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
. The sequel trilogy features
Kylo Ren Kylo Ren (born Ben Solo) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in ''The Force Awakens'' (2015), the first film of the sequel trilogy as the main antagonist. He subsequently appeared in '' The Last Jedi'' (20 ...
(Ben Solo)—Leia and Han's son—who fell to the dark side and seeks to rule
First Order In mathematics and other formal sciences, first-order or first order most often means either: * "linear" (a polynomial of degree at most one), as in first-order approximation and other calculus uses, where it is contrasted with "polynomials of high ...
with Rey, Palpatine's granddaughter and the Skywalkers' last Jedi apprentice. Each episodic film begins with an opening crawl, accompanied by the main ''Star Wars'' theme by
John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...
, who composed each film's score. Following their initial theatrical releases, franchise creator
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman ...
made multiple rounds of retroactive changes to the films of the original trilogy (and to a lesser extent, the prequels).


Standalone films

As Lucas was outlining a trilogy of trilogies, he also imagined making additional movies unrelated to the Skywalker Saga. The first theatrical films set outside the main episodic series were the
Ewok The Ewoks (singular: Ewok) are a fictional species of small, furry, mammaloid, bipeds in the ''Star Wars'' universe. They inhabit the forest moon of Endor and live in arboreal huts and other simple dwellings, being seen as primitive in com ...
spin-off films '' Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure'' (1984) and '' Ewoks: The Battle for Endor'' (1985), the first of which was screened internationally after being produced for television. After the conclusion of his then-six-episode saga in 2005, Lucas returned to spin-offs in the form of
television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...
. An animated film, '' The Clone Wars'' (2008), was released as a pilot to a TV series of the same name. An anthology series set between the main episodes entered development in parallel to the production of the sequel trilogy, described by Disney
chief financial officer A chief financial officer (CFO) is an officer of a company or organization who is assigned the primary responsibility for making decisions for the company for projects and its finances; i.a.: financial planning, management of financial risks, ...
(CFO) Jay Rasulo as origin stories. The first entry, ''
Rogue One ''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the first '' ...
: A Star Wars Story'' (2016), tells the story of the rebels who steal the Death Star plans directly before ''Episode IV''. '' Solo: A Star Wars Story'' (2018) focuses on Han's backstory, also featuring
Chewbacca Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a Wookiee—a tall, hairy, highly intelligent species originating from the planet Kashyyyk. He is tall, and typically wears only a bandolier an ...
and
Lando Calrissian Lando Calrissian (; ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is introduced in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) as a friend of Han Solo and the administrator of Cloud City on the planet Bespin. Prior to the events of the fi ...
.


Animated film


''The Clone Wars'' (2008)

Preceding the airing of the animated TV series in late 2008, the theatrical feature ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' was compiled from episodes "almost san afterthought." It reveals that Anakin trained an apprentice between ''Attack of the Clones'' and ''Revenge of the Sith''; the series explains padawan
Ahsoka Tano Ahsoka Tano (pronounced ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. She was introduced as the 14-year-old List of Star Wars species (P–T)#Togruta, Togruta Jedi Padawan of Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker in the animated film ''Star ...
's absence from the latter film. The film and series exist in the same level of
canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western canon, th ...
as the episodic and anthology films.


Live-action films

Before selling Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, and parallel to his development of a sequel trilogy, George Lucas and original trilogy
Lawrence Kasdan Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American filmmaker. He is the co-writer of the ''Star Wars'' films '' The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), '' Return of the Jedi'' (1983), '' The Force Awakens'' (2015), and '' Solo: A Star Wars ...
started development on a
standalone film A standalone film is a film whose story that does not have any relation with other films but happens in the same universe. In the late 1990s, it was typical to create standalone films with no plans for sequels. The term "standalone film" appeare ...
about a young Han Solo. In February 2013, Disney CEO
Bob Iger Robert Alan Iger (; born February 10, 1951) is an American media executive who is chief executive officer (CEO) of the Walt Disney Company. He previously was the president of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) between 1994 and 1995 and p ...
made public the development of a Kasdan film and ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' reported that it would focus on Han Solo. Disney CFO Jay Rasulo has described the standalone films as origin stories.
Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company founded by filmmaker George Lucas in December 10, 1971 in San Rafael, California, and later moved to San Francisco in 2005. It is best known for creating and producing th ...
president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed that there was "no attempt being made to carry characters (from the standalone films) in and out of the saga episodes." The standalone films are subtitled ''"A Star Wars Story"''.


''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' (2016)

''Rogue One'' is set directly before ''Episode IV: A New Hope'' and focuses on the eponymous group of rebels who obtain the plans to the Death Star. Its laser was developed by scientist Galen Erso (played by
Mads Mikkelsen Mads Dittmann Mikkelsen (; born 22 November 1965) is a Danish actor. He rose to fame in Denmark as an actor for his roles such as Tonny in the first two films of the Pusher (film series), ''Pusher'' film trilogy (1996, 2004), Detective Sergea ...
) after the Empire forcibly abducted him, separating him from his daughter Jyn. Galen secretly sends a defecting Imperial pilot, Bodhi Rook, to deliver a message warning of the weapon's existence and revealing its weakness to his rebel friend
Saw Gerrera Saw Gerrera is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He first was introduced in a 2012 episode of the animated series '' The Clone Wars'', in which he is voiced by Andrew Kishino. Hailing from the planet Onderon alongside his si ...
. Under the false promise of her father's liberation, Jyn agrees to help Rebel Alliance intelligence officer
Cassian Andor Cassian Jeron Andor is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, primarily portrayed by actor Diego Luna. Introduced in the feature film '' Rogue One'' (2016) as a co-lead, he is the protagonist of the prequel television series '' ...
and his droid retrieve the message from Saw, now the paranoid leader of an extremist cell of rebels. The idea for the movie came from
John Knoll John Knoll (born October 6, 1962) is an American visual effects supervisor and chief creative officer (CCO) at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). One of the original creators of Adobe Photoshop (along with his brother, Thomas Knoll), he has ...
, the
chief creative officer The title Chief Creative Officer (CCO) typically describes the highest-ranking position of a creative team within a media company. Depending on the type of company, this position may be responsible for the overall look and feel of marketing, media, ...
of
Industrial Light & Magic Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American Film, motion picture visual effects, computer animation and stereo conversion digital studio founded by George Lucas on May 26, 1975. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lu ...
. In May 2014, Lucasfilm announced
Gareth Edwards Gareth Edwards may refer to: *Gareth Edwards (Berkshire cricketer) (born 1973), English cricketer *Gareth Edwards (filmmaker) (born 1975), British filmmaker *Gareth Edwards (producer) (born 1965), British radio and television writer and producer *Ga ...
as the director of an anthology film, with
Gary Whitta Gary Leslie Whitta (born 21 July 1972) is an English-American screenwriter, author, game designer, and video game journalist. Whitta was the screenwriter of film '' The Book of Eli'' (2010), co-wrote the film ''After Earth'' (2013) with M. Night ...
writing the first draft for a release on December 16, 2016. The film's title was revealed to be ''Rogue One'', with
Chris Weitz Christopher John Weitz (; born November 30, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He is best known for his work with his brother Paul on the comedy films '' American Pie'' and '' About a Boy''; the latter earned ...
rewriting the script, and
Felicity Jones Felicity Rose Hadley Jones (born 17 October 1983) is an English actress. She began her professional acting career as a child, appearing in '' The Treasure Seekers'' (1996) at age 12. She went on to play Ethel Hallow for one series of the tele ...
in the starring role.
Ben Mendelsohn Paul Benjamin Mendelsohn (born 3 April 1969) is an Australian actor. He first rose to prominence in Australia for his break-out role in '' The Year My Voice Broke'' (1987). He gained international attention for his starring role in the crime d ...
and
Diego Luna Diego Dionisio Luna Alexander (; born 29 December 1979) is a Mexican actor, director, and producer, best known for his portrayal of Cassian Andor in ''Rogue One, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' (2016) and the Disney+ series ''Andor (TV series), ...
also play new characters, with
James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024) was an American actor. A pioneer for black actors in the entertainment industry, Jones is known for his extensive and acclaimed roles on stage and screen. Jones is one of the few perfor ...
returning to voice
Darth Vader Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as the primary antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire. He has become one of the most iconic villain ...
. Edwards stated, "It comes down to a group of individuals who don't have magical powers that have to somehow bring hope to the
galaxy A galaxy is a Physical system, system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar medium, interstellar gas, cosmic dust, dust, and dark matter bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek ' (), literally 'milky', ...
." The film was the first to feature characters introduced in animated ''Star Wars'' TV series, namely '' The Clone Wars'' Saw Gerrera, portrayed by
Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and activist. His accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Best Actor Award at the ...
in the film. The movie received generally positive reviews, with its performances, action sequences, soundtrack, visual effects and darker tone being praised. The film grossed over million worldwide within a week of its release.


''Solo: A Star Wars Story'' (2018)

''Solo'', the second anthology film, focuses on Han Solo about 10 years before ''A New Hope''. After an escape attempt from his Imperial-occupied home planet of Corellia goes wrong, a young Han vows to return to rescue his girlfriend Qi'ra. Han "Solo" joins the Imperial Academy; however, he is expelled for his reckless behavior. Han and his newfound
Wookiee Wookiees () are fictional humanoid aliens in the ''Star Wars'' universe, native to the forest planet Kashyyyk. They are distinguished from humans by their gigantism, hirsutism, and physical strength. The most prominent Wookiee in the films is ...
friend Chewbacca resort to a criminal life, mentored by veteran smuggler Tobias Beckett. After angering gangster Dryden Vos, for whom Qi'ra now works, Han and his company's lives depend on pulling a heist for him. Without a ship to travel, they hire
Lando Calrissian Lando Calrissian (; ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is introduced in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) as a friend of Han Solo and the administrator of Cloud City on the planet Bespin. Prior to the events of the fi ...
, the captain and owner of the ''Millennium Falcon''. A
twist ending A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction. When it happens near the end of a story, it is known as a twist ending or surprise ending. It may change ...
acknowledges
Maul A maul may refer to any number of large hammers, including: * War hammer, a medieval weapon * Post maul, a type of sledgehammer * Spike maul, railroad hand tool * Splitting maul, heavy wood-splitting tool resembling both axe and hammer People * A ...
's survival of ''The Phantom Menace'', as previously explored by animated series. Before selling Lucasfilm to Disney, George Lucas had hired ''Star Wars'' original trilogy veteran
Lawrence Kasdan Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American filmmaker. He is the co-writer of the ''Star Wars'' films '' The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), '' Return of the Jedi'' (1983), '' The Force Awakens'' (2015), and '' Solo: A Star Wars ...
to write a film about a young Han Solo. The film stars
Alden Ehrenreich Alden Caleb Ehrenreich (; born November 22, 1989) is an American actor. He began his career by appearing in the television series ''Supernatural'' (2005), and in Francis Ford Coppola's films '' Tetro'' (2009) and '' Twixt'' (2011). Following supp ...
as a young Han Solo,
Joonas Suotamo Joonas Viljami Suotamo (; born 3 October 1986) is a Finnish actor and former professional basketball player. He is best known for his role as Chewbacca in the ''Star Wars'' saga, taking over the role from Peter Mayhew, first as a body double, wit ...
as Chewbacca (after serving as a double for the character in ''The Force Awakens'' and ''The Last Jedi''),
Donald Glover Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (; born September 25, 1983), also known by his musical stage name Childish Gambino (), is an American actor, comedian, musician, and filmmaker. While he studied at New York University and after working in Derrick ...
as Lando Calrissian,
Emilia Clarke Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke (born 23 October 1986) is an English actress, best known for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO fantasy series ''Game of Thrones'' (2011–2019), for which she received nominations for four Primetime E ...
as Qi'ra, and
Woody Harrelson Woodrow Tracy Harrelson (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor. He first became known for his role as bartender Woody Boyd on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1985–1993), for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in ...
as Beckett. Lucasfilm originally hired
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Philip Anderson Lord (born July 12, 1975) and Christopher Robert Miller (born September 23, 1975) are an American filmmaking and acting duo. Their films are known for subversion of genre and detailed visual sensation, spanning various styles of ...
to direct, but they were fired during
principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
, and replaced by
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American filmmaker and actor. Howard started his career as a child actor before transitioning to directing films. Over his six-decade career, Howard has received List of awards and nominations r ...
.


Future

In mid-2018, Lucasfilm confirmed that multiple anthology films were in development, with their release following a hiatus after 2019's ''The Rise of Skywalker''. Various release dates were delayed or scrapped, in part due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
and the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. In May 2023, Kennedy said future ''Star Wars'' films would come out "when they're ready", citing the 3-to-4-year interim of more recent ''James Bond'' films. A December 2027 date has been reported with no known cancellation. In May 2020,
Taika Waititi Taika David Cohen (born 16 August 1975), known professionally as Taika Waititi ( ), is a New Zealand filmmaker, actor, and comedian. Known for quirky comedy films and expanding his career as a voice actor and producer on numerous projects, he ...
was officially announced to write and direct a live-action ''Star Wars'' film. Three further live-action films were officially announced at April 2023's ''Star Wars'' Celebration, to be helmed by
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (; born November 12, 1978) is a Pakistani journalist, filmmaker and political activist known for her work in films that highlight gender inequality against women. Obaid-Chinoy is slated to direct an upcoming ''Star Wars'' ...
,
Dave Filoni David Filoni (born June 7, 1974) is an American director, producer, and screenwriter currently serving as the chief creative officer of Lucasfilm. He directed multiple episodes of '' Avatar: The Last Airbender'', before being hired by George Lu ...
, and
James Mangold James Allen Mangold (born December 16, 1963) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Noted for his versatility in tackling a range of genres, Mangold made his debut as a film director with ''Heavy (film), Heavy'' (1995), and gai ...
. Kennedy said upcoming films would include the trademark opening crawl. In January 2024, a ''
Mandalorian Mandalorians are a fictional group of people associated with the planet Mandalore in the Star Wars universe and franchise created by Joe Johnston and George Lucas. Their appearance is often distinguished by gear such as battle helmets, armor ...
'' film from
Jon Favreau Jonathan Kolia Favreau ( ; born October 19, 1966) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Favreau has appeared in films such as ''Rudy (film), Rudy'' (1993), ''PCU (film), PCU'' (1994), ''Swingers (1996 film), Swingers'' (1996), ''Very ...
was announced. Additionally, Kennedy stated in May 2022 that "There's a couple of ilmmakersthat we've been in conversation with ... that I'm hoping will" oversee future films in the way that Favreau and Filoni have done for ''Star Wars'' television series.


= ''The Mandalorian and Grogu'' (2026)

= In 2019, then– Walt Disney Studios CCO Alan Horn stated that if ''The Mandalorian'' was successful, a feature film spin-off would be considered. A fourth season of the TV series was written from May 2022 to February 2023. Pre-production occurred in April 2023. Filming for the season was scheduled to begin in September, but was delayed due to the
2023 Hollywood labor disputes From May 2 to November 9, 2023, a series of long labor disputes within the Cinema of the United States, film and Television in the United States, television industries of the United States took place, mainly focused on the strikes of the 2023 W ...
. In January 2024, it was announced that series creator
Jon Favreau Jonathan Kolia Favreau ( ; born October 19, 1966) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Favreau has appeared in films such as ''Rudy (film), Rudy'' (1993), ''PCU (film), PCU'' (1994), ''Swingers (1996 film), Swingers'' (1996), ''Very ...
would write and direct a theatrical film based on the series (separate from Filoni's upcoming film), titled ''The Mandalorian and Grogu''. Filming was expected to begin later in 2024 as the first ''Star Wars'' film to enter production since ''The Rise of Skywalker''. In February 2024, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that the film is aiming for a 2026 release, although specifics were not given at the time. In April 2024, it was announced that the film would be released on May 22, 2026.


= ''Star Wars: Starfighter'' (2027)

= In November 2022, ''
Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. It is updated several times a day, with en ...
'' reported that
Shawn Levy Shawn Adam Levy (; born July 23, 1968) is a Canadian and American filmmaker and actor. He is the founder of 21 Laps Entertainment. His work has spanned numerous genres, and his films as a director have grossed a collective $3.5 billion worldwid ...
was in talks to direct a ''Star Wars'' film, following his work on ''
Deadpool & Wolverine ''Deadpool & Wolverine'' is a 2024 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Deadpool and Wolverine (character), Wolverine. Produced by Marvel Studios, Maximum Effort, and 21 Laps Entertainment, and distributed ...
'' (2024) and the fifth and final season of ''
Stranger Things ''Stranger Things'' is an American television series created by the Duffer brothers, Duffer Brothers for Netflix. Produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment, the Stranger Things season 1, first season was released on N ...
''. In September 2023, Levy revealed that development had begun but had stalled due to the
2023 Writers Guild of America strike From May 2 to September 27, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters—went on Strike action, strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Lasting 148 days, ...
. In July 2024, it was reported that Jonathan Tropper (who wrote Levy's ''
The Adam Project ''The Adam Project'' is a 2022 American science-fiction action comedy film directed by Shawn Levy and written by Jonathan Tropper, T. S. Nowlin, Jennifer Flackett, and Mark Levin. The movie stars Ryan Reynolds, Walker Scobell in his film deb ...
'') would write the film's screenplay. In January 2025,
Ryan Gosling Ryan Thomas Gosling ( ; born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor. His work includes both independent films and major studio features, and his accolades include a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards, a ...
entered talks to star in the film. It was also reported that Gosling's interest in the project accelerated it to become the next ''Star Wars'' film to enter production after ''The Mandalorian and Grogu''. In February 2025, Kathleen Kennedy acknowledged the film's existence and development status, confirming it would be released after ''The Mandalorian and Grogu''. Kennedy also revealed that the film will take place "five to six years" after ''The Rise of Skywalker''.


= Untitled Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy film (TBA)

= In October 2022, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' reported that after a two-week writers' room in July (which included Patrick Somerville, Rayna McClendon,
Andy Greenwald Andy Greenwald (born May 19, 1977) is an American author, critic, podcaster, screenwriter, and television producer. Life and career Greenwald grew up in Philadelphia and currently lives in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Friends' ...
, and maybe Dave Filoni),
Damon Lindelof Damon Laurence Lindelof (born April 24, 1973) is an American screenwriter, comic book writer, and producer. Among his accolades, he received three Primetime Emmy Awards, from twelve nominations. In 2010, ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine named ...
and Justin Britt-Gibson were a ''Star Wars'' film, with '' Ms. Marvel'' director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy attached as director. ''THR'' reported that according to its sources, "the project is intended as a stand-alone but in success could lead to more movies", taking place after the sequel trilogy and possibly featuring some of its characters. In March 2023, it was reported that Lindelof and Britt-Gibson had left the project in mid-February and that
Steven Knight Steven Knight (born 5 August 1959) is a British screenwriter, producer, and director for film and television. He wrote the screenplays for the films ''Closed Circuit (2013 film), Closed Circuit'', ''Dirty Pretty Things (film), Dirty Pretty Thi ...
was hired to replace them as screenwriter. Filming was reportedly set to begin in February 2024. At April 2023's ''Star Wars'' Celebration, Kennedy officially announced a Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy-directed movie, with Daisy Ridley returning as Rey as she constructs a new Jedi Order 15 years after the events of ''The Rise of Skywalker''. She reportedly may be a supporting character in the vein of Jedi Masters
Obi-Wan Kenobi Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi () is a character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. In the original film trilogy, he is a Jedi Master who trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force. In the prequel trilogy, he mentors Luke's father, Anakin Skywalke ...
and
Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the original film trilogy as the main protagonist and also appears in the sequel trilogy. Raised as a poor moisture farmer on the desert planet Tat ...
in the original and sequel trilogies, respectively. Steven Knight departed the project by October 2024 with filming not expected to start until late 2025. In January 2025,
George Nolfi George Nolfi (born June 10, 1968) is an American filmmaker. He made his directorial debut in 2011 with sci-fi action, romance thriller, ''The Adjustment Bureau'' starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. Early life Nolfi was born in Boston. He grad ...
had been hired to write the screenplay.


= Untitled Dave Filoni film (TBA)

= In December 2020, it was revealed that ''The Mandalorian'' and its related series were planned to culminate in a "climactic story event". At ''Star Wars'' Celebration in 2023, it was announced that Dave Filoni would make his live-action feature directorial debut with a film set in the New Republic era, connecting storylines that began with ''The Mandalorian'', ''
The Book of Boba Fett ''The Book of Boba Fett'' is an American space Western television miniseries created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is part of the ''Star Wars'' franchise and a spin-off from '' The Mandalorian'', taking place in the same ...
'', '' Ahsoka'', and ''
Skeleton Crew A skeleton crew is the minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item. Skeleton Crew may refer to: Music *Skeleton Crew (band), an American experimental rock and jazz group *Skeleton Crew, an American record label co-founded b ...
''.


= Untitled James Mangold film (TBA)

= In April 2023, during ''Star Wars'' Celebration Europe IV, Lucasfilm announced that
James Mangold James Allen Mangold (born December 16, 1963) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Noted for his versatility in tackling a range of genres, Mangold made his debut as a film director with ''Heavy (film), Heavy'' (1995), and gai ...
would write and direct a ''Star Wars'' film whose story "will go back to the dawn of the Jedi" and explore the origins of
The Force The Force is a Metaphysics, metaphysical, mysterious, and Energy (esotericism), ubiquitous power in the ''Star Wars'' Universe of Star Wars, fictional universe. Characters refer to the Force as an energy that interconnects all things in the univer ...
, set around 25,000 years before the events of ''A New Hope''. It is set to be the start of a new era set within ''Star Wars'' timeline, dubbed ''Dawn of the Jedi''. The film has been described as a "
Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...
-style biblical epic.", with Mangold citing '' The Ten Commandments'' as a major inspiration for the film. Mangold was offered the project during production of ''
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ''Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny'' is a 2023 American action-adventure film directed by James Mangold and written by Mangold, David Koepp, Jez Butterworth, Jez and John-Henry Butterworth. It is the fifth and final installment in Indiana_ ...
''. Mangold confirmed shortly afterwards that he had begun developing the film alongside his screenplay for the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the shared universe in which most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. In context, the term "DC Universe" usually refers to the main DC Continuity (fiction), continuity. It contains v ...
Swamp Thing Swamp Thing is a superhero and antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson, the Swamp Thing has had several different incarnations throughout his publication. The ch ...
film, and was uncertain which project would move forward first following his
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
biopic ''
A Complete Unknown ''A Complete Unknown'' is a 2024 American biographical musical drama film directed by James Mangold, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jay Cocks, about American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Loosely based on the 2015 book ''Dylan Goes Electric!' ...
''. In April 2024, it was reported that
Beau Willimon Pack Beauregard Willimon (born October 26, 1977) is an American playwright and screenwriter. He developed the American version of the series '' House of Cards'', serving as showrunner for the first four seasons. In 2018, Willimon created the dram ...
(who had written episodes of '' Andor'') would co-write the film alongside Mangold. During an interview in May 2024, producer Simon Emanuel seemingly revealed the film's title, ''Jedi Prime''. In September 2023,
David S. Goyer David Samuel Goyer (born December 22, 1965) is an American filmmaker, novelist, and comic book writer. He is best known for writing the screenplays and stories for several superhero films, including '' Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (1998), t ...
revealed that he had written a treatment for an unproduced ''Star Wars'' film about the origins of the Jedi Order.


= Untitled Taika Waititi film (TBA)

= On
May 4 Events Pre-1600 * 1256 – The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV issues a papal bull ''Licet ecclesiae catholicae''. * 1415 – Religious reformer John Wycliffe is condemned a ...
, 2020, Taika Waititi (who directed the first-season finale of ''The Mandalorian'' and voiced IG-11) was officially announced to direct a ''Star Wars'' film from a screenplay he was with Krysty Wilson-Cairns. As of May 2022, his film was expected to be released before ''Rogue Squadron'' (originally scheduled for December 2023 prior to its delay), with Kennedy asserting that Waititi's film may be released in late 2023. In June 2022, Waititi agreed with Kennedy's view that the films should move into new territory instead of origin stories, and stated he would continue writing the project while filming other projects. The movie was reportedly expected to be shot in Los Angeles. By March 2023, Waititi was also likely to appear in the film. The next month, Kennedy stated that Waititi was now writing the film alone. In early May, ''
Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. It is updated several times a day, with en ...
'' reported that Waititi may begin filming the project in 2024. In September 2023, amidst rumors of the film's cancellation, it was revealed that it was still in development and that Waititi would resume writing the script after the conclusion of the
2023 Writers Guild of America strike From May 2 to September 27, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters—went on Strike action, strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Lasting 148 days, ...
. In February 2025, Kathleen Kennedy revealed that Waititi was still working on the script with a new co-writer.


= ''Lando'' (TBA)

= In 2018, while promoting ''Solo'', Kathleen Kennedy expressed interest in making a spin-off film focusing on
Lando Calrissian Lando Calrissian (; ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is introduced in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) as a friend of Han Solo and the administrator of Cloud City on the planet Bespin. Prior to the events of the fi ...
. Though it was specified that a project of that sort was not a priority at Lucasfilm. Around the same time, Donald Glover expressed similar interest in a Lando-centric film, suggesting it could take inspiration from the
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg ( ; born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest film directors of all time and is ...
film ''
Catch Me If You Can ''Catch Me If You Can'' is a 2002 American crime comedy-drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks with Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye, Amy Adams, and James Brolin in ...
''. At Disney Investor Day 2020, a Lando series was announced to be in development for
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
, with Justin Simien acting as showrunner. In 2023, it was revealed that Simien would be replaced as showrunner by
Donald Glover Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (; born September 25, 1983), also known by his musical stage name Childish Gambino (), is an American actor, comedian, musician, and filmmaker. While he studied at New York University and after working in Derrick ...
and his brother Stephen. Nearly two months later, Stephen Glover stated in an interview that the project was being redeveloped as a feature film. Donald Glover confirmed his involvement as a writer on the film in September 2024.


= ''Rogue Squadron'' (TBA)

= On December 10, 2020, during Disney Investor Day, ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superheroine who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''All Star Comics'' Introducing Wonder Woman, #8, published October 21, 1941, with her first feature in ''Sensation Comic ...
'' (2017) director
Patty Jenkins Patricia Lea Jenkins (born July 24, 1971) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. She has directed the feature films '' Monster'' (2003), ''Wonder Woman'' (2017), and '' Wonder Woman 1984'' (2020). For the film ''Monster'', sh ...
was announced as the director of a film titled ''Rogue Squadron'', initially set to be released on December 22, 2023. According to the official ''Star Wars'' website, the film would "introduce a new generation of starfighter pilots as they earn their wings and risk their lives in a boundary-pushing, high-speed thrill-ride, and move the saga into the future era of the galaxy." According to Jenkins, the film would be an original story "with great influence from the games and
the books The Books were an American-Dutch duo, formed in New York City in 1999, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Nick Zammuto and cellist Paul de Jong. Their music typically incorporated samples of obscure sounds and speech. They released three cri ...
". A script was being worked on as of December 2020, at which time, '' Wonder Woman 3'' story was still being worked on. Matthew Robinson was hired to write ''Rogue Squadron'' in May 2021; late the next month, Jenkins revealed that the script was almost finished. On November 8, the film's production was delayed from 2022 due to Jenkins' busy schedule. A month later, Jenkins had left her planned
Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...
film as director in order to focus on ''Rogue Squadron'' and ''Wonder Woman 3''. Disney announced in April 2022 that the film was still set to be released in December 2023. Kathleen Kennedy stated in May that the film has been "pushed off to the side for the moment", with the script still being worked on and Waititi's film expected to be released first. On September 15, 2022, the film was confirmed to be taken off from Disney's release schedule, although in December Jenkins said she was actively working on it amid the apparent cancellation of ''Wonder Woman 3''. In April 2023, Kennedy said the project could still happen either as a film or a television series. On March 13, 2024, Jenkins stated that she had signed a new contract with Lucasfilm to write and direct ''Rogue Squadron''.


Other future films

Rian Johnson Rian Craig Johnson (born December 17, 1973) is an American filmmaker. He made his directorial debut with the neo-noir mystery film ''Brick (film), Brick'' (2005), which received positive reviews and grossed nearly $4 million on a $450,000 budget ...
, the writer/director of ''The Last Jedi'' (2017), is confirmed to write and direct the first film of a new trilogy he was outlining as of early 2019 with
Ram Bergman Ram Bergman () is an Israeli film producer. He is known for producing ''Brick'' (2005), '' The Brothers Bloom'' (2008), '' Looper'' (2012), '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (2017), and ''Knives Out'' (2019), all of which were written and directed by ...
producing alongside Kennedy. It was said to differ from the Skywalker-focused films in favor of focusing on new characters and possibly a different era than the main film franchise. The project was considered to have been "back-burnered" by May 2022 due to Johnson's involvement with other projects, including the ''
Knives Out ''Knives Out'' is a 2019 American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Daniel Craig leads an eleven-actor ensemble cast as Benoit Blanc, a famed private detective who is summoned to investigate the death of the bestselling autho ...
'' franchise. Johnson indicated that he would make at least one more film in that series following ''
Glass Onion Glass onions or onion bottles, were a shape of bottle developed and used during the 17th and 18th centuries. With new techniques of glass-making, the bottles marked a move away from ceramic pottery. Background Onion bottles most commonly were u ...
'' before returning to ''Star Wars''. In May 2025, Johnson stated that if he makes another Star Wars, he will be the happiest person. In January 2024, it was reported that the fourth season of ''The Mandalorian'' would be reworked into theatrical sequel films if ''The Mandalorian and Grogu'' (2026) was a box-office success. In November 2024,
Simon Kinberg Simon David Kinberg (born August 2, 1973) is an American filmmaker. He wrote and produced a number of films in the X-Men (film series), ''X-Men'' film franchise for 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Fox, and had produced a number of other projec ...
was reported to be writing and producing a new ''Star Wars'' trilogy with Kathleen Kennedy also to help produce the films. In March 2025, Kathleen Kennedy confirmed the trilogy was in development and revealed Lucasfilm was expecting completed drafts by June 2025. Kennedy also referred to Kinberg's trilogy as "the next saga".


Produced for television

The first spin-off film (also the first sequel to be released) was a holiday TV special aired in 1978. Two live-action TV films created in the mid-1980s feature the Ewoks.


''Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978)

Produced for
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
in 1978, the ''
Star Wars Holiday Special ''The Star Wars Holiday Special'' is an American television special originally broadcast by CBS on November 17, 1978. It is set in the universe of the sci-fi-based ''Star Wars'' media franchise. Directed by Steve Binder, it was the first ''S ...
'' was a two-hour television special, in the format of a
variety show Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical performances, sketch comedy, magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is normally introduced by a comp� ...
. Stars of the original film and archive footage from the original ''Star Wars'' film appeared alongside celebrity guest stars in plot-related skits, musical numbers, and an animated segment, all loosely tied together by the premise of
Chewbacca Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a Wookiee—a tall, hairy, highly intelligent species originating from the planet Kashyyyk. He is tall, and typically wears only a bandolier an ...
's family waiting for his arrival for the "Life Day" celebration on his home planet,
Kashyyyk Wookiees () are fictional humanoid Extraterrestrial life, aliens in the ''Star Wars'' universe, native to the forest planet #Home planet, Kashyyyk. They are distinguished from humans by their gigantism, hirsutism, and physical strength. The mo ...
. The special is notorious for its extremely negative reception and was aired only once. Only the 11-minute animated sequence, which features the debut of bounty hunter
Boba Fett Boba Fett ( ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First appearing in the '' Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), where he was voiced by Don Francks, he is an armored bounty hunter featured in both the original and prequel ...
, was positively received.


Ewok films

The Ewoks from ''Return of the Jedi'' were featured in two spin-off television films, '' The Ewok Adventure'' and '' Ewoks: The Battle for Endor''. Both aired on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
on the Thanksgiving weekends of 1984 and 1985, respectively, with at least the first also being given a limited international theatrical release.
Warwick Davis Warwick Ashley Davis ( ; born 3 February 1970) is an English actor and television presenter. Active within the industry since he was eleven, Davis is one of the highest grossing supporting actors of all time and has the highest average gross r ...
reprised his debut role as the main Ewok,
Wicket In the sport of cricket, the term wicket has several meanings: * It is either of the two sets of three Stump (cricket), stumps and two Bail (cricket), bails at each end of the Cricket pitch, pitch. The Fielding (cricket), fielding team's playe ...
, in both. They are set between the events of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi''. Both films were released on VHS, LaserDisc, and on a double-feature DVD. Although based on stories written by George Lucas, they do not bear ''Star Wars'' in their titles, and were considered to exist in a lower level of canon than the episodic films. Following Disney's acquisition of the franchise, they were excluded from the canon. ''The Battle for Endor'' would be the last live-action ''Star Wars'' television project produced by Lucasfilm until 2019's ''The Mandalorian''.


''The Ewok Adventure'' (1984)

In a story by Lucas and a screenplay by Bob Carrau, the Towani family spaceship shipwrecks on the forest moon of
Endor Endor or Ein Dor may refer to: Places * Endor (village), from the Hebrew Bible, a Canaanite village where the Witch of Endor lived * Indur, a Palestinian village depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war * Ein Dor, a Kibbutz in modern Israel ...
. While trying to repair their ship, the castaway family is split, when a giant creature known as the Gorax kidnaps the parents. Taking pity on the kids, a group of native Ewoks led by Wicket decides to help little Cindel Towani and her older brother Mace, rescue their parents. Among other stylistic choices making the film unique from the ''Star Wars'' episodes is the inclusion of a narrator.


''Ewoks: The Battle for Endor'' (1985)

The sequel focuses on the Ewoks protecting their village from marauders led by the evil Lord Terak, who killed all the members of the Towani family except for Cindel, in search of a power battery. It was followed by the TV series ''
Ewoks The Ewoks (singular: Ewok) are a fictional species of small, furry, mammaloid, bipeds in the ''Star Wars'' universe. They inhabit the forest moon of Endor and live in arboreal huts and other simple dwellings, being seen as primitive in comp ...
'' (1985–1987).


Produced for Disney+


''A Droid Story''

In December 2020, ''A Droid Story'', an animated adventure film for Disney+ was announced. According to the official ''Star Wars''
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
, the "epic journey will introduce us to a new hero guided by
R2-D2 R2-D2 () or Artoo-Detoo is a fictional robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. He has appeared in ten of the eleven theatrical ''Star Wars'' films to date, including every film in the " Skywalker Saga", which inclu ...
and ."


Reception


Box office performance

The ''Star Wars'' films are the third-highest-grossing film franchise of all time worldwide, behind the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
and ''
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
'', having grossed over $10 billion at the global box office.


Critical response


Accolades


Academy Awards

The eleven live-action films together have been nominated for 37
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
s, of which they have won seven. The films were also awarded a total of three Special Achievement Awards. ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi'' received Special Achievement Awards for their visual effects, and ''Star Wars'' received a Special Achievement Award for its alien, creature and robot voices.


Grammy Awards

The franchise has received a total of fifteen
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
nominations, winning six. ;Notes


Library of Congress

In 1989, the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
selected the original ''Star Wars'' film for preservation in the U.S.
National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation (library and archival science), preservation, each selected for its cultural, historical, and aestheti ...
, as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." ''The Empire Strikes Back'' was selected in 2010, while ''Return of the Jedi'' was selected in 2021. 35 mm reels of the 1997 Special Editions were the versions initially presented for preservation because of the difficulty of transferring from the original prints, but it was later revealed that the Library possessed a copyright deposit print of the original theatrical releases. By 2015, ''Star Wars'' had been transferred to a 2K scan which can be viewed by appointment.


Emmy Awards

''Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure'' was one of four films to be juried-awarded Emmys for Outstanding Special Visual Effects at the 37th Primetime Emmy Awards. The film was additionally nominated for Outstanding Children's Program but lost in this category to an episode of ''
American Playhouse ''American Playhouse'' is an American anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). It premiered on January 12, 1982, with ''The Shady Hill Kidnapping'', written and narrated by John Cheever and direc ...
''. At the
38th Primetime Emmy Awards The 38th Primetime Emmy Awards were presented on September 21, 1986, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The Emmy ceremony was cohosted by David Letterman and Shelley Long. During the ceremony, Letterman saluted Grant Tinke ...
, ''Ewoks: The Battle for Endor'' and the CBS documentary '' Dinosaur!'' were both juried-awarded Emmys for Outstanding Special Visual Effects. The film additionally received two nominations for Outstanding Children's Program and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Special.


Unproduced and abandoned projects

;Untitled Zack Snyder film In the 2000s
Zack Snyder Zachary Edward Snyder (born March 1, 1966) is an American filmmaker. He made his feature film debut in 2004 with ''Dawn of the Dead (2004 film), Dawn of the Dead'', a remake of the 1978 horror film Dawn of the Dead (1978 film), of the same name ...
had pitched an adult-oriented film to Lucasfilm, but conversations ceased by the time Disney acquired the company in 2012. The project was redeveloped as ''
Rebel Moon ''Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire'', or simply ''Rebel Moon'', is a 2023 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Zack Snyder from a screenplay he co-wrote with Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten. Its ensemble cast features S ...
'' (2023). ;Spin-off films centered on Boba Fett and Yoda In early 2013, Bob Iger announced the development of spin-off films focusing on Han Solo,
Boba Fett Boba Fett ( ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First appearing in the '' Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), where he was voiced by Don Francks, he is an armored bounty hunter featured in both the original and prequel ...
, and
Yoda Yoda () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force. He first appeared in the 1980 film '' The Empire Strikes Back'', in which he is voiced and puppeteered by F ...
. Simon Kinberg was announced to be the screenwriter of the Boba Fett film shortly afterward. In mid-2014,
Josh Trank Joshua Benjamin Trank (born February 19, 1984) is an American film director, screenwriter, and film editor. He is known for directing the found-footage sci-fi thriller film ''Chronicle'' (2012), the superhero film ''Fantastic Four'' (2015), and t ...
was officially announced as the director of an undisclosed spin-off film, but had left the project a year later due to creative differences, causing a teaser for the film to be scrapped from ''Star Wars'' Celebration. Though it was later revealed that Trank was removed from the project following behind the scenes issues on ''
Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four, often abbreviated as FF, is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in '' The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover-dated November 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism i ...
''. In May 2020, Trank confirmed that his planned ''Star Wars'' film was the Boba Fett film. In May 2018, it was reported that
James Mangold James Allen Mangold (born December 16, 1963) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Noted for his versatility in tackling a range of genres, Mangold made his debut as a film director with ''Heavy (film), Heavy'' (1995), and gai ...
would direct the Boba Fett movie, with Kinberg still attached as screenwriter. Five months later, the film was announced to be cancelled, with Lucasfilm instead focusing their attention on ''The Mandalorian'', which utilized a similar character to Fett. Mangold confirmed his brief involvement in 2023, revealing he wrote a "borderline R-rated" script. He cited the poor commercial performance of ''Solo'' as the main reason for the film's cancellation. ;''Obi-Wan: A Star Wars Story'' In 2017, it was announced that an anthology film focused on Obi-Wan Kenobi was in development with
Stephen Daldry Stephen David Daldry Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 2 May 1960) is an English director and producer of film, theatre, and television. He has won three Tony Awards for his work on Broadway theatre, Broadway and an Olivie ...
set as director and writer. In May 2018, the film was reportedly titled ''Obi-Wan: A Star Wars Story'', with a plot involving Kenobi protecting a young Luke Skywalker on the planet
Tatooine Tatooine ( ) is a fictional desert planet that appears in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is a beige-colored, desolate world orbiting a pair of binary stars, and inhabited by human settlers and a variety of other life forms. The planet was fi ...
during tensions between local farmers and
Tusken Raiders Tusken Raiders are a fictional alien race in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. They first appeared in ''Star Wars'' (1977). Also known as Sandpeople Depiction The Tusken Raiders are depicted as xenophobic and are known to be aggressive in their in ...
. Production on the film was expected to take place in Northern Ireland under the working title ''Joshua Tree'' in 2019. The film was cancelled in 2018, later being re-developed as a TV series for Disney+, which aired in 2022. ;Potential sequels to ''Rogue One'' and ''Solo'' ''Rogue One'' and ''Solo'' actors Felicity Jones, Alden Ehrenreich and Emilia Clarke all stated that their contracts also included future installments. ''Solo'' director
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American filmmaker and actor. Howard started his career as a child actor before transitioning to directing films. Over his six-decade career, Howard has received List of awards and nominations r ...
said that while no sequel was in development, it was up to the fans to decide. Although critics noted that ''Solo'' left room open for sequels, in 2022, Howard confirmed that the studio had no plans to make one. ;Untitled Jabba the Hutt film In August 2017, it was rumored that a film focused on
Jabba the Hutt Jabba Desilijic Tiure, better known as Jabba the Hutt ( ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Initially performed by Declan Mulholland as a human in the original ''Star Wars'' film, Jabba first appeared properly in the 198 ...
was in the works. In June 2018, a rumor circulated that a movie taking place in Mos Eisley was in the works as well. In September 2023, David S. Goyer confirmed that he had written a script treatment for an unproduced Jabba-centric film that was intended to be directed by
Guillermo del Toro Guillermo del Toro Gómez (; born 9 October 1964) is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and artist. His work has been characterized by a strong connection to fairy tales, Gothic fiction, gothicism and horror fiction, horror often blending the genres ...
. It was also revealed that this was the same project as the rumored Mos Eisley film, with Alden Ehrenreich expected to reprise his role as Han Solo. The film was cancelled due to ''Solo''s poor commercial performance. ;Untitled D. B. Weiss & David Benioff series In 2018, Lucasfilm announced that ''
Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy Drama (film and television), drama television series created by David Benioff and for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of high fantasy novels by ...
'' showrunners D. B. Weiss &
David Benioff David Friedman (; born September 25, 1970), known professionally as David Benioff (), is an American novelist, screenwriter, and producer. Along with his collaborator D. B. Weiss, he is best known for co-creating ''Game of Thrones'' (2011–201 ...
would develop a series of ''Star Wars'' films, often believed to be a trilogy. In 2019, Kathleen Kennedy revealed the studio's intention of planning the next decade of films, with Weiss, Benioff, and Rian Johnson working together to map out the franchise's future. A month later, Bob Iger announced that the first ''Star Wars'' film released after a brief hiatus following the release of ''The Rise of Skywalker'' would be directed by Weiss & Benioff, set to be released in 2022. In October 2019, it was revealed that Weiss & Benioff had departed their trilogy after making an overall deal with
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
. Though Kathleen Kennedy expressed interest in working with the duo in the future. Weiss & Benioff's films would have focused on the origins of the Jedi. ;Untitled ''Knights of the Old Republic'' film In April 2019, Kathleen Kennedy was asked by ''
MTV News MTV News was the news production division of MTV. The service was available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network and an online news team. In 2016, MTV refreshed the MTV News brand to compete with the likes of BuzzFeed and ...
'' about a potential ''Knights of the Old Republic'' adaption and stated, "Yes, we are developing something to look at. Right now, I have no idea where things might fall." The following month, ''
BuzzFeed News ''BuzzFeed News'' was an American news website published by BuzzFeed beginning in 2011. It ceased posting new hard news content in May 2023. It published a number of high-profile scoops, including the Steele dossier, for which it was strong ...
'' reported that Laeta Kalogridis had been hired in the spring of 2018 to write a film based on the 2003 video game, and that she was close to completing the first script of a potential trilogy. ;Untitled Kevin Feige film In September 2019,
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
producer
Kevin Feige Kevin Feige ( ; born June 2, 1973) is an American film and television producer. He has been the president of Marvel Studios and the primary producer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) franchise since 2007. The films he has produced have a co ...
reportedly began developing a ''Star Wars'' film with Kennedy; Michael Waldron was later announced to write the screenplay. In May 2022, Waldron confirmed the project was moving forward and that it would more or less stand alone, however in a separate interview the same month Kennedy denied that the film was in active development. By March 2023, the film was confirmed to no longer be in development. Contrary to earlier comments, Kennedy clarified the following month that the project was more something conflated through the media, that "nothing ever got developed. We never discussed an idea... If eigedid come up with something, I would be all ears. But, that's never really happened, so it's not an abandoned project. It just never really happened." In May 2023, Anthony and Joe Russo (who collaborated with Feige on multiple films set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) revealed that they had conversations with Feige about potentially directing the film. ;Untitled J. D. Dillard and Matt Owens film J. D. Dillard and ''
Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr. in 1972, he was the first Af ...
'' writer Matt Owens were reportedly involved in the early stages of developing a ''Star Wars'' film in February 2020, which may have taken place on the Sith planet Exegol. In November 2022, Dillard announced that he was no longer involved in the project, which was purportedly to take inspiration from the '' Star Wars: TIE Fighter'' video game.


Documentaries

Documentary films about ''Star Wars'' released by Lucasfilm include: * ''
The Making of Star Wars ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
'' (1977) * '' SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) * '' Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi'' (1983) * '' From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga'' (1983) * ''The Beginning: Making 'Episode I (2001) * ''From Puppets to Pixels: Digital Characters in 'Episode II (2002) * ''The Story of Star Wars'' (2004) * '' Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy'' (2004) * ''Star Wars: Heroes & Villains'' (2005) * ''Within a Minute: The Making of Episode III'' (2005) * ''Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed'' (2007) * ''Secrets of the Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey'' (2016) * ''The Force of Sound'' (2018) * ''The Director and the Jedi'' (2018) * ''The Skywalker Legacy'' (2020) * ''Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett'' (2021) * ''Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return'' (2022)


See also

* List of ''Star Wars'' television series * List of ''Star Wars'' cast members * List of ''Star Wars'' characters


Parodies

* ''
Hardware Wars ''Hardware Wars'' is a 1978 American short science fiction parody film in the form of a teaser trailer for a fictitious science fiction film that parodies ''Star Wars''. The 13-minute film, which was released almost 18 months after ''Star W ...
'' (1978) * ''
Spaceballs ''Spaceballs'' is a 1987 American space opera parody film co-written, produced and directed by Mel Brooks. It primarily parodies the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, but also other popular franchises such as ''Star Trek'', '' Alien'', '' The Wi ...
'' (1987) * ''
Thumb Wars ''Thumb Wars: The Phantom Cuticle'' is a 1999 short film directed by Steve Oedekerk. Using dressed up and coifed thumbs as puppets, Oedekerk created a parody of ''Star Wars'', with characters like Loke Groundrunner, Princess Bunhead, Oobeed ...
'' (1999) * '' Robot Chicken: Star Wars'' (2007) * '' Laugh It Up, Fuzzball: The Family Guy Trilogy'' (2010) * ''
The Lego Movie ''The Lego Movie'' is a 2014 animated adventure comedy film written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Based on the Lego line of construction toys, the film stars the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will ...
'' (2014) * '' Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars'' (2014)


Notes


References


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * *


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Star Wars films *
Films A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of Visual arts, visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are gen ...
Lists of films by franchise