Lucasfilm has tapped Spider-Man director Jon Watts to helm the first film in a new Skywalker Saga trilogy written by Simon Kinberg, according to reports from Deadline and Knight Edge Media. The project, which returns the franchise to the Skywalker family line for the first time in eight years, has eyed Daisy Ridley to reprise her role as Rey in a supporting capacity, though the film has not yet received a formal greenlight from parent company Disney.
Jon Watts and Simon Kinberg Take on a New Skywalker Trilogy
Lucasfilm selected Jon Watts to direct the opening installment of a fresh trilogy exploring the Skywalker Saga. Watts previously directed three Spider-Man films—Homecoming, Far From Home, and No Way Home—before Destin Daniel Cretton replaced him on the production of this year’s film. Watts also co-created the Star Wars streaming series Skeleton Crew, which debuted on Disney+ last year and achieved respectable viewership numbers despite a mixed critical reception.
Kinberg’s past writing credits include X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Prime Video’s series Mr. & Mrs. Smith. He also co-created the DisneyXD animated series Star Wars Rebels, which ran from 2014 to 2018. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project has been approved by Lucasfilm internally, but Disney has not yet given the film an official greenlight.
Daisy Ridley’s Return as Rey in a Supporting Role
Daisy Ridley is slated to appear as Rey in Kinberg’s trilogy, though her character will not hold the primary starring role. This marks a shift for the actor, whose return as Rey was originally announced for a separate standalone film carrying the working title The New Jedi Order.
Directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, The New Jedi Order has faced repeated setbacks in its writers’ room, resulting in multiple script rewrites and delays that pushed the project into development hell. The newly revealed Kinberg trilogy places her in a secondary capacity as the narrative shifts focus.
The Broad Timeline of the Skywalker Saga
The Skywalker Saga began in 1977 with Episode IV: A New Hope. That opening chapter was followed by The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and Return of the Jedi in 1983. Decades later, Lucasfilm launched the prequel trilogy, beginning with The Phantom Menace in 1999, continuing with Attack of the Clones in 2002, and concluding with Revenge of the Sith in 2005.
The studio revived the central narrative line with the sequel trilogy. The Force Awakens premiered in 2015, followed by The Last Jedi in 2017, and The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, which closed out that nine-film arc with Ridley leading the cast as Rey across all three installments. Kinberg’s upcoming films represent the first return to the Skywalker family storytelling domain since that 2019 release.
Production Context Note
While Star Wars returned to the big screen with the theatrical release of The Mandalorian & Grogu, the film did not achieve major commercial success. As the franchise approaches its 50th anniversary next year, Lucasfilm is also preparing the theatrical release of Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling in the lead role, set for May 28, 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions About the New Star Wars Trilogy
Who is directing the new Star Wars movies?
Jon Watts, known for directing the Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland, has been tapped by Lucasfilm to direct the first film in the new trilogy.
Is Daisy Ridley returning as Rey?
Yes. Reports indicate that Daisy Ridley is eyed to reprise her role as Rey, though she will not have the main starring role in Kinberg’s films.
Has Disney greenlit the project?
According to industry reports, while Lucasfilm has approved the project, it has not yet received a formal greenlight from its parent company, Disney.
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