Last updated: March 4, 2023.
Back in 2012, Disney made the decision to acquire Lucasfilm. After the prequel trilogy came out for Star Wars, it seemed like the Skywalker story had come to an end. But for Disney, there was much more to explore in the galaxy.
In 2015 Star Wars: A Force Awakens was released, and the feeling of watching a new Star Wars film in theatres was unmatched. It could have been the first time many Star Wars fans watched it on the big screen, so in that case, it was something special.
The Skywalker Saga continued with The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker (even if it didn’t end on a high note), but the Star Wars franchise continued to expand. Fans were able to get characters like Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso in Rogue One and see what happens when building the Death Star.
Solo: A Star Wars Story was the first financial failure for the franchise, and it showed that Star Wars wasn’t as bulletproof as Disney previously thought. Despite this, its appeal is higher than its box office suggests, with Alden Ehrenreich giving his own take on the famous smuggler.
In animation, audiences got to see the reign of the Empire firsthand through the eyes of the Specters, a group of rebels that helped to shape the early Rebel Alliance in Star Wars: Rebels. It also expanded the spiritual dimension of the Force, adding the Bendu and the world between worlds. Star Wars: The Clone Wars season seven brought closure to a war left unfinished by an earlier cancellation, and Star Wars: Resistance explored the rise of the First Order.
The most recent animated series The Bad Batch explores the immediate aftermath of Order 66 through the eyes of experimental unit Cloneforce 99, otherwise known as the Bad Batch. It sees the transformation of the Republic into the Empire and the phasing out of clone troopers.
On Disney+, fans got a brand new bounty hunter in Din Djarin with The Mandalorian thanks to Jon Favreau. The galaxy will forever be expanding because of the streaming service, and they are able to produce really strong television with a cinematic feel.
The Skywalker Saga may be over, but there are plenty of stories left to be told. If you’re a diehard Star Wars fan, series like Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, and Andor are going to be super important. It’s nice to see all of these projects providing work for so many people in the industry, but it can also cause some franchise fatigue with non-stop new shows.
Looking at the upcoming slate shows like Skeleton Crew, The Mandalorian season three, Ahsoka, and Star Wars: Visions are exciting additions because they all promise to be different from one another. All of these shows introduce new characters that people identify with and new bits of lore for fans to obsess over. Ahsoka is perhaps the most exciting series in this regard, bringing back familiar characters but expanding the galaxy in a new way.
Upcoming Star Wars Shows and Movies in 2023 and Beyond
Here is the schedule of upcoming Star Wars shows and movies in 2023 and beyond. The dates may change depending on whether projects are brought forward, delayed, or outright canceled.
Confirmed:
Star Wars: Visions – Volume 2 (May 4, 2023)
Star Wars: Visions stretches beyond any one form of animation and serves as a broader framework for celebratory expressions of Star Wars storytelling. Volume 2 will showcase that potential as the shorts go on a global tour, celebrating the incredible animation happening across countries and cultures through the mythos of Star Wars.
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (May 4, 2023)
This animated TV series is set during The High Republic era and will follow a group of Younglings as they embark on missions with Master Yoda and learn the valuable skills needed to become a Jedi: compassion, self-discipline, teamwork, patience, and friendship. It’s aimed at a much younger audience than much of the existing Star Wars animated content.
Skeleton Crew (2023)
In this story, a group of kids, about 10 years old, from a tiny little planet accidentally get lost in the Star Wars galaxy. It’s the story of their journey trying to find their way home. It will cover adult themes and won’t necessarily be geared toward children. Instead of experiencing the force, these young children will venture out on their own, seeking help from new characters in order to get home.
Deadline reported on Jan 22 that the series had wrapped filming.
Ahsoka (2023)
This series will be set after the fall of the Empire, as Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. The series will focus on the hunt for Thrawn and Ezra from Star Wars: Rebels, and will feature several familiar faces from that show.
The Acolyte (TBA)
The Acolyte is a mystery thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.
Andor Season 2 (TBA)
After season one of Andor wowed fans and critics alike with its unconventional take on the Star Wars franchise, excitement is high for the second season. Tony Gilroy mentioned that there is a possibility of including Alan Tudyk’s K-2SO at some point in the series and that season two will also be 12 episodes in length. Season two will see the development of the Rebel Alliance and take Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) into Rogue One.
The Mandalorian Season 4 (TBA)
Jon Favreau has confirmed that The Mandalorian will return for a fourth season, and he’s already written it, but details of what it will focus on have yet to be revealed. This season will likely feature more of what audiences have come to expect from the series, an expansion of Mandalorian culture and Grogu being cute.
Lando (TBA)
Everyone’s favourite scoundrel Lando Calrissian will return in a brand-new event series for Disney+. There is no official premise for the series yet, but it will star a younger Lando Calrissian played by Donald Glover and does carry with it the possibility of Alden Ehrenreich returning as Han Solo. It also allows the loose ends of Solo to be tied together, with Maul being in charge of the criminal syndicate Crimson Dawn.
Star Wars: A Droid Story (TBA)
Lucasfilm will continue to make new stories that intersect animation and visual effects to explore new opportunities. This epic journey will introduce us to a new hero, guided by the legendary droid duo R2-D2 and C-3PO.
Rogue Squadron (TBA)
Announced in November 2020, Rogue Squadron was going to be the next film in the franchise, with Patty Jenkins in the director’s chair. The planned release date was December 2023, but unfortunately scheduling conflicts and other issues has meant the film has been indefinitely delayed. There is no word on the plot other than it will focus on a group of pilots.
Taika Waititi’s Star Wars Movie (TBA)
The plot is unknown at the moment, but Taika Waititi does want to explore other characters in the galaxy. He wants nothing to do with the Skywalkers, and he wants to have fun with an original take on the Star Wars franchise.
Kevin Feige’s Star Wars Movie (TBA)
Disney has revealed that head honcho of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, will be directing a movie set in a galaxy far far away. It’s not clear when this will be released, as Feige is currently doing The Multiverse Saga in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Feige will be joined by writer Michael Waldron, whose credits include Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Rian Johnson’s Star Wars Trilogy (TBA)
Disney also has announced that the director of The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson, will be directing his own Star Wars trilogy. But due to Johnson’s current commitments to Netflix with the Knives Out franchise means he hasn’t done much if any work on it. The director has stated that he’d like to return to Star Wars, and would be disappointed if the films didn’t happen.
Unconfirmed:
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Untitled Star Wars film
In October 2022, reports came out of both Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter about a new film in the Star Wars saga. Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson are set to write the feature, with Ms. Marvel’s Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy to direct
As for what the story might focus on, THR said that the film will be set after Episode IX, and will bring back characters from the new trilogy. The film will be standalone in nature, but with the potential for spin-offs. A 2025 release date has been suggested.
It’s important to remember that Lucasfilm hasn’t confirmed this, and that this isn’t official.
And so, that’s the list of the Upcoming Star Wars Shows and Movies in 2023 and Beyond. We will be sure to keep this updated!
Isn’t there a star wars rebels sequel series in development along with a rise of kylo ren series.