As Lucasfilm pushes through post-production on Star Wars: Starfighter, the studio is quietly laying the groundwork for the next chapter of the Skywalker Saga. Jon Watts, best known for directing Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy, has signed on to direct the first film in a new three-picture arc written by Simon Kinberg.
The project marks a return to the franchise for Watts, who co-created the 2024 Disney+ series Skeleton Crew. Kinberg has been developing the mystery trilogy since late 2024, with the intention of continuing the multi-generational Skywalker storyline that spanned Episodes I through IX. This new installment would effectively serve as Episode X, and sources indicate Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker is expected to feature in some capacity.
Lucasfilm declined to comment. Insiders caution that the film remains in early development and has not yet received a formal greenlight from Disney, though it is currently the furthest along on the studio’s slate following Starfighter.
Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, is targeting a May 27, 2027 release—timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the original Star Wars.
Watts is viewed as a steady hand for a franchise that has historically struggled with directorial turnover. After breaking out with the indie thriller Cop Car, he was recruited by Marvel to relaunch Spider-Man, delivering three successively larger box-office hits—Homecoming (2017), Far From Home (2019), and No Way Home (2021)—while navigating the complexities of massive, interconnected productions.
His post-Marvel feature, the George Clooney–Brad Pitt vehicle Wolfs, became a high-profile misfire for Apple when the studio abruptly pivoted its theatrical strategy and announced a sequel that never materialized. Watts fared better on the small screen: he co-created, co-wrote, and directed two episodes of Skeleton Crew, a well-reviewed series starring Jude Law that channeled an Amblin-esque tone. The show’s directing roster also included David Lowery, Lee Isaac Chung, Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and the Daniels.