When the news broke that Disney had acquired Lucasfilm and would develop a new Star Wars sequel trilogy with the original cast, fans were overjoyed. Unfortunately, while The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi were objectively good movies, they made a lot of questionable creative decisions, leading to The Rise of Skywalker - arguably the worst movie in this entire franchise's history.
In recent years, it's become apparent that the studio is struggling to crack what this Galaxy Far, Far Away should look like on the big screen, hence why their focus now seems to have shifted to TV.
With that in mind and so much buzz surrounding Star Wars again ahead of Obi-Wan Kenobi's premiere this summer, we're bringing you an up-to-date recap of all the live-action movies and TV shows that are currently in active development. Oh, and you'll also find the projects that, sadly, have been scrapped (in some cases, "luckily" might be a better choice of word).
To take a look through this feature, all you guys need to do is click on the "Next" button below!
10. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Arriving on Disney+ this May, Obi-Wan Kenobi has all the makings of a Star Wars fan's dream come true. Without getting too spoilery here, we know the series will see the Jedi Master leave Tatooine in an effort to rescue the young Princess Leia. However, pursued by Darth Vader and his Sith Inquisitors, "Ben" Kenobi will need to reconnect with the Force if he hopes to live to fight another day.
As a result, we'll learn how Obi-Wan went from being a broken shell of his former self in the aftermath of Order 66 to the wise old Jedi we met in A New Hope. Throw in two rumoured rematches with the aforementioned Sith Lord, and it's fair to say that May 25 really can't get here soon enough. The show went through many iterations before this one, so we just need to hope Lucasfilm sticks the landing.
9. Andor
Rumoured to arrive on Disney+ in August, Andor has flown under the radar for the most part since first being announced. We know it takes place prior to the events of Rogue One (a given seeing as Cassion Andor died in that movie) and that it will explore the early days of the Rebellion, but that's about it. Still, it's enough to leave us excited, especially as a season 2 has already been confirmed.
Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Fiona Shaw, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, and Genevieve O’Reilly are among the show's impressive cast members, and there's certainly potential with the idea of filling in some of the gaps between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Are there more exciting stories to be told in other periods? Perhaps, but we have a feeling this show could exceed fan expectations.
8. The Mandalorian Season 3
The Book of Boba Fett was arguably at its best when the spotlight was shifted to Din Djarin, and now that he's been reunited with Grogu, we cannot wait to see where The Mandalorian takes us next. All signs are pointing to the story shifting to the restoration of Mandalore, which suggests we're going to get a deep dive into this Galaxy Far, Far Away's rich and often very complex mythology.
This third season, which definitely doesn't sound like The Mandalorian's last, is expected to premiere during its normal November/December slot on Disney+. As divisive as the sequels may have been, we're also hoping this next batch of episodes elaborates on what Moff Gideon wanted The Child for and how that potentially ties into the eventual creation of Supreme Leader Snoke.
7. Ahsoka
Talking of shows we're positively champing at the bit for, Ahsoka really can't get here soon enough. Shooting begins later this year for a 2023 debut, and this series promises to be the Star Wars Rebels follow-up fans have spent years crying out for. Natasha Liu Bordizzo will play the live-action Sabine Wren, while Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra Bridger are both expected to appear.
Most exciting, perhaps, is the news that Hayden Christensen will once again play Anakin Skywalker. While flashbacks to The Clone Wars are certainly likely, we're hoping Lucasfilm finally utilises that scrapped idea from the sequels by having Anakin's Force Ghost appear, but in a way that also reminds us of Darth Vader (showing how he remains split between the Light and Dark Sides even in death).
6. Acolyte
This one very nearly made it into the "scrapped" portion of this feature because it's been a long time since we've heard anything definitive about plans for The Acolyte. Leslye Headland (Russian Doll) has been tapped to take charge of a series described as "a mystery-thriller that will take us into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark sides power in the final days of the High Republic era."
Exploring this period - hundreds of years before The Phantom Menace took place - is certainly interesting, but with a rather muted reception to the comic books and novels set during that time, The Acolyte may have fallen by the wayside. Hopefully, we get a little more news as 2022 goes on because, right now, it's not looking like this Disney+ TV series is among Lucasfilm's biggest priorities.
5. Kevin Feige And Taika Waititi's Untitled Movies
There's simply no denying that Marvel Studios' success has eclipsed what Lucasfilm has achieved during its Disney-owned era, so bringing in some names from that world to tell stories might just be Kathleen Kennedy's smartest move yet. Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi is writing a movie alongside Krysty Wilson-Cairns with the plan being for him to also step behind the camera to direct.
Unfortunately, there hasn't been so much as a single leak about what that "fresh, unexpected, and unique" movie will look like, and the same applies to whatever Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige is planning. After enlisting Loki and Doctor Strange sequel writer Michael Waldron to pen the screenplay, the longtime Star Wars fans is also developing a movie set in this Galaxy Far, Far Away.
4. Lando
The news that Solo star Donald Glover will get the opportunity to reprise the role of Lando Calrissian in his own Disney+ series was welcomed by fans, but Lucasfilm has been surprisingly quiet on plans for the show ever since. Justin Simien (Dear White People) is developing the project, and there's been speculation that we could also see Billy Dee Williams appear as the sequel-era Lando.
This series, which we're assuming is still happening, could even serve as a follow-up of sorts to Solo, giving some of those actors the chance to reprise their roles and tie up all those loose ends (this might just be the perfect place to revisit Qi'ra and her ties to Crimson Dawn and Maul). Ultimately, the focus should be on Lando, of course, and we're looking forward to getting to know him a little better.
3. Rogue Squadron
We hate to put this movie among the Star Wars projects we're pretty sure are no longer happening, but what other possible conclusion can we reach? Lucasfilm dropped a pricey promo video to announce Rogue Squadron and just as the movie started taking shape, director Patty Jenkins suddenly had other shooting commitments (and no one can actually figure out what those are supposed to be).
Now, the movie seems to be in limbo. It still has its December 2023 release, but the chances of it meeting that date seem incredibly slim. Given the studio's track record in recent years, we'd be willing to bet that a statement will soon be released citing "creative differences," though we hope to be wrong on that front because a Rogue Squadron movie has the potential to be truly something special.
2. Rangers Of The New Republic
Rangers of the New Republic was going to serve as a spinoff to The Mandalorian, focusing primarily on Cara Dune. While not exactly a series fans had been demanding in their droves, the chance to explore what the Galaxy looked like in the aftermath of the Empire's defeat was undeniably intriguing (as was the suggestion that the events of this show would tie into Din Djarin's overarching story).
Alas, Gina Carano's controversial opinions about politics and the pandemic saw Disney cut all ties with the actress, and both the character and this planned Disney+ series have been scrapped. It's certainly possible the idea will be revisited in another form, of course, but we're betting on Dune being killed off screen and the door being permanently closed on Carano one day getting to reprise the role.
1. Rian Johnson's Mysterious Trilogy
Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss ended up walking away from their planned trilogy set during the Old Republic era, so we can forget about seeing that for now (which might be for the best after the ball was dropped on the HBO series' finale). While not officially official, Rian Johnson - who helmed The Last Jedi - also appears to have moved on from his trilogy.
We have absolutely no idea what direction he intended to take things in, but it didn't sound like this series of films were going to have anything to do with the Skywalker Saga. Given how polarising his work on that sequel trilogy was, Lucasfilm might just be playing it safe, deciding they need to leave some time before enlisting Johnson's services again. It does seem like he's moved on, though.