While fans are still dealing with the travesty that was The Acolyte and are looking forward to Skeleton Crew, it was reported that a new Star Wars trilogy was in development with Simon Kinberg writing and producing. Neither Disney nor Lucasfilm have given an official statement but it is rumored to be a new story with new characters.
Lucasfilm gas announced many film projects in the past, including a trilogy by Rian Johnson. However, most of these projects have been in limbo. On top of that, giving Kinberg the responsibility to handle a trilogy even before testing the waters may be a controversial decision. However, Kinberg does not come without experience.
Developing A New Star Wars Trilogy Is A Slippery Slope
Apart from the original Star Wars trilogy, no other films have received almost unanimous acceptance from fans or critics. It is a slippery slope to handle a trilogy of films from the mammoth franchise, which revolutionized Hollywood when the first (technically fourth) episode was released in 1977.
While George Lucas himself did not receive love for his prequel trilogy, the sequel trilogy was handled by J.J. Abrams and was commercially successful but criticized heavily (via The Numbers). Common criticisms included changing the personality of key characters like Luke Skywalker and banking too much on nostalgia.
Since Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, however, no film has been released. After multiple other projects, THR reported that Lucasfilm had tapped Dark Phoenix director and X-Men writer and producer Simon Kinberg to develop a new trilogy of films. While Kinberg is not confirmed to direct, he will reportedly be producing and writing all three films.
Will Simon Kinberg’s New Star Wars Trilogy Be A Continuation Of The Skywalker Saga?
While the TV shows and Disney+ series have followed other characters in the world of Star Wars, the films have mostly been centered on the Skywalkers. The only anomalies in the franchise have been Solo: A Star Wars Story and Rogue One, which still had characters from the original trilogy.
J.J. Abrams’ sequel trilogy too focused on the Skywalkers, with both Kylo Ren and Rey having connections to the family. So the big question about Simon Kinberg’s new trilogy is that if it would follow tradition and keep it connected to the Skywalkers or go with an entirely new story. There have been conflicting reports about the same.
THR reported that the new trilogy will not be a continuation of the Skywalker Saga and will feature a new cast of characters in a new story. However, the site also mentioned that a new story does not mean old characters will not be seen in this world, with fan-favorite characters making an appearance here and there.
Deadline, on the other hand, reported that the new trilogy will be titled Episodes 10, 11, and 12 as part of the Skywalker Saga. The site, however, did mention that there were conflicting reports from insiders that the films would be a new saga. Disney and Lucasfilm are yet to give a confirmation about the deal.
What Has Simon Kinberg Done Before The New Star Wars?
Simon Kinberg is no stranger to Star Wars or other big-scale franchise films. The writer has worked with Lucasfilm before as the creator and writer of the animated series Star Wars Rebels and has also reportedly been a creative consultant on Star Wars: A Force Awakens and Rogue One.
Kinberg’s biggest flex in his resume is probably his involvement in the X-Men franchise. He was a writer on X-Men: The Last Stand and then joined the franchise as a producer on X-Men: First Class, Days of Future Past, Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix. He co-wrote the screenplays of the last three films and made his directorial debut with Dark Phoenix.
Apart from his work in the X-Men franchise, he has also been a writer on Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Fantastic Four (2015), This Means War, and Sherlock Holmes. He also co-produced the Deadpool films, The Martian, Chappie, Cinderella, Logan, and Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie adaptations, starting with Murder on the Orient Express.
Kinberg has also reportedly been tapped by Paramount Pictures to produce a Star Trek film. The film will reportedly be directed by Toby Haynes, who directed the first two episodes of Andor, and is written by Seth Grahame-Smith. The film is already reportedly in development, with Kinberg only set to produce the film (via THR).
Other Failed Star Wars Projects By Lucasfilm
One of the reasons why Star Wars fans are so skeptical about the new announcement of a trilogy of films with Simon Kinberg is because Lucasfilm has done this before. The studio has announced multiple projects in development since Episode IX and has failed to follow through on almost every single announcement related to a film.
While in the streaming space, the studio has released multiple shows, with only The Mandalorian lasting more than a season, there have been no films since the end of the sequel trilogy. Many projects have been in development with noted creators such as James Mangold, Taika Waititi, and Donald Glover (via THR).
A trilogy of films by Rian Johnson, who directed the controversial The Last Jedi was also announced way back in 2017 (via Deadline). But the filmmaker has been busy with his Knives Out franchise and the project seems to have been put on the backburner indefinitely. The only film that has reached production has been Jon Favreau’s upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu film which reportedly wrapped filming in October (via Puck).
Hence, fans are justifiably still unsure about how this new trilogy by Simon Kinberg will pan out and if it will even happen at all. However, the most fans can do is to remain optimistic and hope for an official confirmation.
