Shawn Levy's Star Wars Film: Writer Hints at Earlier Release

Shawn Levy’s anticipated Star Wars movie remains in development, with the Deadpool & Wolverine director still at the helm. The project’s writer, Jonathan Tropper, recently shared a promising update on its progress.

“I’m thrilled as well,” Tropper told Screen Rant about the upcoming film. “It might arrive sooner than expected.”

Details about the movie remain scarce, but it is confirmed to take place after The Rise of Skywalker. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy previously clarified its timeline. “It’s set in the future,” she told Deadline in February. “Levy’s film is a standalone story, occurring roughly five or six years after the first nine episodes.” This positions it as the first film to explore the post-Rise of Skywalker era.

Kennedy also noted that the film will follow the 2026 release of The Mandalorian and Grogu. “I’m currently producing the Mandalorian movie, and Levy’s project comes next,” she said. Additionally, reports suggest Ryan Gosling is slated to star in the film.

Tropper’s comments offer hope that Levy’s project is progressing smoothly. However, fans may still face a wait until late 2026 or even 2027 for its release.

Disney has not released a Star Wars film since the widely criticized Star Wars: Episode 9 - The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. Several projects, including one from Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and a trilogy from Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, have been canceled. A Star Wars film previously scheduled for late 2026 was also removed from Disney’s slate.

Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and TV Show

At Star Wars Celebration 2023, Lucasfilm unveiled three new films: a Dave Filoni-directed New Republic story set in the Mando-verse, a Dawn of the Jedi project helmed by James Mangold, and a New Jedi Order film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, featuring Daisy Ridley reprising her role as Rey post-Rise of Skywalker.

The Obaid-Chinoy film has seen shifts, with screenwriter Steven Knight recently exiting after replacing Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson. Despite changes, Rey remains a key focus for Disney, with reports indicating her involvement in multiple upcoming Star Wars films.

Beyond these, X-Men producer Simon Kinberg is writing a new trilogy, distinct from the Skywalker Saga, contrary to early speculation.

The next Star Wars project to debut will be Andor Season 2, premiering on Disney+ on April 22 with a triple-episode launch.