Star Wars: Jon Watts reportedly set to direct first film in new trilogy

Disney has not officially approved the project, according to the sources cited. For now, this is development news rather than a formal announcement from Lucasfilm or Disney.

The report also places the project alongside other Star Wars films already further along in development, including Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling’s Star Wars: Starfighter, which the article says has a release date of May 28, 2027.

What happened

IGN published a report on September 27, 2026 saying that Jon Watts, known for Spider-Man among other projects, is reportedly set to direct the first film in a new Star Wars trilogy. The article frames the project as a continuation within the Skywalker Saga, though that description has not been officially confirmed by Disney or Lucasfilm.

Simon Kinberg is said to be writing the trilogy. The report stresses that the project is still in development and has not yet received an official greenlight from Disney. That makes its status different from a formally announced film, since Watts’ and Kinberg’s involvement is being reported through sources rather than a studio statement.

The article also notes that Watts was involved with Skeleton Crew in 2024, which the report uses as evidence of his return to Star Wars. His earlier Star Wars work is presented as context for the new trilogy. Very little is known about the trilogy’s story so far; a possible role for Rey Skywalker is mentioned, but not confirmed. It is also still unclear whether Watts will direct only the first film or more of the trilogy.

Background

The new trilogy is linked in the report to the Skywalker Saga, but its exact title and setup are still unknown. It is also not clear whether Jon Watts will direct only the first film or eventually more of the trilogy. That makes the current status mainly a development update: a director has been named, a writer has been named, and the franchise framework has been outlined, but there is no official studio announcement with full production details.

The comparison with Star Wars: Starfighter shows that Disney and Lucasfilm have multiple Star Wars films in development. That project, with Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling, is said to be scheduled for May 28, 2027. The report uses that to show that not every Star Wars film is at the same stage. Starfighter is presented as further along, while the Watts and Kinberg trilogy has not yet received an official greenlight.

Simon Kinberg’s name matters in the report because he is attached as the writer. That is relevant to the development stage, but it does not yet reveal the final shape of the film series. The mention of Rey Skywalker also remains limited to a possible role, with no confirmed casting or story details. Overall, the available information suggests that Disney and Lucasfilm are working on several Star Wars projects, while the Watts trilogy is still in an early stage.

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Sources

• IGN: report on Jon Watts, Simon Kinberg, and the new Star Wars trilogy
• The Hollywood Reporter: source cited in the IGN report about the lack of an official greenlight