‘Star Wars’: Jon Watts to Direct Next Movie for Lucasfilm

Even as Lucasfilm is deep in post-production on its next Star Wars movie, Star Wars: Starfighter, the next phase of a potential new Skywalker Saga is coming into focus.

Jon Watts, the director behind a trio of Tom Holland Spider-Man movies, is now attached to direct the first installment of the Simon Kinberg-penned trilogy. It is a return to the franchise for Watts, who previously co-created Star Wars series Skeleton Crew in 2024.

Kinberg has been working on writing a mystery trilogy since late 2024. The project is intended to act as the next chapter in what is referred to as the Skywalker Saga, the stories featuring the multi-generations of the Luke Skywalker family. The previous movies have been Episodes I through IX. The next one would be Episode X. Rey Skywalker, the Jedi played by Daisy Ridley in last trilogy released from 2015 and 2019, would appear in some capacity in the new trilogy.

Lucasfilm had no comment.

Sources say the project is still in development and has not yet been greenlit by parent company Disney, although it seems to be project the furthest along the development track after Starfighter.

Starfighter is being directed by Shawn Levy and stars Ryan Gosling. The movie is expected to hit theatres May 27, 2027, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Star Wars.

Watts is seen as a reliable choice for the franchise, which has occasionally, and would say famously, struggled with directors. After directing the indie thriller Cop Car, Watts was chosen by Marvel to helm the relaunch of the Spider-Man movies. The Tom Holland-starring movies, which included 2017’s Homecoming, 2019’s Far From Home, and 2021’s No Way Home, became progressively bigger productions and bigger hits at the box office. Watts proved he could navigate the complexities of massive big-budget productions.

His post-Spider-Man work included the George Clooney-Brad Pitt-starring Wolfs, the high-profile misfire from Apple that upended its theatrical release and curiously announced a sequel that was never going to be made.

Watts co-created and co-wrote Skeleton Crew, the well-regarded but unfortunately not greatly seen series that starred Jude Law and brought an Amblin vibe to the Star Wars universe. Watts directed two episodes of the show, which also had a starry assemblage of helmers that included David Lowery, Lee Isaac Chung, Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and the Daniels.