Brief

Jon Watts Set to Direct New Star Wars Trilogy, Disney Still Awaiting Greenlight

The first film of a planned Skywalker Saga trilogy would see director Jon Watts at the helm, with writer Simon Kinberg crafting the story, though the project remains in development.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:31:00 GMT

Jon Watts, best known for directing Tom Holland’s Spider‑Man films, has been named to direct the first entry of a new Skywalker Saga trilogy, according to reports from The Hollywood Reporter and corroborated by Mashable. The film, which would be titled Episode X, is written by Simon Kinberg, who has a long history with the franchise as a co‑creator of the animated series Star Wars Rebels and a writer for the X‑Men films.

Lucasfilm has not yet greenlit the project. The studio declined to comment when The Hollywood Reporter reached out, and Disney has not confirmed the development status. The announcement comes after Kinberg has been working on the trilogy’s script since late 2024, with the story set to pick up after the events of Rise of Skywalker. Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker is expected to appear in some form, though the role has not been detailed.

Development Status

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the project is still in development and has not received a formal greenlight from Disney. The studio’s next release, Star Wars: Starfighter, is scheduled for May 2027. The new trilogy would be the first film in a planned Skywalker Saga series of three movies.

Watts’ Background

Watts co‑created and co‑wrote the 2024 Disney+ series Skeleton Crew, starring Jude Law, and directed two episodes of the show. While the series received positive reviews, its viewership fell short of expectations. Fans and critics have expressed mixed reactions to the pairing of Watts with the Star Wars franchise, citing his success with Spider‑Man but questioning his fit for the galaxy far, far away.

Kinberg’s Track Record

Kinberg’s involvement brings a mixed legacy. He co‑wrote the 2006 X‑Men film that was a box‑office hit but critically panned, and later wrote and directed the 2019 Dark Phoenix, which failed both critically and commercially. His experience with the X‑Men franchise has led to skepticism among Star Wars fans.

Context in Felo Coverage

Felo News previously reported on the same development in two separate pieces on 27 September 2026, noting that the project remains in development and has not yet been greenlit by Disney. The earlier articles also highlighted the expected appearance of Rey Skywalker and the involvement of Simon Kinberg as writer.

Key facts

Jon Watts is attached to direct the first film of a new Star Wars trilogy (mashable.com)
Simon Kinberg will write the screenplay for the trilogy (mashable.com)
The project is still in development and has not been greenlit by Disney (mashable.com)
Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker is expected to appear in some form (mashable.com)
Lucasfilm’s next release, Star Wars: Starfighter, is set for May 2027 (mashable.com)

Background

Felo News has previously covered the announcement on 27 September 2026, confirming the director and writer assignments and noting the development status. The earlier coverage also mentioned the expected appearance of Rey Skywalker and the upcoming Starfighter release.