Star Wars’ new movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, has finally hit theaters, which is a thrilling update for Star Wars movies and TV shows more broadly. However, with only Star Wars Starfighter, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord season 2, and Ahsoka season 2 feeling truly confirmed in terms of upcoming Star Wars projects, questions have already begun to be raised about where the franchise will go next.
This is a particularly interesting question because of how Star Wars has shifted over the years, from a franchise defined by its movies, to (especially from 2019 forward) a franchise that was almost entirely made up of TV shows, and now back, seemingly, to a focus on movies. Yet, it’s likely that Star Wars’ best chance for success is to strike the right balance between TV shows and movies—and these 3 projects would provide exactly that.
Of the projects on this list, Dawn of the Jedi is the only one that has actually been announced. Specifically, James Mangold’s movie, which is said to center on the Prime Jedi—the very first Jedi that ever existed, thousands of years before the prequel trilogy—was announced as being in the works at Star Wars Celebration 2023. Unfortunately, it was then trapped in development Hell, and it has since been confirmed to be on hold.
Yet, it would be a terrible shame if this movie doesn’t come to pass. Fans have been essentially begging to see this movie, especially because this is a significantly under-explored era and story in canon. Additionally, though, it would offer something truly different for Star Wars movies, particularly because it is set far, far away from the Skywalker Saga—something that Star Wars hasn’t even come close to doing in its movies thus far.
Although a live-action version of Star Wars: The Clone Wars has not yet been announced, it is something that fans have likewise been begging for. Granted, this is also a project that would prove controversial, as many in the fanbase have also claimed that “no one wants this” (although that is objectively not the case). While there is a point to be made about Star Wars needing to move on, such as with Dawn of the Jedi, this would nevertheless be a great project.
In fact, this show would be particularly good now, as the time in which this could be made, at least with original prequel trilogy actors Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor, is quickly running out. Both actors, however, have indicated that they would be interested, and the flashback in Ahsoka season 1 even set up the perfect young live-action Ahsoka Tano: Ariana Greenblatt.
Finally, a major topic of conversation within the Star Wars fanbase of late has been a desire for an R-rated Darth Vader movie. This, like Dawn of the Jedi, would be something radically different for the franchise, and in this case it would be absolutely thrilling. Vader is a terrifying villain, and Star Wars has only increasingly proven that fact.
In fact, Maul – Shadow Lord just recently reminded audiences that Vader really is, effectively, a horror movie-level villain, even if George Lucas has always said Star Wars is “for kids.” Getting to see Vader be all-out evil in an R-rated movie would therefore be perfect, and while Lucasfilm/Disney may never do it, they absolutely should.
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