Disney has relocated an unnamed Star Wars film from its forthcoming release schedule.
Recently, around a fortnight after disclosing that a fresh trilogy of Star Wars cinematic offerings is under development by writer Simon Kinberg, there's another intriguing detail for enthusiastic speculators of the Star Wars universe. Disney has rearranged an "Unnamed Star Wars" film from its upcoming list, relocating Ice Age 6 onto that particular release date (December 18, 2026) instead.
According to Variety, this shift doesn't necessarily imply that the Star Wars film is canceled. It merely signifies that we'll have to wait a bit longer to witness it. The scheduled release of the next significant Star Wars production, featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu, remains unaltered, set for theaters on May 22, 2026. Disney is also still holding onto another Star Wars film, unnamed like the previous one, for December 17, 2027.
Despite the rescheduling, it presents some intriguing questions, particularly because Star Wars is currently undergoing heightened pressure for Lucasfilm to determine the future path for the franchise. Following Kinberg's trilogy announcement, io9 examined the entirety of the forthcoming Star Wars lineup, which includes confirmed projects, projects likely though not yet in production, and those stories that have been floating in the galaxy far, far away.
So, one might wonder which film was assigned to the now-vacant December 18, 2026 slot. It was likely earmarked for one of the three projects announced at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023: Sharmeen Obiad-Chinoy's film centered around Daisy Ridley's Rey and the New Jedi Order; Dave Filoni's Mandoverse-associated film rumored to incorporate the Heir to the Empire novels; and James Mangold's exploration of the early beginnings of the Jedi.
With Kinberg's trilogy now entering the scene, it's plausible that Lucasfilm wished to secure more time to determine which of these films to present first. Even beyond the realm of scrutinized Star Wars media, release dates often alter in Hollywood; and there's no denying that investing additional time to enhance the film is preferable to rushing something to theaters, despite growing fan impatience.
By next year and a half, perhaps we'll have a clearer picture of the next Star Wars offering following The Mandalorian and Grogu. What film do you aspire to see following The Mandalorian and Grogu?
For further io9 updates, check out the timetables for the latest Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek releases, the upcoming plan for the DC Universe on film and TV, and all you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
The reshuffling of release dates in the Star Wars universe has sparked discussions about the future of the franchise, with io9 examining the entirety of the upcoming Star Wars lineup. With the announcement of Simon Kinberg's trilogy, it's speculated that Lucasfilm might be considering which of the upcoming projects, including Sharmeen Obiad-Chinoy's Rey film, Dave Filoni's Mandoverse project, and James Mangold's Jedi origin story, to present first, demonstrating the importance of technology in shaping the future of movie narratives, like the advancements in Io9's digital platform for covering these developments.
