Jon Watts is heading back to a galaxy far, far away—this time on the big screen.
The filmmaker behind Tom Holland’s first three Spider-Man movies has been tapped to direct the opening film in a new Star Wars trilogy being developed at Lucasfilm, with Simon Kinberg writing the screenplay. Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and TheWrap have all reported Watts’ involvement, although Lucasfilm has not yet publicly announced the project.
The move is not Watts’ first experience with Star Wars. He co-created Disney+ series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew with Christopher Ford and directed episodes of the show. Now, he appears set to make the jump from one corner of the franchise to one of Lucasfilm’s biggest developing theatrical projects.
Watts will direct Simon Kinberg’s first trilogy film
Kinberg has been attached to write and produce a new trilogy for Lucasfilm, with Watts now reportedly taking the first movie.
The filmmaker is best known for Spider-Man: Homecoming, Far From Home and No Way Home, the latter becoming one of Marvel’s biggest theatrical successes. His other directing credits include Cop Car and Wolfs. Watts also signed a first-look feature agreement with Walt Disney Studios through his Freshman Year production company in 2024.
Kinberg already has his own history with the franchise. He co-created Star Wars Rebels with Dave Filoni and previously worked as part of the creative group involved with Disney’s early post-acquisition Star Wars plans.
What remains less clear is exactly what their movie will be.
Multiple trade reports describe the project as potentially continuing the main Skywalker Saga after The Rise of Skywalker, which would effectively make the first film an “Episode X.” Other reporting has characterized Kinberg’s films more broadly as a “new saga,” however, and Lucasfilm has not officially confirmed an Episode X title or numbering.
That distinction matters, especially with reports that Daisy Ridley could return as Rey circulating around the project. A Rey appearance has not yet been formally announced as part of Watts’ film.
This is not the next Star Wars movie arriving in theaters
The headline requires one useful clarification.
Watts may be directing Lucasfilm’s next major developing trilogy film, but his project is not currently the next Star Wars movie scheduled to reach cinemas.
That position belongs to Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, which Lucasfilm has officially dated for May 28, 2027.
The franchise already returned to theaters earlier this year with The Mandalorian and Grogu, which opened on May 22, 2026.
Watts’ movie currently has no announced title, release date or production start. Reports also indicate that Disney has not yet formally greenlit the developing trilogy, despite the director attachment.
That makes this a significant step forward rather than a locked release-plan announcement.
Skeleton Crew makes Watts an interesting choice
Watts’ hiring makes sense for a reason beyond his Spider-Man box-office record.
Skeleton Crew gave him experience telling a coming-of-age adventure inside Star Wars without leaning entirely on legacy characters. The series followed young heroes lost in the galaxy and deliberately borrowed some of the adventure-film energy associated with movies such as The Goonies.
If Kinberg’s trilogy introduces a new generation of central characters while still maintaining connections to the sequel era, Watts already has experience balancing exactly those two ingredients.
Lucasfilm’s recent film history also makes the director attachment notable. Several previously announced Star Wars features have spent years in development without reaching production. Having both a screenwriter and a director attached does not guarantee Watts’ film will be made, but it gives Kinberg’s trilogy considerably more shape than it had before.
For now, the biggest unanswered question is also the most important one: is this genuinely Episode X, or the beginning of an entirely new Star Wars saga?
Until Lucasfilm answers that, Watts has the director’s chair—but the destination is still being kept hidden.
