A new Star Wars movie is in the works from Sleight director JD Dillard

By Meira Gebel Published April 25, 2023

A new Star Wars movie is in the works. And that’s just about all we know.

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According to Variety, Lucasfilm is partnering with director J.D. Dillard and writer Matt Owens. It is still unknown if the final product will find itself up on the big screens or on Disney+. The film’s timeline, characters, and location are top secret for now.

Deadline reported the movie is set to take place on “the hidden Sith planet of Exegol” — the newest addition to the Star Wars universe teased in the latest movie, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, that came out this past December.

No actors, as far as what has been reported, have signed on to the film nor are any big names floating around at this time.

The rumored movie, when and if it is released, will be the first time the franchise will have a black director driving its creative vision. Dillard is known for his work on indie projects like the sci-fi Sleight and fantasy Stray.

Owens has writer credits for Marvel spin offs Luke Cage and The Defenders.

Both Disney and Lucasfilm declined to comment to Variety and Deadline. Digital Trends reached out to both production companies but did not receive an immediate response.

Disney and Lucasfilms wrapped up the Skywalker trilogy at the end of last year, all three collectively bringing in nearly $700 million their debut weekends.

The duo also found success with the hit series The Mandalorian, created by Jon Favreau, who teased the show would return in the fall. The show’s success may have been in part due to the internet’s infatuation with Baby Yoda: An infant of the same species as Star Wars’ iconic Jedi master, Yoda, who The Mandalorian decides to protect from the powerful forces hunting him.

The internet has a lot of opinions on Disney’s choice to keep spinning off works from the Star Wars franchise. Television critics have argued the films are repetitive, and the classic trilogy may be one none can live up to. Even Disney CEO Bob Iger said there are too many, and going forward the production company aims to make less, not more.

But it’s clear fans are forever loyal to the franchise. Since its launch, Disney Plus has gained over 28 million subscribers.

This story is developing and will be updated.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Meira Gebel is a freelance reporter based in Portland. She writes about tech, social media, and internet culture for Digital…

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