It’s late as I sit here in the Pacific Northwest – reporting in from a hotel room near Seattle tonight as I catch up on a few things that I can’t miss talking about. The big news of the day comes from Disney, who have announced a NEW Star Wars Trilogy from Lucasfilm, and it’s coming from the filmmaker behind the latest installment, STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI. “Obviously I hope you like The Last Jedi. But man, now I REALLY hope you like The Last Jedi.” tweeted writer/director Rian Johnson earlier tonight, responding to the news that he will return to a galaxy far, far away to oversee a new Trilogy set outside the timeline of the Skywalker Saga.
In a statement released on StarWars.com, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy continued the praise that has followed Johnson’s work on the latest Star Wars film, while speaking on what will come next. “We all loved working with Rian on The Last Jedi,” said Kennedy. “He’s a creative force, and watching him craft The Last Jedi from start to finish was one of the great joys of my career. Rian will do amazing things with the blank canvas of this new trilogy.”
As he shapes the new Trilogy, Ram Bergman will be along for the ride to produce. Johnson will write and direct the first film, with more details to follow.
Beyond the films, Disney CEO Robert Iger has also confirmed that the long-buzzed-about live-action Star Wars television series will finally happen, set to debut on Disney’s upcoming streaming service. Look for more details on that in the months ahead!
Pictured Top: A promotional image from the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game. Could Johnson’s Trilogy somehow be tied to that popular piece of Star Wars lore? Only time will tell.
