“Spider-Man” director Jon Watts to helm first film in next “Star Wars” trilogy
“Spider-Man” director Jon Watts to helm first film in next “Star Wars” trilogy
Shania RussellSun, September 27, 2026 at 3:50 PM UTC
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Jon Watts; Daisy Ridley in ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty; Jonathan Olley /LucasfilmThe new trilogy will be penned by Simon Kinberg, the longtime producer of Fox’s X-Men movies, who also directed 2019’s “Dark Phoenix.”Key Points -
Jon Watts has been tapped to direct the first installment of a new Star Wars trilogy.
Watts previously directed Tom Holland’s initial Spider-Man trilogy, starting with 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The director is no stranger to Star Wars, having helmed the coming-of-age miniseries Skeleton Crew.
Lucasfilm is looking to kick off a new era of Star Warswith a certain Marvel alum at the wheel.
Jon Watts, the director behind the initial trio of Tom HollandSpider-Man films, has been tapped to direct the first installment of a Star Wars trilogy penned by Simon Kinberg, according to reports from multiple outlets. The project will mark a return to the franchise for Watts, who previously helmed the coming-of-age miniseries, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
Kinberg —who produced several Fox-Marvel projects including Josh Trank’sFantastic FourandX-Men: Days of Future Pastand also directed 2019’s Dark Phoenix—is similarly no stranger to Star Wars. He consulted on J.J. Abrams’ relaunch of the franchise with Star Wars: The Force Awakens and co-created the animated series Star Wars: Rebels with Dave Filoni.
John Boyega as Finn, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, Daisy Ridley as Rey, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO and Oscar Isaac as Poe in ‘Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker’.Credit: Lucasfilm
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the Kinberg-penned trilogy will continue the “Skywalker Saga,” which comprises all the films about the multi-generations of Luke Skywalker’s family. This includes Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope, Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back, Episode VI — Return of the Jedi; the prequels, Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and Episode III — Revenge of the Sith; and the sequels, Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, Episode VIII — The Last Jedi and Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker.
A representative for Lucasfilm did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly’s request for comment.
Back in 2024, news broke that Kinberg was set to write and produce a trio of films in the Star Wars franchise. There have since been conflicting reports about whether or not the trilogy would begin a new story in the world or continue the Skywalker Saga by featuring the return of Daisy Ridley’s Rey. While the THR report indicated that Ridley would indeed feature in the upcoming films, it did not clarify in what capacity.
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The outlet additionally reported that Watts and Kinberg’s mysterious project is the Star Wars film that is further along on the development track, not counting Star Wars: Starfighter, which is due in theaters next year.
Jon Watts in 2026Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty
The film directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling has been described as a standalone Star Wars adventure set in a period never before explored in the franchise. It is neither a prequel nor a sequel, though it is set five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. The movie is expected to hit theaters on May 27, 2027, pegged to the 50th anniversary of Star Wars.
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Watts was chosen by Marvel to helm the relaunch of the Spider-Man franchise after directing the indie thrillers Clown and Cop Car. He then directed Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, and 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. The films hit big at the box office while also growing in scope as Holland’s Peter Parker became more enmeshed in the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Watts has since stepped away from the MCU and handed off the Spidey reins to Destin Daniel Cretton, who helmed this year’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
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