Star Wars: Episode X's Latest Update Just Made The New Trilogy Way More Exciting

Published Oct 7, 2026, 11:53 PM EDT Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero. With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention. Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise. Seven years later, it seems development is underway for a new Star Wars trilogy from Lucasfilm, continuing the Skywalker saga for a brand-new era. Following The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, Lucasfilm has kept its focus on various streaming series and, more recently, standalone films. However, the galaxy far, far away may soon have a brand-new trilogy on its hands beginning with Star Wars: Episode X, and the latest update is absolutely worth getting excited about. The latest developments surrounding the next potential Star Wars trilogy make the idea considerably more exciting than it already was. It's been known for some time that Simon Kinberg has been writing a full new trilogy for Lucasfilm, and that Daisy Ridley's Rey is expected to return for the next continuation of the Skywalker saga. However, recent reports from THR suggest Jon Watts has signed on to direct at least Episode X. While it's easy to focus on some of Kinberg's more high-profile blockbuster flops, his track record has just as many big wins, particularly when it comes to Star Wars. Likewise, Watts' potential involvement is just as exciting thanks to his own impressive resume and past work in the galaxy far, far away. Keeping that in mind, let's break down why Kinberg and Watts make Episode X feel like such an incredibly promising new chapter for Star Wars' future. ​​​​​​ Simon Kinberg Created Some Of The Disney Era's Best Star Wars Moments Ultimately, Simon Kinberg's Star Wars résumé is quite impressive, well before he started writing this new trilogy in collaboration with Kathleen Kennedy. Not only is he a key co-creator and executive producer of the beloved animated series Star Wars Rebels alongside Dave Filoni, but he also wrote or co-wrote some of the most popular and significant episodes across its four seasons. Firstly, Simon Kinberg wrote Rebels' two-part series premiere, "Spark of Rebellion," alongside Dave Filoni and Greg Weisman, introducing the entire crew of the Ghost, a key cell in the early Rebellion known as the Spectres. Kinberg also wrote "Call To Action" with Weisman as well as the first season's finale, "Fire Across the Galaxy." Not only that, but Kinberg then co-wrote "Twilight of the Apprentice" with Steven Melching and Filoni, the epic finale of Rebels season 2 featuring not only the return of Darth Maul but also the epic duel between Ahsoka Tano and Darth Vader atop the ancient Sith temple on Malachor. Last but not least, Kinberg also helped write Rebels' epic series finale "Family Reunion - and Farewell", featuring the liberation of Lothal as well as Ezra's confrontation with Emperor Palpatine before exiling both himself and Grand Admiral Thrawn to another galaxy. Beyond animation, Kinberg also served as a story consultant on The Force Awakens, working alongside J. J Abrams for the first chapter of the sequel trilogy. As such, Kinberg has been involved in two of the most important projects in the early Disney-Star Wars era. Furthermore, it's also worth noting that Kinberg's broader Hollywood résumé is considerably stronger than his reputation often suggests from critics online. After all, he's been involved with major successes like X-Men: Days of Future Past, Logan, Deadpool & Wolverine, The Martian, Sherlock Holmes, and more. Yes, there have been major high-profile flops like 2015's Fantastic Four and 2019's Dark Phoenix, but his full track record is much bigger than simply being "the guy who made Fantastic Four and Dark Phoenix", especially when we're talking about Star Wars. When all is said and done, Kinberg has proven he knows how the franchise and its vast timeline and mythology works, and has plenty of experience helping create stories that eventually became crucial touchpoints in the Disney-era canon. Jon Watts Has Already Proven He Can Capture The Tone And Feel of Star Wars Beyond Simon Kinberg, Jon Watts is just as much of an exciting choice for Episode X, similarly possessing prior Star Wars experience, having been the co-creator, executive producer, showrunner, and director for the first and last episodes of 2024's Skeleton Crew, starring Jude Law as Jod Na Nawood and a group of young kids who embark on an exciting misadventure involving hidden treasure and galactic pirates. Inspired by classic Amblin films like The Goonies, Watts' Skeleton Crew perfectly captured the true wonder, excitement, and vastness of the Star Wars galaxy, full of practical effects and a story that couldn't have fit better for the galaxy far, far away. As such, Watts' understanding of that crucial tone and feel is a great sign when it comes to directing Episode X. After all, the next trilogy will have to make the galaxy feel exciting again without simply repeating the original trilogy as the sequels were heavily criticized for. Then there's Watts' experience with another enormous franchise with the MCU's Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland. Without a doubt, it's easily one of the most popular and most successful MCU trilogies. Likewise, Spider-Man: No Way Home excelled in bringing together decades of Spider-Man's cinematic history and legacy without losing the emotional core of Peter Parker's story. Overall, Watts' experience feels like it could translate extremely well into Star Wars: Episode X, which will inevitably carry decades of continuity, legacy, and expectation. He's already demonstrated he can work with a major blockbuster and characters with major fan investment while still being accessible to more mainstream audiences. Keeping all of the above in mind, Simon Kinberg and Jon Watts definitely feel like an awesome combination. Kinberg has extensive knowledge of Star Wars mythology and proven experience within the franchise's Disney-era storytelling, and Watts also brings a proven ability to deliver wonder, humor, adventure, and blockbuster spectacle, including within the Star Wars galaxy. It's the right combination that the start of a brand-new Star Wars trilogy absolutely deserves, which will need the right people who intimately understand why audiences cared about Star Wars in the first place while still being willing to take the story somewhere fresh and new. All in all, it certainly looks like Star Wars: Episode X has a creative team that couldn't be better when it comes to experience and past successes in the galaxy far, far away. Star Wars: Episode X is currently in development at Lucasfilm. Star Wars Rebels Network Disney Channel Showrunner Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg Directors Dave Filoni Writers Dave Filoni, Greg Weisman Set between Episodes III and IV of the Star Wars film franchise, Star Wars Rebels is a canon animated series that follows a group of ragtag heroes who band together to face the Empire. In an age where the Galactic Empire is hunting down the last of the Jedi, a teenage outcast named Ezra Bridger is discovered to be force sensitive by a surviving Jedi known as Kanan Jarrus. Agreeing to join them and accept Jedi training, Ezra becomes a part of a small but growing crew of rebels determined to destroy the empire covertly. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew 8/10 Release Date 2024 - 2025-00-00 Network Disney+ Skeleton Crew follows four ordinary children who become lost in the expansive Star Wars galaxy. As they navigate unfamiliar worlds and the challenges they present, the group endeavors to find their way back to their home planet, undertaking a journey across the iconic Star Wars universe.