Star Wars Officially Returns With New Episodes This Week

Published Aug 2, 2026, 7:30 AM EDT El is a Junior TV Features Editor for ScreenRant, with previous experience as The Mary Sue's UK and Weekend Editor. She holds a Bachelor's in International Media and Entertainment Management, as well as an MA and Ph.D. in Creative Writing. There is little she loves more than discussing her favorite TV shows with fellow fans. One day, she hopes to publish an original fantasy novel. Star Wars officially returns with new episodes this week, as it launches a brand-new storytelling label. It's been a mixed year for Star Wars so far. Star Wars animation triumphed once more with the release of Dave Filoni's Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord. On the other hand, the galaxy's return to the big screen for the first time in seven years with The Mandalorian and Grogu proved to be a much more difficult endeavor. It earned roughly $50 million less than even Solo: A Star Wars Story, the franchise's previous lowest-grossing movie. While Star Wars' biggest confirmed upcoming releases are being held until next year for the franchise's 50th anniversary celebrations, including the long-awaited second season of Ahsoka and Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling's obscure standalone theatrical adventure, Star Wars: Starfighter, this week's premiere is just as exciting, offering a glimpse of the galaxy as it's never been depicted before. On Wednesday, August 5, Star Wars will launch its first-ever full-length anime series with Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi. Considering the franchise's long history with animation, it's surprising that it's taken Star Wars this long to dip its toe into the increasingly popular anime pool. This is certainly the perfect time to do so, however. The Ninth Jedi follows a group of Jedi trying to rebuild the Order in a galaxy being conquered by a terrifyingly powerful, mysterious masked Force-wielder — one who seems to be neither Sith nor Jedi. How Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi Connects To The Wider Franchise Credit: Disney+ Produced by renowned Japanese animation studio Production I.G, Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi will continue the story started in the studio's first two Star Wars: Visions shorts, season 1's "The Ninth Jedi" and season 3's "The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope." Crucially, Star Wars: Visions' stories aren't considered canon. Anyone with any level of knowledge of the franchise can enjoy them, as each short, produced by incredibly talented studios around the world, offers a new interpretation of Star Wars' pre-established lore, including the Force, the Sith, the Jedi, lightsabers, and more. Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi is the first full-length Visions spinoff series under the franchise's new Star Wars: Visions Presents banner. Essentially, this banner will function similarly to the current Star Wars Legends label, a distinct label that differentiates between Disney's confirmed canon — the Skywalker saga, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and anything produced by Disney from April 2014 onwards, including all comics, books, and video games — and the old Expanded Universe. Like many Expanded Universe stories, Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi could technically be considered canon, as it's set in the galaxy's far-off future. However, as Production I.G's world includes elements that aren't in line with canon Star Wars' pre-established rules, including the way it handles lightsabers — in this world, the Jedi's weapons are forged by a sabersmith known as Lah Zhima, and the blades can change color near instantaneously depending on what's in the wielder's heart — it's simpler to view it as non-canonical. Star Wars: Visions Has Been A Highlight Of The Disney Era Credit: Disney+ via MovieStillsDB Star Wars: Visions' non-canonical status doesn't mean these stories are any less worthy of attention. On the contrary, some of Star Wars' most innovative and exciting stories and characters have come from Star Wars: Visions' three seasons, including The Ninth Jedi. Lah Kara is one of the most interesting new Jedi introduced in recent years, balancing her destiny as the Jedi Order's future with her desperate desire to find her father and free the galaxy from tyranny. She's a lot like Rey Skywalker, actually, responsible for carrying on the Jedi's legacy. Other shorts, like Studio Trigger's "The Twins" or "The Duel" by Kamikaze Douga, are just as stunning, and could certainly spin off into their own full-length Presents shows. The beauty of the Star Wars galaxy is that it can be anything, do anything, experimenting with visuals, tone, genre, setting, and more. Visions highlights Star Wars' limitless potential in the best way. As Star Wars continues to try to find its footing, Star Wars: Visions has been an undeniable highlight. Let's see what Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi can do. Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi premieres Wednesday, August 5 on Disney+ and Hulu. Release Date August 5, 2026 Network Hulu, Disney+ Writers Mitsuyasu Sakai Cast Andrew Kishino Juro (voice) Chinatsu Akasaki Lah Kara (voice) Tetsuo Kanao Ethan (voice)