Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy recently spoke about the future of the Star Wars franchise now that the nine-part Skywalker Saga is complete. With creator George Lucas’ original story, which had been the focus for most of the company’s creative energy for so long, finally complete, Kennedy says “now we’re stepping back.”
Speaking to The Wrap, Kennedy explained that “stories have been told within this universe over the last 40-odd years, and there’s now the realization that this is a mythology that actually spans about 25,000 years, when you really start to look at all the different stories that have been told, whether it’s in books and games.”
“We just need the time to step back and really absorb what George has created,” she continued, “and then start to think about where things might go. That’s what we’ve been doing, and we’ve been having a great deal of fun doing it, and meeting with lots of different filmmakers and talent. There’s so many fans out there and so many filmmakers that have been influenced by Star Wars for so long that it’s a fantastic opportunity to get a sense of who wants to be a part of this. So that’s what we’ve been doing.”
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Beginning December 22, 2023, Disney has three confirmed dates for upcoming Star Wars films, but next up, with regards to the sprawling shared universe, is Season 2 of The Mandalorian, which premieres in October. Kennedy sees streaming shows, on Disney+, as a hugely integral part of the Star Wars universe going forward. “I’ve already seen evidence of it,” she said. “The ability to be very character-driven, with extended storytelling and connected storytelling, I think this space offers us a great opportunity to do that.”
There is also an Obi-Wan limited series in the works, which was originally set to be a movie. The show will take place 8 years after Revenge of the Sith and will be directed by Deborah Chow, who helmed episodes of The Mandalorian. Joby Harold also recently signed on as a writer for the series, even though its production has been on hold since the beginning of the year.
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Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
Source: IGN.com Kathleen Kennedy on Star Wars' Future: We Need "Time to Step Back"