Star Wars’ movie future will be defined by one of the three upcoming release dates set out by Lucasfilm. Following the announcement of Star Wars movies at Star Wars Celebration 2023, Disney has set three Star Wars release dates. The next three Star Wars films will premiere on May 22, 2026; December 18, 2026, and December 17, 2027. Which Star Wars film will release on each date has yet to be announced.
While many Star Wars projects were rumored or reported to be in the works since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, only three films are currently officially in the works. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Star Wars movie will see Daisy Ridley returning as Rey to build a new Jedi Order; Dave Filoni’s The Mandalorian movie will be a culmination of the “Mandoverse, and James Mangold’s Star Wars film will explore the origins of the Force. Regardless of which film premiers first, Star Wars’ May 22, 2026 release is the franchise’s most important project since Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Star Wars' May 22, 2026 Release Will Make Or Break Its Movie Future 
Lucasfilm’s first attempt at releasing two Star Wars movies in less than a year did not work. The backlash to Star Wars: The Last Jedi hurt Solo: A Star Wars Story, not to mention the Star Wars fatigue going from a massive December 2017 release to a Han Solo spinoff in May 2018. Star Wars has been a generational franchise since its inception, with multiple years separating a trilogy from the next one. As such, whether Lucasfilm’s December 2026 release will work depends on how well its May 22, 2026 film does.
