Jon Watts in talks to direct Star Wars: Episode X
Lucasfilm is in talks with Jon Watts to direct Star Wars: Episode X, according to an exclusive from Knight Edge Media, confirmed the same day by The Hollywood Reporter. Watts directed all three Tom Holland Spider-Man films for Marvel, and more recently served as showrunner on the Disney+ series Skeleton Crew. The project is still in script development — Disney has not formally greenlit it.
The setup
Episode X would kick off a fourth Star Wars trilogy, with X-Men and Rebels writer Simon Kinberg scripting what's described as a mystery-focused saga continuing after The Rise of Skywalker. The Skywalker family line is reportedly central to the story again. Daisy Ridley's Rey will appear, but in a reduced role — her standalone spinoff, the long-in-development New Jedi Order, has been shelved with attention shifting to this mainline film instead. Lucasfilm is said to be in early casting, with a lean toward lesser-known actors.
What it means for the theatrical slate
The US theatrical schedule is already packed: The Mandalorian & Grogu arrives in May 2026, followed by Starfighter in May 2027. Episode X has no release date, which realistically puts it in 2028 or later. Watts' 2024 first-look deal with Disney makes this attachment less surprising, but it's worth noting the gap between "circling" and "signed" — Lucasfilm has issued no official statement.
The shelving of Rey's solo vehicle is the sharpest signal here. It suggests Lucasfilm is stepping back from character-driven spinoffs and betting on saga continuity to rebuild audience trust after the sequel trilogy's divisive reception. Whether Watts — who excelled at crowd-pleasing ensemble action — is the right fit for that task is the obvious open question. The franchise's recent track record in gaming has also been turbulent: Star Wars: Zero Company hit 1 million sales and $50M — its studio is still in financial crisis yet its developer still faced a financial crisis, and the Star Wars: Zero Company launched to rave reviews — then its studio furloughed 80% of staff shortly after launch — a reminder of how complicated the franchise's commercial picture remains even when individual projects succeed.
For now, Star Wars: Episode X is a promising name attached to a script that hasn't been officially approved. More concrete news — a greenlight, a cast, a date — will be needed before this moves from rumor to reality.
