Star Wars Celebration 2025 has already provided some shocking updates to Star Wars movies and TV shows in just its first day, including major news about Star Wars’ next two movies. There are a number of upcoming Star Wars movies that were announced some time ago but hadn’t yet been given a significant update, including Rey’s new Star Wars movie, rumored to be тιтled Star Wars: New Jedi Order, Shawn Levy’s Star Wars movie, Taika Waiтιтi’s Star Wars movie, and James Mangold’s Star Wars movie, reportedly тιтled Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi.
Many were hoping that Lucasfilm would shed significantly more light on these movies during Star Wars Celebration 2025, as there’s been rampant speculation and concern that some, if not many, of these movies would never come to fruition. Already, Lucasfilm has delivered for many of these movies, with the franchise confirming the direction of Star Wars’ future on the first day of Celebration alone. Among these movie details was the shocking revelation about Star Wars’ next two movies, which will be set decades apart.
Star Wars: Starfighter Opens Up A Whole New Time Period
This Movie Will Be Set “A Few Years” After The Sequel Trilogy
It’s long been known that Star Wars’ next movie will be The Mandalorian and Grogu, starring тιтular characters Din Djarin and Grogu and set during the New Republic era. That movie, prior to yesterday, was the only Star Wars movie to have a confirmed release date—May 22, 2026. However, Star Wars shocked everyone by revealing that Shawn Levy’s Star Wars movie, confirmed to be тιтled Star Wars: Starfighter, will be next after that.
In addition to the release schedule news, Star Wars confirmed that Starfighter will star Ryan Gosling, will be set “a few years” after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in the Star Wars timeline, and will be released on May 28, 2027. This means that Star Wars’ next two movies, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Starfighter, will be set decades apart from one another. Starfighter’s timing in particular will mean the movie is exploring a time yet to be shown on screen in Star Wars.
Star Wars’ next two movies, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Starfighter, will be set decades apart from one another.
We’re Seeing Two Very Different Parts Of The Star Wars Timeline
These Movies Will Effectively Show The Before And After Of The Sequels (With Different Characters)
During his discussion of Starfighter at Star Wars Celebration 2025, Shawn Levy confirmed that the movie will be a true standalone with all new characters. This means that, though Starfighter will follow on the heels of the sequel trilogy, it should not be seen as a continuation of that trilogy or its characters. Even so, Starfighter being set a few years after The Rise of Skywalker means the movie will explore the galaxy after the fall of the First Order for the first time.
Starfighter being set a few years after The Rise of Skywalker means the movie will explore the galaxy after the fall of the First Order for the first time.
Based on that, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Starfighter will be set in very different eras of the Star Wars timeline—one just before the sequel trilogy, and one just after it. Both will be incredible additions to the franchise, no doubt, but the unexpected news about Starfighter’s timing and release date makes it especially exciting. Based on this thrilling Star Wars Celebration 2025 news, Starfighter and The Mandalorian and Grogu will take place decades apart, with Starfighter in particular revealing a brand-new era in Star Wars.
Check out more of our Star Wars Celebration coverage:
- Star Wars Celebration: All Panels & Times
- Star Wars Celebration:Live Blog Day 1 – The Mandalorian & Grogu and Lucasfilm Animation Updates
- All 8 Things We Just Learned About The Next Star Wars Movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu
- Star Wars Starfighter Announced: Next Star Wars Movie Releases In 2027, Five Years After Rise Of Skywalker & Stars Ryan Gosling
- Darth Maul Returns In First Look At Maul: Shadow Lord, New TV Show That Fulfils George Lucas’ Sequel Trilogy Plans