As the Star Wars universe continues to expand across TV and film, fans have been eager to learn more about the franchise’s future on the big screen. In 2024, it was announced that the franchise is developing a new Star Wars trilogy headed by Invasion showrunner and longtime sci-fi writer/producer Simon Kinberg.

Apart from Kathleen Kennedy’s statement that Kinberg’s new saga will be the most important for Star Wars’ future, Lucasfilm has remained characteristically тιԍнт-lipped about the project. There has been speculation that Kinberg’s trilogy continues on from previous mainline films, debuting Episodes X to XII with Daisy Ridley’s Rey as the central protagonist, or even acting as a complete Star Wars reboot.

Now, in an interview with ScreenRant‘s Grant Hermanns, Kinberg has finally opened up about his creative philosophy for the new Star Wars trilogy following his sci-fi drama TV series. When asked about how Invasion would impact the Star Wars project, Kinberg expressed a need to find “a balance” between epic visuals and intimate character exploration. Check out his comments below:

I will say that I’ve learned so many things from working on Invasion, or honed a lot of things working on Invasion. And I think that the thing that I carry with me from Invasion into anything that I do, Star Wars included, would be finding a balance between big, epic science fiction storytelling with really intimate, dramatic character work.

Kinberg stated that he “definitely can’t give […] an update” on the trilogy’s progression, as story specifics remain under wraps, claiming, “this is as top secret as top secret stuff gets.” However, Kinberg revealed his favorite Star Wars movies and TV series — The Empire Strikes Back and Andor — teasing how they will influence his upcoming trilogy:

My favorite of the Star Wars movies is Empire Strikes Back, and it’s because the balance between the epic and the intimate is so strong in that they’re such personal stories. The stakes are really personal, and yet, obviously, there’s all kinds of great science fiction. I think Andor did an extraordinary job of that, as well. It was such an emotional, intense, personal show that also had, obviously, mᴀssive stakes to it, and politics, and all of that.

What Simon Kinberg’s Comments Mean For Star Wars

While Kinberg didn’t confirm a specific timeline, characters, or plot, his comments provide a strong sense of what tone the next Star Wars trilogy might have. Instead of leaning purely into spectacle or mythology, Kinberg is clearly focused on crafting stories that are first and foremost character-driven, echoing the direction Disney has seen success with on streaming.

The Invasion showrunner’s favoring The Empire Strikes Back suggests there will be some kind of return to the classic storytelling of the original trilogy, which has long served as the emotional backbone of the Skywalker saga. Yet, Kinberg’s admiration of Andor is equally exciting as it could indicate the trilogy will follow a similar politically and emotionally charged premise.

Our Take On Simon Kinberg’s Star Wars Trilogy

Although details remain predictably scarce, Kinberg’s approach to the next Star Wars trilogy sounds like a step in the right direction. After the divisiveness of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, many fans have been yearning for Star Wars to return to its core, and with Kinberg citing The Empire Strikes Back as a favorite film, we might just see that.

However, Kinberg calling Andor “emotional, intense, personal” also suggests another reinvigorating story could be on the horizon, as he may lean into the more grounded reality seen in the Star Wars show. This could be a valuable new addition to the franchise, and I’m excited to see what Kinberg does, especially considering his sci-fi experience with Marvel and The Martian.