Jon Watts to Direct First Installment in New Star Wars Trilogy

Jon Watts has signed on to direct the opening chapter of a new Star Wars film trilogy scripted and produced by Simon Kinberg, according to a report from TheWrap. Lucasfilm declined to comment on the development.

The assignment deepens the director's ties to both Lucasfilm and the broader Disney ecosystem. After directing Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios' commercially dominant Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland, Watts shifted toward the galaxy far, far away as the co-creator and executive producer of the Disney+ live-action series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

Kinberg was previously engaged to write and produce the planned trio of films. His involvement with the property dates back to Disney's 2012 purchase of Lucasfilm, when he served as a creative consultant on Star Wars: The Force Awakens and co-created the animated series Star Wars Rebels alongside Dave Filoni.

Questions remain regarding where the new story sits within the franchise timeline. While early reporting suggested the project could act as Episodes 10 through 12 to extend the Skywalker Saga beyond 2019's The Rise of Skywalker, other accounts characterize the effort as a standalone saga distinct from the mainline continuity.

For Lucasfilm, tapping Watts represents a strategic move to secure a proven commercial filmmaker for its theatrical slate. The studio has struggled with a succession of aborted or delayed film initiatives over the past half-decade. As Hollywood Tomorrow notes, teaming Kinberg with a director who successfully managed three consecutive high-budget studio blockbusters provides Disney with a steadier operational blueprint for theatrical Star Wars releases.