Another Star Wars movie has been scrapped

The Rise of Skywalker
(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

As a new Star Wars movie from Shawn Levy is announced, another bites the dust. J.D. Dillard's movie, first announced in February 2020 with Luke Cage scribe Matt Owens on board as screenwriter, will not go ahead at Lucasfilm.

Dillard told The Wrap that it was "unfortunately no longer a thing," but "it was not for lack of trying." Plot details of the unrealized project were never revealed.

The filmmaker previously directed the superhero movie Sleight and the survival horror film Sweetheart, and his next project is the upcoming war drama Devotion starring Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell. 

Along with Free Guy director Levy's upcoming project, Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof is writing another new Star Wars movie that's currently in the works. This one will be directed by Ms. Marvel helmer Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and it will be set sometime after The Rise of Skywalker – but it won't be a continuation of the Skywalker saga.

The Rise of Skywalker was the last big-screen outing for the Star Wars franchise, despite there being plenty of other feature-length projects in development in the years since. However, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins' project, Rogue Squadron, is now on the backburner, and Taika Waititi's movie has been in development for over two years. 

Next up in the galaxy far, far away is The Bad Batch season 2, which arrives on Disney Plus on January 4, 2023. In the meantime, check out our guide to the rest of the new Star Wars movies and TV shows coming our way in the coming months – and years.

TOPICS
Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism. 

Read more
Star Wars
Two of Star Wars' biggest no-show movies get updates – but they're not completely promising
Mando and Grogu in The Mandalorian
The Ryan Gosling-led Star Wars movie from Deadpool and Wolverine director is set "five or six years" after The Rise of Skywalker
The Rise of Skywalker
New Rey movie screenwriter reveals what his vision might have in common with Star Wars creator George Lucas
Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Every new Star Wars movie and TV show currently in the works
James Mangold at Star Wars Celebration
James Mangold's Star Wars movie is set thousands of years in the past because he's "not interested in being handcuffed" by the massive canon
the acolyte
The Acolyte star says the Star Wars show's cancelation was "overwhelming," but she's still "proud" of playing a Jedi: "Bucket list ticked"
Latest in Star Wars Movies
John Boyega as Finn in Star Wars: The Last Jedi
John Boyega reveals Tom Cruise actually helped him get cast in Star Wars
Watto in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars confirms Watto isn’t dead after all in new comic, and fans are celebrating his miraculous survival
The Rise of Skywalker
Despite those retirement reports, Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy is "very involved" in the Rey Star Wars movie, according to Daisy Ridley
Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
After 26 years, a secret Star Wars reference to George Lucas has been uncovered: "We got a new Phantom Menace Easter Egg before GTA 6"
Liam Neeson in The Phantom Menace
"Wise mentor" or "awful Jedi"? Star Wars fans are debating if Qui-Gon Jinn is to blame for Anakin's turn to the dark side
Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Longlegs director pitches horrifying Star Wars movie with Darth Vader, and we want it to happen
Latest in News
A screenshot from No Man's Sky showing someone in a space suit stood amongst futuristic-looking architecture.
No Man's Sky programmer shares the "first 3D world" he co-created at 18 years old, which was "a foundational step for me from there to No Man's Sky"
Dragon Age: The Veilguard screenshot showing Solas, a pale bald Elven mage, wielding lightning-like powers while grimacing
Dragon Age The Veilguard's playtesters were initially confused about almost every aspect of the game's combat: "It's OK, sometimes we have to let it go"
Saints Row Review
Saber Interactive CEO says Saints Row had to die because the games were too expensive: "The days of throwing money at games other than the GTAs of the world is over"
Team Liquid clears Chrome King Gallywix
World of Warcraft's latest raid race ends in disappointment after 12 days with a final boss so lackluster the team who won was visibly confused to have beaten it
Mario odyssey screenshot showing mario standing with sentient forks
8 years later, Super Mario Odyssey players are still getting awed by the discovery that you can destroy metal crates by turning into a bird and pecking them 200 times
Wyrdsong
Skyrim and Fallout veterans' new open-world RPG is now a roguelike that's not open-world, after funding issues brought the team "down to a skeleton crew"