Now that Star Wars: The Last Jedi is out, are you dying to see the rest of the story? We know we are. So when does the next Star Wars film hit theaters? While Episode IX was originally slated to open in May of 2019, about a year and half from now, a switch up with the director pushed the date. There’s also the Han Solo movie to consider, which should hold our appetites while we wait for Episode IX. Let’s take a look at Lucasfilm’s upcoming release schedule.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Solo: A Star Wars Story is the next Star Wars film to hit theaters. Solo is set to open in theaters on May 25, 2018. This film is the second stand alone Star Wars film, after Rogue One. Just like Rogue One was set before Star Wars: A New Hope, so Solo is set before the Original Trilogy. It will chronologize the life of young Han Solo, including his friendship with Chewbacca and Lando, as well has his earliest days smuggling with the Millennium Falcon.
Solo stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo and Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, as well as Woody Harrelson (The Hunger Games), Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Thandie Newton (Westworld), and Paul Bettany (Avengers: Age of Ultron). The LEGO Movie directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord directed most of the film, but were let go by Lucasfilm over creative differences.
Ron Howard came into direct the final scenes — no word yet as to how much he changed or altered when he came on board. Ron Howard shared numerous behind-the-scenes photos while filming, including some images of him working on the final cut of the film. His previous work includes The DaVinci Code, A Beautiful Mind — for which he won a Best Director Oscar — and Apollo 13.
Episode IX
Episode IX, which will conclude the Force Awakens and Last Jedi trilogy, will hit theaters on December 20, 2019. This date moved away from May 2019 when JJ Abrams came on board to direct. JJ Abrams replaced Jurassic World‘s Colin Trevorrow on the film, when Trevorrow and Lucasfilm clashed over creative differences. Like all Star Wars films the plot of Episode IX is shrouded in secrecy. What we do know is that it was meant to be Leia’s film. All that had to change when Carrie Fisher passed.
What do you think about the film slate? Are you hyped for Solo? Is two years too long to wait for Episode IX? Are Howard and Abrams the right directors for these films? Did you hear that The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson got the green light from Lucasfilm to write an entirely new trilogy that’s set to debut in the next 10 years and that Kathleen Kennedy wants to give Rey, Finn and Poe more films beyond IX? Despite the wait there is a lot to keep us busy until the films come out.
While you wait, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is currently in theaters.
Check out our non-spoiler review below.