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There is more Star Wars content than ever before, but where is it actually headed? Recently, Lucasfilm outlined the various historical eras of the Star Wars universe, and some periods, like the Dawn of the Jedi and the Old Republic, have yet to be explored onscreen, in comics, in novels, in audiodramas, and in video games. 

But, as we’ll see ahead, it seems like Lucasfilm is perfectly content with hanging out in the New Republic period for the time being. That said, we’re only looking at what Lucasfilm has in store for 2026. I’m looking forward to whatever James Mangold comes up with his Dawn of the Jedi movie that’s currently in the pipeline.

The Mandalorian & Grogu is the main event, and this time period is the franchise's modern-day sweet spot

The Mandalorian has been the breakout hit for Star Wars in this Disney+ era. Grogu has become one of the most lucrative figures in Disney’s arsenal, winning the hearts of Star Wars fans both young and old. The question now, six years after The Mandalorian first premiered on Disney+, is if Disney+ audiences will leave their homes and go to their local movie theater to see their favorite Disney+ characters.

It’s also worth noting that The Mandalorian is set in the same period - the New Republic - as Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew. We’ll know whether or not Lucasfilm’s box office gamble pays off when The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theaters in May 2026. 

New experiments happening on Disney+ with Ninth Jedi series spinning out of Star Wars Visions could be the best of 2026

Thus far, Star Wars Visions has been a well-received series of shorts from animation studios around the world, who all contribute their own unique take on the Star Wars universe. While none of these stories are canon to the actual Star Wars timeline, Lucasfilm and Disney have acted upon the popularity of specific Star Wars Visions characters and stories.

For instance, the Ronin from a 2021 episode was fleshed out in his own novel called Star Wars: Ronin: A Visions Novel by Emma Mieko Candon. And now, the Ninth Jedi will be explored in further depth in a dedicated animated series on Disney+. The Ninth Jedi series seems like the only creatively expansive (in that, it’s forging entirely new territory never before explored) project planned to be released next year, so it’s certainly something to look forward to. 

Lucasfilm doesn’t want us to forget about Darth Maul with Maul: Shadow Lord

Yeah, Maul has been lurking around for the past decade in Star Wars, and I would imagine that there are still plenty of casual fans who haven’t gotten the memo yet. I know my dad was confused when Maul showed up at the end of Solo all those years ago. 

So Maul is set to return to the small screen with Maul: Shadow Lord, an animated series from Lucasfilm stalwart Dave Filoni. Shadow Lord is set after Filoni’s Clone Wars animated series, and follows Maul as he creates his own criminal empire during the reign of the actual Galactic Empire. Look, Maul, Darth or not, has always looked pretty cool. So I can understand why Lucasfilm would want to give him as many opportunities to shine onscreen.

Get to know, understand, and love the Star Wars franchise more with our Star Wars watch order, guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies & TV shows, and all the Star Wars movies and Star Wars TV shows ranked.