October 6, 2025 • 27 mins
The source provides an extensive overview of upcoming Star Wars content, detailing the franchise's strategy of balancing cinematic releases with streaming television programs. Lucasfilm is emphasizing a return to the big screen, spearheaded by films like The Mandalorian & Grogu and the post-Sequel Trilogy entry Star Wars: Starfighter, alongside ambitious projects exploring the origins of the Jedi in Dawn of the Jedi. Concurrently, Disney+ continues to host highly anticipated series like the final season of the gritty spy thriller Andor and the return of popular characters in Ahsoka Season 2. Overall, the planned content spans vast timelines, from ancient history to the future of the Jedi Order under Rey Skywalker, ensuring a diverse and expanding narrative universe for fans.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to the deep dive. This is where we
sift through that huge pile of articles, all the research
production notes, basically your stack of sources, and we boil
it all down for you. Today, we're tackling something pretty massive,
trying to map out the future of the Star Wars galaxy.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
It's a big one.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Yeah, because you know SiZ lukasilm got bought by Disney
back in twenty twelve. We've seen this explosion of content, right,
It went way beyond just the big movies into all
the streaming shows mm.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Hmm, deep serialized stuff exactly.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
But the sources we've dug into, they really suggest there's
a major strategic shift happening now. So our mission today
is to comb through all this material and give you
basically the definitive guide what's confirmed every upcoming Star Wars movie,
every series as things stand right now October twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
We need to kind of understand the blueprint for the
next what decade maybe.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Right, And the big headline The thing that jumps out
immediately is Lucasfilm is very clearly, very deliberately pushing back
towards big theatrical releases after quite a break really since
the Rise of Skywalker in twenty nineteen. Yeah, so it's
a return to the cinema, but it feels like the
plan is different this time.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah. What's really interesting here looking at the sources is
that this isn't just hitting reset. It feels more like
a maturing of their whole content strategy, you know how
so well, if you connect the dots, the focus now
seems to be really on extreme quality control and getting
the narrative lined up, moving away from maybe content saturation.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Okay, yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
The strategy seems to be sort of threefold. First, they
want to carefully wrap up the big, long running streaming
stories like that whole New Republic storyline we've been.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Following, right the mendo Verse exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Second, established brand new, really stable movie tent poles. And third,
and this is the ambitious part, really explore completely new timelines,
different eras.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
And when you say new timelines, we're.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Talking huge dans of time, like a monumental twenty five
thousand years all the way from you know, the imperial
warlords hanging around after the empire fell like in the Mandalorian,
right back to the ancient almost mythological beginnings of the
Jedi themselves.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Wow, that kind of time spread.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
That's a huge, frankly kind of exciting challenge for continuity,
isn't it.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Absolutely that's where we need to start to get in.
So let's get into section one, the strategy shift, defining
what this new era actually looks like.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Okay, so the biggest takeaway looking through all this material
is this really clear division of labor and you know
where the money's going between film and TV. Lucasfilm is
definitely putting films back at the top. They're calling them
the quote cornerstone of the franchise's identity unambiguously.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
So the big screen releases are the main events.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Again, Yeah, they're the high stakes moments, the ones meant
to define or maybe redefine these big new eras in
the galaxy.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Which means that Disney Plus shows take on a different
role exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
They're clearly marked for handling the more intimate character stuff,
providing that depth you filling in the gaps and acting
is really crucial connective tissue between the big events.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
That makes sense from a business perspective too, right, Like
the movies need to be big, maybe more standalone spectacle.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Precisely, while the series, give the hardcore fans the detail
they love. You should ideally be able to walk into
a movie and get it even if you haven't watched
fifty hours of TV.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
But if you have watched the fifty hours.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
It should pay off massively, exactly make the film experience
even richer.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Okay, and the sources mentioned encouraging different directors.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, the goal seems to be getting diverse directors to
tackle these varied eras, to make sure that while the
core timeline does connect where it absolutely has to, and
we'll definitely talk about the Mando verse connection soon, most
stories can kind of stand on their own two feet, trying.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
To avoid that feeling of having to watch everything I
think so.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, addressing some of that content fatigue people felt after twenty.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Nineteen and the scope you mentioned twenty five thousand years,
that's huge. Were basically talking about three core timelines being
developed at once, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Which you know must require a seriously organized story group.
I bet we can kind of break them down chronologically.
You've got the deep past, like the furthest back. You
can possibly go twenty five thousand years before a new hope.
That's the down of the Jedi project. Pure myth making basically. Okay,
then you have the current anchor point, really, the New
Republic era. That's the like twenty five years sweet spot
(04:25):
between Return of the Jedi and the Force Awakens.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Where all the Mandover shows live exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
That's the heart of it right now. And then finally
you leap way forward to the New Jedi Order era
that's set fifteen years after the end of the sequel trilogy,
got it, And that.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
New Republic era of the Mando stuff that seems crucial
right now.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
It's the bridge, Oh, absolutely crucial. The sources really hammer
this home. Yeah, integrating the Manalorian Ahsoka Book of Bulbafet.
It's not random, it's all planned. It's explicitly planned. The
notes confirmed. These shows are basically serving as this very
long multi season build up leading directly to a huge
theatrical event.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Feloni's movie, Dave Filoni's movie.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yeah, all the character arcs, the Imperial Remnant plotting, bringing
in Throng, It's all designed to culminate in that big
cinematic release. It's a really complex multi platform story arc.
The promise is it ties the whole streaming storyline together
in one big, high stakes finale that.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Feels like a big payoff for people who've invested all
that time in the Disney Plus shows, like telling them, hey,
this stuff really matters for the movies.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
It's smart, isn't it. It's kind of the strategic opposite
of how Marvel often does it, where the movies usually
set up the series. Right here, the series are fundamentally
setting up the next wave of films, and honestly, it's
probably the safest way to relaunch the movies too, which
brings us neatly to the very first confirmed film on
the slate.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Okay, let's dive into the big screen return first up
leading the charge, the one the sources are calling the
real theatrical comeback, the Mandalorian and Grogu.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yep, this was penciled in for May twenty two to
twenty twenty six, and strategically it's brilliant, just the safest,
smartest launch choice they could make. Why is that because
it takes the single most popular, probably least controversial character
duo that was born on streaming, den Jarren and Grogu
and puts them on the.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Big screen, capitalizing on that built in line exactly massive
pre existing popularity.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
It basically guarantees a huge opening weekend, much less risky
than launching something totally brand new and untested.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
And Jon Favreau, who co created the show, he's directing
this one set firmly in that New Republic era we
just talked about. So the plot it has to connect
to everything we've seen building in the shows, right. What
do the sources say about the actual story?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
What definitely builds directly on those interconnected Mando verse threats.
The plot seems to focus on Din and Grogu navigating
the danger from those imperial warlords, the ones who just
won't accept the New Republic is in charge, still fighting
the war, still fighting us to suggests it's probably going
to tie up some key plot threads about how the
Imperial Remnant secretly started getting organized again, you know, setting
(07:07):
the stage for that bigger showdown in Feloni's movie later on.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
And the production detail sounds suitably big screen to Filming
wrapped late twenty twenty four apparently, and there were some
kind of internal teaser shown around September twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
That's what the notes say, and that teaser apparently confirmed
what people want from a Mando movie, big action Imperial
hardware like sources explicitly mentioned at at Walkers, which is
huge at original trilogy connection and lots and lots of Stormtroopers.
They're really pushing that family friendly, high adventure vibe and
emphasizing the imax experience, blending that old school Star Wars
(07:44):
charm with cutting edge effects.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Okay, but the really juicy details often come from casting, right,
Any new faces that give us clues?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Yes, definitely. Sigourney Lever is joining the cast. Wow, okay,
playing a character named Colonel Ward described as a rebel
veteran that suggests a strong link to the New Republic military.
Doesn't it Maybe an ally for Din or even a
mentor figure.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Interesting and more animation crossovers yep.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Continuing that trend, Steve Blum is confirmed to be voicing
Zebra Relio's from Star Wars Rebels in live.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Action, another ghost Rum member.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Exactly cementing that link between Rebels and the Mandovers even further.
But the detail that really hints at the underworld angle
is a confirmed cameo by Rata the.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Hut Rata Wait, that's a Java's Sun from the Clone
Wars movie.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Stinky, that's the one little Rada the Hutlet. His appearance
signals something important, which is that the power vacuum in
the New Republic isn't just political, it's criminal too. Java's
empire didn't just disappear when he died, right, it shattered.
Rata showing up suggests Din's path and maybe the whole
Imperial conflict is going to get tangled up with these
(08:51):
powerful crime syndicates operating outside the New Republic's control.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Keeping it grounded in that grimy reality.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Exactly. It's a hallmark of the Mandover.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Okay, so that sounds like a potentially huge, crowd pleasing return,
But Lucasfilm isn't just playing it safe. They're following it
up pretty quickly with something totally different Star Wars Starfighter.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Yeah, this one slated for May twenty eight, twenty twenty seven,
And you're right. This is arguably a much bigger gamble
narratively speaking, because it shows Lucasfilm is serious about exploring
different timelines. This pushes the clock forward five years after
the rise of Skywalker. This is firmly post Squel trilogy territory,
exploring that vacuum, completely free of the Skywalker saga storyline.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
And the talent involved is pretty high profile. Sean Levy
who just did Deadpool and Wolverine. He's directing, and Ryan
Gosling is starring.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Top tier. Yeah. Yeah, And the focus here explicitly is
on introducing fresh, original characters, which is a big signal,
I think, and it shows Lucas Ohne gets that they
can't just rely on legacy characters forever to carry the future.
Any new blood totally Limby himself in interviews cited in
our notes, really emphasized needing a completely new set of
(10:00):
original characters, fresh heroes for a galaxy that needs them. Yeah.
Gosling's role is the lead pilot. Yeah, it fits that
classic Star Wars archetype, right, the roguish flyer like han
Or Poe. Sure, but the film seems focused on innovation
within that new political landscape.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Let's talk about that landscape. Five years after episode nine X,
the First Order is gone, the New Republic was barely
there anyway, the Final Order got zapped. What's the state
of the galaxy that Starfighter is dealing with?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Chaos? Basically, the sources paint a picture of the massive
power vacuum, perfect conditions for localized conflicts to flare up.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
So not one big bad guy.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Probably not think emerging governments may be powerful regional warlords
who weren't tied to Palpatine or the First Order, and importantly,
the rise of private security forces, maybe mercenary groups operating
their own big fleets. Starfighter sounds like it'll focus on
intense dogfights, which Levy should be great at, but framed
by this struggle for control over key sectors or resources
(10:58):
in a galaxy without a central government.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
That sounds like a good mixed spectacle, but also exploring
a really unknown period. What could this mean for the
bigger picture of the timeline.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
It could be really significant. Starfighter feels like the perfect
way to test the waters for this post Skywalker era.
If it clicks with audiences, the analysis suggests it could
be really important in setting the stage for Simon Kinberg's
Plan trilogy. How So, by introducing the kinds of conflicts,
the new threats, maybe the alliances that are forming the
Kimberg will then explore in more depths. It's like defining
(11:30):
the new galactic chessboard.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Okay, so if the near term movies are about bridging
success and exploring the immediate future, the longer term Plan
seems really focused on the Force itself shaping its mythology,
past and future. Let's start with the future piece, the
new Jedi Order film, the Race Skywalker movie.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Right, this project honestly feels like one of the biggest
challenges lucasfilm has ahead. It's set fifteen years after the
Rise of Skywalker. Dazy Ridley is back as Ray, and
the premise national really Ray is now a Jedi Master
and she's got this huge task rebuilding the Jedi Order.
But it's not just about finding students. It's dealing with
(12:09):
internal disagreements, maybe philosophical splits, and also external threats trying
to stop this fragile piece from taking hold.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Charmin Obeyed Chenoi is directing. But didn't this one hit
some bumps?
Speaker 2 (12:20):
It did? The sources confirm it's had some serious creative hurdles.
It's currently in script development. George Knolfi's writing it now,
but yeah, face delays, and there was that high profile
writer change Stephen Knight was attached before.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Which usually means they're wrestling with the story exactly.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
It suggests they're really struggling to nail down the exact
tone the scope for this really crucial future story. Yeah,
you can see why, right, the sequel trilogy was divisive.
Anchoring the future to Ray is a big commercial bet.
That script has to be perfect.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
So what's the thinking now? What themes are guiding the
current script?
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Well, based on comments from Ridley and others involved cited
in the sources, the focusing to be on Ray creating
a truly new kind of Jedi order, redefining what it
means to be a Jedi in an age after the.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Sith, meaning moving beyond just fighting empirelike bad guys.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
That seems to be the goal, breaking away from villains
who are basically just Empire two point zero. It sounds
like it might focus more on, say, the dangers of
centralized power itself, maybe why the Jedi need to operate differently.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
This time, So conflicts could be more philosophical, internal maybe
rival force groups that aren't necessarily Sith.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
That's the speculation. Yeah, shifting from purely political conflict to
maybe more philosophical or spiritual conflict. The sources hint at
totally fresh antagonists, maybe groups who see the Force differently
as a tool maybe or something to control, but aren't
just traditional dark siders in black robes. Interesting if they
pull it off, this film could be the new Spiritual Anchor,
(13:51):
potentially connecting to Kinberg's trilogy later on, with Ray as
the central guiding figure for whatever comes next.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Okay, so that's the far future. Now, let's jump way
way back the project that's pure myth making. Dawn of
the Jedi.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Oh, this one is just wildly ambitious. The vision is huge.
James Mangold, director of Logan, he's the driving force here,
is leaping back twenty five thousand years before, a new.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Hope twenty five thousand. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
He and his co writer Bill Willemorre, who gave us
the Grid of and Or, are tackling what Mangold himself
called not a sci fi movie, but a biblical epic
like the Ten Commandments.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Wow. Okay, that comparison tells you a lot, doesn't it.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
It really does. It signals this isn't about X wings
and Star destroyers. This is about Genesis. The story goal
is fundamental, exploring the discovery of the Force itself and
the founding of the very first Jedi Knights, the spiritual ancestors.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
And the best part is it's so far back. It's
basically a blank slate, right almost entirely.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
It's unconstrained by all the later canon, which just opens
up enormous creative freedom. Mangold's apparently drawing on ancient myths,
real world historical epics to build this original lore. But
while it's fresh the sources due tees they might weave
in some deep cut existing low elements, like what, well,
we might finally get the real origin story of the
(15:08):
prime Jedi that figure we saw hinted at in the Last.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Jedi Ah the Mosaic on Ox two.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Exactly, and crucially, the sources mentioned the potential inclusion of
the rocketan infinite empire.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Okay for listeners, maybe not deep into the old expanded
universe or legend stuff. Why are the Ricata significant twenty
five thousand years ago?
Speaker 2 (15:26):
The Rikata they were basically the first big galactic superpower
in the old lore, an ancient, really aggressive species, and
they used the dark side of the Force to power
their technology, specifically something terrifying called the star.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Forge, a super weapon factory.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Essentially, yeah, a giant space station that could churn out fleets.
They build a huge empire through conquest fueled by the
Dark Side. So if Mangold is telling the story of
the first Jedi. The Rikata provide the perfect massive original antagonist.
They represent that first big clash between organized light and
organized dark. It defines the conflict that echoes down through millennia.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
That sounds incredible, like true foundational mythology.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
It's the ultimate world building challenge, really redefining our understanding
of the force right from its source.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Okay, before we switch fully to streaming, there are a
few other movie projects kind of bubbling away that we
need to touch on, starting with the big Mando Verse Finelle, Right.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Dave Filoni's movie. This is the big convergence point we mentioned,
the payoff for years of Disney plus storytelling. It's set
to unite the threads from the Mandalorian Ahsoka, maybe even
Boba Fett against that coalescing Imperial Remnant threat.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
And Thron is the big bat.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
That's the strong expectation confirmed in the sources. Yeah, yeah,
Grand Admiral Thron as the central strategic villain, trying to
pull the pieces of the Empire back together into a
real military force.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Then there's Simon Kinberg's trilogy. The sources connect this one
thematically to Star Wars Rebels.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Yeah, heavily inspired by rebels. Apparently, Kinberg's project seems aimed
at real ex exploration, new corners of the galaxy, maybe
different Eras we haven't seen much of, moving away from
the core world.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
As we always visit, and potentially linking to Ray We talked.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
About that possibility. Yeah, maybe Kinberg defines the galactic situation,
the politics, the state of play post sequels, while Raise
movie handles the spiritual side. They can form two halves
of the next big Eras foundation.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Gotcha, And lastly, a quick word on the one that
seems stuck Taikowitt's film.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Yeah, the source is basically confirmed. This one's still stalled.
No finished script, it seems, even though he was co
writing with Christy Wilson Karns.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Any idea of why hard to say.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
For sure, but it suggests Lucasfilm's immediate priority is locking
down those interconnected stories the Mando movie, the Felony Kinberg stuff,
and the big mythological anchors like New Jedi Order and
Dona the Jedi. Maybe the more unique, standalone, potentially quirkier
projects like y TDS or just on the back burner
until the main structure is firmly in place. They need
(17:57):
to stabilize the canon and the release schedule.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
First sense, it's a huge layered slate for the movies,
balancing proven hits with some really big swings.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Right, So, while the movies are the big cornerstones, Disney
Plus is still the engine, isn't it? Driving character development,
handling the denser political stuff, and right now the focus
hems beyond wrapping up major arcs and keeping that quality
bar high, especially after shows like Andor.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Let's start right there, then the final season of arguably
the most critically praised Star Wars show yet and Or
season two.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Yeah, this is a big one. Confirmed premiere date is
April twenty two to twenty twenty five. It's the final
season and it's designed as this dense, crucial conclusion. It
covers a four year span leading right up to the
opening moments of Rogue one.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
With Diego Luna back as Cassian Yep, and.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
The season tracks his full radicalization, that journey from being
a self interested survivor to a fully committed rebel leader.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Tony Gilroy's vision for this show has just been different,
so mature.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
It really has. It's the franchise's political thriller, deliberately setting
aside the more fantastical elements to dive deep into oppression, espionage,
the reality of life under the Empire for ordinary people.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
And the format's interesting too, these three episode pods.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Yeah, that structure seems designed to handle those time jumps
across the four years E three episode block apparently functions
almost like a mini movie arc, covering significant developments without
losing steam.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
What about previews anything teased?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
The trailers mentioned in the notes t some big action sequences,
tie fighter heists, things like that, showing the Rebellion growing
in capability, and we'll see key locations like Yavin the
fiftieth plus the growing ominous shadow of the Death Star under.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Construction, and it's bringing back characters to bridge that gap
to Rogue one.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Absolutely confirmed returns include Sogerrero, the extremist rebel, and significantly,
Ben Mendelson is back as director crinic.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Ah overseeing the death Star exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
This whole season is really about building the infrastructure of
the Rebellion. How did these scattered cells become a real alliance.
It's setting the stage so that the sacrifice in Rogue
one feels completely earned and inevitable.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Okay, moving from concluding one arc to continuing another critical one,
the direct lead in to Filoni's movie Ahsoka season two.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Right, this one's confirmed, definitely happening, aiming for late twenty
twenty five, maybe early twenty twenty six's release. Filming has
apparently wrapped up already, and.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
The story picks up where season one left off directly.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
It's focusing on Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka and Sabine Wren played
by Natasha lou Bordizo stranded over in that other galaxy PARADEA.
They're dealing with Thron's forces regrouping, plus whatever that ancient
power was that Balin's skull was searching.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
For, and the cast highlights Aden.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Christensen is back as Anakin, which suggests more training, maybe
more philosophical guidance for Ahsoka through the Force. Emmins Fondi
is back as Ezra Richard two and the big news,
of course following raised even since.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Passing they recast Balin's skull.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
They did Rory McCann. You know, the Hound from Game
of Thrones is stepping into the role of Balen's skull.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Wow, that's significant casting.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
It really is, because Balen and his apprentice Shinhati, there
were such compelling new characters, hinting at a different kind
of dark side. User McCann joining ensures that search for
power Balen was on continues and behind the scenes the
notes mentioned Bryce Dallis Howard directed some episodes described as
thrilling and intriguingly.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Romantic romantic an Ahsoka, that's unexpected? What could that mean?
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Good question? The analysis speculates it might refer to the
dynamic between Sabine and Shinhati that rivalry had sparks, or
maybe exploring the deep bond between Ezra and Sabine now
they're reunited. It suggests that even with the big galactic stakes,
the personal relationships, friendship, loyalty, maybe even complex rivalries will
remain central.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
And crucially, this season sets up throng for the movie.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Absolutely key Ahsoka Season two is the mainstreaming piece that
will show us where Thron is, what he's planning, leading
directly into folon Who's big cinematic event?
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Okay, let's shift years A bit. Star Wars animation has
always been this fascinating space for well experimentation, hasn't it
introducing lore trying radical styles. Let's talk Star Wars Vision
season three?
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Yeah, Visions is such a breath of fresh air. This
next volume is dropping October twenty nine, twenty twenty five.
It's going back to the roots of Volume one. Nine
new shorts, all from different Japanese animation.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Studios, the non canon sandbos exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
This is where creators get totally unleashed from strict continuity.
It lets them play with the visual style of the themes, everything.
It just refreshes the whole look and feel of Star Wars.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
And some big studios are back Trigger Production IG plus
newcomers like Wit Studio.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
That's right. And interestingly, this time we're getting sequels to
some of the popular shorts from volume one.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Really like which ones the sources.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Confirm a follow up to the dual more Ronan and
also the Ninth Jedi, which had that cool story about
lightsaber smiths.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Huh. So they're building on successful non canon ideas.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Seems like it using visions, almost like an inky debtor
maybe yeah. Testing. And there's also this really intriguing one
from David Production, the studio behind JoJo's bizarre adventure, called
Black Tea. It's described as a look inside the psychedelic
psyche of an Imperial trooper.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
A psychedelic Trooper. Okay, now that sounds properly experimental.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Right, that's the value of Visions, true artistic freedom. The
short sounds like it might explore the psychological toll of
being a cog in the Imperial machine, maybe using really wild,
non traditional animation to show that inner conflict. It just
allows creators to tackle Star Wars themes in totally unexpected ways.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Very cool. Okay, Beyond Visions, there's a bunch of others
streaming stuff bubbling up too. We've got Tales of the Underworld.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah, that one's set for May twenty twenty five, another
animated anthology, but this one focuses specifically on crime stories
exploring the galaxy's shadier side moral ambiguity. Sources say it
features familiar faces from the Underworld like Assage, Ventriss, Address
is back apparently, and the bounty hunter cad Bane too.
Sounds like it'll delve into the politics of I'm across
(24:00):
different eras.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
Filling that non Jedi sethaniche. Then there's Mall Shadow Lord.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Scheduled for twenty twenty six. This sounds like a dedicated
animated project focusing just on Mall, specifically his time building
his Criminal Empire, the Shadow Collective filling in those gaps
after the Clone Wars and before Solo Rebels.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
A deep dive into his story, and we can't forget
Stelton Crew. That's wrapping up soon.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Early twenty twenty five. Yeah, this is the live action
one about kids lost in space with Jude Law as
a Force user guiding them. The analysis suggests this is
and at hitting that sweet spot, appealing to adults with
a fresh adventure concept, but also bringing in younger viewers
shows there are still smaller, more intimate stories to tell
in the New Republic era besides the epic Mando Quest.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
And finally got to keep the youngest fans and the
Lego fans happy.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Always Young Jedi Adventures Season three is coming in Fall
twenty twenty five, continuing the High Republic stories for preschoolers,
focusing on droids this season, and more Lego fun with
Lego Star Wars Rebuild a Game Alexy Pieces of the
Past in September twenty twenty five, doing its crazy multiversal
non canon thing.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Looking at this whole streaming slate, It's incredibly diverse, isn't it.
It's not just one thing, not at all.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
You've got the gritty political thriller with and Or, the
high stakes space opera continuation with Ahsoka, the totally free
form animation of visions, underworld stories, kid focused adventures. It
really feels like they're trying to cater to every possible
type of Star Wars fan hashtag hag outro okay.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
So let's try and pull this all together. What does
this massive, kind of complex slate mean for you, the listener?
If we synthesize everything we've talked about, the big takeaway
seems to be Star Wars is finally getting its house
in order structurally.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Yes, stabilizing the architecture, you could.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Say, right, balancing that need for huge, big screen spectacle
which seems reserved purely for the movies now with the
kind of narrative depth and close up character work that
the series do so.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Well exactly, And the franchise is evolving strategically by doing
two things at once. It's looking backward and forward. It's
honoring its foundations, you know, finishing Mandover story with Feloni's movie,
giving closure to that whole streaming.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Era, providing that payoff.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Yeah, but maybe more excitingly, it's diving into ancient myth
with Mangled's don of the Jedi, that massive twenty five
thousand year jump back, and at the same time it's
charting a genuinely new future with things like Starfighter and
Kinber's trilogy moving beyond the Skywalkers. Definitely, it feels like
an approach designed to make sure the Force stays vibrant,
keeps expanding, feels diverse for new generations, not just tied
(26:34):
to one family story anymore.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Okay, here's where it gets really interesting for me, And
maybe this is the final thought for you, the listener,
to chew on. With this incredible spread in timelines, I mean,
twenty five thousand years before a New Hope all the
way to fifteen years after Rise of Skywalker, how is
all this going to ultimately redefine what the Force itself
(26:58):
actually means? Good quiet, because if Mangold goes back to
the discovery of the Force, maybe brings in things like
the Ricatta who used it differently. And at the other end,
Ray is trying to break from the old Jedi sis. Ways,
isn't the very definition of that cosmic power? It's light,
it's dark, maybe it's gray areas. Isn't that poised to
change fundamentally, and wouldn't that affect everything else.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
That's a fascinating point. The question shifts, doesn't it. It's
not just what happens next to the characters. It becomes
what does the universe itself become once its origins and
its future are both being redefined simultaneously exactly, and that
deeper philosophical evolution, Maybe more than any specific dogfight or
Jedi rebuilding plan, maybe that's the most exciting promise of
(27:39):
where the Galaxy Far far Away is head next.
Welcome back to the deep dive. This is where we
sift through that huge pile of articles, all the research
production notes, basically your stack of sources, and we boil
it all down for you. Today, we're tackling something pretty massive,
trying to map out the future of the Star Wars galaxy.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
It's a big one.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Yeah, because you know SiZ lukasilm got bought by Disney
back in twenty twelve. We've seen this explosion of content, right,
It went way beyond just the big movies into all
the streaming shows mm.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Hmm, deep serialized stuff exactly.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
But the sources we've dug into, they really suggest there's
a major strategic shift happening now. So our mission today
is to comb through all this material and give you
basically the definitive guide what's confirmed every upcoming Star Wars movie,
every series as things stand right now October twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
We need to kind of understand the blueprint for the
next what decade maybe.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Right, And the big headline The thing that jumps out
immediately is Lucasfilm is very clearly, very deliberately pushing back
towards big theatrical releases after quite a break really since
the Rise of Skywalker in twenty nineteen. Yeah, so it's
a return to the cinema, but it feels like the
plan is different this time.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah. What's really interesting here looking at the sources is
that this isn't just hitting reset. It feels more like
a maturing of their whole content strategy, you know how
so well, if you connect the dots, the focus now
seems to be really on extreme quality control and getting
the narrative lined up, moving away from maybe content saturation.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Okay, yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
The strategy seems to be sort of threefold. First, they
want to carefully wrap up the big, long running streaming
stories like that whole New Republic storyline we've been.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Following, right the mendo Verse exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Second, established brand new, really stable movie tent poles. And third,
and this is the ambitious part, really explore completely new timelines,
different eras.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
And when you say new timelines, we're.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Talking huge dans of time, like a monumental twenty five
thousand years all the way from you know, the imperial
warlords hanging around after the empire fell like in the Mandalorian,
right back to the ancient almost mythological beginnings of the
Jedi themselves.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Wow, that kind of time spread.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
That's a huge, frankly kind of exciting challenge for continuity,
isn't it.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Absolutely that's where we need to start to get in.
So let's get into section one, the strategy shift, defining
what this new era actually looks like.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Okay, so the biggest takeaway looking through all this material
is this really clear division of labor and you know
where the money's going between film and TV. Lucasfilm is
definitely putting films back at the top. They're calling them
the quote cornerstone of the franchise's identity unambiguously.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
So the big screen releases are the main events.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Again, Yeah, they're the high stakes moments, the ones meant
to define or maybe redefine these big new eras in
the galaxy.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Which means that Disney Plus shows take on a different
role exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
They're clearly marked for handling the more intimate character stuff,
providing that depth you filling in the gaps and acting
is really crucial connective tissue between the big events.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
That makes sense from a business perspective too, right, Like
the movies need to be big, maybe more standalone spectacle.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Precisely, while the series, give the hardcore fans the detail
they love. You should ideally be able to walk into
a movie and get it even if you haven't watched
fifty hours of TV.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
But if you have watched the fifty hours.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
It should pay off massively, exactly make the film experience
even richer.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Okay, and the sources mentioned encouraging different directors.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, the goal seems to be getting diverse directors to
tackle these varied eras, to make sure that while the
core timeline does connect where it absolutely has to, and
we'll definitely talk about the Mando verse connection soon, most
stories can kind of stand on their own two feet, trying.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
To avoid that feeling of having to watch everything I
think so.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, addressing some of that content fatigue people felt after twenty.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Nineteen and the scope you mentioned twenty five thousand years,
that's huge. Were basically talking about three core timelines being
developed at once, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Which you know must require a seriously organized story group.
I bet we can kind of break them down chronologically.
You've got the deep past, like the furthest back. You
can possibly go twenty five thousand years before a new hope.
That's the down of the Jedi project. Pure myth making basically. Okay,
then you have the current anchor point, really, the New
Republic era. That's the like twenty five years sweet spot
(04:25):
between Return of the Jedi and the Force Awakens.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Where all the Mandover shows live exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
That's the heart of it right now. And then finally
you leap way forward to the New Jedi Order era
that's set fifteen years after the end of the sequel trilogy,
got it, And that.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
New Republic era of the Mando stuff that seems crucial
right now.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
It's the bridge, Oh, absolutely crucial. The sources really hammer
this home. Yeah, integrating the Manalorian Ahsoka Book of Bulbafet.
It's not random, it's all planned. It's explicitly planned. The
notes confirmed. These shows are basically serving as this very
long multi season build up leading directly to a huge
theatrical event.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Feloni's movie, Dave Filoni's movie.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yeah, all the character arcs, the Imperial Remnant plotting, bringing
in Throng, It's all designed to culminate in that big
cinematic release. It's a really complex multi platform story arc.
The promise is it ties the whole streaming storyline together
in one big, high stakes finale that.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Feels like a big payoff for people who've invested all
that time in the Disney Plus shows, like telling them, hey,
this stuff really matters for the movies.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
It's smart, isn't it. It's kind of the strategic opposite
of how Marvel often does it, where the movies usually
set up the series. Right here, the series are fundamentally
setting up the next wave of films, and honestly, it's
probably the safest way to relaunch the movies too, which
brings us neatly to the very first confirmed film on
the slate.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Okay, let's dive into the big screen return first up
leading the charge, the one the sources are calling the
real theatrical comeback, the Mandalorian and Grogu.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yep, this was penciled in for May twenty two to
twenty twenty six, and strategically it's brilliant, just the safest,
smartest launch choice they could make. Why is that because
it takes the single most popular, probably least controversial character
duo that was born on streaming, den Jarren and Grogu
and puts them on the.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Big screen, capitalizing on that built in line exactly massive
pre existing popularity.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
It basically guarantees a huge opening weekend, much less risky
than launching something totally brand new and untested.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
And Jon Favreau, who co created the show, he's directing
this one set firmly in that New Republic era we
just talked about. So the plot it has to connect
to everything we've seen building in the shows, right. What
do the sources say about the actual story?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
What definitely builds directly on those interconnected Mando verse threats.
The plot seems to focus on Din and Grogu navigating
the danger from those imperial warlords, the ones who just
won't accept the New Republic is in charge, still fighting
the war, still fighting us to suggests it's probably going
to tie up some key plot threads about how the
Imperial Remnant secretly started getting organized again, you know, setting
(07:07):
the stage for that bigger showdown in Feloni's movie later on.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
And the production detail sounds suitably big screen to Filming
wrapped late twenty twenty four apparently, and there were some
kind of internal teaser shown around September twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
That's what the notes say, and that teaser apparently confirmed
what people want from a Mando movie, big action Imperial
hardware like sources explicitly mentioned at at Walkers, which is
huge at original trilogy connection and lots and lots of Stormtroopers.
They're really pushing that family friendly, high adventure vibe and
emphasizing the imax experience, blending that old school Star Wars
(07:44):
charm with cutting edge effects.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Okay, but the really juicy details often come from casting, right,
Any new faces that give us clues?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Yes, definitely. Sigourney Lever is joining the cast. Wow, okay,
playing a character named Colonel Ward described as a rebel
veteran that suggests a strong link to the New Republic military.
Doesn't it Maybe an ally for Din or even a
mentor figure.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Interesting and more animation crossovers yep.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Continuing that trend, Steve Blum is confirmed to be voicing
Zebra Relio's from Star Wars Rebels in live.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Action, another ghost Rum member.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Exactly cementing that link between Rebels and the Mandovers even further.
But the detail that really hints at the underworld angle
is a confirmed cameo by Rata the.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Hut Rata Wait, that's a Java's Sun from the Clone
Wars movie.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Stinky, that's the one little Rada the Hutlet. His appearance
signals something important, which is that the power vacuum in
the New Republic isn't just political, it's criminal too. Java's
empire didn't just disappear when he died, right, it shattered.
Rata showing up suggests Din's path and maybe the whole
Imperial conflict is going to get tangled up with these
(08:51):
powerful crime syndicates operating outside the New Republic's control.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Keeping it grounded in that grimy reality.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Exactly. It's a hallmark of the Mandover.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Okay, so that sounds like a potentially huge, crowd pleasing return,
But Lucasfilm isn't just playing it safe. They're following it
up pretty quickly with something totally different Star Wars Starfighter.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Yeah, this one slated for May twenty eight, twenty twenty seven,
And you're right. This is arguably a much bigger gamble
narratively speaking, because it shows Lucasfilm is serious about exploring
different timelines. This pushes the clock forward five years after
the rise of Skywalker. This is firmly post Squel trilogy territory,
exploring that vacuum, completely free of the Skywalker saga storyline.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
And the talent involved is pretty high profile. Sean Levy
who just did Deadpool and Wolverine. He's directing, and Ryan
Gosling is starring.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Top tier. Yeah. Yeah, And the focus here explicitly is
on introducing fresh, original characters, which is a big signal,
I think, and it shows Lucas Ohne gets that they
can't just rely on legacy characters forever to carry the future.
Any new blood totally Limby himself in interviews cited in
our notes, really emphasized needing a completely new set of
(10:00):
original characters, fresh heroes for a galaxy that needs them. Yeah.
Gosling's role is the lead pilot. Yeah, it fits that
classic Star Wars archetype, right, the roguish flyer like han
Or Poe. Sure, but the film seems focused on innovation
within that new political landscape.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Let's talk about that landscape. Five years after episode nine X,
the First Order is gone, the New Republic was barely
there anyway, the Final Order got zapped. What's the state
of the galaxy that Starfighter is dealing with?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Chaos? Basically, the sources paint a picture of the massive
power vacuum, perfect conditions for localized conflicts to flare up.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
So not one big bad guy.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Probably not think emerging governments may be powerful regional warlords
who weren't tied to Palpatine or the First Order, and importantly,
the rise of private security forces, maybe mercenary groups operating
their own big fleets. Starfighter sounds like it'll focus on
intense dogfights, which Levy should be great at, but framed
by this struggle for control over key sectors or resources
(10:58):
in a galaxy without a central government.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
That sounds like a good mixed spectacle, but also exploring
a really unknown period. What could this mean for the
bigger picture of the timeline.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
It could be really significant. Starfighter feels like the perfect
way to test the waters for this post Skywalker era.
If it clicks with audiences, the analysis suggests it could
be really important in setting the stage for Simon Kinberg's
Plan trilogy. How So, by introducing the kinds of conflicts,
the new threats, maybe the alliances that are forming the
Kimberg will then explore in more depths. It's like defining
(11:30):
the new galactic chessboard.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Okay, so if the near term movies are about bridging
success and exploring the immediate future, the longer term Plan
seems really focused on the Force itself shaping its mythology,
past and future. Let's start with the future piece, the
new Jedi Order film, the Race Skywalker movie.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Right, this project honestly feels like one of the biggest
challenges lucasfilm has ahead. It's set fifteen years after the
Rise of Skywalker. Dazy Ridley is back as Ray, and
the premise national really Ray is now a Jedi Master
and she's got this huge task rebuilding the Jedi Order.
But it's not just about finding students. It's dealing with
(12:09):
internal disagreements, maybe philosophical splits, and also external threats trying
to stop this fragile piece from taking hold.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Charmin Obeyed Chenoi is directing. But didn't this one hit
some bumps?
Speaker 2 (12:20):
It did? The sources confirm it's had some serious creative hurdles.
It's currently in script development. George Knolfi's writing it now,
but yeah, face delays, and there was that high profile
writer change Stephen Knight was attached before.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Which usually means they're wrestling with the story exactly.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
It suggests they're really struggling to nail down the exact
tone the scope for this really crucial future story. Yeah,
you can see why, right, the sequel trilogy was divisive.
Anchoring the future to Ray is a big commercial bet.
That script has to be perfect.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
So what's the thinking now? What themes are guiding the
current script?
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Well, based on comments from Ridley and others involved cited
in the sources, the focusing to be on Ray creating
a truly new kind of Jedi order, redefining what it
means to be a Jedi in an age after the.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Sith, meaning moving beyond just fighting empirelike bad guys.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
That seems to be the goal, breaking away from villains
who are basically just Empire two point zero. It sounds
like it might focus more on, say, the dangers of
centralized power itself, maybe why the Jedi need to operate differently.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
This time, So conflicts could be more philosophical, internal maybe
rival force groups that aren't necessarily Sith.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
That's the speculation. Yeah, shifting from purely political conflict to
maybe more philosophical or spiritual conflict. The sources hint at
totally fresh antagonists, maybe groups who see the Force differently
as a tool maybe or something to control, but aren't
just traditional dark siders in black robes. Interesting if they
pull it off, this film could be the new Spiritual Anchor,
(13:51):
potentially connecting to Kinberg's trilogy later on, with Ray as
the central guiding figure for whatever comes next.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Okay, so that's the far future. Now, let's jump way
way back the project that's pure myth making. Dawn of
the Jedi.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Oh, this one is just wildly ambitious. The vision is huge.
James Mangold, director of Logan, he's the driving force here,
is leaping back twenty five thousand years before, a new.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Hope twenty five thousand. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
He and his co writer Bill Willemorre, who gave us
the Grid of and Or, are tackling what Mangold himself
called not a sci fi movie, but a biblical epic
like the Ten Commandments.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Wow. Okay, that comparison tells you a lot, doesn't it.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
It really does. It signals this isn't about X wings
and Star destroyers. This is about Genesis. The story goal
is fundamental, exploring the discovery of the Force itself and
the founding of the very first Jedi Knights, the spiritual ancestors.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
And the best part is it's so far back. It's
basically a blank slate, right almost entirely.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
It's unconstrained by all the later canon, which just opens
up enormous creative freedom. Mangold's apparently drawing on ancient myths,
real world historical epics to build this original lore. But
while it's fresh the sources due tees they might weave
in some deep cut existing low elements, like what, well,
we might finally get the real origin story of the
(15:08):
prime Jedi that figure we saw hinted at in the Last.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Jedi Ah the Mosaic on Ox two.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Exactly, and crucially, the sources mentioned the potential inclusion of
the rocketan infinite empire.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Okay for listeners, maybe not deep into the old expanded
universe or legend stuff. Why are the Ricata significant twenty
five thousand years ago?
Speaker 2 (15:26):
The Rikata they were basically the first big galactic superpower
in the old lore, an ancient, really aggressive species, and
they used the dark side of the Force to power
their technology, specifically something terrifying called the star.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Forge, a super weapon factory.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Essentially, yeah, a giant space station that could churn out fleets.
They build a huge empire through conquest fueled by the
Dark Side. So if Mangold is telling the story of
the first Jedi. The Rikata provide the perfect massive original antagonist.
They represent that first big clash between organized light and
organized dark. It defines the conflict that echoes down through millennia.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
That sounds incredible, like true foundational mythology.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
It's the ultimate world building challenge, really redefining our understanding
of the force right from its source.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Okay, before we switch fully to streaming, there are a
few other movie projects kind of bubbling away that we
need to touch on, starting with the big Mando Verse Finelle, Right.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Dave Filoni's movie. This is the big convergence point we mentioned,
the payoff for years of Disney plus storytelling. It's set
to unite the threads from the Mandalorian Ahsoka, maybe even
Boba Fett against that coalescing Imperial Remnant threat.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
And Thron is the big bat.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
That's the strong expectation confirmed in the sources. Yeah, yeah,
Grand Admiral Thron as the central strategic villain, trying to
pull the pieces of the Empire back together into a
real military force.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Then there's Simon Kinberg's trilogy. The sources connect this one
thematically to Star Wars Rebels.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Yeah, heavily inspired by rebels. Apparently, Kinberg's project seems aimed
at real ex exploration, new corners of the galaxy, maybe
different Eras we haven't seen much of, moving away from
the core world.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
As we always visit, and potentially linking to Ray We talked.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
About that possibility. Yeah, maybe Kinberg defines the galactic situation,
the politics, the state of play post sequels, while Raise
movie handles the spiritual side. They can form two halves
of the next big Eras foundation.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Gotcha, And lastly, a quick word on the one that
seems stuck Taikowitt's film.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Yeah, the source is basically confirmed. This one's still stalled.
No finished script, it seems, even though he was co
writing with Christy Wilson Karns.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Any idea of why hard to say.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
For sure, but it suggests Lucasfilm's immediate priority is locking
down those interconnected stories the Mando movie, the Felony Kinberg stuff,
and the big mythological anchors like New Jedi Order and
Dona the Jedi. Maybe the more unique, standalone, potentially quirkier
projects like y TDS or just on the back burner
until the main structure is firmly in place. They need
(17:57):
to stabilize the canon and the release schedule.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
First sense, it's a huge layered slate for the movies,
balancing proven hits with some really big swings.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Right, So, while the movies are the big cornerstones, Disney
Plus is still the engine, isn't it? Driving character development,
handling the denser political stuff, and right now the focus
hems beyond wrapping up major arcs and keeping that quality
bar high, especially after shows like Andor.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Let's start right there, then the final season of arguably
the most critically praised Star Wars show yet and Or
season two.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Yeah, this is a big one. Confirmed premiere date is
April twenty two to twenty twenty five. It's the final
season and it's designed as this dense, crucial conclusion. It
covers a four year span leading right up to the
opening moments of Rogue one.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
With Diego Luna back as Cassian Yep, and.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
The season tracks his full radicalization, that journey from being
a self interested survivor to a fully committed rebel leader.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Tony Gilroy's vision for this show has just been different,
so mature.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
It really has. It's the franchise's political thriller, deliberately setting
aside the more fantastical elements to dive deep into oppression, espionage,
the reality of life under the Empire for ordinary people.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
And the format's interesting too, these three episode pods.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Yeah, that structure seems designed to handle those time jumps
across the four years E three episode block apparently functions
almost like a mini movie arc, covering significant developments without
losing steam.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
What about previews anything teased?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
The trailers mentioned in the notes t some big action sequences,
tie fighter heists, things like that, showing the Rebellion growing
in capability, and we'll see key locations like Yavin the
fiftieth plus the growing ominous shadow of the Death Star under.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Construction, and it's bringing back characters to bridge that gap
to Rogue one.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Absolutely confirmed returns include Sogerrero, the extremist rebel, and significantly,
Ben Mendelson is back as director crinic.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Ah overseeing the death Star exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
This whole season is really about building the infrastructure of
the Rebellion. How did these scattered cells become a real alliance.
It's setting the stage so that the sacrifice in Rogue
one feels completely earned and inevitable.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Okay, moving from concluding one arc to continuing another critical one,
the direct lead in to Filoni's movie Ahsoka season two.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Right, this one's confirmed, definitely happening, aiming for late twenty
twenty five, maybe early twenty twenty six's release. Filming has
apparently wrapped up already, and.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
The story picks up where season one left off directly.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
It's focusing on Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka and Sabine Wren played
by Natasha lou Bordizo stranded over in that other galaxy PARADEA.
They're dealing with Thron's forces regrouping, plus whatever that ancient
power was that Balin's skull was searching.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
For, and the cast highlights Aden.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Christensen is back as Anakin, which suggests more training, maybe
more philosophical guidance for Ahsoka through the Force. Emmins Fondi
is back as Ezra Richard two and the big news,
of course following raised even since.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Passing they recast Balin's skull.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
They did Rory McCann. You know, the Hound from Game
of Thrones is stepping into the role of Balen's skull.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Wow, that's significant casting.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
It really is, because Balen and his apprentice Shinhati, there
were such compelling new characters, hinting at a different kind
of dark side. User McCann joining ensures that search for
power Balen was on continues and behind the scenes the
notes mentioned Bryce Dallis Howard directed some episodes described as
thrilling and intriguingly.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Romantic romantic an Ahsoka, that's unexpected? What could that mean?
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Good question? The analysis speculates it might refer to the
dynamic between Sabine and Shinhati that rivalry had sparks, or
maybe exploring the deep bond between Ezra and Sabine now
they're reunited. It suggests that even with the big galactic stakes,
the personal relationships, friendship, loyalty, maybe even complex rivalries will
remain central.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
And crucially, this season sets up throng for the movie.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Absolutely key Ahsoka Season two is the mainstreaming piece that
will show us where Thron is, what he's planning, leading
directly into folon Who's big cinematic event?
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Okay, let's shift years A bit. Star Wars animation has
always been this fascinating space for well experimentation, hasn't it
introducing lore trying radical styles. Let's talk Star Wars Vision
season three?
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Yeah, Visions is such a breath of fresh air. This
next volume is dropping October twenty nine, twenty twenty five.
It's going back to the roots of Volume one. Nine
new shorts, all from different Japanese animation.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Studios, the non canon sandbos exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
This is where creators get totally unleashed from strict continuity.
It lets them play with the visual style of the themes, everything.
It just refreshes the whole look and feel of Star Wars.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
And some big studios are back Trigger Production IG plus
newcomers like Wit Studio.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
That's right. And interestingly, this time we're getting sequels to
some of the popular shorts from volume one.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Really like which ones the sources.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Confirm a follow up to the dual more Ronan and
also the Ninth Jedi, which had that cool story about
lightsaber smiths.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Huh. So they're building on successful non canon ideas.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Seems like it using visions, almost like an inky debtor
maybe yeah. Testing. And there's also this really intriguing one
from David Production, the studio behind JoJo's bizarre adventure, called
Black Tea. It's described as a look inside the psychedelic
psyche of an Imperial trooper.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
A psychedelic Trooper. Okay, now that sounds properly experimental.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Right, that's the value of Visions, true artistic freedom. The
short sounds like it might explore the psychological toll of
being a cog in the Imperial machine, maybe using really wild,
non traditional animation to show that inner conflict. It just
allows creators to tackle Star Wars themes in totally unexpected ways.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Very cool. Okay, Beyond Visions, there's a bunch of others
streaming stuff bubbling up too. We've got Tales of the Underworld.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah, that one's set for May twenty twenty five, another
animated anthology, but this one focuses specifically on crime stories
exploring the galaxy's shadier side moral ambiguity. Sources say it
features familiar faces from the Underworld like Assage, Ventriss, Address
is back apparently, and the bounty hunter cad Bane too.
Sounds like it'll delve into the politics of I'm across
(24:00):
different eras.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
Filling that non Jedi sethaniche. Then there's Mall Shadow Lord.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Scheduled for twenty twenty six. This sounds like a dedicated
animated project focusing just on Mall, specifically his time building
his Criminal Empire, the Shadow Collective filling in those gaps
after the Clone Wars and before Solo Rebels.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
A deep dive into his story, and we can't forget
Stelton Crew. That's wrapping up soon.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Early twenty twenty five. Yeah, this is the live action
one about kids lost in space with Jude Law as
a Force user guiding them. The analysis suggests this is
and at hitting that sweet spot, appealing to adults with
a fresh adventure concept, but also bringing in younger viewers
shows there are still smaller, more intimate stories to tell
in the New Republic era besides the epic Mando Quest.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
And finally got to keep the youngest fans and the
Lego fans happy.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Always Young Jedi Adventures Season three is coming in Fall
twenty twenty five, continuing the High Republic stories for preschoolers,
focusing on droids this season, and more Lego fun with
Lego Star Wars Rebuild a Game Alexy Pieces of the
Past in September twenty twenty five, doing its crazy multiversal
non canon thing.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Looking at this whole streaming slate, It's incredibly diverse, isn't it.
It's not just one thing, not at all.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
You've got the gritty political thriller with and Or, the
high stakes space opera continuation with Ahsoka, the totally free
form animation of visions, underworld stories, kid focused adventures. It
really feels like they're trying to cater to every possible
type of Star Wars fan hashtag hag outro okay.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
So let's try and pull this all together. What does
this massive, kind of complex slate mean for you, the listener?
If we synthesize everything we've talked about, the big takeaway
seems to be Star Wars is finally getting its house
in order structurally.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Yes, stabilizing the architecture, you could.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Say, right, balancing that need for huge, big screen spectacle
which seems reserved purely for the movies now with the
kind of narrative depth and close up character work that
the series do so.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Well exactly, And the franchise is evolving strategically by doing
two things at once. It's looking backward and forward. It's
honoring its foundations, you know, finishing Mandover story with Feloni's movie,
giving closure to that whole streaming.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Era, providing that payoff.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Yeah, but maybe more excitingly, it's diving into ancient myth
with Mangled's don of the Jedi, that massive twenty five
thousand year jump back, and at the same time it's
charting a genuinely new future with things like Starfighter and
Kinber's trilogy moving beyond the Skywalkers. Definitely, it feels like
an approach designed to make sure the Force stays vibrant,
keeps expanding, feels diverse for new generations, not just tied
(26:34):
to one family story anymore.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Okay, here's where it gets really interesting for me, And
maybe this is the final thought for you, the listener,
to chew on. With this incredible spread in timelines, I mean,
twenty five thousand years before a New Hope all the
way to fifteen years after Rise of Skywalker, how is
all this going to ultimately redefine what the Force itself
(26:58):
actually means? Good quiet, because if Mangold goes back to
the discovery of the Force, maybe brings in things like
the Ricatta who used it differently. And at the other end,
Ray is trying to break from the old Jedi sis. Ways,
isn't the very definition of that cosmic power? It's light,
it's dark, maybe it's gray areas. Isn't that poised to
change fundamentally, and wouldn't that affect everything else.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
That's a fascinating point. The question shifts, doesn't it. It's
not just what happens next to the characters. It becomes
what does the universe itself become once its origins and
its future are both being redefined simultaneously exactly, and that
deeper philosophical evolution, Maybe more than any specific dogfight or
Jedi rebuilding plan, maybe that's the most exciting promise of
(27:39):
where the Galaxy Far far Away is head next.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.