Star Wars ā Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker supposedly brought the Star Wars franchise’s core “Skywalker Saga” narrative to a close in 2019. So, is Episode X definitely not happening?
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Is Lucasfilm Making Star Wars: Episode X?
No ā at least, not at this stage. There are nine big screen Star Wars productions on Lucasfilm’s slate and none are labeled “Episode X.” Admittedly, all but three of these projects ā The Mandalorian & Grogu, Rogue Squadron, and Lando ā are untitled. However, based on the information we have on these projects, they’re all tangential to the mainline Skywalker Saga story.
That said, at least one of them will pick up after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s as-yet-unnamed movie charts the further exploits of sequel trilogy protagonist Rey, with Daisy Ridley reprising the role. This has sparked rumors that the film is a new Skywalker Saga installment, titled “Star Wars ā Episode X: A New Beginning.”
Unnamed sources close to Lucasfilm dispute this, however. These insiders claim that the Obaid-Chinoy flick’s current working title is “New Jedi Order.” “A New Beginning” was supposedly an early working title, but without the “Episode X” prefix. So, while Star Wars fans have plenty of upcoming adventures in a galaxy far, far away to look forward to, Episode X apparently isn’t one of them.
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Did George Lucas Have Plans for Star Wars: Episode X?
Nope ā well, not really. The Star Wars creator touted plans for as many as 10 sequels to 1977’s Episode IV: A New Hope in the late ’70s, however, he soon scaled that back to nine entries in total. Lucas downsized his vision again in the late ’90s/early ’00s, insisting that Star Wars was always meant to consist of just six episodes.
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Despite this, various interviews with Lucas and other Star Wars cast and crew members over the years make it clear he seriously considered producing a sequel trilogy. And even after Lucas gave up on the idea, he still supplied Disney with outlines for a trio of follow-up films when he sold the franchise (and Lucasfilm itself) in 2012. Most of this material went unused, though.
The complete Skywalker Saga is currently streaming on Disney+, as part of the platform’s Star Wars collection.
Published: Apr 22, 2024 07:24 am