> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://spyglass.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Star Wars: Episode Tentative - URL: https://spyglass.org/star-wars-episode-ten-tative/ - Published: 2026-09-27T14:06:42.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-27T15:09:10.000Z - Description: Jon Watts seems a safe director choice, perhaps way too safe... - Author: M.G. Siegler - Tags: star wars, film, george lucas, lucasfilm, jon watts, wolfs, apple, disney, disney+, dave filoni, kathleen kennedy, jj abrams, rian johnson, entertainment 🔗 Lucasfilm Circling Director Jon Watts To Helm ‘Star Wars: Episode X’ (EXCLUSIVE) • Knight Edge Media Cue the *Star Wars* opening crawl... > Earlier this week, we at **Knight Edge Media** learned exclusively that a director had been found for the next **Star Wars** trilogy from screenwriter **Simon Kinberg** (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Star Wars: Rebels). However, at the time, our source couldn’t provide a name, though others in the industry had also heard that a director had been found. Now, two sources tell us Lucasfilm is circling **Jon Watts** (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew) for the gig. For now, it would be only for Episode X, but that could change. Watts did sign a first-look deal with Walt Disney in 2024 to produce live-action films under his production banner, **Freshman Year** (via [**Deadline**](https://deadline.com/2024/09/spider-man-no-way-home-director-jon-watts-sets-first-look-film-deal-with-walt-disney-studios-1236093031/?ref=spyglass.org)). If the deal is completed, he will follow previous Skywalker Saga directors **George Lucas** (Star Wars: Episodes 1-4), **J.J. Abrams** (Star Wars: Episodes 7 & 9) and **Rian Johnson** (Star Wars: Episode 8). This news, since [backed up by *The Hollywood Reporter*](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/star-wars-jon-watts-direct-next-movie-lucasfilm-1236712709/?ref=spyglass.org) as well, is both sort of surprising and not at all surprising. I say that because when the news first got out there that [Kinberg would be writing/producing](https://spyglass.org/new-star-wars-maybe/) a new set of *Star Wars* movies for Disney/Lucasfilm, the studio went out of their way to dispute that it would be the next act in the 'Skywalker Saga'. Of course, it would have been weird to sign up anyone for a trilogy of movies – obviously synonymous with *Star Wars* given the history here, itself done *three* times – and it not to be a Skywalker tale. Every other *Star Wars*\-affiliated project in the works up until that point was a one-off. Presumably, Disney/Lucasfilm just didn't want to put such pressure on Kinberg and/or their stock price if this project didn't pan out – especially with so many *Star Wars* projects fizzling out in recent years. But a number of things have changed in the past year or so. First and foremost, Kathleen Kennedy, who oversaw all the previous franchise entries after Disney's deal to buy Lucasfilm in 2012, is [finally](https://spyglass.org/somehow-star-wars-returned/) gone. With Dave Filoni [installed](https://thoughts.spyglass.org/i/183695109/dave-filoni-handed-disneys-lucasfilm-lightsaber?ref=spyglass.org) in her place, there was simply no way he wasn't going to jump in to restart the most famous film franchise. [As I wrote last January on the change](https://spyglass.org/star-wars-episode-x/): > Reading [all](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/business/star-wars-lucasfilm-kathleen-kennedy.html?ref=spyglass.org) [the](https://www.ft.com/content/d19b26f4-2e4f-467e-9bc6-812964ed82c6?ref=spyglass.org&syn-25a6b1a6=1) [posts](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/star-wars-lucasfilm-kathkleen-kennedy-1236476418/?ref=spyglass.org) about Kathleen Kennedy's ([drawn-out](https://spyglass.org/somehow-star-wars-returned/)) exit from Lucasfilm, handing over the reins of the Star Wars universe [to Dave Filoni](https://thoughts.spyglass.org/p/far-out?open=false&ref=spyglass.org#%C2%A7dave-filoni-handed-disneys-lucasfilm-lightsaber) (and technically, Lynwen Brennan – but Filoni [for creative purposes](https://spyglass.org/somehow-star-wars-returned/#:~:text=But%20now%2C%20a%20new%20hope.%20I%27d%20be%20shocked%20if%20anyone%20other%20than%20Dave%20Filoni%20takes%20over%20the%20reins.)), they all sort of dance around the big question: where is he going to take it? They all note the work that's already well underway or in the pipeline, but they're all tangential elements at best. What everyone really wants to know is: when and how he'll do the next Star Wars trilogy? > > Because it's obviously coming. It has to be. You don't give someone the power at Lucasfilm and not let them continue the main stories that everyone cares most about. It would be like taking over Nintendo and never doing another Mario game. Second, Disney now also has a new *overall* CEO in place with Josh D'Amaro [formally](https://thoughts.spyglass.org/i/189374007/the-damaro-kingdom?ref=spyglass.org) and [finally](https://spyglass.org/disney-cruises-to-damaro/) taking the reins from Bob Iger last March. If there's anyone with more pressure/expectations on a new *Star Wars* trilogy than Filoni, it's D'Amaro, for the Disney shareholders he now must please and the board he now must answer to – after a decade of stock stagnation (COVID streaming boom blip aside). Third, Disney keeps trying to do non-Skywalker *Star Wars* projects and they keep failing. Yes, *Andor* was fantastic (though it's technically a prequel to the original trilogy), and some of the animated stuff, like *Maul* (which is Filoni's bread and butter – and also trilogy-tangential), has been very good, but the really big swings, the theatrical *The Mandalorian and Grogu*, [didn't really work](https://spyglass.org/inklings-the-great-ai-ipo-race-openais-ipo-hedge-imax-explores-a-sale-can-baby-yoda-save-star-wars-nvidias-record-profits-spacexs-fast-entry-to-the-market-bezos-on-the-melania-doc-space/#:~:text=%F0%9F%91%B6%20Can%20Baby%20Yoda%20Save%20Star%20Wars%3F) – at least at the box office. They need another hit. And what's the easiest way to find that hit?... That said, all [early indications](https://thoughts.spyglass.org/i/184067078/the-on-time-and-on-budget-jedi?ref=spyglass.org) are that *Starfighter*, the Ryan Gosling-led Shawn Levy-directed stand-alone *Star Wars* movie is going to be good. I had sort of been wondering if *that one* wasn't a bit of a head-fake, that while they're saying it wasn't a Skywalker story, that it could somehow morph into one. Maybe that's still in the cards, but this news makes it less likely, obviously. Maybe this is all as simple as Kinberg's early work on the project being deemed promising?[1](#one) Then again, the *THR* report notes that while Watts is now attached, it hasn't been formally greenlit yet... Speaking of Watts, [here's Borys Kitt](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/star-wars-jon-watts-direct-next-movie-lucasfilm-1236712709/?ref=spyglass.org): > Watts is seen as a reliable choice for the franchise, which has occasionally, and would say famously, struggled with directors. After directing the indie thriller *Cop Car*, Watts was chosen by Marvel to helm the relaunch of the Spider-Man movies. The Tom Holland-starring movies, which included 2017’s *Homecoming*, 2019’s *Far From Home*, and 2021’s *No Way Home*, became progressively bigger productions and bigger hits at the box office. Watts proved he could navigate the complexities of massive big-budget productions. "Reliable" is, of course, also a nice way of saying "bland" or "boring" or "safe". Beyond helming his own trilogy of sorts with *Spider-Man*,[2](#two) he co-wrote and co-created *Skeleton Crew*, the Disney+ *Star Wars* series. But while that was generally well-reviewed, it also wasn't really a hit. Still, unlike, [say, *The Acolyte*](https://spyglass.org/the-acolyte-mostly-sucked/), it wasn't [super-divisive](https://spyglass.org/the-acolyte-disney-plus-awful/), it just seemed sort of stuck between age demographics. And the same "reliable" label could be applied to Levy – there was [an entire profile](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/movies/shawn-levy-star-wars-stranger-things.html?ref=spyglass.org) on this point! – and that seemingly has worked out for Disney. At least so far. Such safe, reliable hands were also *needed* after the turmoil atop the last trilogy. While that [started strong](https://500ish.com/the-force-awoken-9477d745614a?ref=spyglass.org) (if yes, *safe*, especially given how derivative – [albeit intentionally](https://500ish.com/so-just-chill-til-the-next-episode-7773f220b61c?ref=spyglass.org) – *The Force Awakens* was of the original film) with J.J. Abrams,[3](#three) when Rian Johnson decided to essentially and immediately retcon that preceding film, the problems started. Johnson made [an interesting movie](https://500ish.com/first-thoughts-on-the-last-jedi-e5f8a9eab522?ref=spyglass.org) in *The Last Jedi*, but it now looks fairly ridiculous in the middle of the Abrams movies. [The last of which](https://500ish.com/the-turbulent-whiplash-inducing-repetitive-landing-of-star-wars-da2e33eae8f0?ref=spyglass.org) basically [retconned the Johnson movie](https://500ish.com/the-retcon-of-the-jedi-33a8088216a6?ref=spyglass.org)! Which perhaps shouldn't be too surprising given that Disney asked Abrams to step back in after firing Colin Trevorrow, who clearly had his own unique take (which, [since leaked](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star%5FWars:%5FDuel%5Fof%5Fthe%5FFates?ref=spyglass.org), and with hindsight, obviously would have been better than what became *The Rise of Skywalker*) that Disney no longer wanted to gamble on. So yeah, the Watts pick makes sense in this context, but it obviously also feels fairly uninspired. But even if they could get, [say](https://x.com/mgsiegler/status/2102515180156453262?ref=spyglass.org), Christopher Nolan to direct a *Star Wars* film,[4](#four) would Disney honestly even want that? I mean, *yes*, because he's a franchise of his own so it would be guaranteed to be a massive hit, but such a swing may not be great for the longterm health of the actual franchise they aim to protect. Then again, with Kennedy gone, the hope was that they'd perhaps protect it less? This move indicates otherwise. It's early, we'll see.[5](#five) But the internet [has a bad feeling about this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=%5FpcwcHF2FKY&ref=spyglass.org)... **One more thing:** if you've read about Watts around these parts, it's when I wrote a [half-dozen](https://spyglass.org/apple-tv-plus-wolfs/) [stories](https://spyglass.org/clooney-pitt-wolfs-apple-theaters/) about his blow-up with Apple over the George Clooney/Brad Pitt movie *Wolfs*. Apple clearly made [the right monetary call](https://spyglass.org/apple-wolfs-review/) in [moving it from theaters](https://spyglass.org/big-tech-hollywood-releases/) to Apple TV, but it cost [a big reputation hit](https://spyglass.org/apple-hollywood-seppuku/), especially with the man now potentially helming these new *Star Wars* films! If Apple were to, say, [make a move to buy Disney](https://spyglass.org/disney-plus-apple/) in the next few years, that could be awkward! 👇 ****Previously, on** ***Spyglass** **...** [The Clock Starts for Star Wars: Episode XDave Filoni is clearly going to continue the Skywalker Saga, but how?…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/af/ca/afcaa655-46e2-45b8-889a-2881de5cce69/content/images/icon/Spyglass-Rings-----Multi-9039b95f-906a-4cea-b06b-8a84ebe6251f.png)SpyglassM.G. Siegler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/af/ca/afcaa655-46e2-45b8-889a-2881de5cce69/content/images/thumbnail/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-24--2026--08_45_40-PM-2-3586f060-7555-4dc7-943e-9e014031ff6b.png)](https://spyglass.org/star-wars-episode-x/) [Somehow, Star Wars ReturnedWith Kathleen Kennedy set to retire, the Force awakens again…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/af/ca/afcaa655-46e2-45b8-889a-2881de5cce69/content/images/icon/Spyglass-Rings-----Multi-105df036-1694-478c-b73f-cb5088a53f47.png)SpyglassM.G. Siegler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/af/ca/afcaa655-46e2-45b8-889a-2881de5cce69/content/images/thumbnail/mgs22_A_bunch_of_people_fighting_with_lightsabers_cartoon_--a_10417081-f699-40c5-aa1b-e5775e906abe_0-1-b8c50626-2994-41da-a5a0-667ba79676cb.png)](https://spyglass.org/somehow-star-wars-returned/) [More Star Wars! No, Not Those!Disney continues to bungle the Lucasfilm crown jewels…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/af/ca/afcaa655-46e2-45b8-889a-2881de5cce69/content/images/icon/Spyglass-Rings-----Multi-7dde31c8-38a2-46cb-a68e-9017b3ec5d64.png)SpyglassM.G. Siegler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/af/ca/afcaa655-46e2-45b8-889a-2881de5cce69/content/images/thumbnail/image--47--1-9d31cd01-f7ce-4833-8228-4ef77154c8c9.jpg)](https://spyglass.org/new-star-wars-maybe/) --- 1 Social media wasn't too kind to him on this news given [his filmography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon%5FKinberg?ref=spyglass.org#Filmography) which has been, um, mixed as a writer (to put it nicely). But hey at least he won't be *directing*, where his filmography is um, pretty bad (to put it nicely). [↩](#) 2 Though it must be noted that the biggest box office success [of all time domestically](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/top%5Flifetime%5Fgross/?ref=spyglass.org) (not taking into account inflation, [of course](https://spyglass.org/spider-man-box-office-record/)) is the *Spider-Man* made *immediately after* Watts stopped directing them. The movie it beat for the top spot? *The Force Awakens*. (Still he claims the #4 spot all-time on that list with *No Way Home*!) [↩](#) 3 Coincidentally last night, I watched *The Force Awakens* for the first time in years (I've been watching [the movies](https://spyglass.org/may-the-4th/) – in order of release, of course – with my older daughter), and it holds up well. Again, it's obviously a big homage to the first film, but I think that was the right tone for such a "reboot". But it also just reminds me how badly they fucked up the Snoke stuff. He could have been legitimately interesting as a new villain, not some strange Darth [MacGuffin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin?ref=spyglass.org). [↩](#) 4 The recent [rumor](https://geektyrant.com/news/christopher-nolan-talked-to-george-lucas-about-his-love-for-star-wars-and-fans-are-hoping-for-a-nolan-trilogy?ref=spyglass.org) that George Lucas approached Nolan about helming a *Star Wars* movie [seems to be mostly BS](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/christopher-nolan-star-wars-darth-vader/?ref=spyglass.org), FWIW. Though he is [a known fan from boyhood](https://www.cinemablend.com/star-wars/christopher-nolan-opens-up-fans-always-say-star-wars-disagrees-with?ref=spyglass.org) – having seen the movie with his grandmother in Ohio, which I only mention as I too saw it in Ohio. Did Christopher Nolan and I just become best friends? [Yup!](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/foY9FUuMDp4?themeRefresh=1&ref=spyglass.org) [↩](#) 5 The Rey angle here is interesting too. Both reports note that she's intended to be a part of any story, but perhaps not the focal point. As the – SPOILER – only remaining Skywalker (and only in name?), there's perhaps a less safe path to (sky)walk there if she's not the main character? Or maybe she will be now that they've shelved her other would-have-been stand-alone film? Maybe there's a way yet to rope in [Steven Soderbergh's very real (at one point) Kylo Ren movie?!](https://spyglass.org/disney-kills-kylo-ren-again/) [↩](#)