On November 9th, Disney announced it would continue the Star Wars cinematic universe with a new trilogy. This time, LucasArts personally chose long-time X-Men writer, Simon Kinberg. Then, on Nov. 15th, Disney announced moving the release of a Star Wars film to Dec. 17th, 2027. However, it’s an untitled Star Wars film set to release on Dec. 18th, 2026.
What Disney’s Schedule Change Revealed
As confirmed by Variety, Ice Age 6 will be taking the unknown film’s release spot. The film was announced on Nov. 8th at D23 Brazil with no release date. Yet, readers are left guessing what this untitled Star Wars title could be. Fans speculate it could be Kinsberg’s new trilogy. There’s also the upcoming sequel to The Mandalorian, The Mandalorian & Grogu. There is vital evidence that supports and debunks these claims.
Steven Knight’s Exit Report
Numerous sources have said Steven Knight left LucasArts’s production between Oct. 24th and 25th. For those curious, Knight was one of the screenwriters for The Rise of Skywalker left uncredited. He took on the challenge from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy to develop Rey’s new storyline for an upcoming Star Wars project in 2023.
Knight would replace writers Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson who only worked for 18 months. Rey’s actress, Daisy Ridley shared with Deadline that she knew very little about the project, hinting Rey will build a Jedi Academy. At the time, the public was told that there were two untitled Star Wars films that Knight left behind. Two dates were revealed as holiday releases for Dec. 18th, 2026, and Dec. 17th, 2027.
The Mandalorian & Grogu Release Date
During D23 Brazil, LucasArts revealed concept art for The Mandalorian & Grogu film. On the frontline, The Mandalorian director Dave Filoni and head writer Jon Favreau are supervising the creative progress. So far, only two confirmed actors are Sigourney Weaver and Pedro Pascal. The anticipated film sequel is set to be released on May 22nd, 2026.
Star Wars 2027’s Reasonable Setback
Until further updates about the untitled film, we will call it Star Wars 2027. So far, LucasArts hasn’t shared or confirmed if it’s part of the fourth trilogy. What we do know is Simon Kinberg will continue Knight’s Rey story. He’s mostly known for his writing on the X-Men cinematic universe for Marvel with his recent series, Legion. He previously worked with LucasArts for The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and Rebels.
The possible reason for the release date change could be creative differences. Lindelof told the press that the Star Wars project began as a tribute to The Empire Strikes Back. He wanted to use its storytelling techniques for Star Wars 2027. Then Obaid-Chinoy removed him and Britt-Gibson on April 18th. Lindelof went on to produce his drama comedy, Mrs. Daisy for Peacock. A similar situation may have occurred with Knight when he explored Rey’s story as she steps into new responsibilities as the Heir of The Empire.
Thoughts on Star Wars 2027
Star Wars 2027 has enough evidence to be confirmed as Star Wars Episode X. Obaid-Chinoy’s actions on changing writers definitely show signs of trouble in the storytelling process. This may be due to Kinberg’s success with The Force Awakens and Rebels. She probably wanted to repeat the hype that happened almost a decade ago. On the bright side, the film has more time to develop for three more years.
Though it may offer problems for Ice Age 6. It’s unsure when Blue Sky Studio began the film’s production. With an established release date for the 2026 holidays, it will depend on the production crew’s preparation. When the announcement was made, Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, and John Leguizamo were confirmed to take on their original roles. But the former Ice Age fans and harsh critics are already dreading the franchise’s return.
