Simon Kinberg's STAR WARS Trilogy Reportedly Finds a Director as Production Starts Heating Up
Lucasfilm’s next Star Wars trilogy may finally be gaining some momentum. The mysterious project from Simon Kinberg, the writer and producer known for his work on the X-Men franchise, has mostly stayed out of the spotlight since it was revealed in 2024. Now, a new rumor claims a director has been chosen and filming could happen sooner than expected.
Entertainment journalist Caleb Williams shared the report on X, writing, “A director has been found for the new #StarWars trilogy by screenwriter Simon Kinberg. Kinberg wasn’t considered.”
No name was given for the filmmaker reportedly taking on the trilogy, so there’s still a pretty big question hanging over this one. Williams followed up with another interesting claim about how quickly things could start moving:
“Production is picking up steam FAST and could begin filming as early as next year.”
Lucasfilm hasn’t confirmed either claim, so this remains firmly in rumor territory for now. Still, if the information proves accurate, it would mark one of the more substantial updates we’ve had on Kinberg’s Star Wars movies since the project first surfaced.
Kinberg has plenty of experience working with major franchises. His writing credits include X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix. He also wrote films including Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Sherlock Holmes, and Fantastic Four. He also created Star Wars: Rebels.
His producing résumé is just as extensive, with credits including Elysium, Cinderella, Deadpool, Logan, and A Haunting in Venice. Kinberg also produced director Ridley Scott’s The Martian, starring Matt Damon, which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
The new Star Wars trilogy was originally revealed in 2024, when it was reported that Lucasfilm was developing the films with Kinberg writing the scripts. Updates have been scarce since then, making this rumored director news particularly interesting.
The trilogy will reportedly explore the galaxy after the events of the Skywalker Saga, moving the movies beyond the story told across the franchise’s original nine episodic films.
Beyond that, Lucasfilm is keeping the details locked down. We don’t know what characters will be involved, how far beyond the Skywalker Saga the story takes place, or what corner of the galaxy Kinberg plans to explore. But it would be cool to see an older Grogu show up!
Before that trilogy arrives, fans have Star Wars: Starfighter coming to theaters. The standalone movie stars Ryan Gosling as Kade Auberon, a cynical rogue who apparently gets mixed up with one seriously fast starship.
While appearing at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Gosling teased his character by saying, “Kade is a guy from the wrong side of the galaxy, whose fate is intertwined with the fastest starfighter ever built.”
Star Wars: Starfighter is currently scheduled to hit theaters on May 28, 2027.
As for Kinberg’s trilogy, the identity of its rumored director is now the big mystery. If production really is moving toward filming next year, we may not have to wait too much longer to find out who Lucasfilm has tapped to launch this next chapter of Star Wars on the big screen.