Jon Watts is attached to direct the next Star Wars movie for Lucasfilm, with Simon Kinberg set to write the script, according to reports from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. The news surfaced Saturday and immediately reignited questions about where the long-dormant film franchise goes next.
Watts is one of the biggest blockbuster directors of the streaming era, best known for steering the Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland, including 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” That trilogy became one of the highest-grossing runs in Marvel history, and Watts’ hiring suggests Lucasfilm is betting on a proven multihundred-million-dollar filmmaker to relaunch Star Wars on the big screen.
A Director With Star Wars Roots
Before the Spider-Man gig, Watts helmed the thriller “Cop Car” and the early horror feature “Clown.” His connection to a galaxy far, far away predates this assignment: in 2024 he co-created the Disney+ series “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” alongside Christopher Ford, a coming-of-age story set in the New Republic era that followed four young characters on a new adventure. Jude Law led the cast as Jod Na Nawood.
That series gave Watts direct experience inside the Star Wars sandbox, and the new film assignment formalizes his place in the franchise’s director lineage, joining names like Irvin Kershner, Richard Marquand, J.J. Abrams, Rian Johnson and creator George Lucas.
Simon Kinberg Takes the Script
Simon Kinberg, who is attached to pen the screenplay, is best known for his extensive work on the “X-Men” franchise as a writer, producer and director. When Kinberg was first linked to a Star Wars film, many observers called the pairing a surprising choice given his Marvel-oriented résumé.
“A new ‘Star Wars’ movie is currently in development with director Jon Watts attached.” — Variety
A Franchise at a Turning Point
The announcement arrives at a pivotal moment for Star Wars. “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” capped the Skywalker saga in 2019 but was followed by years of theatrical silence while Lucasfilm focused on Disney+ series. The next film now carries the weight of re-establishing the franchise’s theatrical presence, just as the platform bet has been validated by the box office success of this summer’s slate and the record-setting run of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Why It Matters
For Lucasfilm, handing a flagship Star Wars movie to Jon Watts is a signal that the studio wants a safe pair of hands for a franchise that has struggled to convert streaming momentum back into theatrical hits. For fans, it answers a long-running question about the future of Star Wars on the big screen while raising just as many about the era, setting and characters the film will explore. Whether Watts and Kinberg deliver a return to form will likely shape the franchise’s direction for a decade.
