Rian Johnson's Star Wars Abandoned

Another highly anticipated Star Wars film has officially been abandoned, marking yet another setback for Lucasfilm’s long-struggling theatrical slate. 

Over the past decade, the studio has earned an unfortunate reputation for cycling through creative teams, with more than a dozen directors fired or replaced across various projects. The result has been a nearly seven-year drought of Star Wars films since The Rise of Skywalker—a gap finally set to break in May 2026 with the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu.

The latest casualty is Rian Johnson’s long-announced Star Wars trilogy. During an interview with Radio Andy, the Last Jedi director confirmed he is “not actively working” on the films anymore. Still, Johnson emphasized that his relationship with Lucasfilm remains strong and that he would happily return someday if the timing felt right. For many fans, his comments serve as both a disappointment and a hopeful signal that the door isn’t fully closed—just firmly paused.

Johnson reflected warmly on his time with the franchise, calling the making of The Last Jedi “the best experience of my life,” but acknowledged that the trilogy is no longer in development. His departure adds to a growing list of abandoned Star Wars film projects that once generated significant buzz before quietly fading away.

Yet amid the cancellations, Lucasfilm is finally gaining momentum on another major big-screen initiative. A new trilogy is reportedly already filming, beginning with Shawn Levy’s Starfighter. Early reports suggest the film will feature a “big cameo” designed to set up future installments—possibly even tying into Daisy Ridley’s Rey.

While Johnson’s trilogy may be shelved for now, the next era of Star Wars cinema is already emerging, offering fans a fresh hope for the saga’s theatrical future.