We’ve known for a while that Star Wars Episode VIII and Star Wars Episode IX will be released in 2017 and 2019 respectively, but it was not confirmed…until now! Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger has been quoted in the companies’ annual shareholder’s report as having the following to say about the franchise’s future.
“As one of the few people allowed to visit the set during filming….and one of the fewer who’s seen most of the footage…I can assure the millions of Star Wars fans who have spent the last decade hoping for a new movie this one will be worth the wait,” Iger promises. “And it’s only the beginning of a new era of exceptional Star Wars storytelling; next year we’ll release our first standalone movie based on these characters, followed by Star Wars: Episode VIII in 2017, and we’ll finish this trilogy with Episode IX in 2019.”
It was revealed some time ago that we will be getting yearly Star Wars films, starting with Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 18th. Next year will see the release of Gareth Edwards’ untitled spinoff, and Josh Trank’s standalone movie has also been slotted in for a 2018 release for quite some time now.
What Disney and Lucasfilm have planned for the franchise one the trilogy wraps up in 2019 remains to be seen. Marvel’s current plans also conclude that same year with the two-part Avengers: Infinity War.
That leaves only one sensible move for Disney come 2020. An epic Marvel/Star Wars crossover! Right?!
