The Mandalorian & Grogu will be the first movie of new Star Wars slate, likely hitting theaters in 2026

Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed that The Mandalorian & Grogu will be the first movie of the new Star Wars slate, which means that it will likely hit theaters in 2026.

Disney currently has two Star Wars movies on the schedule for that year: May 22, 2026 and December 18, 2026. Bob Iger’s comments seem to indicate that The Mandalorian & Grogu will fill that first slot, but as this is Star Wars we’re talking about, anything could happen. We’ve seen more than a few release dates shuffled around.

The Mandalorian & Grogu will be directed by Jon Favreau, who will also produce alongside Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni. Production is expected to kick off later this year. “I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created,” Favreau said. “The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.” Kathleen Kennedy added, “Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen.“

In addition to The Mandalorian movie, we’ve also got Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s post-Rise of Skywalker film about Rey (Daisy Ridley) rebuilding the Jedi Order. It’s likely that film will fill the Dec 18, 2024 slot. Dave Filoni is also developing a New Republic movie, which will tie together the stories featured in The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and The Book of Boba Fett.

The next project will be directed by James Mangold (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) and take place 25,000 years before the Skywalker Saga and explore the first Jedi and the discovery of the Force. “It was something that Jim [Mangold] immediately sparked to, and I think it’s a really nice compliment to what we’re doing with moving into the future with Rey, and then understanding a bit more of where this all came from,” Kennedy explained. “Because it will be at the heart of creating the new Jedi Order, so to get a real sense of where that might have began with the dawn of the Jedi could be pretty cool.“