Ever since George Lucas’ Star Wars hit theaters in 1977, it’s been one of the most talked-about and profitable media franchises in existence. There have always been rumors about Star Wars-related projects, whether they’re movies or TV shows or video games or something else entirely, but this has been particularly true throughout the Disney era.
Unsurprisingly, these rumors usually turn out to be false. But they can spark interesting discussions (well, not quite interesting, but they do make the days go by faster) about which Star Wars stories need to be told. So, here are five rumored Star Wars projects that we’d love to see, and five we wouldn’t.
Love To See: A High Republic Movie
Lucasfilm’s mysterious “Project Luminous” was recently announced to be Star Wars: The High Republic, a multimedia franchise that will feature stories set 200 years before the events of the Skywalker saga across novels and comics. The stories will revolve around the Jedi Order at the height of its power responding to an attack by a band of “space Vikings” called the Nihil.
If this project is ed by a movie set in the High Republic era, as the rumor mill has suggested, it could be an interesting standalone adventure.
Wouldn’t: A Movie About Mos Eisley Spaceport
When the Disney era’s “Anthology” movies first entered development, there was a rumor that Lucasfilm was developing a film about Mos Eisley Spaceport. The box office failure of Solo reportedly put them off the idea, as they realized that they were clinging a little too closely to anything from the original trilogy with the slightest whiff of nostalgic familiarity.
In 1977’s original Star Wars movie, Mos Eisley Spaceport is merely the setting of a scene that moves the plot from one point to another. The worldbuilding is terrific, but it’s not enough to a whole movie.
Love To See: Guillermo Del Toro’s Jabba The Hutt Trilogy
This one isn’t so much a rumor as an idea that Guillermo del Toro has pitched in interviews, but the rumor is that he’s also pitched it to Lucasfilm and he’s currently working on it. When Disney bought Lucasfilm and announced its plans to pump out a ton of Star Wars media, del Toro pitched a Jabba the Hutt trilogy that would chart his rise to power in the Tatooine criminal underworld, a la The Godfather.
It sounds incredible, and del Toro has proven with masterpieces like Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water that he has the vision to pull it off.
Wouldn’t: Solo 2
It seems unlikely that a sequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story is a real discussion at Disney, since the first movie bombed at the box office (the first box office bomb in Star Wars history) and has been mostly forgotten about, there have been persistent rumors of a sequel.
Alden Ehrenreich made for an agreeable Han Solo, but the movie’s focus on the minutiae of Han’s life, like his dice and his jacket and his last name, distracted from what should’ve been a riveting space western.
Love To See: A Lando Spin-Off Starring Donald Glover
In addition to rumors of a sequel to Solo, there have been more tantalizing rumors of a spin-off focusing on young Lando. While a sequel to Solo wouldn’t be such a hot commodity, most fans can agree that Donald Glover’s performance as Lando was delightful. He brought to Lando what Ewan McGregor brought to Obi-Wan, and he was let down by a weak script.
He should be given the chance to spread his wings with a Lando spin-off. If a Lando spin-off goes ahead, Lucasfilm should get Glover involved in the writing, along with his brother and Atlanta cohort Stephen Glover. It’s a shame we never got to see their animated Deadpool series; this could be a consolation prize.
Wouldn’t: A Darth Maul Spin-Off
The surprise appearance of Darth Maul at the end of Solo: A Star Wars Story, paired with his heavy involvement in the final season of The Clone Wars, sparked rumors of a spin-off centered around the iconic Sith Lord.
The Clone Wars has turned Maul into one of Star Wars’ most complex and interesting villains, but movies centered around villains rarely work, as making a villain the protagonist of a story detracts from their purpose as a villain, and there isn’t much narrative ground left to cover with Maul.
Love To See: A Knights Of The Old Republic Movie
Every time a director has been offered a Star Wars movie or even a Star Wars trilogy, from The Last Jedi’s Rian Johnson to Game of Thrones’ David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the subject matter has been rumored to be the Old Republic.
The Knights of the Old Republic video games are among the most popular in the Star Wars franchise. It would be great to see those stories told on the big screen.
Wouldn’t: Rian Johnson’s Trilogy
A couple of years ago, it was officially announced that Rian Johnson would be writing and directing a trilogy of Star Wars movies. However, it’s been a while since it was mentioned in an official capacity, Johnson has signed on to other projects, and it seems to have disappeared into the rumor mill.
As Clone Wars voice actor Sam Witwer recently pointed out, Johnson fundamentally misunderstands Star Wars. He has a unique take on the mythos, but it’s not true to the spirit of Star Wars. Johnson’s efforts will serve a greater purpose by working on new Benoit Blanc mysteries and launching the Knives Out franchise.
Love To See: An Ahsoka Tano Spin-Off On Disney+
With Rosario Dawson’s casting as a live-action incarnation of Ahsoka Tano in the second season of The Mandalorian has sparked rumors that the character’s Mandalorian appearance is being used as a springboard to her own spin-off series on Disney+.
Throughout her arc on The Clone Wars, Ahsoka grew into one of the Star Wars universe’s most beloved characters. Ever since The Clone Wars wrapped up its final season, there’s been an Ahsoka-sized hole in Star Wars’ fans hearts that could be filled by such a series.
Wouldn’t: A Darth Vader Spin-Off On Disney+
Following the positive fan reaction to the announcement of Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series starring Ewan McGregor, there have been rumors that another series following Darth Vader during the rise of the Empire is being discussed by Lucasfilm executives.
It would be great to see Vader’s rise in the background of the Obi-Wan series, but it shouldn’t be its own show. Vader works best with limited screen time. The more he shows up, the less effective he is. A whole series surrounding Vader would work against what makes him a great villain.
