The 10 Best Upcoming Star Wars Movies & TV Shows You Absolutely Must Watch in 2026 and Beyond
- Joao Nsita
- 24 hours ago
- 16 min read
It’s a Sunday evening in late September, and a new, more pensive mood is beginning to settle over London. The sun is dipping below the skyline earlier, the air is cooler, and the cozy, introspective season of autumn is in full swing. It is a time for turning inward, for seeking out stories that are as epic, as mythic, and as masterfully crafted as the season itself. And in the vast landscape of modern pop culture, no universe has more completely and more powerfully captured the global, cultural imagination for generations than Star Wars.
After a brief theatrical hiatus, the galaxy far, far away is set to make a triumphant and massive return to the big screen. On social media platforms like TikTok and Pinterest, the hype is already a palpable, electric force. The #StarWars aesthetic is a constant, powerful trend, with fans celebrating everything from the "found family" warmth of The Mandalorian to the dark, complex lore of the Sith. The trend is clear: audiences are not just hungry for more Star Wars; they are hungry for new, bold, and diverse stories from every corner of this beloved universe.
To rank the ten “most unmissable” upcoming Star Wars projects is to take a look into the future of modern pop culture. It is to celebrate the films and series that are not just the next installment, but are true, must-see, "where were you when" cultural moments. This is not just a list of release dates; it is a deep dive into the stories that will be defining the conversation, the characters who will be capturing our hearts, and the epic, world-changing events that simply demand to be experienced in a packed, cheering theatre or as a major, at-home binge-watch.
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10. Maul: Shadow Lord (2026)
The Vibe: A dark, gritty, and long-overdue animated deep dive into one of the most iconic, tragic, and terrifying villains in the Star Wars canon.
The Deeper Meaning: Darth Maul is more than just the cool, silent villain from The Phantom Menace. His journey through The Clone Wars and Rebels revealed him to be one of the most complex, tragic, and rage-fueled characters in the entire saga. This new animated series is a chance to finally put him front and centre, exploring his story from his own, dark perspective. The rumour that the series will reintroduce the fan-favourite character Darth Talon from the "Legends" canon is an incredibly exciting prospect for long-time fans.
Why It's a Must-Watch: The fan-favourite Sith is finally getting the spotlight he has always deserved. The return of the legendary Sam Witwer to voice the character is a guarantee of a powerful, nuanced, and terrifying performance. This is a show that promises to be a dark, and deeply, profoundly badass exploration of the dark side. For a deep dive into the complex history of the Sith, the official Wookieepedia website is an incredible and exhaustive resource.
What Makes It a Top Project: This is pure, unadulterated fan service in the best possible way. Maul is a character who has been consistently underserved in the live-action world, and this animated series is a perfect, and very exciting, opportunity to finally do his dark and complex story justice. The show’s complex and terrifying villain is a fascinating character study, a theme you can explore in our list of The Top 5 Best Villains of All Time.
Where to Find: Look for Maul: Shadow Lord to premiere on Disney+ in 2026.
9. Star Wars: Visions (Season 3)
The Vibe: A visually spectacular, incredibly creative, and wildly imaginative journey into the Star Wars universe, as seen through the eyes of the world's greatest animation studios.
The Deeper Meaning: Star Wars: Visions is more than just a TV show; it is a brilliant and groundbreaking creative experiment. It is a series that hands the keys to the Star Wars galaxy to some of the most talented and visionary animators in the world and, with no restrictions of canon or continuity, simply asks them to "play." The result is a beautiful, and often very weird, collection of stories that is a pure, unadulterated celebration of the artistic potential of the Star Wars universe.
Why It's a Must-Watch: The first two seasons of Visions were a breathtaking, and critically acclaimed, success. The upcoming third season, which will premiere on October 29, 2025, promises to be even more ambitious. This season will feature a new, nine-episode lineup, but with a fascinating twist: it will include sequels to three of the most beloved and popular episodes from the first season: "The Ninth Jedi," "The Duel," and "The Village Bride."
What Makes It a Top Project: This is a chance to see the Star Wars universe in a completely new and unfiltered way. The promise of a sequel to "The Ninth Jedi," in particular, is an incredibly exciting prospect for fans. The film’s incredible soundtrack is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of Top 10 Best Disney Soundtracks of All Time.
Where to Find: Stream Star Wars: Visions Season 3 on Disney+ starting October 29, 2025.
8. Lando (Movie)
The Vibe: A smooth, swashbuckling, and impossibly charming heist-adventure film, led by one of the most charismatic and multi-talented artists on the planet.
The Deeper Meaning: Lando Calrissian is the epitome of the "scoundrel with a heart of gold." He is a character who is defined by his style, his charm, and his deep, and often very complicated, sense of self-preservation. This new film, which has been switched from a series to a full-blown, theatrical movie, is a chance to explore the early, adventurous, and no-doubt very glamorous, life of one of the galaxy's greatest rogues.
Why It's a Must-Watch: The return of Donald Glover to the role of Lando Calrissian is a massive, and incredibly exciting, cinematic event. Glover's portrayal of the character in Solo was a universal, critical and fan-favourite, a perfect, star-making turn that completely captured the smooth, effortless cool of the original Billy Dee Williams performance. The news that Glover, and his equally talented brother, Stephen Glover, are now writing the script is a fantastic and very promising sign. This is a key part of building a lasting connection, a theme explored in 10 Habits of Couples Who Stay Deeply in Love for a Lifetime.
What Makes It a Top Project: This is a film that is being helmed, both in front of and behind the camera, by one of the most creative and multi-talented voices in modern entertainment. It promises to be a stylish, witty, and incredibly fun adventure. For more on the incredible, multi-hyphenate career of Donald Glover, the official Golden Globes website has a great overview of his many awards and nominations. The show’s complex hero is a fascinating character study, a theme you can explore in our list of the Top 5 Best Comedies With a Flawed But Lovable Protagonist.
Where to Find: Look for the Lando movie to be released in theaters.
7. Ahsoka (Season 2)
The Vibe: An epic, mythic, and deeply anticipated continuation of one of the most important and beloved character arcs in the entire Star Wars saga.
The Deeper Meaning: The character of Ahsoka Tano, the former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, is the heart and soul of the modern, animated Star Wars universe. The first, live-action season of Ahsoka was a beautiful, and deeply, profoundly "Filoni-esque" love letter to her character and to the legacy of Star Wars: Rebels. It was a show that was steeped in a deep, complex, and almost mythological lore, a story about a master and an apprentice, about found family, and about the long, difficult journey of healing from the traumas of war.
Why It's a Must-Watch: The first season ended on a massive, and incredibly exciting, cliffhanger, with our heroes stranded on a distant, unknown planet and the villainous Grand Admiral Thrawn making his triumphant return to the galaxy. The second season, which is currently in development, promises to be an epic, and universe-shattering, continuation of that story. Star Ivanna Sakhno has already teased that the new season will be "bigger and even more in-depth." For more on the show's incredible creator, Dave Filoni, the official StarWars.com website is a fantastic resource.
What Makes It a Top Project: This is the show that is the true, narrative lynchpin of the entire, modern, "Mando-verse" era. It is a show that is not just a spin-off; it is an essential, and deeply compelling, part of the main, epic saga. The show's powerful female lead is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of The Top 5 Best Female-Led Action Movies of All Time.
Where to Find: Look for Ahsoka Season 2 on Disney+.
6. James Mangold's "Dawn of the Jedi" Movie
The Vibe: A grand, biblical, and truly epic origin story that promises to explore the very birth of the Force.
The Deeper Meaning: This is, without a doubt, one of the most ambitious and most exciting projects on the entire Star Wars slate. From the acclaimed director of Logan and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, this film will be a "biblical epic," a Ten Commandments-style story that is set 25,000 years in the past. It will explore the very "dawning of the Force," a story about the first-ever Jedi and the discovery of this powerful, mythological energy.
Why It's a Must-Watch: This is a chance to see a part of the Star Wars universe that has never, ever been explored on screen. It is a story that is completely untethered from the Skywalker Saga, a bold and brilliant opportunity to create a brand-new, and truly epic, mythology. James Mangold is a master of the modern epic, and his vision for this film is incredibly exciting. For a deep dive into the history of the "Legends" canon that this film might draw from, the Wookieepedia website is an endless and fascinating resource.
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What Makes It a Top Project: This is a film that is not just a new Star Wars story; it is the first Star Wars story. The show’s focus on a powerful origin story is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of The 10 Best Sci-Fi Books to Keep You Company on Snowy Nights.
Where to Find: Look for James Mangold's untitled "Dawn of the Jedi" film to be released in theaters.
5. Star Wars: Starfighter (Directed by Shawn Levy)
The Vibe: A fun, action-packed, and high-energy adventure film from the director of Deadpool & Wolverine and Stranger Things, starring the one and only Ryan Gosling.
The Deeper Meaning: While the details of this project are still a closely guarded secret, the combination of the creative team is a dream come true for fans. Shawn Levy is a master of the high-concept, high-energy, and deeply heartfelt blockbuster. The news that Ryan Gosling, one of the most charismatic and versatile actors of his generation, will be starring, with the brilliant Mia Goth and Matt Smith set to play the villains, is a perfect, and incredibly exciting, piece of casting.
Why It's a Must-Watch: This is a film that is guaranteed to be a pure, unadulterated, and incredibly entertaining blast of fun. The film is a standalone story set in the "New Jedi Order" era, about five or six years after The Rise of Skywalker. The title, Starfighter, promises a thrilling, action-packed, and "top-gun-in-space" style adventure. For more on the incredible career of Shawn Levy, the official IMDb page for the director is a great resource.
What Makes It a Top Project: This is a film that is bringing together some of the biggest and most exciting talent in Hollywood to play in the Star Wars sandbox. It is a film that is guaranteed to be a massive, four-quadrant, blockbuster hit. The show’s complex hero is a fascinating character study, a theme you can explore in our list of the Top 10 Best DC MOVIES of the Last 10 Years, Ranked.
Where to Find: Look for Star Wars: Starfighter to be released in theaters on May 28, 2027.
4. Dave Filoni's "Heir to the Empire" Movie
The Vibe: The ultimate, epic, and Avengers-style crossover event that the entire, modern, "Mando-verse" has been building towards.
The Deeper Meaning: Dave Filoni is, for many fans, the true, spiritual successor to George Lucas. He is the creative mastermind behind the beloved animated series, The Clone Wars and Rebels, and a key creative force behind The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. This film is set to be his live-action, feature-film directorial debut, and it is the culminating, cinematic event that will tie together all of the storylines from The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. It is the film that will finally bring the villainous Grand Admiral Thrawn to the big screen as the "Heir to the Empire" and the central antagonist of the New Republic era.
Why It's a Must-Watch: This is the Avengers of the "Mando-verse." It is the film that will see all of our favourite, streaming-era heroes—Din Djarin, Grogu, Ahsoka Tano, Boba Fett, and more—finally team up on the big screen. The prospect of seeing a live-action, Filoni-directed, "Heir to the Empire"-style story is, for a generation of Star Wars fans, a dream come true. The show’s complex and terrifying villain is a fascinating character study, a theme you can explore in our list of The 10 Best Cringiest Comedy TV Shows Of All Time.
What Makes It a Top Project: This is not just a movie; it is a promise. It is the film that will pay off a decade of storytelling and will finally, and definitively, bridge the gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.
Where to Find: Look for Dave Filoni's untitled Star Wars movie to be released in theaters.
3. The Ninth Jedi (Series)
The Vibe: A beautiful, epic, and incredibly stylish anime series that is a full, and much-deserved, expansion of the single greatest episode of Star Wars: Visions.
The Deeper Meaning: The Star Wars: Visions episode, "The Ninth Jedi," was a breathtaking, 22-minute masterpiece. It was a film that so perfectly, and so beautifully, captured the mythic, "samurai-inspired" essence of the Star Wars universe that fans were immediately, and passionately, demanding more. This new, full-length series is the answer to that call. It is a story that is steeped in the classic, and deeply romantic, ideals of the Jedi, of a dying order, and of a new hope.
Why It's a Must-Watch: The story is set in a future where the Sith are rampant and the Jedi are all but extinct. It follows Kara, the daughter of a legendary lightsaber-smith, as she is forced to go on the run with a group of masterless Jedi, hunted by a mysterious, and very powerful, new order of Sith. The series is being overseen by the original episode's director, Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex), and animated by the legendary studio Production I.G. It is guaranteed to be one of the most visually spectacular, and most beautifully animated, Star Wars projects of all time.
What Makes It a Top Project: This is a show that is a perfect, and incredibly exciting, fusion of two of the most beloved storytelling traditions in the world: Star Wars and Japanese anime. It is a must-watch for any fan of animation and epic, character-driven storytelling. The film’s incredible soundtrack is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of Top 10 Michael Jackson Songs of All Time.
Where to Find: Look for The Ninth Jedi to premiere on Disney+ in 2026.
2. The New Rey "Jedi Order" Movie
The Vibe: A powerful, hopeful, and deeply anticipated return for the hero of the sequel trilogy, and a brand-new, fresh start for the future of the Jedi.
The Deeper Meaning: This film is set fifteen years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. It will follow Rey as she takes on the monumental, and very difficult, task of rebuilding the Jedi Order from the ground up, using the ancient, sacred Jedi texts that she saved. This is a powerful, and incredibly exciting, premise that is a perfect, and very logical, continuation of her character's journey. It is a story that is not just about her, but about the future of the Jedi, a chance to explore what a new, and hopefully more balanced and less dogmatic, Jedi Order will look like.
Why It's a Must-Watch: The return of Daisy Ridley to her iconic, and beloved, role as Rey is a massive, and very welcome, cinematic event. The film, which will be the first in a new trilogy from director Simon Kinberg, is set to be the official, on-screen continuation of the Skywalker Saga, moving the story forward into a new and unexplored era. It is a film that will, quite literally, be the future of the Star Wars franchise. For more on the film's director, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the official TED website has some of her powerful, award-winning talks.
What Makes It a Top Project: This is the film that will officially pass the torch to a new generation, a film that is both a nostalgic return and a brand-new beginning. The show’s focus on a powerful family is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of the Top 5 Best Family Movies of All Time.
Where to Find: Look for the untitled, new Rey movie to be released in theaters.
1. The Mandalorian & Grogu
Why It's at the Top: While every project on this list is a massive and highly anticipated event, The Mandalorian & Grogu is, without a doubt, the single biggest, most important, and most unmissable Star Wars event of the next few years. It is the film that is the culmination of the single most beloved, most successful, and most culturally significant Star Wars story of the modern era. The characters of Din Djarin (Mando) and Grogu (Baby Yoda) are more than just TV characters; they are global, pop-culture icons. Their journey from a simple, streaming show to a full-blown, major, theatrical movie event is a testament to their incredible, and undeniable, appeal. This is the way.
The Premise: This film, which will be the first Star Wars movie to hit cinemas since 2019, will be the next, epic chapter in the story of the Mandalorian and his young, Force-sensitive apprentice, Grogu. The first trailer shows the duo back in action, with Grogu embarking on some solo adventures with his Anzellan friends, and Mando scoping out a legion of stormtroopers. The film promises to be a true, classic, Mandalorian adventure, full of thrilling action, a deep, "lone wolf and cub" heart, and a host of exciting, and unexpected, character cameos, including the return of Rotta the Hutt.
What Makes It a Masterpiece: This is the film that is bringing Star Wars back to the big screen. The director, Jon Favreau, is the man who, with The Mandalorian, proved that a simple, character-driven, and "back-to-basics" approach was the true, and most beloved, future of the franchise. This film is a celebration of that, a return to the classic, "space Western" roots of the Star Wars universe. It is a film that is guaranteed to be a massive, global, and multi-generational cultural event, a true, "where were you when" moment that will be a joyful, and much-needed, celebration of the magic of Star Wars. The show’s focus on a powerful family is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of The 20 Best Christmas Movies Of All Time.
Where to Find: Look for The Mandalorian & Grogu to be released in theaters on May 22, 2026.
Conclusion
In the vast and ever-expanding universe of Star Wars, the next few years are set to be a period of incredible, and often game-changing, creative exploration. The ten films and series on this list are a testament to the enduring, and ever-evolving, power of this modern myth. From the epic, multiversal conclusions of a long-running saga to the brave, and deeply personal, new beginnings for our most iconic heroes, these are the stories that will be defining the future of the genre.
These are more than just comic book movies; they are true, cinematic events, the stories that will be starting conversations, sparking trends, and bringing us together in a shared, communal love of great, blockbuster storytelling. The future of the Star Wars galaxy is bright, it is bold, and it simply must be seen on the biggest screen possible.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the next Star Wars movie to be released in theaters? The next Star Wars film to be released in theaters is The Mandalorian & Grogu, which is scheduled to premiere on May 22, 2026.
2. Are all of these new movies and shows connected? Many of them are. The "Mando-verse" shows (like Ahsoka and The Mandalorian) are all interconnected and will lead into Dave Filoni's movie. The new Rey movie will be a continuation of the Skywalker Saga. Other projects, like James Mangold's "Dawn of the Jedi" movie, are set in completely different eras.
3. What is the "New Jedi Order" era? The "New Jedi Order" is the term for the new era of storytelling that is set 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. It will be the focus of the new film trilogy, beginning with the upcoming Rey movie.
4. Where can I watch these new Star Wars movies and shows? The upcoming films, such as The Mandalorian & Grogu, are all being produced for a major, theatrical release. The new television series, like Ahsoka Season 2 and Star Wars: Visions, will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+.
5. Who is Dave Filoni? Dave Filoni is a hugely successful and beloved writer, director, and producer at Lucasfilm. He is the creative mastermind behind the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, and is a key creative force behind The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. He is now the Chief Creative Officer at Lucasfilm.
6. I'm new to Star Wars. Do I need to have seen all the previous films to understand these? For the big, culminating event films like Dave Filoni's movie, having a broad knowledge of the "Mando-verse" shows will be essential. However, many of the other projects, like James Mangold's "Dawn of the Jedi" movie, are designed to be great entry points for new viewers.
7. Who is Grand Admiral Thrawn? Grand Admiral Thrawn is a legendary Star Wars villain who was first introduced in the "Legends" (non-canon) novels in the 1990s. He was brought into the official canon in the animated series Star Wars Rebels and made his live-action debut in Ahsoka. He is a brilliant, blue-skinned, and art-loving Chiss military strategist.
8. Why are there so many "reboots" and "recastings" in these franchises? The long-running nature of these cinematic universes, and the real-world aging of their actors, means that reboots and recastings are an inevitable and necessary part of keeping the franchises fresh and sustainable for a new generation.
9. I love Star Wars. Where can I find more news and fan theories? The official StarWars.com website and the fan-run Wookieepedia are the best resources for official news and in-depth lore. The subreddit r/StarWars is also a massive hub for fan discussion.
10. What is the most anticipated Star Wars project of all? While every film on this list has a huge amount of anticipation, the return of The Mandalorian & Grogu to the big screen is arguably the single most anticipated and most guaranteed blockbuster event for the franchise in the immediate future.
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