Jon Watts to Direct New ‘Star Wars’ Film with Script by Simon Kinberg

The sprawling galaxy far, far away is expanding once again on the cinematic front. A brand-new “Star Wars” feature film is currently in development at Lucasfilm, with filmmaker Jon Watts officially attached to direct the project. The news, which was initially broken by Knight Edge Media, marks another major milestone for Watts as he transitions from the superhero genre that made him a household name to one of the most storied and enduring franchises in modern cinematic history.

Watts is widely recognized by global audiences and industry peers alike for directing the immensely popular and critically acclaimed “Spider-Man” trilogy for Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios, starring Tom Holland in the iconic title role. That blockbuster trilogy began with 2017’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” continued with 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” and culminated in the historic, multi-billion-dollar box office phenomenon that was 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” (For the subsequent installment, 2026’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” directing duties were handed over to Destin Daniel Cretton.)

Before landing the monumental job of launching Peter Parker into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Watts built a reputation as a versatile indie filmmaker with a distinct eye for tension and character. He helmed the gritty indie thriller “Cop Car,” starring Kevin Bacon, as well as the horror-thriller feature “Clown.” His ability to balance tight storytelling, distinct visual flair, and large-scale action eventually caught the attention of major studio executives. Following the completion of his historic run with the wall-crawling superhero, Watts continued to solidify his industry standing. In 2024, it was widely reported that Watts, alongside his production banner Freshman Year and producer partner Dianne McGunigle, had inked a lucrative first-look feature film deal with Walt Disney Studios, further cementing his creative partnership with the broader corporate family that houses Lucasfilm.

While Jon Watts is best known for his cinematic work in the superhero arena, his footprint in the “Star Wars” universe is already well-established. In 2024, Watts co-created the television series “Skeleton Crew” alongside writer Christopher Ford. Set against the vibrant backdrop of the New Republic era—a familiar and fertile storytelling period for contemporary Lucasfilm television projects—the coming-of-age series followed four young characters as they embarked on an unexpected, perilous, and eye-opening adventure across the stars, according to the show’s official logline.

“Skeleton Crew” featured a talented ensemble cast that blended veteran talent with rising young stars. Acclaimed actor Jude Law anchored the series in the starring role of Jod Na Nawood, a mysterious figure crossing paths with the youthful protagonists. The young core cast of characters featured Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Wim, Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Fern, Kyriana Kratter as KB, and Robert Timothy Smith as Neel. The series allowed Watts to explore the lived-in, tactile aesthetic of the “Star Wars” universe, giving him a valuable sandbox environment to test his sensibilities within George Lucas’s legendary sci-fi framework before stepping up to helm a theatrical feature film.

By stepping into the director’s chair for this upcoming cinematic venture, Watts joins a remarkably exclusive and prestigious lineage of filmmakers who have shaped the theatrical trajectory of the “Star Wars” franchise over the decades. The historical roster of directors who have helmed official live-action “Star Wars” feature films includes franchise creator George Lucas himself, alongside legendary cinematic figures such as Irvin Kershner, who directed “The Empire Strikes Back,” Richard Marquand, who directed “Return of the Jedi,” J.J. Abrams, who helmed “The Force Awakens” and “The Rise of Skywalker,” and Rian Johnson, who directed “The Last Jedi.”

For theatrical audiences, the big screen has been relatively quiet since the turn of the decade. Released in December 2019, J.J. Abrams’s “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” stands as the most recent film in the overarching Skywalker saga, and in the franchise at large, to debut theatrically in cinemas worldwide. In the years since, Lucasfilm has largely focused its creative energies and production output on expanding the narrative universe through serialized television programming on the Disney+ streaming platform, including acclaimed shows like “The Mandalorian,” “Andor,” “Ahsoka,” and “The Acolyte.” The development of a new theatrical feature film helmed by Watts signals a deliberate and strategic pivot back toward the cinematic space for the studio.

Crucially, Watts will not be working in a vacuum as he develops this new project. As previously reported by Variety, veteran writer, producer, and director Simon Kinberg has been tapped to pen the script for the film. Kinberg brings a massive wealth of blockbuster experience to the table, most notably for his extensive work as a writer, producer, and director across Twentieth Century Fox’s sprawling “X-Men” cinematic franchise. When Kinberg’s involvement with the project was first leaked and subsequently confirmed, he was considered by industry analysts to be a somewhat surprising choice given his deep historical ties to mutant superhero properties rather than space operas, yet his proven track record of handling massive ensemble casts and serialized studio mythology makes him a potent partner for Watts.

With a director whose commercial bona fides have been proven at the highest possible box office levels, a writer with decades of major franchise experience, and a growing creative footprint within the Lucasfilm family, the newly announced project represents a major building block in the future of the “Star Wars” cinematic universe. As development continues behind closed doors at Lucasfilm, fans and industry watchers alike will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on further casting announcements, plot details, and production timelines as the studio prepares to chart a fresh course through the stars.