Star Wars is already in its third dark times era

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The long gaps between the release of Star Wars movies, specifically the span from “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983) to “Episode I – Phantom Menace” (1999), and again from “Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” (2005) to “Episode VII – The Force Awakens” (2015), were often referred to by fans as the ‘Dark Ages’ or simply ‘the Dark Times.’ In 2025, it appears we could be experiencing another such period of relative silence in the Star Wars universe.

At 81 years old, George Lucas made his debut at Comic-Con for the very first time and primarily discussed Star Wars to emphasize that he has shifted his focus. Instead of delving into the fate of the distant galaxy, he expressed enthusiasm about the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, highlighting his passion for collecting comic and narrative art, rather than the potential future developments in the galaxy far, far away.

It’s true that Lucas parted ways with his empire (a pun) in 2012 by passing creative control to The Walt Disney Company. Since then, he hasn’t held an official position regarding the future of the galaxy for more than a decade. Yet, it appears that Lucas continues to exert some influence on today’s productions. For instance, he was seen on set with Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni during filming for both seasons of The Mandalorian.

Discussing the current status of Star Wars, it’s been over three years since “Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker” premiered in 2019. Since then, various Disney+ series have emerged, but the selection is starting to dwindle. For instance, the highly praised series, Andor, wrapped up its final season in 2025 and garnered 14 Emmy nominations, including a nod for Forest Whitaker. However, it’s been confirmed that there won’t be a Season 3, and there’s little talk about any spin-off of Tony Gilroy’s exceptional series. Skeleton Crew concluded after one season, but Jodie Nanawood is said to reappear in future projects, and The Acolyte was also canceled following its initial run.

Coming up in October 2025 is “Star Wars: Visions,” a creative animated series that has already had two seasons on Disney+. They’ll be releasing Volume 3 then. As for live-action projects, there are none planned until next year. Also, the High Republic initiative—a long-term transmedia experiment—is wrapping up its final phase this summer without any new stories announced as of now.

Scheduled Film Projects That Feel Safe

Just two major Star Wars theatrical films have official release dates as of now:

  • The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theaters May 22, 2026—essentially Mando Season 4 on the big screen.
  • Star Wars: Starfighter, set five years after the First Order falls, will star Ryan Gosling under Shawn Levy’s direction – it is currently set for theatrical release on May 28, 2027.

On a smaller screen, Dave Filoni has an animated series titled “Maul – Shadow Lord” lined up, while season 2 of “Ahsoka” is anticipated for 2027.

One enthusiastic viewer expressed their thoughts in r/saltierthancrait, “…the new films (and Marvel series, to be fair) seem to lack a cohesive narrative beyond fan appeasement and nostalgia. They appear as if they’re made from a string of BuzzFeed articles disguised as . Disney functions more like a content factory…

A different Reddit user observed that for the most part, they missed out on what truly made “Star Wars,” the “Empire,” and “ROTJ” unique.

The fan commented that there’s a big difference between seeing new stories told by individual creators, like the clone wars cartoons, and seeing products that are mass-produced by corporate committees. These mass-produced items often feel devoid of genuine emotion, as they are repeatedly tweaked to meet specific metrics.

Why the Creative Freeze?

It seems that Lucasfilm’s core creative energy is focused on projects related to The Mandalorian. Those that veer away from this area may encounter a more unpredictable fate.

As a die-hard cinema enthusiast, I’ve got to say, the much-anticipated Rey film is currently in the works, as ScreenRant reported in August 2024. However, a concrete release date hasn’t been set yet. Even Daisy Ridley herself, the woman behind the character, confessed to Variety that she’s clueless about when the cameras will start rolling.

In recent times, some projects that used to generate a lot of excitement have vanished from sight. The project “Rogue Squadron” by Patty Jenkins, for instance, has been put on hold indefinitely. Additionally, it seems that the Rian Johnson trilogy, a topic that has been frequently discussed since 2017, hasn’t progressed beyond initial discussions. As we mentioned in July, even Rian Johnson himself has decided against returning to the galaxy far, far away.

It’s a recurring scenario: grand titles that appear promising, often unveiled at gatherings such as the D23 Expo or Star Wars Celebration, seem to generate buzz, then fade away without any further news, essentially gathering digital dust.

Comparing to Previous Dark Times

  • 1983–1991: George Lucas didn’t budge. Fans waited nearly a decade for Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire books to revive the franchise, and much longer for another Star Wars movie.
  • 2005–2015: Despite prequel-heavy branding, the galaxy went silent on screen for ten years.

Now, it seems we as a fandom may be staring at our third such lull.

Currently, Disney’s approach appears more focused on transactions rather than exploration. They release a touch of nostalgia at a time, market familiar products (such as Din Djarin and Grogu), and avoid stirring up controversy like the sequel trilogy did. For some casual fans, this may suffice, but for those deeply connected to Star Wars, shaping their identity, there remains an abundance of untold stories across various periods in Star Wars history.

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2025-08-05 00:23