‘Star Wars’ Sequels Update: Kathleen Kennedy Talks Expansion Of Cinematic Universe

Now that the trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been released, fans of the franchise are already trying to look beyond the eighth and ninth installments to the universe and the potential future stories that it could entail.

At the moment we know that The Last Jedi, the still untitled Han Solo movie, and another, as yet to be revealed, Anthology film are currently in development over at Lucasfilm. Kathleen Kennedy has now admitted that discussions are currently underway over at the studio to try and figure out exactly where to take the cinematic universe next. For the meantime, though, they’re still very busy with the three films that are already on the cusp of being released over the next few years.

“To be honest, we are beginning to talk about [the spin-offs] right now. We have four or five weeks immersed in the film Han Solo and we are about to read the script of Colin Trevorrow’s Episode IX, so we have a lot of work at the moment.”

At the same time as the development of The Last Jedi, Han Solo, and Episode IX, Kathleen Kennedy admitted to E-Cartela, via the Express, that they will hold development meetings within the next six to eight months about how to evolve the universe.

Kathleen Kennedy is well aware that they have plenty of stories to explore from the vast cannon of past Star Wars stories, which actually stretches back 40 years. However, the Lucasfilm president also insisted that they still want to hear original stories that could expand and take the Star Wars universe down a different avenue than they previously envisioned.

“In the next six or eight months we will have some meetings about the stories that we will develop here. After 40 years of adventures, fans have so much information and so many theories about the way that can take these stories and theories that emerge are sometimes new ideas for us that we hear, read and pay attention to everything what is said. It is clear that the franchise is owned by the as much by the fans as it’s owned by [the people at Lucasfilm].”

These remarks echo Kathleen Kennedy’s previous comments to Fandango, as she unsurprisingly insisted that she sees many, many more Star Wars films after Episode IX.

However, Kathleen Kennedy admitted that she’s still not certain if that will include a further exploration of the Skywalker saga, as she confessed that they might actually stick to George Lucas’ intended nine movie schedule for this story.

“I certainly foresee movies past nine. Whether or not we carry on the Skywalker saga… you know, George always intended nine movies, and whether we continue that or not is something we’re talking about right now. If the story warrants it, we’ll absolutely do it. If it actually inspires new ideas, then we’ll probably head in that direction. We just don’t know yet.”

Kathleen Kennedy doesn’t expect a decision to be reached regarding the precise future of the Star Wars saga to actually be reached anytime soon, though. In fact, Kathleen Kennedy believes that an announcement won’t be made during 2017, but it will certainly be made in 2018, though.

There have been a variety of rumors over recent months regarding the possible direction that the Star Wars franchise will take in future years. The most fervent speculation has been over a possible Obi-Wan Kenobi film, which would be set in between Revenge Of The Sith and A New Hope. Ewan McGregor, who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Phantom Menace, Attack Of The Clones, and Revenge Of The Sith, has already declared his hope to star in such a film, and he will now be waiting patiently for news.

[Featured Image by Lucasfilm]