A long-awaited Star Wars project may have found its director. According to one Hollywood scooper, we also know who it is not.
On Monday, Caleb Williams reported on X that a director has been selected for the new trilogy written by Simon Kinberg. However, Williams claimed that Kinberg himself was never considered for the position.
Small Tidbit…A director has been found for the new #StarWars trilogy by screenwriter Simon Kinberg. Kinberg wasn’t considered.
Production is picking up steam FAST and could begin filming as early as next year. pic.twitter.com/0pmh4DgFyr
— Caleb Williams (@KnightGambit) September 21, 2026
That may not come as a surprise. Kinberg is a prolific writer and producer whose credits include Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Guy Ritchie’s first Sherlock Holmes film, and several X-Men projects for Fox.
However, his only feature-film directing credits are X-Men: Dark Phoenix and The 355. Both were major box-office disappointments.
Simon Kinberg’s Star Wars Trilogy Remains in Development
Kinberg signed with Lucasfilm in 2024 to write and produce a new Star Wars trilogy. At the time, conflicting reports emerged about whether the films would continue the Skywalker Saga or launch an entirely new story.
According to Variety, Kinberg already had an extensive working relationship with the studio.
In 2012, he was reportedly brought in to help develop Disney’s Star Wars sequel trilogy alongside Michael Arndt and Lawrence Kasdan. Much of their early planning was ultimately abandoned.
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in The Force Awakens (2015), Lucasfilm
READ: Spike Lee Refuses to Comment on Paramount Warner Bros. Merger – “I Gotta Make Some More Movies”
Six years later, Kathleen Kennedy hired Kinberg to work with James Mangold on a Boba Fett film. However, the disappointing box-office performance of Solo: A Star Wars Story led Lucasfilm to shelve its planned standalone projects.
Between 2014 and 2018, Kinberg also worked with Dave Filoni and Carrie Beck on the popular animated series Star Wars Rebels.
Little was heard about the new trilogy following its initial announcement. The silence led to speculation that it might join the long list of announced Star Wars projects that never reached production.
However, during her January 2026 exit interview with Deadline, Kennedy assured fans that Kinberg was still actively developing the films.
Leslye Headland, Dave Filoni, and Kathleen Kennedy – Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
READ: Star Wars Quietly Removes Hope for a Mandalorian and Grogu Novel After Box Office Failure
“He wrote something that we read in August, and it was very good, but not there,” she said. “We’ve pretty much upended the story, and then spent a great deal of time on the treatment, which he finished literally about four weeks ago. And it’s a very detailed treatment, like 70 pages. And so he is expected to give us something in March.”
There was never any official suggestion that Kinberg would also direct. Nevertheless, the latest rumor appears to eliminate that possibility entirely.
Who Could Direct the New Star Wars Trilogy?
The claim that a director has already been selected is noteworthy. If that filmmaker will oversee all three movies, Lucasfilm may be attempting to preserve a more consistent creative vision than it maintained during the sequel trilogy.
Fans are now wondering who may have accepted the daunting assignment.
Kinberg recently served as a producer on Edgar Wright’s remake of The Running Man, leading some online observers to suggest the British filmmaker. However, nothing currently connects Wright to the project beyond his professional relationship with Kinberg.
James Mangold and Dave Filoni onstage during the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 – Kate Green/Getty Images for Disney
READ: WGA Settles Paramount-Warner Bros. Lawsuit as Final Legal Roadblock to Massive Merger Falls
James Mangold has also been mentioned because of his previous work with the writer and producer. However, his announced Star Wars project, Dawn of the Jedi, is reportedly “dead.” Mangold has also accepted a new project at Paramount Skydance.
Shawn Levy is currently completing post-production on Star Wars: Starfighter and already has another film lined up at Netflix.
Meanwhile, Dave Filoni’s responsibilities as Lucasfilm co-president may make it difficult for him to direct an entire feature-film trilogy.
Following the failure of The Mandalorian & Grogu, at least one X user argued that Christopher Nolan is the only filmmaker capable of saving Star Wars. While Nolan would undoubtedly generate enormous interest, there is no indication that he would be inclined to return to franchise work.
@starwars Since Mandalorian and Grogu has failed on the box office we need a Cristopher Nolan Star Wars trilogy it’s the only director that can save the franchise.
— Kaze Ryuu (@KazeRyuu5) June 5, 2026
Until Disney or Lucasfilm makes an official announcement, the director’s identity remains firmly within the realm of rumor and speculation.
Still, if the report is accurate, selecting a filmmaker would represent a significant step toward getting Kinberg’s trilogy into production. Lucasfilm has announced numerous Star Wars movies that never escaped development, so attaching a director may offer fans some reassurance. The identity of that filmmaker, however, could reveal far more about the studio’s plans than Kinberg’s involvement alone.
Who do you think is directing Simon Kinberg’s Star Wars trilogy? Sound off and let us know!
