Posted in: Disney+, Lucasfilm, Movies, Star Wars, TV | Tagged: simon kinberg, star wars

Star Wars: Simon Kinberg Cites Which Film And Show Are Inspiring Him

Simon Kinberg is using The Empire Strikes Back and Andor as guides to help him find the right balance between epic and intimate in his new Star Wars trilogy.

Star Wars is currently making its way back to the big screen after being absent from movie theaters since the end of 2019. It seemed like everyone involved at Lucasfilm took a step back to reevaluate everything that was going on in a galaxy far, far away, and a lot of projects were put on hold or quietly canceled. However, they started announcing new projects. And then they announced some more. Then three more at Star Wars Celebration. And another went into production this week. Before the hiatus from the big screen, there were a lot of projects with no movement floating around out there, and it appeared we were flying back into familiar skies.

In November 2024, it announced that Simon Kinberg is set to write and produce a new Star Wars trilogy of films. The announcement of a new trilogy right out of the gate was something we hadn't seen since the end of 2017 with The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson, and we all know how that is going. Star Wars: Starfighter, from director Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, just went into production this week, and The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theaters in 2026. We haven't heard much about the new trilogy, and Kinberg really couldn't share much when he was asked by ScreenRant if he had anything to share, but his experience on the AppleTV+  Invasion will inform his process.

"I will say that I've learned so many things from working on Invasion, or honed a lot of things working on Invasion," Kinberg explained. "And I think that the thing that I carry with me from Invasion into anything that I do, Star Wars included, would be finding a balance between big, epic science fiction storytelling with really intimate, dramatic character work."

"My favorite of the Star Wars movies is Empire Strikes Back, and it's because the balance between the epic and the intimate is so strong in that they're such personal stories," Kinberg revealed. "The stakes are really personal, and yet, obviously, there's all kinds of great science fiction. I think Andor did an extraordinary job of that, as well. It was such an emotional, intense, personal show that also had, obviously, massive stakes to it, and politics, and all of that."

The lack of Rogue One on that list is a mark against you, Simon, but you also have the correct opinion on what the best Star Wars TV show is, so I'll allow it.

The Many Star Wars Films In Development

In April 2023, at Star Wars Celebration, the franchise went from being utterly absent from the big screen to jumping back into movie theaters in a big way. Three projects were announced on stage that day, along with several other projects hanging around in varying levels of development. One of the films that seemed ready to get off the ground was Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's film, which will feature the return of Rey. However, when Jon Favreau joined the ranks, and The Mandalorian & Grogu went into and wrapped production in 2024, it's unclear where Daisy Ridley's return to the big screen falls on this suddenly hectic timeline. The Mandalorian & Grogu will be released on May 22, 2026. Dave Filoni is using his film as a final wrap-up to all of the television shows. So, all seasons need to be released before that can happen.

James Mangold brought on a new writer for his film in July 2024, which reportedly has a working title of Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi. Mangold, back in January 2025, spoke about how freeing it is to write a story that takes place so far away from established canon. Taika Waititi has said he's in no rush to get his film, which was first announced in May 2020, off the ground and is still in the scripting phase as of November 2023. At Star Wars Celebration 2025, we learned the title of director Shawn Levy's film, Star Wars: Starfighter. It was confirmed that Ryan Gosling will star, and the film will be released on May 28, 2027. The rest of the cast was announced at the end of August 2025 when production officially started. 

Even though Solo: A Star Wars Story underperformed at the box office, everyone loved Donald Glover as Lando, and his Lando TV show switched to a movie in July 2023. Also, supposedly, Rian Johnson wants to return to a galaxy far, far away when he's not making awesome mystery TV shows and movies. Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron was removed from the schedule in September 2022, but in March 2024, she claimed she was writing the film again and had signed a new deal with Lucasfilm to direct the movie.

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