Timeline Tracker: Every Star Wars Movie Project Mentioned by Kathleen Kennedy — What’s Still Alive?

Hook: Want one clear readout of every Star Wars movie Kathleen Kennedy named — and what actually still exists?

If your morning scroll ends in a dozen headlines and zero clarity, welcome to the definitive living timeline: every Star Wars movie project Kathleen Kennedy discussed as she left Lucasfilm, the real-time status of each one, which are paused, and what could realistically happen next. This is for commuters, creators, and fans who want one concise briefing that mixes news and outcomes — not rumor churn.

Quick summary (most important first)

• James Mangold — Dawn of the Jedi: Script praised, on hold (Jan 2026).
• Taika Waititi film: Script reportedly finished; development exists but not actively moving into production.
• Donald Glover — Lando: Script reportedly finished; status unclear but back burner compared with top-priority projects.
• Steven Soderbergh + Adam Driver — Ben Solo: Finished script but described as on the back burner.
• Daisy Ridley / Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy — Rey standalone: Announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023, curiously omitted from Kennedy’s exit rundown; status uncertain.
• 2023 slate & other films: Kennedy has described the slate as "pretty far along," but leadership change means each title will be re-evaluated under new bosses (early 2026).

Why this living timeline matters (and why it changes daily)

You want a single place to check whether Mangold’s ancient-Jedi epic is dead, whether Taika’s irreverent take is actually filming, and whether Daisy Ridley still has a movie coming. That’s the pain point: fragmentation across reports and social posts. This article is a curated, timestamped readout — updated to reflect Kathleen Kennedy’s January 2026 exit interview and the leadership shuffle that followed.

"We're pretty far along... Jim Mangold and Beau Willimon wrote an incredible script, but it is on hold." — Kathleen Kennedy, Jan 2026 (Deadline)

Living timeline — project-by-project readout

1) James Mangold — "Dawn of the Jedi" (Status: ON HOLD) — update: Jan 2026

What Kennedy said: Mangold and Beau Willimon wrote an "incredible" script. But it's "on hold" given how it breaks the mold (Deadline, Jan 2026).

Context: The project was pitched as a sweeping, 25,000-years-before-A New Hope story exploring the origins of the Force and first Jedi. Mangold's approach is reportedly historical in tone — a tonal risk for a franchise that alternates blockbuster spectacle with intimate character pieces.

Why it’s paused: Leadership change and risk tolerance. New Lucasfilm leadership (early 2026) will reassess whether a high-concept origin movie fits the strategic plan for theatrical and streaming windows.

What to watch for:

• Director or writer statements on social channels or trades (Mangold or Willimon interviews).
• Payroll entries or major crew union filings (first public sign of preproduction).
• Official Lucasfilm scheduling announcements or Disney investor calls.

Potential outcomes: Shelved indefinitely; retooled as a limited series (lower risk); revived with larger franchise alignment after Filoni-era review. Realistic timeline if revived: 18–36 months to production.

2) Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie (Status: DEVELOPMENT / NOT FILMING)

What Kennedy said: Scripts exist for this film, among others, but having a script doesn't guarantee go-ahead in the current climate (Polygon, Deadline early 2026).

Context: Waititi’s voice — irreverent, subversive, visually inventive — offers a tonal palette that could be a hit or a mismatch depending on studio appetite. By 2025 the industry favored lower-risk IP plays, so Waititi’s distinct voice may be kept but re-scoped.

What to watch for: Taika’s social posts, casting notices, and whether the project is billed as theatrical or a Disney+ tentpole.

Potential outcomes: Proceed as a film if leadership wants auteur-driven standouts; convert to a limited series to preserve creative control while reducing theatrical risk.

3) Donald Glover — "Lando" (Status: SCRIPT COMPLETE / ON BACK BURNER)

What Kennedy said: The Lando movie has a finished script, but it isn’t an immediate priority (Polygon, Jan 2026).

Context: Glover’s take on the suave scoundrel drew early excitement. Scripts being finished is a meaningful milestone, but financing, scheduling, and strategic fit determine next steps.

Potential outcomes: Greenlit if leadership aims to bolster theatrical event titles; else paused or adapted into a streaming event season focused on character and world-building.

4) Steven Soderbergh + Adam Driver — Ben Solo / Solo-centric project (Status: BACK BURNER)

What Kennedy said: Despite a strong script by Scott Burns, the Ben Solo project is on the back burner (Polygon, Jan 2026).

Context: High-profile collaborators with star power don’t always guarantee forward motion; the market response to recent Star Wars theatrical releases and Disney’s strategic pivot means caution.

Potential outcomes: Delayed indefinitely, or possibly reimagined as a psychological limited series deep-diving into Ben Solo’s fall and redemption.

5) Daisy Ridley & Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy — Rey standalone (Status: UNCLEAR / NOT MENTIONED)

Background: Announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023, Ridley and Sharmeen’s film was promised as an origin/next-chapter for Rey Skywalker. Notably, Kennedy didn’t mention the project in her Jan 2026 exit interview — that omission is meaningful.

Why the omission matters: If a studio leader omits a previously heralded project from a status rundown, it often signals a re-evaluation or effective pause. Kennedy’s silence doesn’t equal cancellation, but it raises red flags.

Potential outcomes: Reassessment under new leadership — likely either delayed, retooled, or quietly moved to a development holding pattern until Ridley and Obaid-Chinoy confirm involvement.

How industry trends in 2024–2026 shape these outcomes

The early-2020s streaming wars gave way to a 2024–2026 era defined by profitability, consolidation, and portfolio pruning. Studios prioritized projects with predictable returns or that could build long-lived streaming franchises. For Star Wars, which must juggle global theatrical appeal with serialized Disney+ storytelling, that means:

• Fewer experimental tentpoles — riskier auteur films face higher gatekeeping.
• Higher preference for serialized storytelling — successful shows (e.g., The Mandalorian-era spin-offs) made limited series a lower-risk way to expand lore.
• Leadership reviews after any executive change can pause, cancel, or repurpose projects while slates are rebalanced.

Practical, actionable advice — what fans and creators can do now

Here’s a clear checklist you can act on today to stay ahead of true status changes (and avoid rumor traps):

1. Set three journalist alerts: Follow Deadline, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter. Configure Google Alerts for “Kathleen Kennedy Star Wars” and specific project names.
2. Follow primary sources: Official Lucasfilm and Disney press pages, plus the personal handles of directors (Mangold, Taika, Soderbergh) and lead actors (Ridley, Glover, Driver). For direct interview context, track primary-source interviews and creator roundups.
3. Use production trackers: production trackers and industry platforms (IMDbPro, Production Weekly) and union call boards will flag when a project moves into preproduction.
4. Watch for scheduling signals: Disney investor days and release-calendar updates are where decisions surface for public consumption.
5. Join curated communities: Subreddits, Discord servers, and specialty newsletters (subscribe to morning briefings that consolidate signals). Community streams and local events can aggregate demand — see examples of micro-popups & community streams that help surface grassroots interest.

Probable scenario map (short-term to long-term)

Below are realistic paths each project could take under current conditions and the estimated timelines:

• Immediate 90 days: Leadership re-evaluation; public statements that some projects are "under review" or delayed.
• Next 6 months: Scripts may be mothballed or reassigned; casting and director contracts renegotiated or let lapse.
• 12–36 months: Feasible revival window if the franchise opts to greenlight a film — expect 18–36 months from greenlight to release for theatrical tentpoles, 12–24 months for limited series.

Which projects are most likely to survive the shake-up?

Use three criteria to judge survivability: script readiness, talent attachment, and strategic fit.

• High chance: Projects with finished scripts and bankable director/actor attachment can be revived quickly if the strategy favors fewer big releases (e.g., Donald Glover’s Lando if Disney wants a character-driven theatrical).
• Medium chance: Taika’s film — high profile and creatively desirable, but depends on whether Lucasfilm wants an auteur voice on the big screen.
• Low chance: Projects described as "breaking the mold" (Mangold) or those Kennedy explicitly placed on the back burner (Soderbergh/Ben Solo) without immediate studio need.

Signals that a project has been retooled rather than canceled

Here are seven real-world indicators that a movie is being transformed into a series or preserved quietly:

• Writers’ room credits or mentions of multiple-episode arcs in trade coverage.
• Dialogues between Lucasfilm and Disney+ executives emphasizing serialized content.
• Joining of showrunners known for television rather than film.
• Less emphasis on theatrical release dates; more on Disney+ windows in press releases.
• Contract changes for lead talent explicitly allowing for TV delivery.
• Budget and staffing patterns that match an episodic production.
• Official language like "project being re-envisioned as a limited series."

What creators need to know

If you’re a writer, director, or actor watching these developments, don’t treat a pause as failure. Instead:

• Keep IP attachments public but flexible — a credit on a paused project can open doors elsewhere. See playbooks for creator-led strategies that reuse momentum across formats.
• Document your script drafts and register them; finished scripts are valuable even if repurposed.
• Network with showrunners and producers, because many film concepts live again as limited series — and micro-launch tactics can help demonstrate audience interest (micro-event sprints and story-led launches are practical ways to surface demand).

Final readout: What to expect next (next 90 days to 12 months)

With Kennedy’s departure in Jan 2026 and new leadership taking the helm, the immediate months will be administrative. Expect:

• Public status posts that reclassify some projects as "under review" or "development on pause."
• Priority given to projects that align with Filoni-era continuity (if Lucasfilm doubles down on serialized storytelling).
• Possible announcements of conversions to Disney+ limited series as a risk mitigation step, especially for projects described as "breaking the mold."

Actionable takeaways — what to do right now

• Subscribe to a single reliable morning briefing (yes — ours) to get consolidated, verified updates without rumor noise. We surface verified moves and source links rather than speculation; see how other creator newsletters and partnership writeups changed discovery recently (creator partnership trends).
• Set three targeted alerts: a trades feed (Deadline/Variety), official Lucasfilm press, and one key talent handle.
• If a project matters to you, amplify constructive signals: polite petitions and creative fan responses can demonstrate demand, but avoid harassment campaigns — they backfire. Consider organized community events or local screenings (see playbooks for converting grassroots activity into sustained signals).

Closing verdict

Short version: several high-profile Star Wars movie projects Kathleen Kennedy mentioned are not dead, but many are paused. The projects with finished scripts (Mangold, Glover, Waititi, Soderbergh/Ben Solo) are in storage: valuable, but not guaranteed to launch as films. Expect some to be repurposed, some to be revived when fiscal and strategic conditions align, and others to remain indefinite holds.

Why we’ll keep this timeline live: The landscape is changing quickly as Lucasfilm’s new leadership rebalances theatrical ambition with streaming economics. This timeline is a living readout — updated with each verified trade report and official Lucasfilm release so fans and creators can plan the right expectations.

Call to action

Want this timeline in your inbox every morning? Subscribe to our Morning Briefs for a curated, trustworthy snapshot of the Star Wars slate and pop-culture headlines. Follow our verified track logs and get alerts when a project moves from "on hold" to "in production." Join the conversation and help shape what creators and studios hear — constructively.

Related Reading

• Mobile Micro-Studio Evolution in 2026: CanoeTV’s Playbook
• Micro-Pop-Ups & Community Streams: How Local Game Nights Monetized in 2026
• Story-Led Launches: How Creators Use Emotional AOV to Supercharge Hype Drops in 2026
• Micro-Event Launch Sprint: A 30-Day Playbook for Creator Shops
• How to Spot Wellness Gadgets That Are Just Trendy — A Skeptic’s Guide
• PowerBlock vs Bowflex: A True Cost-Per-Pound Comparison of Adjustable Dumbbells
• Avoid the Postcode Penalty: Shipping & Delivery Tips for Buying Kashmiri Saffron and Dry Fruits Online
• Dry January for Families: Alcohol-Free Celebration Ideas for Baby Showers and First Birthdays
• Fashion, Memes, and Misreading: How Trend Reporting Can Avoid Stereotypes