'Star Wars' movies on hiatus after 'The Rise of Skywalker,' Disney CEO says
Disney CEO Bob Iger on Thursday said the lucrative “Star Wars” film franchise will go on a “bit of a hiatus” after the upcoming conclusion of its latest trilogy.
Star Wars: Episode IX is titled “The Rise of Skywalker” and is set to hit theaters on Dec. 20, concluding a three-film arc, as well as a broader story that Disney executives have dubbed the “Skywalker saga.” The company unveiled the film's title at a fan event in Chicago on Friday. Disney has yet to announce a roadmap for the future of “Star Wars” films.
“We have not announced any specific plans for movies thereafter,” Iger told Bloomberg “There are movies in development, but we have not announced them.”
Iger said Disney will “take a pause, some time, and reset,” after Episode IX’s release, adding that “there will be other Star Wars movies, but there will be a bit of a hiatus.”
The latest “Star Wars” trilogy has had massive success at the box office. “The Force Awakens” earned strong reviews and grossed more than $2 billion worldwide in 2015, while “The Last Jedi” generated more than $1.3 billion.
However, Disney’s attempts at “Star Wars” spin-off films have been less successful. “Rogue One,” a prequel to the franchise’s original trilogy, rallied from a troubled production cycle to earn more than $1 billion worldwide. But “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” based on the exploits of a young Han Solo, drew poor reviews from critics and became the lowest-grossing “Star Wars” film in history.
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While the next “Star Wars” film after “The Rise of Skywalker” may be years away, Disney still has immediate plans for the franchise. At least two “Star Wars” television shows are already in the works for Disney’s new streaming service, and executives have tapped director Rian Johnson to develop a new trilogy at some point in the future.
