There's still a long way to go before we get to Star Wars: Episode 9, but already some important questions are being asked. Any answers will depend on the performance of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and other standalone movies. At this point we don't know whether audiences will treat them like normal 'Episode' films or something they can skip. It's a lot to consider, because at some point they're going to have to figure what to do after 'Episode 9'. Do they launch into another trilogy? Or, as Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy teases to EW, do they ditch the 'Episode' format altogether?
“That’s a conversation going on right now, too. I have to honestly tell you, could we [do nothing but stand-alones]? Sure. But I don’t know. We are looking at all of that...There are [possible movies] that we have been talking a lot about,” she added. “But we are planning to sit down in January, since we will have had ‘The Force Awakens’ released, now ‘Rogue One,’ and we’ve finished shooting ‘Episode VIII.’ We have enough information where we can step back a little bit and say, What are we doing? What do we feel is exciting? And what are some of the things we want to explore?”
So no answers will be forthcoming, but I suspect we'll see a period of time with nothing but standalone movies. Then at some point in the future another trilogy will be launched.
Meanwhile, you remember that guy Josh Trank? The one who crapped the bed with Fantastic Four then quit/was fired from his Star Wars spinoff gig? Well you'll recall it was supposed to be a story about bounty hunter Boba Fett, possibly an origin or early mission he was on. What we didn't know is that before Trank left, he had done enough to actually complete a teaser that would have been shown at Star Wars Celebration 2015 to coincide with the film's official announcement. I don't condone hacking, but somebody needs to get in there and leak that footage.
Regardless of what the future holds we're probably going to see that Boba Fett movie complete at some point, along with many others. Next up is 'Rogue One', followed by 'Episode 8'and then Phil Lord and Chris Miller have their Han Solo movie, followed the 'Episode 9'. After that, the possibilities are wide open, and that is kind of exciting.
