For all of the crazy sci-fi adventures and mysticism that we have seen from the Star Wars universe over the course of the last four decades, the series has remained predicated on a very simple idea: family. The Skywalkers have acted as the focal point for most of the iconic Star Wars stories, and that tradition will continue into Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi. So where does it end? Is there any intention to move beyond the Skywalker family's constant drama in future Star Wars movies after the current trilogy? According to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, it's possible, but a decision has not been made yet. Kennedy said:
I certainly foresee movies past nine. Whether or not we carry on the Skywalker saga... you know, George always intended nine movies, and whether we continue that or not is something we're talking about right now. If the story warrants it, we'll absolutely do it. If it actually inspires new ideas, then we'll probably head in that direction. We just don't know yet.
While George Lucas may have initially intended for the Skywalker family saga to last nine movies, Kathleen Kennedy's recent comments to Fandango at Star Wars Celebration Orlando seem to indicate that there's an avenue for more. As of right now, the intention appears to be for Disney and Lucasfilm to gracefully wrap up Luke Skywalker's story by the time Episode IX debuts in 2019, and then from there they will regroup and decide whether or not to continue with the Skywalker family as the central anchor of the Star Wars universe.
At this point, the most significant deciding factor in this situation is whether or not Daisy Ridley's Rey is a Skywalker herself. If she is, then the Skywalker family will likely continue its overwhelming importance in the Star Wars universe. If she is not a Skywalker, it will be easy to foresee Disney and Lucasfilm retiring the family altogether. Only time will tell.
There are a couple of different ways to take this revelation. On the one hand, it makes sense to continue focusing on the Skywalker family, as their lineage has always been the focal point of the Star Wars universe. Having said that, the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy already gave us almost everything that we could need from the Skywalkers, and the new trilogy seems to be wrapping up Luke and Leia's stories to set up a brand new generation of heroes. Between the success of Rogue One and many Expanded Universe properties like Knights of the Old Republic, there's ample precedent for the Star Wars universe to thrive without the direct presence of a Skywalker, so it might simply be a better option to retire the iconic family and move on to a new set of heroes.
Of course, this decision is still a long way off, as Luke and Leia will remain central players in the Star Wars universe at least through The Last Jedi. Check out the recently released trailer for the latest Star Wars movie below.
We will bring you more information related to the future of the Skywalker family as more details become available to us. The Last Jedi will debut in theaters later this year on December 15, 2017.
