It’s been nearly a decade since Rogue One reshaped the Star Wars story with a sharp departure from the Skywalkers and Tatooine. Now its director, Gareth Edwards, is officially moving on.
In a new interview with Business Insider, Edwards, who recently directed Jurassic World: Rebirth, which hit theatres over the Fourth of July weekend, made it crystal clear that he’s done directing Star Wars movies
“I’m very happy to move on and do my thing,” he said when asked about returning. “It’s the thing that was in my life before I knew what a film was.”
Edwards is, however, grateful for the ongoing love Rogue One receives, especially thanks to shows like Andor.
“It’s like your mom; it’s like something that's a part of you,” he reflected.
When Rogue One debuted in 2016 following Disney’s 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm, it was a gritty departure from the Jedi-centered Skywalker saga. Its focus on a ragtag team, wartime sacrifice, and moral grayness won it praise in the fandom and at the box office.
Now, nearly a decade on, it’s still considered one of Disney’s strongest Star Wars outings.
During the recent sitdown, Edwards stressed that instant reactions don’t always define a movie’s legacy.
“It’s not about how people feel the day it gets released, it’s how people feel about it 10, 20 years from now… It’s the kid who comes up to you 20 years from now and goes, ‘Oh my god, I loved that movie!’”
Edwards also clarified that his departure isn’t about bitterness whatsoever. He spoke fondly of working with writers like Tony Gilroy, who went on to develop the fan-favorite sophomore season of Andor, and confirmed he wasn’t sidelined during reshoots. He said walking away from the Star Wars realm feels natural at this point in his career trajectory.
Now, Edwards has been focused on digging deep into Jurassic World: Rebirth, adding another mega-franchise to his roster without looking back at the Rebel Alliance.
Edwards isn’t the only Star Wars director who has chosen to move on. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, originally announced as the writers of a prequel trilogy, officially stepped away in 2019. That decision was reportedly shaped by scheduling conflicts and fan pressure.
With few directors locked in, and a stronger emphasis on streaming series like Mandalorian and Ahsoka, Lucasfilm may be entering an era defined more by characters like Din Djarin, Ahsoka, and Grogu than by the Skywalkers on the silver screen.
To that end, the next confirmed Star Wars film is Dave Filoni and John Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu, slated to hit theatres on May 26, 2026.
Gareth Edwards gave Star Wars fans an unforgettable standalone chapter. Returning, though, seems to go against what he’s craving as a filmmaker. He wants fresh challenges, new worlds, and unexplored stories.
In Edwards’s world, it’s the long game that matters, and his Star Wars chapter has already been written.
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