Lucasfilm has announced there’s a new Star Wars trilogy on the way

Lucasfilm has announced there will be an all-new Star Wars trilogy set in a galaxy far, far away which will be written and directed by Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson.

The new trilogy will reportedly involve the new characters introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens including Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren and Poe Dameron.

It is understood the new films will be separate to the episodic Skywalker saga and will introduce a whole cast of new characters from an area of the Star Wars universe that is yet to be explored.

Johnson wrote and directed Star Wars Episode XIII – The Last Jedi which opens in theatres on December 14.

“We all loved working with Rian on The Last Jedi,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm.

“He’s a creative force, and watching him craft The Last Jedi from start to finish was one of the great joys of my career.

“Rian will do amazing things with the blank canvas of this new trilogy.”

So it appears, on the strength of The Last Jedi which is yet to open in theatres, Johnson was given the seal of approval to create the new Star Wars trilogy.

“We had the time of our lives collaborating with Lucasfilm and Disney on The Last Jedi,” Johnson said in a statement.

“Star Wars is the greatest modern mythology and we feel very lucky to have contributed to it. We can’t wait to continue with this new series of films.”

Johnson will write and direct the films with long-time collaborator Ram Bergman.

No release dates for the new Star Wars trilogy have been announced.

Solo: A Star Wars Story – a film covering lovable rogue Han Solo’s back story directed by Ron Howard – will be released on May 25, 2018.