Hollywood Reporter Says a “Sequel-Sequel Trilogy” Feels Inevitable — and Honestly, They Might Be Right

For years, Lucasfilm has treated the post-Rise of Skywalker future like an awkward family dinner conversation.

Everyone knows it’s going to come up. Nobody wants to be the first to bring it up.

But now The Hollywood Reporter is doing something the Star Wars industry press rarely does: saying the quiet part out loud.

A “sequel-sequel trilogy” — basically Episodes X, XI and XII — doesn’t just feel possible. It feels inevitable.

And while that idea isn’t confirmed by Lucasfilm, it’s suddenly the kind of “obvious next step” that’s getting harder to ignore.

Why this matters now

Star Wars is entering a strange new phase.

Not because there’s a shortage of projects — but because there’s a shortage of certainty.

Some movies are reportedly on hold. Some are being reworked. The Disney+ side continues to expand, but theatrical Star Wars still lacks what Marvel has always had:

A clear flagship plan that tells audiences, this is the main story.

That’s why the concept of Episodes X–XII is so tempting. It would instantly answer the biggest strategic problem Lucasfilm has had since 2019:

What is Star Wars actually building toward in theaters?

What The Hollywood Reporter said

THR frames the solution as the simplest one.

As they put it:

“Given the vocal desire for Soderbergh’s Kylo Ren movie, Driver’s excitement, and petitions to bring Ben Solo back, the most obvious answer to the future of Star Wars might be the simplest – make Star Wars Episodes X, XI and XII.”

It’s not an announcement. It’s a suggestion — but it’s a suggestion coming from a major industry outlet, not a Reddit thread.

And that matters.

Our take: “Episodes X–XII” isn’t a creative idea — it’s a marketing weapon

Here’s the key point: the words Episode X do more work than any trailer ever could.

A movie titled Star Wars: Something Something sounds optional.

But Star Wars: Episode X doesn’t feel optional. It feels like history continuing.

That’s the real reason this is being discussed in industry circles. Not because the sequel trilogy needs another trilogy…

…but because Lucasfilm needs a theatrical identity again.

Disney+ gives Star Wars volume.

Episodes give it gravity.

Kinberg changes everything (and makes THR’s suggestion feel less random)

THR’s “inevitable trilogy” argument lands harder because there’s already one major puzzle piece on the table:

Simon Kinberg is developing what’s being described as “a new trilogy” of Star Wars movies.

That phrase alone shifts expectations. A trilogy isn’t a one-off experiment. It’s a plan.

Now, this part is important:

What’s confirmed

• Kinberg is working on a Star Wars trilogy (as reported in major trades)

What’s rumored

• That Rey could be involved

What’s NOT confirmed (and must be labeled speculation)

• That Kinberg’s trilogy = Episodes X–XII

But here’s why people are connecting the dots anyway:

If Lucasfilm is already making “a new trilogy,” why wouldn’t they take the branding win and call it Episodes X–XII?

It would instantly:

• signal importance
• drive mainstream attention
• create a clean narrative bridge after Episode IX

The real reason Lucasfilm has been hesitant: sequel trilogy baggage

Let’s be honest. There’s a reason Lucasfilm hasn’t already announced Episode X.

Numbered Episodes don’t just reopen the story.

They reopen the argument.

A sequel-sequel trilogy would immediately reignite debates over:

• whether Ben Solo should return
• how Rey is positioned going forward
• if the sequel era deserves continuation or correction
• and whether Star Wars can ever stop being a referendum on itself

That’s the danger.

But it’s also the opportunity — because controversy is loud, and loud is discoverable.

What a sequel-sequel trilogy would actually need to work

If Episodes X–XII really do happen (again: not confirmed), they can’t be built on vibes. They need structure.

The sequel trilogy didn’t fail because of actors or visuals. It struggled because it didn’t feel like a single unified plan.

So the next trilogy would need what the last one didn’t fully have:

• a locked outline from day one
• a consistent tone
• a clear thematic destination
• and a story that doesn’t lean entirely on nostalgia to carry it

In other words: if Lucasfilm makes Episodes X–XII, they won’t just be making movies.

They’ll be trying to restore trust.

The Takeaway: THR isn’t predicting the future — they’re describing the inevitable business move

This is why THR’s “inevitable” framing is so interesting.

They’re not saying Lucasfilm has announced Episodes X–XII.

They’re saying that given how franchises work now, and given the way Star Wars has drifted since Episode IX…

…the simplest solution will eventually win.

That doesn’t mean it happens tomorrow.

But it does mean the idea of Episodes X–XII is no longer just fan conversation.

It’s becoming industry logic.

And when Star Wars becomes business logic, it usually isn’t far behind.

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