Your Complete Guide To The Star Wars Cinematic Universe

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a young filmmaker named George Lucas wrote and directed his third feature-length film, titled Star Wars. Against all expectation, it became a giant theatrical and cultural hit – to the extent that it was later re-titled as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, to allow for a franchise to be built around it. We're now in the third and most ambitious phase of this franchise, and it's shaping up to be an endeavour that will expand the Star Wars universe beyond the wildest dreams of even the most ardent fan. So, here we have all the details of every entry into the cinematic Star Wars series. You can find everything you need to know about the films already released, and those that are still in development – safe in the knowledge that this feature is regularly updated with all the latest announcements. Read on for more, or skip ahead to a specific section using the buttons below. Original Trilogy Prequel Trilogy Sequel Trilogy Anthology Films Original Trilogy Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope Released: May 25th, 1977 Runtime: 2hrs 1min Directed by: George Lucas Written by: George Lucas Starring: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, Peter Cushing, Denis Lawson. Significant characters introduced: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo, Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Rebel Force Wedge. Notable universe developments: Princess Leia joins forces with Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Chewbacca in an attempt to prevent the Empire’s use of a terrifying weapon; Luke is introduced to The Force; Luke achieves his ambition of becoming a fighter pilot and destroys the Death Star. Note: The 1997 re-release of the film contains a previously deleted scene featuring Jabba the Hutt. Opening crawl: “It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships striking from a hidden base have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armoured space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet. Pursued by the Empire’s sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy...” A ship carrying Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) is captured by Imperial forces, but she has successfully hidden the stolen Death Star plans in the memory banks of R2-D2 – an astromech droid. R2-D2 escapes to Tatooine with the protocol droid C-3PO – only to be captured by Jawa traders. These traders sell the droids to farmers Owen and Beru Lars, and their nephew Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) – of whom they are guardians. Luke finds a message from Leia saved in R2-D2, in which she addresses Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) – so Luke sets out to find him, with R2-D2. In doing so, he learns of The Force, the Jedi Knights and the fact that his father – Anakin – was a Jedi along with Obi-Wan. Giving Luke a lightsaber, Obi-Wan tells him that his father was killed by Darth Vader. Imperial forces murder Owen and Beru Lars, and Luke accompanies Obi-Wan as he hires the smugglers Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) to take them to Leia’s home of Alderaan in the Millennium Falcon to deliver the stolen Death Star plans. When they arrive, they find the planet has been destroyed. Captured by an Imperial tractor beam, the Millenium Falcon is taken aboard the Death Star, whereupon the team rescues Leia and Obi-Wan is killed. The Falcon makes a daring escape, although the team do not realize it now carries a tracking beacon that enables the Empire to follow them straight to the secret Rebel base. In the final battle, the Rebels suffer heavy losses, but Luke rises to the occasion, uses The Force and destroys the Death Star. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Released: May 21st, 1980 Runtime: 2hrs 4mins Directed by: Irvin Kershner Written by: George Lucas, Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan Starring: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Billy Dee Williams, Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, Frank Oz, Jeremy Bulloch, James Earl Jones, Denis Lawson. Significant characters introduced: Lando Calrissian, Yoda, Boba Fett, The Emperor. Notable universe developments: Luke develops his Jedi skills with Yoda; Lando Calrissian joins the team; Han is frozen in carbonite and taken to Jabba the Hutt; Luke discovers the identity of his father. Opening crawl: “It is a dark time for the Rebellion. Although the Death Star has been destroyed, Imperial troops have driven the Rebel forces from their hidden base and pursued them across the galaxy. Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighters led by Luke Skywalker has established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth. The evil lord Darth Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands of remote probes into the far reaches of space...” Three years after the events of Episode IV, the Rebels have established a new secret base on the ice planet of Hoth, under the leadership of Princess Leia. Darth Vader relentlessly sends probe droids throughout the galaxy to find them. On patrol, Luke is attacked by a large wampa, and must escape from its cave using his lightsaber. He succeeds, but soon collapses as a result of his injuries and the extreme conditions. He's rescued by Han Solo, but not before he has a vision of the late Obi-Wan Kenobi, telling him to travel to the Dagobah system to train with the legendary Jedi Master, Yoda (Frank Oz). The Rebel base is attacked, and the group splits up – Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO taking the Millennium Falcon to Cloud City on Bespin (followed by the bounty hunter, Boba Fett), and Luke and R2-D2 crash-landing on Dagobah in his X-wing. Han introduces his group to his old friend, Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), who runs Cloud City, but Lando is forced to betray them to Darth Vader and the group is taken into custody. Vader intends to use the group to lure Luke to their location, so that he can deliver Luke to the Emperor and make the Dark Side stronger. Luke sees a vision of Han and Leia in trouble and leaves Dagobah to save them. Vader betrays Lando and freezes Han Solo in carbonite – and Boba Fett then takes the slab to deliver to Jabba the Hutt, claiming his bounty. Lando helps the others escape, but they are unable to save Han. Luke arrives and battles Darth Vader, losing his right hand in the process and discovering that Vader is his father. On hearing this revelation, Luke falls from an air shaft and is rescued by his friends in the Millennium Falcon. Luke, Leia, C-3PO and R2-D2 are then left on a Rebel ship, while Lando and Chewbacca set off to rescue Han Solo. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return Of The Jedi Released: May 25th, 1983 Runtime: 2hrs 11mins Directed by: Richard Marquand Written by: George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan Starring: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Billy Dee Williams, Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, Ian McDiarmid, Frank Oz, Jeremy Bulloch, James Earl Jones, Denis Lawson, Warwick Davis, Tim Rose, Caroline Blakiston. Significant characters introduced: Jabba The Hutt, Admiral Ackbar, Wicket, Mon Mothma. Notable universe developments: Han is rescued; Leia kills Jabba the Hutt; Luke and Leia learn that they are twins; Yoda dies; the Empire tries to build a second Death Star; Darth Vader kills the Emperor; Darth Vader dies. Opening crawl: “Luke Skywalker has returned to his home planet of Tatooine in an attempt to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. Little does Luke know that the Galactic Empire has secretly begun construction on a new armoured space station more powerful than the dreaded Death Star. When completed, this ultimate weapon will spell certain doom for the small band of rebels struggling to restore freedom to the galaxy…” Leia infiltrates the palace of Jabba the Hutt by disguising herself as a bounty hunter, with Chewbacca as her prisoner. Lando is also present, disguised as a guard. Leia rescues Han, but is captured while doing so. Luke attempts a rescue, but Jabba decrees that the group of heroes will be thrown into the Great Pit of Carkoon, to be digested by the Sarlacc. The group manage to escape at the last minute, knocking bounty hunter Boba Fett into the pit instead. Leia – enslaved by Jabba the Hutt – strangles the mobster to death with her chains. The heroes return to the Rebel Alliance, while Luke travels back to Dagobah, where Yoda is dying. In his final moments, Yoda explains that Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader, but that he had another child, in addition to Luke. A vision of Obi-Wan Kenobi confirms to Luke that Leia is his twin sister, and that Luke must defeat the Empire without succumbing to the temptations of the Dark Side. It becomes apparent that the Emperor is supervising construction of a second Death Star. In order to destroy it, the team must disable the shield generator located on the forest moon of Endor. Luke shares his discoveries with Leia and departs to confront Vader. In their showdown, Luke tries to save Vader from the clutches of the Dark Side, while Vader tries to tempt Luke from the Light. As Han and his team attack the shield generator, and Lando and his team prepare to strike the Death Star, Vader learns that Leia is his daughter – forcing Luke to act to protect her. The Emperor attacks him with lightning, prompting Vader to intervene – and he kills his superior, while mortally wounding himself in the process. The Death Star is destroyed, Vader dies and there is celebration throughout the galaxy, as Han and Leia seem to embark on a relationship. Prequel Trilogy Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Released: May 19th, 1999 Runtime: 2hrs 16mins Directed by: George Lucas Written by: George Lucas Starring: Natalie Portman, Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Pernilla August, Ahmed Best, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Terence Stamp, Warwick Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Park, Peter Serafinowicz. Significant characters introduced: Qui-Gon Jinn, Queen Padme Amidala, Shmi Skywalker, Jar Jar Binks, Chancellor Valorum, Darth Maul, Mace Windu. Notable universe developments: Queen Amidala inadvertently helps Senator Palpatine get elected as Supreme Chancellor; Obi-Wan Kenobi takes Anakin Skywalker on as an apprentice. Opening crawl: “Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. Taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute. Hoping to resolve the matter with a blockade of deadly battleships, the greedy Trade Federation has stopped all shipping to the small planet of Naboo. While the Congress of the Republic endlessly debates this alarming chain of events, the Supreme Chancellor has secretly dispatched two Jedi Knights, the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, to settle the conflict…” The Trade Federation has established a blockade around the planet Naboo. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) are sent to negotiate its resolution, by Supreme Chancellor Valorum (Terence Stamp). The Sith Lord Darth Sidious secretly orders Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray to invade Naboo and kill the Jedi. Escaping, the Jedi Knights connect with the Gungan Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), whose people help the Jedi as they escape Naboo – rescuing Queen Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) in the process. Queen Amidala, the Jedi, Jar Jar Binks, and R2-D2 arrive on Tatooine for starship repairs, and meet nine year old slave Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd). Anakin is already a noted pilot and engineer, and has created the protocol droid, C-3PO. Qui-Gon Jinn senses that The Force is strong with Anakin, but that he needs guidance to prevent him from succumbing to the Dark Side. He defies the Jedi Council and takes the boy on as a student. Qui-Gon Jinn then saves Amidala from the Sith Lord, Darth Maul (Ray Park). Under the protection of the Jedi, Amidala heads to Coruscant to negotiate for Naboo with Chancellor Valorum. She is manipulated by Senator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), however, and paves the way for him to be elected as the new Supreme Chancellor. Amidala returns to Naboo and persuades the Gungan society to fight the Trade Federation. Anakin joins the fight, and Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi battle Darth Maul – leading to the death of Qui-Gon Jinn. Mourning his mentor, Obi-Wan agrees to train Anakin as a Jedi. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones Released: May 16th, 2002 Runtime: 2hrs 22mins Directed by: George Lucas Written by: George Lucas, Jonathan Hales Starring: Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, Ian McDiarmid, Pernilla August, Temuera Morrison, Jimmy Smits, Ahmed Best, Anthony Daniels, Daniel Logan, Kenny Baker, Liam Neeson Significant characters introduced: Count Dooku, Jango Fett, Senator Bail Organa Notable universe developments: Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker fall in love and secretly marry; Obi-Wan Kenobi discovers a Republic clone army; Anakin avenges the death of his mother by killing Tusken Raiders; Yoda fights Count Dooku; Count Dooku delivers the plans for a Death Star to Darth Sidious. Opening crawl: “There is unrest in the Galactic Senate. Several thousand solar systems have declared their intentions to leave the Republic. This Separatist movement, under the leadership of the mysterious Count Dooku, has made it difficult for the limited number of Jedi Knights to maintain peace and order in the galaxy. Senator Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo, is returning to the Galactic Senate to vote on the critical issue of creating an ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC to assist the overwhelmed Jedi…” Ten years have passed, and the Galactic Republic now finds itself under threat from Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) – a former Jedi Master – and the Separatist movement he is leading. Padme Amidala – once Queen, now Senator – heads to Coruscant to participate in an important vote that would see the creation of an army that is supposed to help the overwhelmed Jedi in their mission to promote peace and justice throughout the galaxy. An assassination attempt sees Amidala placed under the protection of Obi-Wan and the now grown Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan Kenobi is tasked with investigating the source of the assassination attempts, while Anakin escorts Padme home to Naboo – and a romantic relationship blossoms between the two. In the course of his investigations, Obi-Wan discovers that the Republic is building a clone army – based on bounty hunter Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison) – on the plant of Kamino. Obi-Wan follows the bounty hunter, who leads him to the planet Geonosis and a secret Separatist meeting led by Count Dooku. Meanwhile, Anakin begins to have visions of his mother being in trouble, and heads home to Tatooine with Padme to help her. There, he finds that his mother, Shmi, remarried and built a new family after Anakin left home with Qui-Gon Jinn. Her husband is Cliegg Lars (Jack Thompson), and Anakin’s step-brother is Owen (Joel Edgerton). Anakin is told that his mother was taken by Tusken Raiders and is presumed dead. He sets out to retrieve her and, upon finding her near death in a Tusken Raider camp, he massacres each Tusken present in a cold-blooded rage – then confesses his crime to Padme. Obi-Wan discovers that Count Dooku ordered the murder of Padme and is in cahoots with the Trade Federation. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine takes the opportunity to activate the clone army, initiating the Clone Wars. Anakin, Padme and Obi-Wan are captured, then rescued by a fleet of Jedi led by Yoda and Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). Obi-Wan and Anakin engage Count Dooku in a fight, but Yoda intervenes, causing Dooku to eventually flee. He delivers plans for a Death Star to Darth Sidious (Supreme Chancellor Palpatine) on Coruscant, as Anakin and Padme secretly marry. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith Released: May 16th, 2002 Runtime: 2hrs 20mins Directed by: George Lucas Written by: George Lucas Starring: Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Jimmy Smits, Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee, Temuera Morrison, Ahmed Best, Rohan Nichol, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Genevieve O’Reilly, James Earl Jones. Significant characters introduced: Captain Raymus Antilles. Notable universe developments: Padme is pregnant; Anakin turns to the Dark Side because he fears for Padme’s life; Padme dies; Luke and Leia are born; Obi-Wan battles Anakin; Anakin is saved by Palpatine and receives his distinctive armoured suit; Luke and Leia are hidden from the Sith. Opening crawl: “War! The Republic is crumbling under attacks by the ruthless Sith Lord, Count Dooku. There are heroes on both sides. Evil is everywhere. In a stunning move, the fiendish droid leader, General Grievous, has swept into the Republic Capital and kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine, leader of the Galactic Senate. As the Separatist Droid Army attempts to flee the besieged capital with their valuable hostage, two Jedi Knights lead a desperate mission to rescue the captive Chancellor…” Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has been kidnapped by Separatist General Grievous, and Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker mount a rescue mission. During the mission, the Jedi fight Count Dooku, and Anakin is persuaded by Palpatine to kill him, while General Grievous escapes. Anakin and Padme then reunite and she confides in him that she's pregnant. He begins to have premonitions of her dying in childbirth – a series of visions that he finds increasingly distressing and unbearable. Anakin finds himself torn between Palpatine and the Jedi Council – the Dark Side and the Light. Both want him to essentially infiltrate the other side. The attitude of the Jedi Council causes him to question his faith in them, while Palpatine continues to tempt him with tales of the power of the Dark Side – including the power to prevent death. Palpatine reveals his true Sith identity to Anakin, and assures him that he can save Padme using the Dark Side of The Force. Mace Windu confronts Palpatine, but Anakin has already made his choice, and facilitates Palpatine killing Windu. Palpatine bestows Anakin with the title Darth Vader and dispatches him to slaughter the Separatist leaders on Mustafar – a volcanic planet. He also orders the clone army to kill their Jedi commanders. While these murders are undertaken, Palpatine addresses the Senate and declare the Republic to now be an Empire – with him as the Emperor. Obi-Wan tries to convince Padme about Anakin’s crimes, but she flees to meet her husband with Obi-Wan stowed away on board. When Anakin spots him, he chokes Padme into unconsciousness and Obi-Wan engages him in a ferocious battle – leaving Anakin badly burned and near death. Padme dies in childbirth, having delivered twins Luke and Leia, and Palpatine tells Vader that Vader killed her in a fit of rage. Palpatine re-builds Darth Vader’s badly burned body and gives him a distinctive armoured suit. Obi-Wan and Yoda hide the twins from the Sith – arranging for Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits) to adopt Leia and raise her on Alderaan, and for Owen and Beru Lars to raise Luke on Tatooine. Yoda exiles himself to Dagobah, and Palpatine begins construction of the Death Star. Sequel Trilogy Star Wars: The Force Awakens Released: December 18th, 2015 Runtime: 2hrs 18 mins Directed by: J.J Abrams Written by: Lawrence Kasdan, J.J Abrams, Michael Arndt Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Max von Sydow, Gwendoline Christie, Simon Pegg, Warwick Davis, Tim Rose, Ewan McGregor, Frank Oz Significant characters introduced: Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Kylo Ren, Maz Kanata, Supreme Leader Snoke, General Hux, Captain Phasma, Unker Plutt Notable universe developments: Han and Leia have had a son who's turned to the Dark Side; Luke has exiled himself; the Empire has risen once more – this time in the guise of the First Order; Rey finds that she has a natural aptitude for using the Force; Han Solo dies; mystery swirls around the parentage of Rey, who was abandoned on Jakku as a child. Opening crawl: “Luke Skywalker has vanished. In his absence the sinister FIRST ORDER has risen from the ashes of the Empire and will not rest until Luke, the last Jedi, has been destroyed. With the support of the REPUBLIC, General Leia Organa leads the brave RESISTANCE. She is desperate to find her brother Luke and gain his help in restoring peace and justice to the galaxy. Leia has sent her most daring pilot on a secret mission to Jakku, where an old ally has discovered a clue to Luke’s whereabouts…” Thirty years after the events of Episode VI, the New Republic is defending itself from the First Order – the latest incarnation of the old Galactic Empire. Seeking information about the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker, resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) makes contact with Lor San Tekka (Max von Sydow) on Jakku – but they're soon attacked by stormtroopers under the command of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Poe is captured, but not before he hides the information inside his BB-8 droid, which successfully escapes. A scavenger named Rey (Daisy Ridley) finds the BB-8 unit on Jakku, while Poe is being tortured by Kylo Ren. Extracting what he needs using the Force, Ren leaves Poe, who's rescued by stormtrooper FN-2187 (John Boyega), who questions the methods and goals of the First Order. The pair steal a TIE fighter and escape, with Poe naming his rescuer ‘Finn.’ Crashing on Jakku, Poe disappears and Finn encounters Rey and BB-8. When they then come under fire from the First Order, they escape in a ship they find languishing in the local scrapyard – which is revealed to be the Millennium Falcon. The Falcon is soon captured by Han Solo and Chewbacca, seeking to reclaim their ship. On hearing of the circumstances of Rey, Finn and BB-8, Han Solo and Chewbacca join forces with them to get the droid to the Rebel Alliance. Meanwhile, the First Order’s Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) orders Kylo Ren and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) to test the new super-weapon – the Starkiller Base. Han explains that Luke had been trying to re-build the Jedi Order, but disappeared into self-imposed exile when an apprentice turned to the Dark Side and killed his fellow students. On Takodana, Rey encounters the lightsaber of Luke and Anakin Skywalker, and experiences dark and disturbing visions. The First Order destroys the capital of the Republic, using the Starkiller Base, and Poe reappears leading a squadron of resistance pilots on a mission to defend Takodana against the First Order. Leia – now General Leia Organa – arrives with her Rebel fleet and is reunited with old allies. At the same time, Kylo Ren abducts Rey and interrogates her. Rey discovers that she's able to use The Force and fights off Ren’s attempts to extract information from her. She's able to escape using a Jedi mind trick and reunites with Han, Finn and Chewbacca, who are trying to infiltrate the First Order base to sabotage the defences of the Starkiller Base. Having already revealed in conversation with Leia that Kylo Ren is their son – and the murderous Jedi apprentice that caused Luke to flee – Han confronts Ren in an attempt to redeem him and turn him back toward the Light. Ren responds by killing him. The Starkiller Base is destroyed and Kylo Ren and Rey have a final lightsaber battle, before being separated by an expanding fissure in the land. Finn, trying to help, is rendered comatose. The heroes return to the Rebel base and BB-8 collaborates with R2-D2 to reveal the full map of Luke’s location. Rey travels to the hideaway, finds Luke on an isolated, windswept clifftop and hands him his lightsaber. Star Wars: Episode VIII Released: December 15th, 2017 Runtime: TBA Directed by: Rian Johnson Written by: Rian Johnson Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Issac, Simon Pegg, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Gwendoline Christie, Mark Hamill, Benicio Del Toro, Lupita Nyong’o, Warwick Davis, Laura Dern, Andy Serkis, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Tim Rose. Significant characters introduced: TBA Rumours: Benicio del Toro may be playing a character that is initially an ally of Rey, Finn, and Poe – but is then revealed to be treacherous in nature; Laura Dern may be playing a character of aristocratic origin; Rey may be revealed to be of royal heritage – saved from the clutches of the Dark Side as a child, by Luke Skywalker. Star Wars: Episode IX Released: May 24th, 2019 Runtime: TBA Directed by: Colin Trevorrow Written by: Rian Johnson, Colin Trevorrow, and Derek Connolly Starring: TBA Significant characters introduced: TBA Rumours: Mark Hamill is rumoured to star. Anthology Films Star Wars: The Clone Wars Released: August 15th, 2008 Runtime: 1hr 38mins Directed by: Dave Filoni Written by: Henry Gilroy, Steven Melching, and Scott Murphy Starring: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Tom Kane, Ian Abercrombie, Catherine Taber, Kevin Michael Richardson, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee. Significant characters introduced: Ahsoka Tano, Rotta the Hutt Notable universe developments: Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme uncover a conspiracy to frame the Jedi for the kidnap of the son of Jabba the Hutt; a treaty between the Hutts and the Republic is agreed upon. Bridging the gap between Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones and Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith, we find Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi leading a small faction of the Republic clone army in a battle against the Separatist droid army. They are approached by Jedi Ahsoka Tano, who claims to have been sent to Anakin to train by Jedi Master Yoda. It transpires that the son of Jabba the Hutt – Rotta – has been kidnapped and Anakin must rescue him while Obi-Wan negotiates a treaty between the Hutts and the Republic. In undertaking their mission, the Jedi are attacked by Asajj Ventress, who is a student of Count Dooku. Dooku plans to implicate the Jedi in the kidnapping of Rotta, creating further division throughout the galaxy. Senator Amidala intervenes by contacting the uncle of Jabba the Hutt – Ziro – but then discovers that Ziro is in cahoots with Dooku, and was prepared to sacrifice Rotta for the sake of having Anakin and Ahsoka executed in exchange. Using a decoy Rotta, Anakin confronts Dooku and fights him off, to deliver the real Rotta to Jabba the Hutt. Jabba orders their execution regardless, but they're saved by another intervention from Padme. The treaty between the Republic and the Hutts is agreed, and Count Dooku and Darth Sidious re-group to continue their dastardly plans. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Released: December 16th, 2016 Runtime: 2hrs 13mins Directed by: Gareth Edwards Written by: John Knoll, Gary Whitta, Chris Weitz, Tony Gilroy Starring: Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen, Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn, Alan Tudyk, Genevieve O’Reilly, Riz Ahmed, Forest Whitaker, Diego Luna, James Earl Jones, Jimmy Smits Significant characters introduced: Jyn Erso, Galen Erso, Chirrut Imwe, Director Orson Krennic, K-2SO, Saw Gerrera, Captain Cassian Andor. Notable universe developments: Darth Vader is seen at the earliest point of the peak of his powers within the Empire; the specifics of the origin of the Death Star are revealed; treachery occurs within the ranks of the Rebel Alliance as much as it does within the Empire. Set shortly before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story tells the story that is briefly mentioned in that film’s opening crawl – of a band of Rebels steal the plans for the Empire’s ultimate weapon, known as the Death Star. The father of Jyn Erso – Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) – is an old friend of Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn). Krennic has had Erso design a giant, fuelled structure, the true purpose of which was initially unknown to him. Erso has been living with his family in seclusion, but Krennic arrives to insist that Erso help him finish the structure, which has now been revealed to be a weapon of intergalactic destruction. Director Orson Krennic reports to Darth Vader. Years later, Erso's adult daughter, Jyn (Felicity Jones) is recruited by the Rebel Alliance to steal the plans for the Death Star with a view to enabling its sabotage. Erso must work with a group of fellow outcasts to turn the tide of the conflict, and bring hope to the resistance. Untitled Han Solo Film Released: 2018 Runtime: TBA Directed by: Phil Lord and Chris Miller Written by: Lawrence Kasdan and Jonathan Kasdan Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover Significant characters introduced: TBA Rumours: The film will have the texture of a Western, or perhaps a heist movie; It may include the depiction of Han winning the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian – as referenced in the original trilogy; Boba Fett may appear as the obstacle in the way of Han and Lando completing a heist of some kind; Woody Harrelson may also star. The Han Solo anthology film will depict how the young Han Solo became a smuggler, a thief, and a scoundrel – as he was when Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first meet him at Mos Eisley. Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film Released: 2020 Runtime: TBA Directed by: TBA Written by: Simon Kinberg Starring: TBA Significant characters introduced: TBA Rumours: This is the film that Josh Trank was initially slated to direct, before being removed just prior to the announcement of such. It is rumoured that it will be the story of fan favourite character, Boba Fett.