The reasoning behind the release schedule of Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron movie was originally sound, but if this is the next Star Wars movie to hit the silver screen, that plan would have bad repercussions for Lucasfilm and the franchise's future. The fighter-pilot-focused film was originally announced during Disney's 2020 Investor Day presentation and was slated for release on December 22, 2023. Since that announcement, the project has been in development limbo, with the original release date looking increasingly unlikely. Despite reports that Rogue Squadron had been removed from Lucasfilm's release schedule, Jenkins provided an update in mid-December 2022 that the movie was still in "active development."
Jenkins elaborated on Rogue Squadron via Rogue Squadron won't make Star Wars' 2023 slate, but with James Gunn now taking the DCU in a new direction, Jenkins is no longer attached to direct Wonder Woman 3. This change of plans presents an opportunity for Jenkins' Rogue Squadron to return. Although Rogue Squadron no longer works as Star Wars' next movie, the film's original vision was rife with potential and should still be given a chance on premise alone.
Rogue Squadron Had Potential (Under The Original Plan)
Rogue Squadron's potential as Star Wars' next movie was intriguing, but with no concrete cinematic roap in place and the 2023 release date no longer feasible, Lucasfilm needs an original Star Wars movie rather than a spinoff at this point. The original Rogue Squadron teaser suggested that the film was set between the original and sequel trilogies, an era that is entirely unexplored in cinematic Star Wars canon. The short clip featured the recognizable T-65 X-Wing model as well as clear titular inspiration from Luke Skywalker's fighter squadron, though. Despite the inherent familiarity, Jenkins' remarkable ambition to create "the greatest fighter pilot movie of all time" was immensely compelling.
The opportunity to craft a story that is both personally resonant for Jenkins and an uncharted genre for Lucasfilm lent credence to Rogue Squadron's potential as the next Star Wars movie. After future Star Wars movies as more logical prospects.
Star Wars' Next Movie Shouldn't Be Rogue Squadron
With the original plan for Rogue Squadron now scrapped, Star Wars' next movie should focus on a project that is independent of existing Lucasfilm media. Lucasfilm's current release calendar has its next untitled Star Wars project set for release on December 19, 2025. This extended gap following the Rogue Squadron development issues provides the Lucasfilm story group with ample time to stick the landing with a project that reinvigorates interest in the franchise on the big screen. As refreshing as it would be to see the Star Wars franchise take flight under Jenkins' direction, opening the floor to a storyteller like Kevin Feige would be the more prudent choice.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Regardless of the direction that Feige takes, his film's standing as neither a spinoff nor sequel means that it should take priority over Rogue Squadron as Star Wars' next movie.
Why Rogue Squadron Should Still Happen (Eventually)
Although story details for Rogue Squadron remain limited, and despite its spinoff status, the film still deserves a spot in Star Wars cinematic future. Top Gun: Maverick's dominance at the box office indicates there is a healthy appetite for big-budget fighter-pilot movies, and the application of a similar level of technical nous and production quality to a Star Wars movie would surely resonate with audiences.
Although Rogue Squadron would technically qualify as a Star Wars spinoff, it could chronicle a relatively unexplored era with a cast of characters independent of the rest of the Rebel Alliance. Further, given the recent DCU shakeup, Jenkins is seemingly available and excited to impart her full creative vision to the film. While Rogue Squadron's initial status as Star Wars' next movie may be in jeopardy, Jenkins' personal connection to the film's subject matter, the opportunity to explore a new style of flight-focused storytelling, and the precedent set by Top Gun: Maverick are all encouraging signs for a film that deserves to finally see the light of day.
