Star Wars: How Writers Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg Will Expand the Galaxy

Sources tell THR that each will write separate projects, not necessarily "Episode 8" and "Episode 9" -- a plan similar to Marvel's movies around "The Avengers."

This story first appeared in the Dec. 7 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

The post-George Lucas Star Wars universe slowly is taking shape. Soon after it was announced Oct. 30 that Disney would acquire Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion, it was revealed that Oscar winner Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine) had written a 40- to 50-page treatment for the new trilogy and would be writing the script for Star Wars: Episode VII.

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Then reports emerged the week of Nov. 19 that The Empire Strikes Back’s Lawrence Kasdan (CAA, Greenberg Glusker) and Sherlock Holmes’ Simon Kinberg (CAA, Jackoway Tyerman) would be writing and producing Episode VIII and Episode IX, even as Disney and Lucasfilm refused to confirm their top-secret plans.

But now insiders tell THR that while Kasdan and Kinberg indeed have been hired to work on the Star Wars franchise, they will be writing separate projects (hence the reason why they also would receive producer credits), not necessarily Episode VIII and Episode IX.

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Their scripts could turn into official “Episodes” in the main Skywalker storyline, or they could form the basis for spinoffs focusing on side characters. Disney CEO Robert Iger said the goal is to release a Star Wars movie “every two to three years,” and some could focus on other pieces of the expansive mythos (similar to Marvel’s Avengers universe). Disney and Lucasfilm declined comment.