The Star Wars franchise went galactic when Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012 and promptly announced a new trilogy of films as well as various standalone spin-offs - but are even greater things in store for the series post-Episode 9?

Well, maybe, as rumours about the franchise's future have allegedly been leaked online (via Star Wars News Net) - and they all sound very ambitious, very interesting and actually pretty exciting.

Of course, the rumours are all circumstantial at this point, so Digital Spy has reached out to Lucasfilm for comment on the reports.

But if they turn do out to be true, the site has just leaked some details from a pretty major franchise that may be spoiled for you, so consider that before venturing further down this article.

Lucasfilm

First up, SWNN is reporting that the first standalone to follow in the footsteps of Rogue One and the young Han Solo movie after Star Wars Episode 9 premieres will be an Obi-Wan Kenobi movie that fills in his story between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.

And, considering both Rogue One director Gareth Edwards and the Star Wars prequel trilogy's Obi-Wan Ewan McGregor have both previously expressed an interest in returning to the role and the character, this could just be a match made in Star Wars heaven.

Another rumour in the works is that Lucasfilm is working on a young adult romance movie for post-Episode 9 love story, which will be along the same lines as Claudia Gray's YA Star Wars-canon novel Lost Stars (although not an adaptation) and will tell a tragic tale with a "love story angle".

The most exciting news about this rumour, though, is that it may be the film to feature the series' first female director, as the franchise invests more effort into passing the Bechdel test.

Lucasfilm

Among the other exciting rumours that have been leaked by SWNN are the reports that the studio is developing a new animated series to take the place of Rebels once that concludes, while the other major development could be the arrival of a FOURTH trilogy set in the Skywalker saga.

While this fits with Disney CEO Bob Iger's comments earlier this month that 15 more years of Star Wars movies are apparently in the works, it does also contradict Rogue One writer Gary Whitta slightly, as he has already hinted that Lucasfilm would like to move beyond classic characters in the years to come.

Lucasfilm

Still, according to SWNN, there will be a gap in time between the current sequel trilogy's end at Episode 9 and the new trilogy's arrival to keep with the generational arc the franchise has adopted for each trilogy series so far.

Which means that if a fourth trilogy is being planned, it will likely be focused on who comes after Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac).

Now, that's a whole lot of possible news to take in - and it is all very much one big massive rumour for the time being - but if any of it does actually happen, we're in for a lot more intergalactic adventures over the next decade or two.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits cinemas December 16.

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