David Benioff and DB Weiss take charge of films separate from the pre-existing franchise and Rian Johnson’s previously announced trilogy

Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and DB Weiss will pilot a new Star Wars trilogy.

The announcement was made on the official site on Tuesday. The films will exist separately from the existing series and the recently announced trilogy to be made by Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson.

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“David and Dan are some of the best storytellers working today,” said Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm president. “Their command of complex characters, depth of story and richness of mythology will break new ground and boldly push Star Wars in ways I find incredibly exciting.”

The pair will act as writers and producers of the trilogy.

“In the summer of 1977 we traveled to a galaxy far, far away, and we’ve been dreaming of it ever since,” Benioff and Weiss said in a joint statement. “We are honored by the opportunity, a little terrified by the responsibility, and so excited to get started as soon as the final season of Game of Thrones is complete.”

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The films will be added to the long list of upcoming Star Wars adventures yet to be released. Last year saw success for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which made over $1.3bn at the international box office. Earlier this week the trailer for Ron Howard’s Solo: A Star Wars Story was released. The prequel will be released this May. Rumors also persist of an Obi-Wan Kenobi movie in the works with Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry in talks to direct.

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In December 2019, Star Wars: Episode IX will bring Force Awakens director JJ Abrams back to the fold and Rian Johnson’s recently announced trilogy will follow.

“I’m just in the very beginning of starting to come up with what the new trilogy is going to be,” he said at a press event in Mexico. “What makes me so excited about it, is the idea of doing a new story on the big canvas of three movies in this world. There’s just so much potential and I can’t wait to jump into it.”

The next season of Game of Thrones will be the last and will premiere in April 2019. The pair had been linked to HBO’s controversial slavery drama Confederate but after a backlash, it was reported last year that the pair “are not actively working on it” at the moment.