The realm of TV has been Star Wars‘ main outlet since 2019, but this could be coming to an end in the next few years. Star Wars TV shows have been common since 2003’s Star Wars: Clone Wars, but there is no denying that the main focus has always been on feature films.
That said, this can be argued to have changed in 2019 with the release of The Mandalorian on Disney+. The release of Disney+ allowed Star Wars to have its own dedicated streaming service, after Star Wars‘ animated TV shows, such as The Clone Wars and Rebels, aired on Cartoon Network, Netflix, or Disney XD.
In the same year as Disney+’s launch, the controversial release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker saw it dubbed one of the worst Star Wars movies. This placed an even more concerted effort on Lucasfilm’s TV plans, which have only expanded between 2019 and the present day.
However, with upcoming Star Wars movies shifting Lucasfilm’s focus back to cinematic releases, with specific characters, too, the end of Star Wars TV could be nigh.
Ahsoka Season 2 Is The Only Live-Action Star Wars Show Confirmed
For years, Star Wars had a constant churn of live-action TV shows in the works. Looking forward, one could find several stories being told in TV format, be it future seasons of The Mandalorian, spin-offs like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor, or continuations of beloved characters’ stories, like Ahsoka.
That said, looking forward into 2026 and beyond, only one live-action Star Wars project is confirmed for a Disney+ release: Ahsoka season 2. Ahsoka season 2 does not yet have a concrete release date, but it is expected in the latter half of 2026. In a strange display of isolation, though, no other live-action Star Wars TV shows will come before or after it.
Andor‘s final season was released in April 2025, while future seasons of Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Book of Boba Fett are in doubt. Skeleton Crew season 2 is yet to be officially confirmed, and the future of The Mandalorian lies elsewhere. Then there is The Acolyte, a show canceled after only one divisive season.
This makes Ahsoka season 2 the only live-action Star Wars show known to be in development, raising the question of what this means for the franchise’s wider TV future.
The Mandalorian Moving To Theaters Indicates A Major Strategy Shift
Another recent update in the Star Wars franchise that further throws the franchise’s TV future into doubt is The Mandalorian‘s transition to the big screen. Three seasons of The Mandalorian were released on Disney+ between 2019 and 2023, making the show a worldwide phenomenon and truly solidifying Star Wars‘ TV dominance.
Without The Mandalorian being as successful as it was, the rest of Star Wars’ TV shows likely would not have happened. However, in 2024, it was announced that The Mandalorian‘s success was big enough to warrant a theatrical movie. The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s story was announced, marking the first Star Wars movie since 2019 and ushering in a new cinematic era for the franchise.
This film was confirmed to replace The Mandalorian season 4, removing Star Wars‘ biggest hitter from Disney+ and Lucasfilm’s TV library. The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s development spiraled into the announcement of Star Wars movies centering on Rey Skywalker, the ancient Jedi Order, a Dave Filoni-led New Republic movie, a new trilogy from Simon Kinberg, and Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter.
Not only is The Mandalorian and Grogu the Star Wars movie that seemingly kickstarted this move back to cinematic releases, but it also marks the end of The Mandalorian on Disney+. Evidently, Lucasfilm aims to shift its focus from TV to movies, led by The Mandalorian. With Ahsoka season 2’s singular release supporting as much, Star Wars is undergoing a major strategy shift.
Star Wars’ Animated Shows Are Not Going Anywhere
It is worth noting that Star Wars’ animated shows remain a beacon of hope for the continuation of the franchise’s TV efforts. Maul: Shadow Lord will be a major production being released in 2026 on Disney+, continuing the legacy of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and keeping Star Wars TV alive.
Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi will also be a standalone anime show, spinning off from the Star Wars: Visions episodes featuring a character named Kara. There is also Young Jedi Adventures, a child-friendly animated show that will continue into 2025 and beyond.
Yes, the lack of live-action Star Wars TV shows in development is worrying, but at least the franchise’s animated efforts will continue, for now.
Is Star Wars Moving Away From Television After Major Disney+ Push?
All that said, Star Wars’ animated TV shows are not enough to ease the concern that the franchise is moving away from TV completely after its major Disney+ push of recent years. Star Wars’ animated shows are popular and usually always constructed with immense quality, but it remains true that they have never pushed beyond Star Wars fans and reached wider audiences like The Mandalorian did.
Other shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and Ahsoka have also reached broader viewers than those who are solely tuning in for their love of Star Wars. With The Mandalorian and Grogu leading Star Wars’ cinematic resurgence, it could be the case that Star Wars‘ TV days are coming to an end.
Of course, this could be proven false by the announcement of more live-action Star Wars TV shows beyond Ahsoka season 2. Until these announcements, though, if, indeed, they come at all, Star Wars TV could be coming to an end as the galaxy far, far away returns to the big screen in more projects than one.
- Cast
-
Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal
- TV Show(s)
-
The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions
- Movie(s)
-
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order
- Character(s)
-
Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Rey Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Grand Inquisitor, Reva (The Third Sister), The Fifth Brother, The Seventh Sister, The Eighth Brother, Yoda, Din Djarin, Grogu, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren
