Disney Confirms STAR WARS Standalone Films With J.J. Abrams Consulting Are Coming 2015-2021

CNBC has word directly from Disney CEO Bob Iger that the company is looking towards a slew of Star Wars standalone films that will be released between 2015-2021. Episode VII director J.J. Abrams will be consulting the films as well. Iger also confirmed that Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg will be writing two separate movies. This is the first confirmation from Disney that these films are actually happening.

I can confirm to you today that in fact we are working on a few standalone films, Larry Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are both working on films derived from great Star Wars characters that are not part of the overall saga. We still plan to make Star Wars 7, 8, and 9 roughly over a six-year period of time, starting in 2015. But there are going to be a few other films released in that period, too.

Disney CEO Bob Iger tells @jboorstin $DIS is working on stand-alone films derived from Star Wars characters; films released betw. 2015-2021
— CNBC (@CNBC) February 5, 2013

 A recent update pointed out that J.J. Abrams has asked for the purposed 2015 release date for Episode VII be non-committal. Likely, to allow him to oversee other projects like Mission: Impossible 5, Star Trek 3 and the round of Star Wars spin-offs. There wasn't a confirmation from Disney if the films would be focusing on Yoda, Jabba or Boba Fett. Joe Johnston's Boba Fett film has been in the works since 2011.

YODA And JABBA Spin-Offs In The Works At LucasFilm?

AICN is reporting that they're hearing that Disney/LucasFilm are hot to get production started on the first of many spin-off Star Wars films. They say that the first one will focus on Master Yoda. Details are scarce but it could involve him during his 800 years of training jedi or after the events of Episode III. I would be curious to find out if this is the same project that Zack Snyder was pitching to the studio which was going to be inspired by The Seven Samurai. Either way the studio wants Yoda to be the first spin-off.

Someone on twitter quickly suggested Andy Serkis if they go with a motion capture/CGI mix for Yoda. Serkis has been the biggest name in the motion capture performance playing Gollum in LOTR/Hobbit films, Caesar in Rise/Dawn of The Planet of The Apes along with Captain Haddock in the Tintin films. An excellent choice but they could also look to use a more puppet/CGI rig that could see Frank Oz return as well.

They also briefly mention that a Jabba film is also in the works. That could follow the criminal world of the Huts and very well could be combined with Joe Johnston's Boba Fett. Joe had been mentioning in interviews back in 2011 he was pitching a Boba Fett movie to Lucas.

Writers Lawrence Kasdan (Empire Strikes Back, Return of The Jedi, Raiders of The Lost Ark) and Simon Kinberg (X-Men Days of Future Past) were hired to write unnamed off-shoots, so it's possible they're already working on treatments/outlines. LucasFilm is said to be looking at Marvel Studios for inspiration releasing solo adventures then a giant even film (an Episode installment) every 2-3 years.