The Star Wars universe may seem limitless, but look behind the curtain, and the list of shows that were scrapped could be longer than those we ever received. For each The Mandalorian or Andor that does make it to air, there are six big ideas, weird ideas, or straight-up incredible ideas that were never given a chance to leave development. Some perished due to budgets, others due to creative disagreements, and some simply weren’t meant for their era. But the “what if” surrounding these abandoned projects haunts fans at night. Let’s go on a journey through the craziest Star Wars stories that were never told.
10. Star Wars: Underworld — The Live-Action Series That Almost Redefined the Galaxy
Well before the existence of Disney+, there was George Lucas in the kitchen working on something rather ambitious: a live-action series in the dark, crime-infested world of Coruscant. Dubbed Star Wars: Underworld, it was to fill the time gap between the prequels and the original trilogy, tracing the emergence of the Empire and the scum of the galaxy. More than 100 scripts were penned, with guest spots from Han Solo, Palpatine, and other main characters. But there was one enormous issue with the budget. Lucas conceded they’d have to trim the budget down to a mere fraction of a Star Wars movie, and during the pre-streaming era, that just wasn’t an option. Bits and pieces of Underworld subsequently appeared in Rogue One and Solo, but the vision of an entire series is one of the saga’s greatest lost chances.
9. Guillermo del Toro’s Jabba the Hutt Film — A Gangster Story That Never Emerged
Few filmmakers seem as well-suited to Star Wars’ odder corners as Guillermo del Toro. At one time, he was tied to a film all about Jabba the Hutt and his criminal regime. Picture del Toro’s gothic imagination and dark fantasy on a Star Wars gangster saga, creepy aliens, shady politics, and operatic crime syndicate drama. Unfortunately, del Toro himself corroborated the notion that the project went nowhere, attributing it to one of those countless Hollywood scripts that vanish before cameras ever roll. Just considering what he might have done with Jabba’s universe causes fans to bemoan what could have been.
8. The Acolyte — A Daring New Era That Never Found Its Footing
Star Wars’ initial grand foray into the High Republic era with The Acolyte guaranteed new Jedi lore, new bad guys, and a way to finally venture out of the Skywalker saga. On paper, it promised to be just what fans had been clamoring for. In reality? The series teetered with a runaway budget, spotty writing, and performances that fell short. Even with glimpses of brilliance, specifically in its lightsaber combat, the show simply couldn’t catch on. By the time Disney pulled the plug, it had left behind loose ends and a huge question mark over whether the High Republic would ever truly shine on screen.
7. Rangers of the New Republic — A Spin-Off Flown Before It Takes Off
On the back of The Mandalorian, Lucasfilm revealed Rangers of the New Republic, a spin-off that would have tracked Cara Dune and an elite group of New Republic lawmen pursuing Imperial remnant holdouts. But when Gina Carano was let go after her highly publicized controversies, the show never had a prayer. Lucasfilm soon confessed the project had scarcely gone beyond the conceptual phase in the first place. Parts of its stories were worked into The Mandalorian, but the notion of a straight-up “New Republic cop show” vanished in the blink of an eye.
6. Colin Trevorrow’s Duel of the Fates — The Episode IX That Never Was
Before J.J. Abrams’ return for The Rise of Skywalker, there was a different vision planned for the conclusion of the Skywalker saga by director Colin Trevorrow: Duel of the Fates. It was a darker, riskier take, with Rey going off to Mortis, Finn commanding a rebellion of stormtroopers, and Kylo Ren remaining securely in the villain’s seat. Creative differences resulted in Trevorrow being forced out, and his script subsequently leaked online, fueling endless debates among the fans. Many still argue his version might have been a more fitting finale, though we’ll never know outside of fan films and detailed YouTube breakdowns.
5. The Boba Fett Movie — The Bounty Hunter’s Lost Big-Screen Shot
Few Star Wars characters are as beloved, and as underused, as Boba Fett. For years, Lucasfilm tried to get a solo movie off the ground. Josh Trank was once attached, and subsequently James Mangold was in negotiations, according to reports. But after Solo flopped, Lucasfilm backed off on character-focused movies. Instead, we received The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+. Whether that show pleased the crowd or not, it’s difficult not to speculate about what a full-fledged blockbuster based on Fett could’ve been.
4. Rian Johnson’s Untitled Trilogy — A Vision Still Floating in Limbo
After directing The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson was handed the keys to his very own trilogy, set in a corner of the galaxy we’d never seen before. Bold, fresh, and far away from the Skywalker saga is the pitch. But the divisive response to The Last Jedi, combined with Johnson’s increasingly busy schedule (Knives Out sequels, anyone?), left the trilogy in hyperspace limbo. Johnson maintains he’d still adore coming back, and Lucasfilm hasn’t made it official that it’s cancelled. But with years going by, hope starts to evaporate.
3. Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron — The Flight That Never Took Off
When Patty Jenkins was hired as director of Rogue Squadron, the buzz was instant. A Top Gun-like Star Wars movie about X-Wing pilots? Heck yes. Jenkins even put out a sentimental teaser video about paying tribute to her fighter pilot dad. But delays, production problems, and the chaos surrounding Wonder Woman 3 pushed the movie further and further back until Lucasfilm quietly dropped it. Jenkins has stated she’s still on board, but now it seems that the project will never escape the hangar.
2. Benioff & Weiss’ Jedi Origin Trilogy — Game of Thrones Meets Star Wars
Riding high off the international success of Game of Thrones, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were revealed to be designing a new Star Wars trilogy that would allegedly delve into the very beginnings of the Jedi. It sounded huge, but that was followed up by the catastrophic Thrones finale, a whopping Netflix contract, and “creative differences” with Lucasfilm. In no time, the project was canceled. The origin of the Jedi is still one of the largest untapped areas of Star Wars history, and everyone is still left to wonder what the Thrones pair would have done with it.
1. George Lucas’ Sequel Trilogy — The Crazy Vision That Never Got Seen
Prior to Disney acquiring Lucasfilm, George Lucas had planned out his own vision for Episodes VII, VIII, and IX. His plans involved Darth Maul as an authoritative crime lord, Leia as the galaxy’s political leader, and Luke re-establishing the Jedi Order. He even hoped to explore the Whills, a cryptic Force-based species that lived on the cellular level. Disney discarded most of these concepts in favor of their own sequel trilogy, though subtle reverberations of Lucas’ plans can be heard. It’s the definitive Star Wars “what if:” what would the galaxy be like today if Lucas himself had wrapped up the saga?
The Star Wars vault is filled with stories we’ll never get to see, some heartbreaking, some baffling, and all fascinating. Each canceled project reminds us just how many directions the galaxy far, far away could have gone. And who knows? With Star Wars, ideas have a way of resurfacing in unexpected places. Until then, fans will keep speculating, debating, and dreaming about the adventures that almost were.