New "Star Wars" film trilogy in the works at Disney

 A new "Star Wars" film trilogy written by "X-Men" producer Simon Kinberg is in the early stages of development at Walt Disney Co, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Kinberg, who co-created animated series "Star Wars Rebels," also will produce the movies alongside Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.

Disney has not released a "Star Wars" film in theaters since 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker."

The new trilogy will begin with a fresh story and is not related to the Skywalker saga, the source said. No other details on the plot or the timeline were provided.

"Star Wars," created by George Lucas, is one of the most successful film franchises of all time. The movies have collected more than $5 billion in global ticket sales since the release of the first installment in 1977.

Disney has several "Star Wars" projects in the works. "The Mandalorian and Grogu," based on the Disney+ series about a helmeted warrior and his companion, is scheduled to reach theaters in May 2026.