D23 2022 is just around the corner and is expected to bring a lot of Star Wars news, so here are some of the wilder, more out there hopes we have for reveals about the franchise. D23 2022 will take place September 9th through the 11th at Anaheim Convention Centre. With all things Marvel, Star Wars, 20th Century Fox, and everything else under the Disney banner expected to have showcases, there are plenty of things that could be revealed about a galaxy far, far away.
The Star Wars news will likely come thick and fast on September 10th, with the Saturday holding the main panels for both Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios. D23 2022 will have plenty of Star Wars announcements that are widely expected, from updates and trailers on shows like The Mandalorian season 3, Andor, Ahsoka, and potentially even The Acolyte. However, outside the more expected announcements from Lucasfilm, there remains the possibility of the studio dropping some bigger, wilder news regarding Star Wars that aren't necessarily expected by the masses.
While some of our wildest hopes for Star Wars at D23 are much more shot-in-the-dark than the surefire announcements expected, they aren't without reason. Most of the things mentioned here still have a chance, albeit a small one in some cases, of being announced over the D23 weekend. That said, here is the comprehensive list of some of the more farfetched announcements that could possibly come from Lucasfilm at D23.
Confirmation Of A Post-Rise Of Skywalker Project
Talks around a post-sequel trilogy project, Star Wars Episode 10 for example, have been ongoing behind the scenes for a while at Lucasfilm. Kathleen Kennedy announced in November 2021 that talks had been held about a continuation of the sequel trilogy characters' stories. However, given the divisive fan response to the sequel trilogy, it has remained unlikely that Lucasfilm would opt to greenlight a post-sequel project. As Lucasfilm largely retconned elements of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker due to poor reaction to the former, their want of fan approval is held in high regard. This makes any story regarding the sequel characters unlikely due to the poor reaction to both the trilogy and its characters.
However, that isn't to say an announcement of a post-sequel story is completely unlikely. Kathleen Kennedy has gone on record stating how proud Lucasfilm initially was of Star Wars: The Last Jedi before the initial wave of negative fan response. With talks still being held at Lucasfilm as late as 2021, and rumors of a Rey-centric project circulating, an announcement in this vein is still possible, albeit farfetched.
Official Release Dates For Rian Johnson’s Trilogy
The reaction to the sequel trilogy largely began with one film, Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi. As mentioned, a month before The Last Jedi was released, Lucasfilm announced their happiness with the final product and gave Johnson a trilogy in the Star Wars universe. However, in the wake of the reaction to The Last Jedi, news on the trilogy died down, placing the project in limbo for five years, despite both Johnson and Kennedy stating it will still happen. A recent comment from Johnson indicated the Star Wars trilogy will still happen and that he still wants it to, and that it is simply scheduling the trilogy that is the final hurdle to overcome. Given the backlash to The Last Jedi and Johnson's further Star Wars work, an announcement of official dates for Rian Johnson's trilogy would certainly be considered a wild hope for D23, though something that is still possible given Johnson and Kennedy's strong relationship.
An Old Republic Era Movie/TV Show
One of the main things that fans of Star Wars have been craving since Disney's acquisition of the franchise is an Old Republic-era film/show. The Old Republic takes place thousands of years before the beginning of the Skywalker Saga and would feature the Jedi at their most powerful. Games like Knights of the Old Republic and various non-canon books and novels have shed light on the fascinating era, but it is something yet to feature in live-action. Given that Lucasfilm has rarely hinted at a TV show or film set in this era, it is fairly unlikely. However, the expanding of the universe on Disney+ leaves some hope that a potential announcement of an Old Republic story could come at D23.
Live-Action Cal Kestis
Another more out-there suggestion, yet arguably one of the more likely on this list, is the announcement of Cal Kestis joining live-action Star Wars. Cal Kestis is the main protagonist of the Star Wars Jedi game series. He is mo-capped and voiced by Cameron Monaghan. Given Monaghan is already an established Hollywood actor, calls for a live-action Cal Kestis played by Monaghan have been constant since the release of Fallen Order. As Cal's story is set between Episodes III and IV, and is being told in a series of video games, his likelihood of appearing in live-action has been slim simply due to the issue of where to include the character. However, with more and more stories being told in the Empire period of Star Wars, an announcement of a live-action Cal could come sooner rather than later, with D23 being the perfect opportunity for the reveal.