The head of Disney has confirmed that the studio is planning a second series of Star Wars films to be released alongside the JJ Abrams’s helmed Episodes VII, VIII and IX.
In October the studio agreed to buy Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound from Star Wars creator George Lucas and announced plans for a new trilogy of films.
The first of these, Episode VII will be directed by Abrams and will be written by Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt and is expected to hit cinemas in 2015.
Speaking to CNBC, Disney CEO Bob Iger has now confirmed that a second line of films, centring on existing characters, will be released alongside the new trilogy.
Speculation suggests that one film will focus on Jedi Master Yoda.
“We still plan to make Star Wars 7, 8 and 9 roughly over a six-year period of time starting in 2015,” Iger told the network.
“But there are going to be a few other films released in that period of time too.”
The new films will be written by Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg,
Kasdan worked on the scripts of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the second and third instalments of the original Star Wars trilogy.