Disney announced on May 7 that they have in plan three more Star Wars films to come after The Rise of Skywalker on December 20. According to the press release, this year’s Star Wars film brings “the original Skywalker Saga to its conclusion.” The release dates for the three upcoming Star Wars movies are in 2022, 2024, and 2026.
“The updated calendar also sets release dates for major franchises Avatar and Star Wars. With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker bringing the original Skywalker Saga to its conclusion, three new as-yet-untitled Star Wars films will release on the pre-Christmas weekend every other year beginning in 2022. Four forthcoming Avatar films, expanding the vibrant world of Pandora, will release on the pre-Christmas weekend every other year beginning in 2021.”
From the above quote of Disney’s press release it’s clearly illustrated their release strategy. Following the studio’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, Disney is going to be alternating the releases of Star Wars and Avatar movies every year, starting in 2021. With this move, Disney is basically locking down the Christmas season window for the foreseeable future; if one or both franchises do well, it will almost certainly become the new release strategies for those franchises well beyond 2027 – which is when the fifth Avatar film will hit theaters, completing the release schedule outlined above.
Outside the holidays, Disney has several other original and Fox IPs in the works. Plenty of Marvel action is on the schedule too including X-Men: Dark Phoenix, The New Mutants, and others as yet untitled.
A view of the full full schedule can be seen on the Disney website.
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