Disney+ is working on a new Star Wars series with martial arts elements

Disney+ has wrapped on The Mandalorian season 2 while the third season has been given the go-ahead. It is a great live-action show and, along with the brilliant animated series of The Clone Wars and Star Wars rebels, it shows just how good Star Wars can be and how well the stories are told.

The recent films, while making a lot of money at the box office, did split the fanbase so it is not surprising that Disney and Lucasfilm are focussing more on the small screen. Two other Star Wars series are in development – an Obi-Wan Kenobi series returning Ewan McGregor to the role from the prequel trilogy, and a Rogue One series based on the 2016 stand-alone feature film that returns Diego Luna as rebel Cassian Andor.

Deadline is reporting that there is a new Star Wars Disney+ show in development with Lesley Headland, who co-created the excellent Russian Doll, as the main writer and showrunner.

Plot details are scarce but it is thought to be “a female-driven action thriller with martial arts elements and set in an alternate timeline from the usual Star Wars universe.”

Disney has not commented on the news and Disney’s Bob Iger had said that any new Star Wars projects would have to go through him. The vagueness of the news does seem that this may be more of an early leak before anything definite has been put in place.

I think, and hope, that the alternate timeline mentioned is just poorly phrased. I assume they mean it will be set during a different time than the previous films and TV shows…unless they are going to bring time-travel into it? Bringing in actual alternate timelines could well lead to some confusion going forward. It would be great if we also had a lead character who is an actual alien instead of the usual human type protagonist.

Other than this there is nothing else to go on so who knows what the show will actually end up being about.

There are many pre-existing female Star Wars characters that I would love to see be explored in a live-action show – Asajj Ventress, Sabine Wren, Doctor Aphra, Aayla Secura, Hera Syndulla, Ahsoka Tano, Nomi Sunrider, Aurra Sing, Captain Phasma or how about bringing Mara Jade back?

Disney declined to comment on the project.