StarWars.com celebrates the year’s biggest news and best moments from film, TV, games, books, comics, and more!
It’s been a busy year across the galaxy.
The Star Wars universe expanded in 2025 with thrilling new adventures, major milestones, and a whole host of exciting announcements. New releases like Andor Season 2, the finale of Skeleton Crew, the complete anthology collection of Star Wars: Visions Volume 3, and the six-episode Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld forged bold new stories, while beloved films like Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: The Force Awakens celebrated big anniversaries. There was something new in seemingly every corner of the galaxy, stretching across Disney+ series, upcoming theatrical movie releases, games, books, comics, and more.
Here, we put together a crew of StarWars.com contributors to break down the biggest announcements and major moments and milestones of 2025.
We got our first look at The Mandalorian and Grogu with the official teaser trailer, and Star Wars: Starfighter entered production.
Grogu going for a little swim? You have my attention.
There’s nothing quite like settling into a movie theater seat to experience a new Star Wars story for the first time. While last year saw the announcement of The Mandalorian and Grogu and the end of production, it wasn’t until this September that everyone got a look at the excitement that awaits. With the first rollicking teaser trailer and a poster that captures the spirit of adventure that will bring the Clan of Two to the big screen, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni gave us a glimpse at the first Star Wars theatrical release since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Starring Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin AKA The Mandalorian, Sigourney Weaver as Colonel Ward, and Grogu as himself, May 22, 2026, promises to be an unforgettable new chapter for Star Wars in the cinema.
And as if the surprise Star Wars Celebration announcement of Ryan Gosling starring in director Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter didn’t already have us utterly delighted, the start of production brought about the announcement of a dazzling cast, including Mia Goth, Matt Smith, and Amy Adams, and the first image of Gosling in character alongside co-star Flynn Gray. — Kristin Baver
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith celebrated 20 years.
It’s been two decades since the prequel trilogy concluded, chronicling in heartbreaking detail the fall of Anakin Skywalker and his transformation into one of cinema’s most enduring villains, Darth Vader.
From the adrenaline-pumping battle above Coruscant to the inimitable General Grievous; from the caverns of Utapau to the lava rivers of Mustafar, fans were able to experience it all back on the big screen in honor of the film’s 20th anniversary. And the Force was strong at the box office, with the re-release opening to an estimated $42.2 million worldwide. Attendees also had the opportunity to experience the film in 4DX for the first time, featuring high-tech motion chairs synced to more than 21 effects, immersing fans into the action more than ever before.
Additionally, renowned graphic artist Matt Ferguson created a brand-new poster for the film, prominently featuring Anakin, his epic battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the looming visage of the Dark Lord of the Sith himself, Darth Vader. — Dustin Diehl
Andor reminded us that we have friends everywhere.
How do you build a revolution? Slowly, carefully, and with a thousand small acts of sacrifice.
Andor’s second and final season debuted this spring on Disney+, following star Diego Luna’s young freedom fighter Cassian Andor as he navigates the pitfalls and perils of sowing rebellion. The result? A triumphant and jaw-dropping thriller, chronicling the early days of the Rebel Alliance and setting the stage for the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Creator Tony Gilroy packs every episode with jaw-dropping moments and powerful performances, from Mon Mothma’s moving Senate speech to the devastating massacre on Ghorman. And even though Cassian’s story may have concluded, the show’s legacy continues, with Andor earning 14 Emmy Award nominations and five wins. Crank up the “Niamos!” club remix! — Devan Coggan
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew brought the kids home and ushered At Attin into the larger galaxy.
In January, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew brought our favorite group of far-flung kids (Wim, Neel, Fern, and KB) back home to At Attin. After spending the entire season lost in space, the crew return changed for good — and not alone. Jod and his pirate crew are on their heels and put their invasion plan into action in hopes to get their hands on the rumored treasure horde. It’s all too easy for Jod and his crew to disrupt the careful peace At Attin has known for many years! But the kids are ready to fight back.
Wim, Fern, Neel, and KB grew so much over the course of their adventure, both as friends and individuals. And they didn’t hesitate to take action against Jod and the pirates — with the help of their tough-to-convince parents. And as the season came to a close, the kids realized that they were going to have to risk everything they’ve known in order to save their home. In true Star Wars fashion, the kids placed their faith in each other and brought down the barrier to rescue their homeworld. By the end, the planet had been revealed to the wider galaxy, leaving us feeling optimistic about the crew and At Attin’s future. — Paige Lyman
Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld put the spotlight on two characters that thrive in the shadows.
For devotees of the scoundrels, assassins, and hunters of the Star Wars galaxy, this past year proved to be bountiful. The six-episode anthology Tales of the Underworld debuted on Disney+ on May the Fourth AKA Star Wars Day, providing a redemption arc to Asajj Ventress and an origin tale for Cad Bane.
Creator Dave Filoni and veteran Star Wars animation writer Matt Michnovetz kicked off the newest installment of the Star Wars: Tales series with the reveal of how Ventress (Nika Futterman) returned from her death in the 2015 novel, Dark Disciple. But it’s really a chance to help a fugitive Jedi Padawan on the run from the Empire, not just Nightsister magic, that brings Ventress back to the light.
The second three-episode tale follows Cad Bane (Corey Burton) during his days as a young orphan named Colby on the planet Duros scavenging for food alongside his pal, Niro. When a job for a local gangster goes wrong, the childhood friends find themselves on opposite sides of the law, heading towards an eventual collision course. The results are as poignant as they are tragic. — Ethan Sacks
Lucasfilm Animation observed its 20th anniversary and announced Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord coming in 2026.
For 20 years, Lucasfilm Animation has reached beyond the bounds of storytelling and deepened our understanding of this vast galaxy far, far away. Starting with Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2005, the animated medium has cultivated the limitless potential of visual and emotional expression. Guiding fans through themes of endurance, grief, and hope, Lucasfilm Animation has become the most bittersweet safe space for fans. From the grassy plains of Lothal to the rippling tides of Pabu and beyond, the animated realm of Star Wars is home to more than just the characters we meet on screen.
To commemorate the 20th anniversary, Lucasfilm Animation unveiled a poster featuring over 150 characters we have loved, lost, and maybe even loathed — ranging from Ahsoka Tano to Neeku Vozo to Alexsandr Kallus and every member of Clone Force 99. Alongside the stellar ensemble is a fleet of ships fit for all the best pilots (ahem, Hera Syndulla), as well as a plethora of furry and fearsome aliens and creatures alike.
Rooted in the epic legacy of George Lucas and Dave Filoni, Lucasfilm Animation dares to be great every step of the way. Next up, in 2026 the new animated series, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord will mark the return of the ever-elusive Maul. Announced at Star Wars Celebration Japan, Maul – Shadow Lord explores Maul’s quest for power in the gritty and merciless underworld following the aftermath of The Clone Wars and Order 66. Watch this space for more details in the new year, but in 2025 we got a look at the first image from the series, unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con: Maul with his iconic dual-bladed red lightsaber and a new style of animation. With the return of legendary actor Sam Witwer, Maul is sure to leave his mark. — Katarina Cruz
LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy – Pieces of the Past assembled a charming new story.
Lego Star Wars: Rebuild The Galaxy – Pieces of the Past was the 2025 sequel made to build (pun intended) on the original series from 2024. This time, Sig Greebling and Darth Dev must join forces (Force Building and Sith Breaking) to stop Darth Solitus, Jedi Bob’s former Master, who is looking to unmake the galaxy by collapsing it into the Forcehold, an alternate prison dimension. The series is certainly a great addition to the LEGO Star Wars catalogue, which in many facets is a love letter to Star Wars and LEGO.
Part of the wonderful charm of the LEGO Star Wars series as a whole, including Pieces of the Past, is its incredible attention to detail: In seemingly every scene there is a delightful Easter egg, outrageous mashup, or callback that makes both Star Wars fans and LEGO fans smile, chuckle, or point at the screen. — Arda Ocal
Star Wars: Visions returned with six new chapters.
Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 returned in October, making the jump from hyperspace and onto our screens. The beloved animated anthology again brought us no shortage of bombastic battles, heartfelt moments, and daring rescues. But as a series first, we followed up on the stories of a few fan favorites from Volume 1, namely F, Kara, and the Ronin. Alongside our intrepid Jedi and former Sith, we witnessed six other inventive looks into the Star Wars mythos. Visions’ variety is really unlike anything else: We get everything from tales focused on an adorable child and his teddy bear droid to a middle-aged soldier writhing in pain. It’s the Star Wars galaxy colored with hues you’ve never seen before. Do yourself a favor and catch up on these creative takes on the universe before the year is out! — Jade Fabello
Star Wars Celebration brought the stars to Japan.
From singing happy birthday to the Chosen One, Hayden Christensen, to exclusive interviews with the casts of The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter, to catching up with fan favorites like Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO himself), and Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks, Kelleran Beq, and now also Darth Jar Jar to LEGO fans!), Tokyo was treated to some of the brightest stars in the galaxy far, far away.
Attendees also got their first looks at the final season of Andor, a glimpse at the next animated series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, and new Star Wars manga, novels, art books, and video games, including Star Wars Zero Company.
Relive the fun from the Star Wars Celebration Japan LIVE! stage anytime on YouTube. — Kelly Knox
The galaxy of gaming continued to expand.
Gamers across the stars (and platforms) went on several new interactive adventures this year. One of the most exciting, as first announced at Star Wars Celebration Japan, was when Star Wars teamed up with Fortnite once again to deliver a summer season worth remembering. This five-part, month-long initiative, dubbed Fortnite: Galactic Battle, had many highlights — but the ability to finally play as longtime fan-favorite Darth Jar Jar, whose powers included sinister Force lightning, was the ultimate win.
Also unveiled at Star Wars Celebration Japan, Star Wars Zero Company is an upcoming single-player turn-based tactics video game, coming in 2026 to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Developed by Bit Reactor in collaboration with Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games, Zero Company will tell an original, gritty Clone Wars-era story featuring a brand new (and rather ragtag) set of heroes. We cannot wait to play it next year!
The adventures of Kay Vess continued with DLC expansion Star Wars Outlaws: A Pirate’s Fortune, which teamed up with everyone’s favorite rapscallion, Hondo Ohnaka. The original game was also released to the Nintendo Switch 2 this fall. More ND-5 and Nix, please!
Industrial Light & Magic delivered an exciting new immersive experience in Star Wars: Beyond Victory – A Mixed Reality Playset, an exclusive game on the Meta Quest 3 and 3S headsets. Now this is (finally) podracing! To cap off 2025 — and on that note of podracing — there were two surprise Star Wars gaming announcements during December’s Game Awards. The first was a mysterious cinematic trailer revealing the upcoming Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic and the return of original Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic director Casey Hudson, from Arcanaut Studios and Lucasfilm Games. The second introduced a new high-stakes adventure game, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, which featured speeding repulsorcrafts, the blistering sands of Jakku, and a surprise cameo from an elder Sebulba. Move over Santa Claus, there is only one bearded old man to focus on now. (Spoiler alert: It’s Sebulba.)
And it would not be a proper recap of the year in gaming without highlighting the absolutely stellar DLC to the critically-acclaimed Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Dubbed The Order of Giants, the newest addition to the globe-trotting virtual world of Dr. Jones included some stunning new locations (including the Colosseum and Vatican Gardens in Italy) and an epic new enemy. — Brandon Wainerdi
Lucasfilm Publishing brought fresh new stories and satisfying conclusions.
The summer of 2025 saw the end of Phase III of the Star Wars: The High Republic publishing project, which included dozens of interconnected novels, comics, manga, and audio dramas released over the last four years. The architects of the endeavor — Claudia Gray, Justina Ireland, Daniel José Older, Cavan Scott, and Charles Soule — returned to close out the story of the Jedi and Republic’s conflict with Nihil marauders and unveil the mystery of the Nameless creatures.
Other publishing highlights in 2025 included the first book in the Reign of the Empire trilogy, The Mask of Fear from Alexander Freed, Lamar Giles’ novel Sanctuary: A Bad Batch Novel, Adam Christopher’s terrifying Darth Vader tale Master of Evil, a look at Finn and Jannah’s past in Kwame Mbalia’s The Last Order, and two stories that tied into the television series The Acolyte — The Acolyte: Wayseeker from Justina Ireland and The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown from Tessa Gratton. And while comics fans enjoyed titles including Legacy of Vader, Tales from the Nightlands, Han Solo: Hunt for the Falcon, Jedi Knights, and Boba Fett: Black, White & Red, the manga Star Wars: Path of the Lightsaber, Vol. 1 gave sequel era fans new characters to cheer for. — Amy Richau
Marvel’s flagship Star Wars comic relaunched with previously untold stories set after the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
Written by Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner Alex Segura and featuring art by industry superstar Phil Noto, Marvel’s Star Wars flagship comic series continues its bold expansion of the original trilogy, exploring the power vacuum left behind by the fallen Empire. Fans reunited with their favorite heroes from across the galaxy as Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo try their best to protect the nascent New Republic from rising foes, who would love nothing more than to see it fail. This new era of Star Wars storytelling continues next year with Star Wars #9 out January 21. — William Shammah
Lucasfilm announced the return of Star Wars: A New Hope to movie theaters.
Most Star Wars fans today haven’t known a world without these beloved stories. But 50 years ago in 1975, Star Wars was still a relatively low-budget space fantasy undergoing pre-production. Its then-31-year-old director George Lucas was respected for his previous film, American Graffiti, but most in Hollywood looked at his new project with skepticism. In 1977, of course, everything changed. As we near the 50th anniversary in 2027, we’ll mark the occasion with a worldwide celebration of Star Wars: A New Hope’s golden anniversary. The film’s upcoming theatrical re-release will provide us all the opportunity to visit our local movie theater and imagine what it was like back in ‘77 when the projector whirred to life. This much we know for sure: movies were never the same again and neither were we. — Lucas Seastrom
Star Wars: The Force Awakens marked 10 years.
After 48 years and 12 Star Wars movies to date (including the Clone Wars theatrical release!), we’re finding more and more opportunities to commemorate those films’ milestone anniversaries. Not that we need an anniversary to celebrate our favorite Star Wars movies, but those we’ve passed in recent years — Return of the Jedi 40th, The Phantom Menace 25th, and this year’s Revenge of the Sith 20th (see above) — have found fans eager to revisit the excitement and thrills of those films again, or perhaps experience them for the very first time.
December 18, 2025, marked the 10th anniversary of Star Wars’ triumphant return to theaters with 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which, true to its title, awakened and reinvigorated Star Wars storytelling on a scale never before seen. Five movies, seven live-action series, and over a dozen animated projects have premiered since that seismic Star Wars relaunch a decade ago, which now carries an unstoppable momentum with new theatrical, streaming, and animated projects coming soon. As 2025 comes to a close, it’s a good reminder: Has there ever been a better time to be a Star Wars fan? — Pete Vilmur
