TOKYO, Japan – Even as they wax emotional over the last film in the decades-old Star Wars saga, Lucasfilm president and film producer Kathleen Kennedy is already looking forward – and the future, it seems, might just be in long-form work.

“We’re discussing in a lot of detail right now because we can now move in just about any direction we want. One of the things that’s been really exciting is the success of The Mandalorian in the US,” Kennedy told journalists at a roundtable interview on December 11 to promote the upcoming film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

The Mandalorian, of course, is the the spin-off Star Wars series streamed exclusively over Disney+ in the US. The series has gotten both critical and widespread acclaim – not to mention meme success, if Baby Yoda is any indication.

It’s not a surprise that Kennedy, who has produced several hit movies, is looking to the world of long-form storytelling – via series – for the future of the beloved franchise.

“More and more people get introduced to the story that we’re creating there and I think there’s an opportunity that they come out of some of the stories that we’re doing in that part of the universe. We’re looking at future television series,” she said.

“That’s a great opportunity for Star Wars, to be able to explore television and long-form storytelling, so that’s really exciting for us right now,” Kennedy added.`

Kennedy is one of the producers of Rise of Skywalker, the last movie in the sequel series and the final one in a film saga that began in 1977 with Star Wars: A New Hope. Kennedy produced all 4 films in the sequel trilogy.

The Star Wars movies have followed different generations of the Skywalker family and have explored themes including family, friendship, and the push and pull between good and evil.

The original trilogy told the story from the middle – introducing viewers to Luke Skywalker and his journey to becoming a Jedi. From 1999 to 2005, fans learned about the origins of one Anakin Skywalker and how he eventually crossed to the dark side.

The current trilogy follows Kylo Ren – later revealed to be Anakin’s grandson and the son of Luke’s twin sister, Leia, and the mysterious Rey, whose parentage has yet to be revealed. All 9 films are set against the battle against different evil foes, from the Empire to the First Order.

A brainchild of George Lucas, The Rise of Skywalker is intended to be the last in the nine-film series.

The franchise has also spawned several standalone films and animated work.

The Rise of Skywalker hits Philippine cinemas from December 20 to 22, and again on January 8, 2020. – Rappler.com