After a short holiday break, the Star Wars Time Show kicks off 2026 by looking ahead at what may be the most important year for Star Wars since the franchise last hit theaters.

In this episode, we rank the Top 9 Star Wars releases and events guaranteed to arrive in 2026, spanning movies, animated series, video games, comics, theme park experiences, and a major legacy moment tied directly to George Lucas.

We break down why each entry matters, how it fits into the larger Star Wars timeline, and which projects could have long-term impact on the future of the franchise. From the return of Star Wars to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu to the expansion of The Ninth Jedi and the rise of Maul’s criminal empire, 2026 is shaping up to be a defining year.

Topics include:

• Star Wars’ return to theatrical releases

• The future of animated storytelling beyond the Skywalker saga

• Major new Star Wars video games and what eras they explore

• How theme parks and publishing are syncing with on-screen releases

• A once-in-a-lifetime legacy moment for George Lucas

Which Star Wars release are you most excited for in 2026?

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📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/StarWarsTimeShow

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As we head into the holiday break, it’s time to look back at the moments that defined Star Wars in 2025.

In this solo episode of Star Wars Time Show, I rank and break down the top 10 Star Wars moments of the year — from Andor Season 2 setting a new standard for Star Wars storytelling, to major film and TV reveals, to the surprising wins that quietly won fans over.

This wasn’t just a year of announcements. It was a year where Star Wars finally felt confident again.

Topics include:

• Why Andor Season 2 stands above everything else

• The Mandalorian and Grogu’s return to the big screen

• Shawn Levy’s Starfighter movie announcement

• Maul: Shadow Lord and the smart use of legacy characters

• Skeleton Crew’s surprisingly strong finale

• Visions Volume 3 and The Ninth Jedi’s future

• Revenge of the Sith returning to theaters for its 20th anniversary

• And how the Star Wars community itself changed in 2025

This is a reflection on where Star Wars has been — and where it finally seems to be going.

What was your top Star Wars moment of 2025?

What would the Star Wars Prequels look like if George Lucas returned and gave them the same Special Edition treatment he applied to the Original Trilogy? In this episode, we explore the most Lucas-style updates that fit his historical editing patterns — expanded environments, enhanced VFX, improved battles, deleted-scene reintegration, creature updates, and small story refinements across The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith.

We also offer our final verdict on which prequel benefits most from a Lucas-style overhaul.

Links:

YouTube: YouTube.com/StarWarsTimeShow

Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/starwarstimeshow

Anakin Skywalker at his Jedi peak vs Darth Vader in his Sith prime — who was actually more powerful?

In this solo deep-dive, Matt breaks down Anakin’s unrealized potential, Vader’s refined dark-side mastery, and how the Chosen One’s tragedy created two entirely different versions of the same Force titan.

We’ll explore:

• Was Vader truly weaker, or did he become a different kind of monster?

• How both versions of Skywalker compare to Palpatine, Obi-Wan, and Yoda

• The wild difference between Legends Vader vs Canon Vader

• Vader’s craziest feats that most fans don’t know

• Could Anakin have defeated Sidious if he remained a Jedi?

• Final verdict: Potential vs actualization — what power really means in Star Wars

Matt also touches on a new synopsis for The Mandalorian and Grogu Movie, gives answers to this week's AMA segment, and shares the latest Star Wars x Columbia Collab!

Jump in, join the debate, and cast your vote: Team Anakin or Team Vader?

Watch the full show on YouTube:

https://youtube.com/live/r8EQS0bdGoA?feature=share

Listen on Spotify:

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/starwarstimeshow

Matt and Nick break down a packed week of Star Wars updates. We talk about the reported directive that the upcoming Starfighter movie will avoid using legacy characters entirely, and what that might signal for Lucasfilm’s new direction. We also cover news that The Mandalorian Season 4 has been written, but there’s still no confirmation it will move forward.

We then dive into comments from a Star Wars Rebels writer who strongly disagreed with Sabine becoming a Jedi, and discuss the Acolyte showrunner’s surprise at how their show was handled.

In this episode:

• Why the Starfighter movie may avoid all legacy characters

• What it means that The Mandalorian Season 4 is written but not greenlit

• A Rebels writer’s big issue with Sabine becoming a Jedi

• The Acolyte showrunner’s reaction to online negativity and Lucasfilm cancelling the show

🎥 Watch the full video version on YouTube: YouTube.com/Starwarstimeshow

🎧 Listen to all episodes on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/starwarstimeshow

Matt breaks down a packed week of Star Wars news — including new details about the Starfighter movie and the surprising timeline it may explore. We also dig into the latest buzz around a possible Original Trilogy remaster and look at new images that may point to Dathomir’s role in Ahsoka Season 2.

In this episode:

• How the Starfighter movie could introduce a new timeline

• What’s driving the OT remaster buzz

• Potential Dathomir locations tied to Ahsoka Season 2

• What these updates mean for the future of the franchise

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We are aware Pete sounds a bit like C-3P0 due to an audio glitch. Apologies for the fail.

Author and longtime Star Wars voice Pete Fletzer joins the Star Wars Time Show to talk about his new book, Who Owns the Myth? Star Wars, Fandom, and the Soul of the Saga.

We explore what makes Star Wars a living myth — how it became something bigger than its creators, and why fans feel such deep ownership of the galaxy far, far away. Pete dives into five decades of fandom, George Lucas’s evolving legacy, and what it means to love a story that belongs to everyone and no one.

In this episode:

• How Star Wars became a modern myth

• The line between fan passion and creator intent

• Disney’s role in shaping the saga’s legacy

• Why Star Wars still connects — even through conflict

📘 Learn more about Pete’s book: WhoOwnsTheMyth.com

This week, Matt flew solo to react to the breaking news that the Hunt for Ben Solo movie has officially been canceled. He broke down what might have led to the decision, and whether the concept of a post–Rise of Skywalker Ben Solo story made sense to begin with. His take? The story might’ve worked better as a prequel, exploring Ben’s fall rather than his Force ghost era.

Fan responses flooded in, with one standout idea gaining traction—an animated Ben Solo series following his early Jedi training and slow turn to the dark side. Matt loved the pitch and said it could offer the character a second life onscreen.

Matt also discussed the major Acolyte reveal that Qimir was originally planned to be the first Knight of Ren, confirmed by showrunner Leslye Headland and subtly teased in the Galaxy of Heroes game bio.

He wrapped up the episode with a reflection on the Top 10 Star Wars Visions shorts from Volumes 1 and 2, offering personal favorites and suggestions for fans to revisit ahead of Volume 3.

The episode closed with fan reactions to the Ben Solo news and another round of incredible Star Wars fan art picks from the community.