‘Star Wars: Visions’ teases first long-form anime series, ‘The Ninth Jedi’ set for 2026 release

Lucasfilm announces Star Wars: Visions - The Ninth Jedi, expanding the anime series beyond anthology format on Disney+ in 2026.

Lucasfilm has officially announced that Star Wars: Visions will expand beyond its anthology format, with a full-length anime series titled Star Wars: Visions – The Ninth Jedi set to debut on Disney+ in 2026.

The announcement was made during the Star Wars: Visions panel at Star Wars Celebration 2025, where fans were also given a first look at Volume 3 of the animated anthology. The new season, which premieres October 29, 2025, will mark a shift for the series by introducing direct sequels to several of its most popular shorts.

Among the returning stories is The Ninth Jedi, which originally appeared in Volume 1. A follow-up short titled The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope will be part of Volume 3, continuing the story of Lah Kara as she begins to embrace her role in rebuilding the Jedi Order. The short will not serve as the start of the upcoming series but will bridge the gap between the original and the new long-form project.

Star Wars: Visions – The Ninth Jedi will expand the mythology introduced in the short, including deeper exploration of kyber crystals and Jedi lore specific to this version of the Star Wars universe. The series will follow Lah Kara as she continues her search for her missing father and takes steps to unite the scattered Jedi. While not part of official Star Wars canon, the show will build on the world that made the original short a fan favorite.

Kenji Kamiyama, who created The Ninth Jedi, will return as supervising director. Directing duties for Child of Hope will go to Naoyoshi Shiotani, allowing Kamiyama to focus on development of the series.

The move marks a significant expansion of Star Wars: Visions, which launched as an experimental project in 2021, offering original anime-style shorts set across alternate timelines and interpretations of the Star Wars universe. The overwhelmingly positive reception has led to continued support from both fans and Lucasfilm.

Volumes 1 and 2 of Star Wars: Visions are currently streaming on Disney+, with Volume 3 set to arrive later this year. The new series, The Ninth Jedi, will be the first long-form anime in the franchise’s history and is expected to release sometime in 2026.