Star Wars: Skeleton Crew creators explain why the Disney Plus show sits where it does on the Star Wars timeline: ‘it’s the best time to get lost in the galaxy’

• Skeleton Crew‘s showrunners have confirmed where it sits on the Star Wars timeline
• The sci-fi franchise’s latest TV show takes place after the events of Return of the Jedi
• However, the series’ creators haven’t definitively decided which year its story is set in

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s creators have confirmed where the Jude Law-starring series fits onto the ever-expanding Star Wars timeline.

In an exclusive chat with TechRadar, Jon Watts and Christopher Ford revealed that, as many fans predicted, it takes place in the post-Return of the Jedi era. That means Skeleton Crew is set in and around the same time period as three other live-action Star Wars shows, including The Mandalorian.

What may come as a surprise to readers, though, is the fact that Watts and Ford haven’t definitively decided when the story of Skeleton Crew begins. Indeed, when I asked the duo to clarify when the Disney Plus show takes place, they revealed that they hadn’t settled on an “exact date”. It sounds like they’re taking one particular issue, which has also affected Stranger Things on Netflix, into account, too, before they lock in the year that kicks off Skeleton Crew‘s narrative.

“It’s around that time,” Watts said when I asked if the last of 2024’s new Star Wars movies and shows took place alongside The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Star Wars: Ahsoka. “First of all, we picked that era because it’s the best time for kids to get lost in the galaxy because it’s also the worst time for kids to get lost in the galaxy. There’s not anyone in place who can swoop in and help them.

“But we kept it a little bit flexible because we’re tied to the kids’ ages,” Watts continued. “So, as we look towards the future, we’re still figuring out where it fits on the exact timeline.

“Yeah, it’s like we’ve thrown a dart but it’s not quite landed on the board yet,” Ford added. “So yeah, there’ll be an answer one day and it’ll be an exact date.”

Will Skeleton Crew’s young cast cross paths with Din Djarin, Grogu, and Ahsoka Tano?

Watts and Ford’s confirmation of Skeleton Crew‘s timeline position presents an interesting opportunity for its young cast of characters. Indeed, with the show taking place around the aforementioned series – read our Star Wars movie and TV shows in order guide to learn about the franchise’s timeline – there’s the potential that Skeleton Crew‘s protagonists could cross paths with Din Djarin, Grogu, Ahsoka Tano, and others.

Such a possibility is already in the works at Lucasfilm, too. A crossover movie, which will act as a big-screen finale to all of Disney Plus’ post-Return of the Jedi shows, is currently in development, with Star Wars’ chief creative officer Dave Filoni overseeing that project.

So, what are the chances of Skeleton Crew‘s five main characters – Jod Na Nawood (Law), Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), K.B (Kyriana Kritter), and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) – joining forces with some of the previously mentioned heroes? Watts and Ford wouldn’t say, but the pair teased that such a scenario would be an “exciting” one.

“It’s exciting to think about,” Watts said. “We’ve just been focusing on this season and telling this story, but that’s what’s exciting about adding these new characters to this universe. There’s a chance that they could meet surprising people along the way.”

“What’s exciting about our characters is the kids are actually kids,” Ford also replied. “They’re growing up [in real life and in our show]. If they appeared in something else [another Star Wars project], it would be kind of telling the story of them growing up and finding their place in this galaxy.”

I’ll have more exclusives to share from my chat with Watts and Ford in the weeks ahead, so check back in with TechRadar for more soon.

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