TheStar Warsfranchise has always been so much bigger than just the movies, with merchandise, video games and a slew of Expanded Universe novels. Ever since Disney acquired LucasFilm in 2012, the galaxy far, far away has grown by leaps and bounds. While we wait for the first spinoffRogue One(August 02, 2025) andStar Wars: Episode VIII(June 11, 2025), fans will be able to pick up the latest novelStar Wars: Bloodline, written byClaudia Gray, on May 3, one day beforeStar WarsDay. It followsGeneral Leia’s backstory leading intoThe Force Awakens. Today we have word that authorClaudia Graygot some help with this story from none other thanStar Wars 8writer-directorRian Johnson.
Claudia Gray’s firstStar Wars novel,Lost Stars, was published on Force Friday back in September, and this story is widely considered to be one of the best in theJourney to Star Wars: The Force Awakens book series. The author’s new book,Star Wars: Bloodline, sheds new light on how the Resistance was founded, Han and Leia’s relationship, plus the reveal of a huge secret about Darth Vader.StarWars.composted a list of eight reasons fans should be excited for this novel, and one of which was thatRian Johnsoncame up with story ideas for the book. Here’s what LucasFilm fiction editorJen Heddlehad to say in her article.
“Some of the story ideas and elements in this novel came straight fromRian Johnson, director of the forthcomingEpisode VIII. We are indebted to him for his creativity and generosity!”
Of course, the extent ofRian Johnson’s involvement in this book isn’t known, and we likely won’t know which story elements he came up with. This novel is set in the years beforeStar Wars: The Force Awakens, following Leia, who is now a respected Senator, as a movement is born to elect a First Senator, to bring leadership to the galaxy which has become more divided than ever. Since the story will be set years beforeStar Wars: The Force Awakens, it isn’t known if any elements of this tale will cross over toStar Wars: Episode VIII.
While very little is known about the story ofStar Wars: Episode VIII, we know the sequel picks up right whereStar Wars: The Force Awakensleft off, with Rey (Daisy Ridley) meeting Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) for the first time. There have been rumors that Rey will begin her Jedi training with Luke on a remote planet, while Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) captures both Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), in hopes of luring Rey to save them. We’ll keep you posted with more onStar Wars: Episode VIIIandStar Wars: Bloodlineas soon as new details surface, but for now, you can check out new posters for theStar Wars: Bloodlinebook featuring both Leia and Darth Vader.
