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Published Jan 24, 2026, 4:30 PM EST
Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero.
With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.
Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.
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Disneyland’s upcoming Star Wars change has sparked some major discussions as Galaxy’s Edge prepares to expand with various original trilogy characters/elements. After all, the Star Wars-themed land has been firmly locked into a single canonical day during the sequel trilogy since its opening.
However, this upcoming evolution isn't coming out of nowhere. In truth, Lucasfilm has laid the groundwork for this exciting change well before the opening of Galaxy’s Edge in 2019, as the planet of Batuu has been woven into multiple eras of the official Star Wars canon from the beginning.
Original Trilogy Characters Have Been Connected To Galaxy's Edge Since The Beginning
Galaxy’s Edge expanding to include original trilogy characters is far more canon-friendly than it might seem. A year before the land opened in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Timothy Zahn's novel Thrawn: Alliances saw Anakin Skywalker and Thrawn's first meeting on Batuu during the Clone Wars, and then again after Anakin became Darth Vader during the Dark Times ahead of the original trilogy.
To that end, blaster marks on the walls of Oga's Cantina canonically came from a confrontation Vader and Thrawn had with a group known as the Darshi.
Additionally, Marvel published a canonical Han Solo comic which revealed that Han and Chewbacca delivered the juvenile Sarlacc now housed in Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities. Combined with numerous other references tied to multiple periods of the Star Wars timeline, Batuu has only ever been exclusive to the sequel trilogy within the parks itself.
Even then, Galaxy's Edge has been bending the rules in recent years with New Republic characters walking around the Star Wars-themed land including Luke Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Boba Fett, Fennec Sand, and even Din Djarin with Grogu.
All things considered, the upcoming shift feels more like an expansion of the timeline rather than fully breaking canon. Case in point, we know that Leia Organa and Han Solo will be receiving more New Republic-inspired outfits seen in comics and other media beyond the movies.
It's also been reported that minor land redesigns will also keep Batuu visually consistent with the original trilogy era, particularly in the era where Darth Vader and original trilogy-style stormtroopers can be found. Rather than changing everything, Disneyland is simply widening the window, allowing multiple points in Star Wars history to coexist simultaneously.
New Star Wars Stories Will Expand Galaxy's Edge Even Further
Beyond the connections that already exist, April will also see the release of Echoes of the Empire, a new limited comic series that will further cement the original trilogy characters on Batuu, expanding their canonical presence in the land even further.
Overall, Galaxy's Edge hosting multiple eras is a genius idea that arguably should have been implemented much earlier. By layering in additional periods, the land can feel even more alive, immersive, and flexible for different kinds of Star Wars fans.
The new changes to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge are scheduled to arrive at Disneyland at the end of April.
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Created by George Lucas
First Film Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Cast Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal
TV Show(s) The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions
Movie(s) Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order
Character(s) Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Rey Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Grand Inquisitor, Reva (The Third Sister), The Fifth Brother, The Seventh Sister, The Eighth Brother, Yoda, Din Djarin, Grogu, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
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Best time to attend According to Disney, mid-September through mid-November, as well as mid-January through mid-March, are months with typically lower attendance.
Location(s) Anaheim, CA
Countries United States
Attractions Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Space Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, It’s a Small World, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Disneyland is the Walt Disney Company's first theme park that opened in Anaheim, California in 1955. Several attractions have filtered out of the park over the years, with Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean being some of the most popular rides. Dubbed "The Happiest Place on Earth,” Disneyland sees millions of fans from all over the world come to visit every year to experience the iconic park’s magic.
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