Their subjects remain top-secret, but Disney continues to lock down the creators of their upcoming “stand-alone” Star Wars films, which will be spun off from the main franchise’s storyline. The first, coming in December of 2016, will be directed by Godzilla’s Gareth Edwards. The next, according to a press release on StarWars.com, will be helmed by Josh Trank, the director of Chronicle. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy on the news: 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Josh into the family. He is such an incredible talent and has a great imagination and sense of innovation. That makes him perfectly suited to Star Wars, and for this new slate of movies that reach beyond the core characters and storylines of Episodes I through IX.”

In the press release, Trank himself says “the magic of the Star Wars Universe” defined his “entire childhood,” and that the chance to make his own movie in that universe is “the most incredible dream of all time.” And that pretty much sums up why Star Wars is able to snag these major young talents. If you were raised on George Lucas movies, how do you say no to directing a Star Wars spinoff?  Guys like Edwards and Trank would probably do the job for free, so the fact that they’re getting untold riches for the gig just makes it the ultimate Godfather offer (and gives Disney a fabulous bargaining position). As for the focus of these stand-alone films, my money’s still on a lively, galaxy-spanning musical featuring the Cantina Band.